The online recruitment of HR & Admin professionals has witnessed an annual decline across the region, as many employers slow their overall hiring amid weaker economic conditions, according to the latest Monster Employment Index (MEI).

When comparing online hiring activity data between September 2015 and September 2016, activity has decreased year-on-year in all three markets monitored by the MEI. In Singapore, the demand for HR talent has witnessed a steady decline over recent months, with an annual drop of -12% registered for September – the lowest year-on-year drop of the three markets.

After experiencing a slight recovery in year-on-year online hiring in August, the demand for Malaysia’s HR professionals dropped significantly, closing out the quarter at -11%. The Philippines, which had previously witnessed high growth in this occupation, reported a-7% year-on-year decline for September.

HR & Admin jobs:

“With overall hiring intentions witnessing decline in all three markets, it is not uncommon to see the equal slowdown in e-recruitment of HR and Admin professionals. This is relatively typical of the time of year, heading into the final quarter of 2016 when hiring intentions slow down and employers refrain from making many big talent decisions until this New Year,” said Sanjay Modi, Managing Director at Monster.com – APAC and Middle East.

Singapore Highlights

• Singapore reported zero change in online hiring activity.
• The IT, Telecom/ISP and BPO/ITES sector reported the steepest growth i at 9%
• The BFSI sector reported the steepest decline in hiring, at -11% year-over-year
• Professionals in Software, Hardware, Telecom jobs are in the greatest demand at 18%, while HR & Admin roles have registered the steepest drop at -12%.

Malaysia Highlights:

• Malaysia saw a -16% year-on-year decline in online recruitment activity.
• None of the job sectors registered positive annual growth in online hiring
• The Production/ Manufacturing, Automotive and Ancillary sector recorded the least annual decline at -2%, while the Retail sector saw steepest annual decline at -26%
• Sales & Business Development roles reported the steepest annual growth in hiring at 9%, while Customer Service talent were the least in demand at -49% year-on-year

Philippines Highlights:

• Philippines experienced a –2% year-over-year decline in online recruitment.
• The Education and Logistics industries remain the fastest-growing job sectors, with 14% and 12% overall growth
• The IT, Telecom/ ISP sector saw the greatest decline at -13%
• Customer Service professionals are in high demand with 10% growth annually, while Engineering/ Production, Real Estate talent saw the steepest decline at -9%

The Monster Employment Index is a monthly gauge of online job posting activity, based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large representative selection of career websites and online job listings across Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The MEI is a monthly record of multiple industries and occupations that show the highest and lowest growth in online recruitment activity in Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines. Among nine occupational groups, this includes data from the HR & Administrative job pool.

The Index does not reflect the trend of any one advertiser or source, but is an aggregate measure of the change in job listings across the industry.

Read more HR NEWS in ASIA