VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese mid-level personnel's strengths are not competitive advantages compared to that of their Thai and Singaporean peers in the ASEAN Economic Community, jobs agency Navigos Search has said in a report it released on Wednesday.

Students practise at the HCM Vocational Training College in HCM City. Vietnamese mid-level personnel's strengths are not competitive advantages compared to that of their Thai and Singaporean peers in the ASEAN Economic Community. — Photo nhandan.com.vn

In a self-evaluation, the Vietnamese said they are hard-working and have the ability to learn and adapt quickly to changes while their Thai counterparts said they have the ability to work independently and solve problems.

Singaporeans said their strengths are better English, a global mindset and the ability to work independently.

The report concluded that mid-level Vietnamese executives lack the confidence to work in other countries in the AEC.

Sixty seven per cent of the Vietnamese managers and directors polled said they need to improve their English and create or update their profiles on social networking sites.

Most attractive

Singapore is the most attractive destination for Vietnamese and Thai managers and directors to work, with 71 per cent of the former choosing the island nation for their workplace.

They said they would get paid better and more chances for professional growth.

Thailand was their second choice.

On the other hand, only 10 per cent of Thai executives and 12 per cent of Singaporeans chose Viet Nam.

Because of living and working in a developed economy, Singaporean managers seemed to consider themselves better equipped to work globally than their ASEAN counterparts. Many said they would like to have more options to work in countries outside ASEAN such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, China, and India.

Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines were the least popular work locations in the AEC, with only 1-3 per cent of 1,605 people surveyed in Thailand, Viet Nam and Singapore wanting to work there.

The main reasons cited by Vietnamese managers not wanting to move abroad were lack of information on foreign worker policies and laws of other countries and personal/family issues.

Recruitment agencies play a very important role in counselling and helping respondents find a job in another country, according to the report.

Clearly understanding a candidate's needs, strengths and disadvantages would help them find suitable jobs in another country, it added.

VNS