Top 20 search terms candidates are using in your industry
Understanding the top search terms that candidates use when job hunting can help you craft an engaging and targeted job ad that aligns with what they are looking for in their next role. This helps boost your ad’s visibility, ensuring it’s seen by the most relevant candidates.
There’s even more importance placed on the terms used in your job ad when we consider that just 33% of searches now on SEEK use the classification filter – in other words, fewer people are searching by industry and so your job ad needs to work harder to capture the attention of relevant candidates.
Use the drop-down menu below to find out the top search terms in your industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | accountant | 11 | graduate accountant |
| 2 | accounting | 12 | accounts |
| 3 | finance manager | 13 | entry level |
| 4 | graduate | 14 | analyst |
| 5 | finance | 15 | work from home |
| 6 | financial controller | 16 | operations |
| 7 | financial | 17 | accounts payable |
| 8 | part time | 18 | technology |
| 9 | bookkeeper | 19 | management accountant |
| 10 | assistant accountant | 20 | administration |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Accounting industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | administration | 11 | customer service |
| 2 | part time | 12 | fifo |
| 3 | work from home | 13 | operations |
| 4 | receptionist | 14 | office manager |
| 5 | executive assistant | 15 | administration officer |
| 6 | administration assistant | 16 | manager |
| 7 | admin | 17 | school |
| 8 | entry level | 18 | no experience |
| 9 | financial | 19 | technology |
| 10 | data entry | 20 | casual |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | financial | 11 | work from home |
| 2 | operations | 12 | graduate |
| 3 | marketing | 13 | corporate events |
| 4 | technology | 14 | fashion |
| 5 | graphic designer | 15 | media |
| 6 | part time | 16 | manager |
| 7 | administration | 17 | writer |
| 8 | communications | 18 | no experience |
| 9 | project manager | 19 | account manager |
| 10 | entry level | 20 | marketing manager |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | graduate | 11 | compliance |
| 2 | financial | 12 | customer service |
| 3 | project manager | 13 | work from home |
| 4 | analyst | 14 | business analyst |
| 5 | entry level | 15 | risk |
| 6 | operations | 16 | administration |
| 7 | finance | 17 | paraplanner |
| 8 | manager | 18 | mandarin |
| 9 | part time | 19 | accountant |
| 10 | technology | 20 | banking |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Banking & Financial Services industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | customer service | 11 | entry level |
| 2 | financial | 12 | no experience |
| 3 | work from home | 13 | customer service representative |
| 4 | part time | 14 | casual |
| 5 | operations | 15 | project manager |
| 6 | team leader | 16 | customer service officer |
| 7 | technology | 17 | retail |
| 8 | administration | 18 | full time |
| 9 | manager | 19 | sales |
| 10 | call centre | 20 | night shift |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Call Centre & Customer Service industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | financial | 11 | project manager |
| 2 | manager | 12 | case manager |
| 3 | support worker | 13 | social work |
| 4 | disability support worker | 14 | youth worker |
| 5 | community services | 15 | work from home |
| 6 | operations | 16 | team leader |
| 7 | administration | 17 | customer service |
| 8 | technology | 18 | entry level |
| 9 | part time | 19 | project |
| 10 | social worker | 20 | mental health |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Community Services & Development industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | project manager | 11 | project engineer |
| 2 | estimator | 12 | carpenter |
| 3 | contract administrator | 13 | site supervisor |
| 4 | supervisor | 14 | construction |
| 5 | site manager | 15 | operations |
| 6 | electrician | 16 | project coordinator |
| 7 | financial | 17 | junior |
| 8 | labourer | 18 | development manager |
| 9 | manager | 19 | technology |
| 10 | graduate | 20 | design manager |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Construction industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | project manager | 11 | entry level |
| 2 | financial | 12 | business analyst |
| 3 | graduate | 13 | operations manager |
| 4 | operations | 14 | senior project manager |
| 5 | technology | 15 | risk |
| 6 | manager | 16 | general manager |
| 7 | analyst | 17 | development manager |
| 8 | project | 18 | provision |
| 9 | director | 19 | consultant |
| 10 | program manager | 20 | project engineer |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | architect | 11 | interior design |
| 2 | financial | 12 | interior designer |
| 3 | graphic designer | 13 | development manager |
| 4 | operations | 14 | designer |
| 5 | technology | 15 | graduate architect |
| 6 | project manager | 16 | administration |
| 7 | draftsperson | 17 | graduate |
| 8 | design manager | 18 | graphic design |
| 9 | architecture | 19 | part time |
| 10 | design | 20 | building designer |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | teacher | 11 | principal |
| 2 | financial | 12 | early childhood teacher |
| 3 | education | 13 | manager |
| 4 | administration | 14 | primary teacher |
| 5 | childcare | 15 | teaching |
| 6 | operations | 16 | project manager |
| 7 | technology | 17 | work from home |
| 8 | teacher aide | 18 | early childhood educator |
| 9 | music | 19 | trainer and assessor |
| 10 | part time | 20 | educator |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Education & Training industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | project manager | 11 | electrical engineer |
| 2 | graduate | 12 | electrical |
| 3 | financial | 13 | civil engineer |
| 4 | engineer | 14 | water |
| 5 | mechanical engineer | 15 | rail |
| 6 | manager | 16 | internship |
| 7 | operations | 17 | operations manager |
| 8 | project engineer | 18 | draftsperson |
| 9 | technology | 19 | quality |
| 10 | graduate engineer | 20 | project |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Engineering industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | financial | 11 | no experience |
| 2 | operations | 12 | farm |
| 3 | technology | 13 | labourer |
| 4 | agriculture | 14 | provision |
| 5 | part time | 15 | farm hand |
| 6 | manager | 16 | administration |
| 7 | farm manager | 17 | graduate |
| 8 | animal | 18 | horticulture |
| 9 | environmental | 19 | covid 19 |
| 10 | casual | 20 | project manager |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | project manager | 11 | finance |
| 2 | financial | 12 | project |
| 3 | manager | 13 | part time |
| 4 | administration | 14 | government |
| 5 | operations | 15 | entry level |
| 6 | property | 16 | project officer |
| 7 | customer service | 17 | policy |
| 8 | technology | 18 | director |
| 9 | engineer | 19 | operations manager |
| 10 | graduate | 20 | analyst |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Government & Defence industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | registered nurse | 11 | operations |
| 2 | nurse | 12 | project manager |
| 3 | administration | 13 | technology |
| 4 | enrolled nurse | 14 | assistant in nursing |
| 5 | financial | 15 | research |
| 6 | receptionist | 16 | aged care |
| 7 | medical receptionist | 17 | part time |
| 8 | nursing | 18 | dental assistant |
| 9 | manager | 19 | occupational therapist |
| 10 | practice manager | 20 | pharmacist |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Healthcare & Medical industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | chef | 11 | kitchen hand |
| 2 | manager | 12 | technology |
| 3 | hospitality | 13 | management |
| 4 | financial | 14 | head chef |
| 5 | general manager | 15 | no experience |
| 6 | casual | 16 | chef cook |
| 7 | part time | 17 | fifo |
| 8 | barista | 18 | customer service |
| 9 | operations | 19 | duty manager |
| 10 | operations manager | 20 | front office manager |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Hospitality & Tourism industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | human resources | 11 | human resources manager |
| 2 | financial | 12 | work from home |
| 3 | hr | 13 | recruitment |
| 4 | operations | 14 | hr manager |
| 5 | technology | 15 | fifo |
| 6 | part time | 16 | project manager |
| 7 | graduate | 17 | learning and development |
| 8 | entry level | 18 | hr advisor |
| 9 | administration | 19 | talent acquisition |
| 10 | manager | 20 | people and culture |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Human Resources & Recruitment industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | project manager | 11 | it manager |
| 2 | business analyst | 12 | test analyst |
| 3 | graduate | 13 | test |
| 4 | manager | 14 | operations |
| 5 | entry level | 15 | architect |
| 6 | security | 16 | project coordinator |
| 7 | junior | 17 | java |
| 8 | financial | 18 | program manager |
| 9 | it support | 19 | technology |
| 10 | it | 20 | developer |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Information & Communication Technology industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | financial | 11 | risk |
| 2 | operations | 12 | work from home |
| 3 | technology | 13 | team leader |
| 4 | project manager | 14 | entry level |
| 5 | insurance | 15 | rns nursing |
| 6 | graduate | 16 | superannuation |
| 7 | analyst | 17 | business analyst |
| 8 | manager | 18 | administration |
| 9 | claims | 19 | part time |
| 10 | covid 19 | 20 | provision |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | financial | 11 | legal assistant |
| 2 | graduate | 12 | junior lawyer |
| 3 | lawyer | 13 | junior |
| 4 | operations | 14 | graduate lawyer |
| 5 | paralegal | 15 | administration |
| 6 | technology | 16 | part time |
| 7 | legal | 17 | legal counsel |
| 8 | legal secretary | 18 | provision |
| 9 | law graduate | 19 | law clerk |
| 10 | solicitor | 20 | receptionist |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | truck driver | 11 | process worker |
| 2 | driver | 12 | forklift operator |
| 3 | manager | 13 | production manager |
| 4 | operations manager | 14 | project manager |
| 5 | financial | 15 | logistics |
| 6 | forklift driver | 16 | technology |
| 7 | warehouse | 17 | storeperson |
| 8 | operations | 18 | pick packer |
| 9 | forklift | 19 | night shift |
| 10 | supervisor | 20 | delivery driver |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | financial | 11 | project manager |
| 2 | marketing | 12 | graphic designer |
| 3 | marketing manager | 13 | fashion |
| 4 | communications | 14 | work from home |
| 5 | graduate | 15 | manager |
| 6 | operations | 16 | digital marketing |
| 7 | technology | 17 | marketing assistant |
| 8 | entry level | 18 | internship |
| 9 | digital | 19 | account manager |
| 10 | part time | 20 | brand manager |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Marketing & Communications industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | dump truck | 11 | financial |
| 2 | standard 11 | 12 | supervisor |
| 3 | dump truck operator | 13 | 777 operators |
| 4 | haul truck | 14 | 785 operators |
| 5 | dozer operator | 15 | 789 operators |
| 6 | electrician | 16 | mining |
| 7 | manager | 17 | trainee |
| 8 | operator | 18 | underground coal mining |
| 9 | entry level | 19 | machine operator |
| 10 | project manager | 20 | fifo |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Mining, Resources & Energy industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | financial | 11 | property |
| 2 | development manager | 12 | part time |
| 3 | property manager | 13 | entry level |
| 4 | operations | 14 | assistant development manager |
| 5 | project manager | 15 | receptionist |
| 6 | technology | 16 | graduate |
| 7 | real estate | 17 | manager |
| 8 | administration | 18 | marketing |
| 9 | sales | 19 | no experience |
| 10 | facilities manager | 20 | development |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | retail | 11 | operations |
| 2 | casual | 12 | technology |
| 3 | part time | 13 | casual part time |
| 4 | retail assistant | 14 | retail sales assistant |
| 5 | manager | 15 | sales |
| 6 | financial | 16 | area manager |
| 7 | customer service | 17 | team member |
| 8 | sales assistant | 18 | retail manager |
| 9 | no experience | 19 | christmas casual |
| 10 | customer service assistant | 20 | part time casual |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Retail & Consumer Products industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | sales | 11 | retail |
| 2 | financial | 12 | technology |
| 3 | account manager | 13 | part time |
| 4 | automotive | 14 | food |
| 5 | sales representative | 15 | work from home |
| 6 | sales manager | 16 | electrical |
| 7 | manager | 17 | casual |
| 8 | fmcg | 18 | customer service |
| 9 | operations | 19 | wine |
| 10 | business development manager | 20 | general manager |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Sales industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | financial | 11 | laboratory technician |
| 2 | operations | 12 | graduate |
| 3 | technology | 13 | research assistant |
| 4 | project manager | 14 | scientist |
| 5 | laboratory | 15 | chemist |
| 6 | research | 16 | environmental |
| 7 | food | 17 | civil engineering |
| 8 | quality | 18 | chemistry |
| 9 | quality assurance | 19 | project |
| 10 | manager | 20 | science |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
Visit Laws of Attraction to find out more about what candidates and employees want in the Science & Technology industry.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | financial | 11 | provision |
| 2 | operations | 12 | administration |
| 3 | technology | 13 | fitness |
| 4 | manager | 14 | no experience |
| 5 | personal trainer | 15 | rail supervisor |
| 6 | part time | 16 | operations manager |
| 7 | sport | 17 | sales |
| 8 | covid 19 | 18 | general manager |
| 9 | project manager | 19 | customer service |
| 10 | casual | 20 | receptionist |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
| RANK | SEARCH TERM | RANK | SEARCH TERM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | electrician | 11 | fitter |
| 2 | financial | 12 | apprentice |
| 3 | apprenticeship | 13 | supervisor |
| 4 | plumber | 14 | electrical |
| 5 | operations | 15 | maintenance |
| 6 | technology | 16 | boilermaker |
| 7 | labourer | 17 | project manager |
| 8 | carpenter | 18 | service manager |
| 9 | manager | 19 | fifo |
| 10 | mechanic | 20 | technician |
Source: SEEK data, October 2020 – April 2021.
While specific role titles feature heavily in the table above, we can also see terms related to employment type, location and experience level also appear. For example, ‘work from home’ is the third most used search term for those looking for jobs in the Administration & Office Support industry. If applicable, providing candidates with this information up front means they will be more likely to click through to your job ad and apply.
To attract top talent to your advertised roles, you need to know what they want from a job and make sure those factors are in your job title and summary. Visit SEEK’s Laws of Attraction research to discover these factors at an industry level to help you draw candidates to a role and retain employees.
Source: SEEK data, 6-month rolling average from Jun 2020 to Feb 2021.
