Insurance sector jobseekers can look forward to a bright third quarter, with insurers expected to be on the hunt for recruits.

The latest Manpower Employment outlook survey says 27% of Australian employers intend to recruit new staff between July and September, with just 6% looking to reduce numbers.

The survey of more than 2200 Australian employers revealed strong demand for new recruits in the finance, insurance and real estate sectors.

Taken together, the category has a net employment outlook of 28%, an increase of five percentage points on the second quarter.

Manpower Australia and NZ MD Lincoln Crawley says the job market across all industries has returned to pre-downturn levels and continues to grow steadily.

“The recovery has definitely hit the jobs market, with the employment outlook at its strongest point in two years,” he said.