The hiring of HR professionals across Brisbane and Sydney is expected to increase in quarter two, according to the Q1 Market Update released today by recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.

In Brisbane, HR professionals will be sought for the mining, oil and gas, civil infrastructure and professional services sectors. Positions that will be most sought-after will be health, safety and environment professionals, site HR advisers/superintendents/managers, resource planners and remuneration/benefits specialists and instructional designers.

In Sydney the demand will be spread across a wider range of industries. Learning and development professionals and organisational development specialists will be highly sought-after as organisations increase their focus on retention strategies. Change managers will also be in demand.

Robert Walters’ manager of HR recruitment in Brisbane, Mary Darke, says that employers will need to better position themselves as an employer of choice to ensure they secure top HR talent.

“In Brisbane in particular, employers in the resources sector will need to market flexible working arrangements, attractive rosters and creative accommodation and benefits packages when seeking to secure quality site-based professionals. In contrast, professional services employers will need to promote their flexible working arrangements, work-life balance and challenging/varied responsibilities to compete with the salaries offered by more buoyant sectors.”