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The number of job ads has ticked up for the first time in a year.
The Seek Employment report for July indicates the number of ads increased 3 percent from June, but were still down 29 percent year-on-year.
Applications per job ad were little changed from June's reading.
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Seek country manager Rob Clark said what had not changed was fierce competition among candidates - that showed "no sign of abating".
"While it is pleasing to see an increase in job ad volumes, this comes after five months of consecutive declines, including an 8 percent fall in June," he said.
Retail and consumer ads rose 24 percent, followed by hospitality and tourism up 20 percent, with government and defence up 22 percent.
Consulting and strategy was the only sector to record a monthly fall in job listings - down 7 percent.
"In some of the larger regions, including Bay of Plenty, Auckland and Wellington, July saw the largest monthly rise in job ads in over two years," Clark said.