The job market in Vietnam is expected to be largely positive next year as the country continues to develop its manufacturing base, recruitment companies said.

A company recruits staff at a job fair in HCM City

“In 2018, we expect the manufacturing and industrial sector in Vietnam to keep growing,” said Adrien Bizouard, Vietnam country manager at Robert Walters, a specialist professional recruitment firm.

A greater number of multinationals are expected to expand across the country and build new factories, and demand for engineers and manufacturing professionals was set to rise as a consequence, he said.

The local retail sector will also see growth due with an increase in the number of shopping malls and real estate projects, he added.

“We also expect 2018 will bring a greater demand for professionals with strong business partnering skills,” Bizouard said.

A Robert Waters report said the FMCG, tech and pharmaceutical industries will continue to be active recruiters of in-house legal counsel, while the financial services industry was set to open up new roles for internal control and auditing functions in response to increasingly complex regulatory requirements.

With use of big data steadily rising across Vietnam’s major sectors, highly proficient software developers will remain sought after in 2018.

Hiring managers, however, will find it difficult to source IT experts with strong management skills, full stack developers and front end UI/UX professionals, because of a lack of suitable candidates in the market.

To overcome the talent shortage, firms are likely to look for Vietnamese candidates based overseas, the report said.

Toby Fowlston, managing director for Robert Waters Southeast Asia, said many businesses were creating online or mobile platforms as companies seek to enhance competitiveness and market share, with the digital economy continuing to expand across the region.

As a result of these transformations, many companies need professionals with digital expertise, in both marketing and information technology, especially those who are proficient in running back-office digital infrastructure or with niche technology skills.

“We also foresee high demand for candidates proficient in handling multiple human resource responsibilities, while displaying a commercial mindset,” Fowlston said.

The market remained candidate driven in 2017, with hiring managers struggling with talent shortages across most sectors, he added.

This had a particular impact on the hiring of high-potential professionals with international backgrounds and local expertise.

With more large retail firms planning to expand in the Vietnamese market, it is likely that human resource professionals with experience of working in the retail industry will be sought after.

As demand for technical and specialist skill sets rises, hiring processes across industries would become more stringent as more organisations seek to hire culture-fit candidates on a long-term basis.

Professionals moving jobs are set to receive salary increments of 20 percent, slightly lower than in 2017.

Those remaining within the same organisation can expect increments of about 10 percent as part of their annual salary review.

JobStreet.com also forecasts growth in the job market in Vietnam next year, especially the first six months.

Wholesale, manufacturing and production, construction and engineering are the sectors with the highest demand for human resources.

Many companies in Vietnam say they have high demand for managers and directors, but they find it difficult to recruit candidates meeting their criteria.-VNA/VNS