More Australian jobseekers faced a tougher labour market in May after the number of jobs advertised on-line fell, new figures show.
The latest Seek Employment Index (SEI), which measures the ratio of new job ads to job applications posted on the Seek job search website, fell by 0.5%, seasonally adjusted, in May.
It was the sixth straight monthly fall, although the decline was smaller than the average 3.4% drop for the five previous months.
South Australia had the biggest increase of the index, where the job market tightened 4.1%.
Victoria, where advertisers find it easier to fill jobs, dropped 2.7%.
New jobs advertised rose for the first time in 2008, up 3.5% in May - and gained 20.2% year-on-year.
NSW accounted for most of the increase in new jobs ads, up 4.9%.
This regained half of the 9.8% fall in job ads between December 2007 and April.
Seek sales director Joe Powell said a generation of employees have only worked in a booming job market, so the rise in job applications last month could be the start of a tipping of the balance back to employers.
"For a long time now, jobseekers have enjoyed a very strong bargaining position but increased competition for skilled work suggests this may be coming to an end," said Powell.
Total applications for jobs on Seek rose 4% across Australia, and were up 35% for the year to May.
South Australia again increased the most, 6.5%, with the Australian Capital Territory rising 4.8% and Victoria up 4.5%.
Powell said the rise in jobs applications could give more power to employers and there were possible effects to the economy from that.
"We anticipate that employers in many sectors will be pleased to receive more quality candidates for the jobs they advertise," he said.
"However, it remains to be seen what impact, if any, this on loyalty of their current staff."
The hardest jobs to fill were landscape architects, radiologists, sonographers, navy personnel, senior associate solicitors, and environment and natural resources employees.
The most competitive jobs to fill were transport warehousing, packers and fillers, accounts payable, telesales staff and process workers.
