WEST Cork’s jobs market is struggling due to a lack of flexibility as opposed to a lack of experience in candidates, according to a recruitment expert.

Karen O’Reilly of Employflex warned of a disconnect between candidates and employers who are ‘still hiring like it’s 2019’.

January is traditionally Ireland’s busiest month for job searching, but according to Employflex, the real issue facing employers isn’t a lack of talent, it’s a lack of flexibility.

Ms O’Reilly said the first month of the year typically brings a surge of highly experienced professionals back into the market, many of them parents, carers and senior talent seeking flexible roles.

‘We see it every January. Exceptional candidates with 15 to 25 years’ experience quietly testing the market and walking away just as quietly when flexibility isn’t on the table,’ she noted.

Employflex reports that 84% of their January registrations are from candidates seeking flexible work, remote work, hybrid or structured part-time roles . This is not due to a lack of ambition, but because full-time work is no longer financially or logistically viable for many households.

‘This isn’t about perks,’ stressed Ms O’Reilly.

‘It’s about practicality. Childcare costs, caring for parents and burnout are the main drivers and people are doing the maths and making practical decisions.’

She added that employers who move quickly and design roles around outcomes rather than hours are widening their talent pool and accessing the best talent in the market.

‘We don’t have a talent shortage in Ireland,’ she concluded. ‘We have a flexibility shortage and January exposes it every year.’