Why We Created the Living Sectors Talent Insights Report

There is certainly no shortage of salary surveys in the property industry.

Every year organisations send out questionnaires, collect responses and publish averages. Whilst those reports have their place, we felt there was a gap in the market for something more practical.

That is why we created the Living Sectors Talent Insights.

Rather than relying on survey responses, our report is built from what we see every day. It combines the placements we have made, the hundreds of conversations we have with professionals across the Build to Rent, PBSA and Co-Living sectors, and the recruitment briefs we receive from operators, developers and investors throughout Australia.

It is designed to answer a simple question:

What is actually happening in the market?

Beyond Salary

Salary is only one part of the recruitment equation.

The conversations we have with candidates are increasingly about career progression, leadership, flexibility, culture and the opportunity to make an impact. Likewise, employers are no longer simply looking for someone who meets the technical requirements of a role.

They want commercial thinking.

They want operational excellence.

They want people who genuinely understand the resident experience.

Understanding these changing expectations is just as important as understanding remuneration.

The Living Sectors Continue to Mature

Over the past two years we have seen Australia’s Living Sector evolve at an extraordinary pace.

Build to Rent has moved from concept to operational reality.

Co-Living has become an established asset class.

PBSA continues to expand alongside Australia’s growing student population.

As portfolios mature, so too do the people requirements.

The industry is no longer simply recruiting leasing teams to open buildings. Operators are investing in experienced General Managers, Resident Experience professionals, Asset Managers, Finance leaders and regional operational teams capable of driving long-term performance.

Recruitment has become increasingly strategic.

Experience Matters More Than Ever

One of the strongest themes to emerge from our conversations is that experience has become increasingly transferable.

Some of the industry’s best operators have backgrounds in hotels.

Others have come from traditional residential property.

Some have built careers within PBSA before moving into Build to Rent.

The common denominator isn’t the sector they started in.

It is their ability to create communities, deliver exceptional customer experiences and operate complex assets commercially.

Increasingly, clients are hiring capability rather than simply sector experience.

Recruitment Is Becoming More Competitive

The talent pool remains relatively small.

The best candidates are rarely applying for jobs online.

Most are already employed and will only move if the opportunity genuinely advances their career.

This means recruitment is becoming less about advertising and more about relationships, market knowledge and understanding what motivates people to make a move.

Organisations that communicate clearly, move quickly and provide a positive candidate experience consistently outperform those that don’t.

Why We Publish These Insights

Our aim has never been to produce another salary guide.

We wanted to create a resource that genuinely helps clients understand the market.

One that provides context alongside remuneration.

One that highlights where talent is available, where shortages exist and how recruitment is changing across the Living Sectors.

Whether you’re planning your next hire, benchmarking salaries or simply interested in where the sector is heading, we hope the report provides useful insight.

The Australian Living Sector is growing rapidly, and the quality of leadership being recruited today will shape the communities of tomorrow.

If you’d like a copy of the Living Sectors Talent Insights, or simply want to discuss what’s happening in the market, we’d be delighted to have a conversation.

At Living Sectors Recruitment, we work with developers, operators and capital partners across the living sectors to support talent across the full lifecycle of BTR assets from development through to stabilised operations.

If you are building out your platform or planning future projects, we would welcome the opportunity to share insight into how the market is evolving.