It’s a good time to be working in the HR & Admin field in the Philippines. According to the latest Monster Employment Index (MEI) for May 2016, there has been a huge increase in online job posting activity locally – making it the highest growth occupation in both the Philippines and across Southeast Asia.

While a number of occupations registered positive growth in May, HR & Admin roles took to the top spot, growing 39% year-on-year. In Singapore, HR jobs saw a decline at -14% year-over-year – a further drop from April’s registered -9% drop.

In Malaysia, HR jobs saw a slight increase between April and May, however online hiring activities are still in negative growth at -11% year-over-year.

The MEI records industries and occupations that show the highest and lowest growth in online recruitment activity Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines every month. It also includes data from the HR & Administrative occupation groups.

HR & Admin jobs:

“As unemployment declines in the Philippines, we are seeing a notable growth in the need for HR & Admin professionals to oversee this boost in hiring and recruitment activity,” said Sanjay Modi, Managing Director at Monster.com – APAC and Middle East.

A recent survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) found employment among Filipinos is inching up, and the latest reports have indicated the unemployment rate declined in April to 6.1% from 6.4% a year ago.

This economic improvement will continue to attract external businesses and boost hiring locally, meaning HR professionals will also continue to be in high demand to help companies fill vacancies and structure their people policies.

Philippines Highlights:

• Philippines saw an 11% growth in online hiring between May 2015 and 2016
• The Retail sector saw 106% year-over-year growth, the steepest among all sectors
• The Production/Manufacturing, Automotive and Ancillary sector saw the sharpest decline at -34% year-over-year
• HR & Admin professionals saw the steepest growth at 39%, while Hospitality & Travel professionals reported the sharpest decline at -55%

Singapore Highlights:

• Singapore exhibited a -5% annual dip in online recruitment in May
• The Consumer Goods/ FMCG, Food & Packaged Food, Home Appliance, Garments/ Textile/ Leather, Gems & Jewellery sector reported the steepest y-o-y growth at 6%
• The BFSI sector reported the steepest fall at -8% year-over-year
• Hospitality & Travel roles saw the greatest growth in demand at 1%, while Real Estate roles registered the steepest drop at -18% year-over-year

Malaysia Highlights:

• Malaysia experienced -13% year-over-year drop in online hiring in May 2016
• No job sector and occupational groups registered positive annual growth
• The IT, Telecom/ISP and BPO/ITES sectors reported the least annual decline at -1%, while the Logistic, Courier/ Freight/ Transportation, Shipping/ Marine sector continued to report the steepest annual plunge at -35%
• Annual demand for Marketing & Communications professionals reported the least decline at -1%, whereas the Software, Hardware, Telecom roles experienced the steepest drop at -29% year-over-year

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 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