As we set off on the first month of the new financial year, we've witnessed a robust surge in demand, particularly for junior talent - Development Assistants, Assistant Development Managers and Contract Administrators.

As we bid goodbye to another financial year, we find ourselves in the thick of the hiring season with the property and construction industry buzzing.

Like clockwork, we've hit the EOFY rush, and the team has kicked into high gear fielding huge demand for talent across property and construction.

Despite a series of public holidays in recent weeks, hiring activity has remained consistent across sectors. Notably, hiring in construction has been surprisingly active despite the challenges faced by the industry.

Well, we blinked and we're a quarter of the way through the year. While the job market was uncharacteristically frenetic through January and February, hiring has now settled into a more thoughtful pace - companies are resourcing with upcoming business goals and pipelines in mind, rather than the earlier 'bums on seats' mentality.

The sentiment has been the same across the team, and amongst our clients and candidates - February has been a whirlwind! The year has well and truly kicked into gear and as businesses push on with new and existing pipelines despite a news cycle full of economic uncertainty.

After the inevitable trickle back to the office in the first few weeks of January, it's shaped up to be an uncharacteristically busy start to the year.

The market is still running pretty hot, with a surprising number of new roles in sales and leasing, marketing, property finance, business services, and across the board in construction.

It's been a busy month here at scouted, particularly across property development and project management consultancy desks with a broad spectrum of placements from junior positions to senior management level.

Despite some doom and gloom about recessions and rate rises as we closed out the month, the recruitment market was a solid one in September across all our property and construction sectors.

Last month we spoke about a growing cautiousness in the talent market that was seeing offers rejected and last-minute retractions of applications. Well, there's still some trepidation about economic conditions, but things seem to be loosening up now.

We might have stepped into a New Financial Year, but the challenges of recruitment are now all too familiar as strong hiring activity continues to face the headwinds of a coy talent market.

Employers navigate economic headwinds while talent angles for a chance to climb another rung while the market is hot.

Where 3 months ago the number one priority was good culture fit, we are now receiving very specific briefs reflecting a need for specialist talent.

The past two years have seen a huge acceleration in the use of technology in the property and construction sectors. It's time to get acquainted with the world of Proptech.

Strong hiring trends continue across property and construction, with a large number of Development Manager and Property Analyst placements through April.

Strong hiring activity continues across the property and construction sectors, which has been reflected in higher than average annual wage increases as businesses vie to attract and retain top talent.

Hiring demand has been stronger than ever throughout February, with a huge number of newly created roles off the back of new business across development and projects.

What a start to 2022 - if January is anything to go by we may be in for an even busier year of recruitment in the property space than we saw in 2021.

Melbourne's property industry is trickling back into offices just in time to enjoy Christmas party season, but there are no signs that festivities are hampering hiring activity.