The insurance, finance and real estate sector has the strongest hiring intentions in the July-September quarter, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

The report predicts a net employment outlook of plus 15% and a seasonally adjusted outlook of plus 14% by the sector.

Year-on-year, the sector was 3% weaker and is still considerably below the pre-global financial crisis days when hiring intentions were above plus 40%.

The positive intention is not all good news for people looking for jobs.

Employers indicated 4% of companies would decrease hiring while the majority (74%) will not expand their headcounts.

Manpower Group Australia MD Richard Fischer says the insurance, finance and real estate sector is underpinned by a resilient economy.

“The latest survey result strengthens the argument Australia’s economy is successfully transitioning away from mining following weaker demand,” he said.

“There are financial services and real estate projects coming into the Australian market which will drive employment opportunities for individuals with in-demand skills sets.”

These skill sets include specialist IT employees as many companies are embarking on large-scale computer upgrades.

Mr Fischer says while some companies are looking to increase their headcount, there are still some underlying issues affecting recruitment.

“There are some broader challenges such as stagnant wage growth, an uncertain national political landscape and record low interest rates,” he said.

“It would appear businesses are blocking out the noise around economic and political uncertainty and getting on with executing their business plans.

“This is true of both large corporations as well as small to medium enterprises, which have been coined as the driving force of our economy.”