Job advertisements for professional positions in Asia grew by 18% from Q4 2013 to Q4 2014, as the increasing number of multinationals entering Asian markets led to a boost in business confidence across the region, according to the produced by Robert Walters, a recruitment consultancy.
The Index tracks job advertising volumes for professional positions across the leading job boards and national newspapers in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.
In Hong Kong, customer service and account servicing vacancies rose 38% as companies sought to differentiate themselves by adding value to customers and building long-term relationships. Job advertising for HR professionals grew by 27% over the same period last year, as staff retention continued to be a priority. HR specialists in compensation and benefits as well as talent management were in particular demand. Advertising for jobs in sales and business development grew 20% year-on-year as companies sought to increase revenue by expanding and upskilling their sales teams. IT professionals remained in demand as a result of continued developments in big data technology and digital marketing, with job advertising volumes up 24%.
Matthew Bennett, Managing Director—Greater China, Robert Walters commented, “Overall business confidence in Hong Kong remained stable throughout 2014 and companies were more confident in hiring compared to a year ago. This is reflected by the 15% year-on-year increase in job advertisement volumes in the last quarter, despite a slowdown in hiring activity due to the holiday season and the impact of the local political situation. Much of the growth can be attributed to the rise in replacement openings, as employers seek to upskill their teams by hiring professionals with stronger skill sets to replace under performers. We expect the recruitment market will become more competitive in 2015, especially for trilingual candidates with regional experience.”
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
