Jobseekers ignoring 'buffet' of roles in pricy tourist towns, employers say

Despite demand for jobs running red-hot across the country, some Queenstown and Wānaka employers say it's never been harder to find staff.

The latest TradeMe Jobs data shows the district has been bucking the national trend, with a 15 percent fall in job application numbers over the past financial year.

Nationwide, job applications rose more than 60 percent between April and June, reaching record highs.

Patrick Ryan, from R&R Plumbing and Gas, said he had found it very hard to employ a plumber to work in either Cromwell or Wānaka.

"It's generally always been reasonably tricky to find full-time staff down here. It is a pretty transient place anyway. But, especially over the last year, you do not even really get people applying as such now.

"We used to pick up... people who were just here for the winter season. But we have not even noticed the skiers anymore."

To entice staff, R&R Plumbing had added a $1000 sign-on bonus for new recruits.

Food delivery company Delivereasy was trying a similar tactic, offering $500 to drivers signing up in Wānaka.

Co-founder Tim Robinson said recruiting in Queenstown and Wānaka was unlike anywhere else in New Zealand.

"It is night and day. Queenstown, Wānaka is the place we find a lot of competition - a lot of high wages for entry-level jobs. And if you're looking for work down there, it's sort of a buffet."

The relatively high cost of living appeared to be the biggest barrier for potential recruits, Robinson said.

"I think it is the housing. The housing particularly is really expensive... and it is a large transient population too. And then a lot of people will not have vehicles. So it is a bit of a perfect storm."

In Queenstown, SUNDAYS eatery was gearing up for what owner Annabel Herbison hoped would be its busiest summer yet.

She was advertising for several different roles, and had noticed a big difference in application numbers between them.

One management position had attracted about 180 applications - largely from out of town - while the front-of-house jobs had drawn a lot fewer.

"I think it is just quite a competitive market. Everyone's recruiting, everyone's preparing for a big summer season, so there are a lot of jobs on offer."

The typically quiet shoulder season between winter and summer had proved reasonably busy this year, she said.

"It is a good problem to have - businesses doing well down here. But when you have to balance that with staffing needs and operational needs, it can become challenging."

TradeMe Jobs and SEEK NZ reported the tide was beginning to turn for the job market across the rest of New Zealand this month.

TradeMe said there had been a 13 percent rise in job listings last quarter - many of them in Southland, Otago and Canterbury.

SEEK said the national trend was still one of "elevated candidate activity", with "many willing applicants for the opportunities available".