The first half of 2025 has seen a stop-start hiring environment. While confidence is slowly returning, economic caution continues to impact hiring activity across sectors.

Key Market Trends

• Banks are gradually increasing hiring, while super funds and mutuals are consolidating, reshaping teams and driving demand for adaptable finance professionals.
• Funds management remains strong, with steady growth and ongoing recruitment.
• SMEs are driving most senior finance hiring. Larger corporates remain cautious, mostly promoting internally or filling critical roles only.
• We expect conditions to stabilise later in 2025, but for now, hiring remains selective and uneven.

Advice for Candidates

• Specialist skillsets are in demand — particularly in technical advisory, treasury, and finance transformation.
• Hot roles: Financial Control, Reporting & Tax. There are fewer FP&A and Commercial roles available.
• Stay open — the market is moving slowly. Stay connected with trusted recruiters and your network.
• Salaries are steady, but counteroffers are common. Be clear on your motivations before making a move.

Advice for Employers

• The top 10% of candidates move quickly. A slow hiring process will cost you.
• Salary alone will not secure talent — candidates value meaningful work, flexibility, and growth potential.
• Internal mobility is rising — the average finance tenure is now 2.1 years. Less movement in the market can make it harder to secure high-performing talent externally.
• Finding the right cultural and skill fit is harder than ever. That is why we focus on long-term partnerships with talent, helping clients stay ahead with proactive introductions — not just reactive hiring.