Buoyant Jersey Jobs Market Means Opportunities

Over the last five years, the employment market across the Channel Islands has undergone a radical change, with the Jersey jobs market in particular becoming increasingly more buoyant.

Government figures suggest that during 2024, the number of jobs recorded across Jersey was around 65,290 – a 0.8% increase on the year before.

Finance and legal services accounted for the highest proportion of job roles across the island, making up 21% of the entire workforce. This has only served to reinforce Jersey as a clear destination for high-net-worth individuals, the highest-paying roles and world-class employers aligned with the professional services sector. 

As you’d imagine, this increase in vacancies has been reflected by a huge rise in demand from both candidates and employers, which has naturally led to more opportunities for career advancement and higher salaries. Unfortunately, it’s also resulted in multiple challenges.

Below we explore what has contributed to these significant changes across the jobs market and what that means for both candidates and employers.

How has the Jersey job market changed?

Since both the Brexit vote and the global pandemic, the Jersey employment market has shifted significantly.

While there are more opportunities than ever for candidates, this means the jobs market has also become much more competitive – a factor that is directly impacting compensation for candidates. In the year up to October 2024, the average salary in Jersey rose by 7.2%, meaning salary growth has now run ahead of inflation for several consecutive months. 

This suggests that demand for high-level talent continues to grow and Jersey is continuing to attract highly-skilled workers, which itself is driving salaries up.

As the job market continues to diversify and the professional services sector continues to be led by financial and legal markets that go from strength to strength, it’s not hard to see why Jersey is an exciting destination for both businesses and professionals.

With this in mind, what can we expect in 2025?

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What does this mean for the Jersey jobs market?

Ultimately, this means that the Jersey jobs market has rapidly become an employee’s market.
 
Candidates now have more leverage than ever before and want to work somewhere that fits them both technically and culturally. Modern candidates expect career progression, a healthy work-life balance and competitive salaries, which this new market supports. 

It’s this shift in attitude that means employers are now having to consider how they hire and what their onboarding process looks like. 

Despite some of these challenges for employers, there are still some fundamentals that remain intact. 

  • Jobs in sectors such as fundtrustbankinglegal and secretarial are still in high demand across the island.
  • Companies are still seeking candidates that have the right skill set and experience.
  • The importance of being adaptable and flexible is still vital for candidates.
 

It also means that during 2025 we can expect Jersey – like the wider Channel Islands – to face increasing competitive from other global jurisdictions that want to attract larger names in the financial services industry.

Over the last few years we’ve seen Jersey take a proactive approach to this pressure by engaging directly with large investors, using the opportunity to reinforce its status as a leading financial hotspot on a global scale. During 2025 this means there’s a possibility other countries will look to offer financial firms more affordable or attractive operational environments in a bid to lure them away.

We also need to recognise that the finance recruitment landscape in the Channel Islands is rapidly evolving. It will be important for both islands to address potential skill gaps as technology advances alongside adapting to the changing attitudes to work we’re seeing across the globe.

How are Jersey employers responding?

With the market changing, employer attitudes have changed alongside it.

Many employers are now attempting to shorten the time it takes to find the right candidate by streamlining the hiring process. With many businesses now only holding one or two interviews before extending a formal offer, there’s more pressure for candidates to make an impact from the beginning. 

Likewise, hiring managers are placing more importance on the screening process to ensure that there’s less friction in the application-to-interview pipeline. This means that creating a good CV or writing an impactful cover letter is more important than ever.

Here at AD Offshore, we recognise that the work we do on a daily basis is directly impacting and supporting the evolution of the Jersey jobs market.

We’re in regular contact with employers across the industry and the overriding consensus is that while 2024 brought with it multiple challenges, there outlook for 2025 is increasingly positive.

Whatever 2025 brings, we’ll continue to drive innovation as a leading Jersey recruitment agency – connecting the very best talent with the best clients and ensuring that the Jersey jobs market continues to climb to new heights.

Our adoption of AI is a direct example of this innovation and highlights the approach that many organisations should be adopting in the new year.

Ultimately, candidates seeking Jersey jobs should take this opportunity to find advancement, potentially higher salaries and move into new, desirable sectors. 

If you’re looking for a new role, we have a range of Jersey vacancies available or alternatively, you can book a career guidance meeting or submit your CV with us here at Alexander Daniels Offshore.

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