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We have all heard the soundbites that Cork is set to become the fastest growing city in Ireland over the next 20 years. Jonathan Olden, Managing Partner at Barden Munster, says he gets a real sense of this when speaking to business leaders as they increase their footprint and look to bring high-value positions to the region. “It is and will continue to be an exciting time for the people of Cork if we continue to work hard to reach our true potential,” says Olden.
“Demand for the best talent in the market has certainly increased. The key is to identify a shortlist of two to three quality people, though employers are finding this extremely difficult. The market is positive across Finance, IT, Legal, Financial Services and many other sectors. Cork itself is going through a period of exceptional growth.”
Barden is a partner-led talent advisory and recruitment firm with a team of 40 people in Cork, Dublin, Waterford, and San Francisco. The firm initially specialised in Accounting & Tax recruitment and is now active in the areas of Executive Search, Legal, Financial Services, Projects and Change, Technology, Data Analytics, Supply Chain and Life Sciences.
The firm recently launched a new Life Sciences practice and is strengthening its Business Support and Supply Chain & Procurement practices. Despite tech sector layoffs in Dublin over the past year, Olden says demand for tech talent continues to exceed supply in Cork. “While there has been some impact from tech redundancies filtering into the local market, it is in no way material. The appetite for tech talent continues to grow,” he says.
In Olden’s view, unless there is joined-up thinking across business and housing providers, housing in Cork will continue to be a major issue. “It can be difficult to find housing in Cork and it is important to recognise that the market works differently here. You really do need to have someone working on your behalf in Cork in advance of attempting to relocate.”
Source: Business Plus Magazine