What are Ireland’s top jobs for the year ahead?

With a new year comes the opportunity for a fresh start and a new challenge, in many aspects of life but often for your career. Using the festive season – typically spent relaxing after a hectic year – as an opportunity to reflect on where you are, and where you want to be, will help you to arrive at answers to the following questions:

• How fulfilled are you in your current job?
• Does your salary match your skills and experience? (Use our online salary checker to help)
• Are you being enabled to reach your long-term professional goals?

If the answer to any of these is ‘no’, then now could be the time for a change in career. The good news for jobseekers is that, according to our latest Salary & Recruiting trends research, which distils insights from almost 1,500 respondents across Ireland, the vast majority of employers (94%) have faced skills shortages over the past year, and 85% are planning on hiring over the coming 12 months, presenting plenty of opportunity for those seeking a new role in 2024.
 

Skills in highest demand

Technical acumen is consistently a prerequisite for many roles, but the right soft skills can make all the difference in helping you excel at your current job and land your next one. Being open to continuous learning is crucial to developing these soft skills, and upskilling can take many forms, from formal offsite training and online courses, through to more practical, on-the-job activities such as work shadowing.

We surveyed nearly 1,500 professionals and employers to find out which soft skills are in greatest demand, and found that communication (58%) once again came out on top. This was followed by the ability to learn and upskill (51%) – which saw an increase on last year – as well as coordinating well with others (43%) and problem solving (42%).

Don’t worry if your role isn’t on the list. There’s demand across a great many professions and sectors, and though you may feel justifiably hesitant about taking a chance on a new opportunity, it’s important to remember that any reservations you have can be conquered with the right frame of mind.
 

Here are three common misconceptions when it comes to applying for a new job (and how to overcome them):

1. Now is the wrong time to be changing jobs

Moving jobs can be scary and we often find ourselves thinking that the time isn’t right to embark on a new opportunity. But have you asked yourself why? Are you due a pay rise or promotion in your current role? These important factors can be negotiated as part of finding a new job. Do you perhaps feel guilty about leaving part-way through a project? Then remember your notice period is there for the purpose of handing over work and for your successor to be found.

2. Your skills and experience don’t exactly match the job description

While there might be certain skills or experience that are essential to a role, our 2024 Salary & Recruiting Trends research shows that 71% of employers consider an employee’s willingness to learn to be more important than their existing skillset. Furthermore, 81% said they would likely hire someone who doesn’t have all the required skills advertised. With these statistics in mind, make sure you include examples of all your soft skills on your application that demonstrate your ability to pick up new skills easily. Also be sure to clarify that you are open to learning new skills.
 

3. You’re new to the industry

Perhaps you’re thinking about switching careers altogether, or trying your hand at a new industry, but are worried about being considered an outsider. If that’s the case then remember that everyone has to start somewhere, and changing industries can both broaden your expertise and enhance your skillsets. Employers also often value the new perspectives industry outsiders can bring to their sector.
 

If you’re searching for a rewarding role for 2024, then check out our latest vacancies – we add new ones daily.