Businesses in Vietnam are more interested in hiring mid- to senior-level professionals with international experience in order to close the skills gap in 2016, according to the latest Global Salary Survey from Robert Walters in Vietnam.
“Sustained demand on the locally-based candidate pool as well as the acute talent shortage in Vietnam has resulted in an increasing focus on returning Vietnamese professionals and attracting professionals outside of their industry sector,” said Jon Whitehead, Country Manager of Robert Walters Vietnam.
“When vying for top-tier talent, employers need to be aware that while an attractive salary is always an important factor, offering a structured career progression will be more crucial than ever in 2016.”
The plan to hire more experienced workers is expected to assist companies in designing solid management succession plans. According to the data, qualified candidates moving jobs in 2016 can realistically expect an average salary increase of 15-25%.
The trend for recruiting returning Vietnamese professionals will continue in 2016. Hiring these internationally experienced candidates will help hiring managers begin to close the experience gap between candidates required for middle management positions as well as those for more senior roles.
This, in turn, will assist companies to develop solid succession planning strategies by recruiting high-potential candidates capable of moving to the very top levels of the company.
There is no sign of inward investment slowing down and we expect new businesses to continue entering the market during 2016. We also anticipate that many already established companies will run transformational and restructuring programmes, heightening demand for HR practitioners with change management experience.
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For example: In the face of greater competition for talent, we recommend that hiring managers consider candidates from industries and sectors other than their own.
For example, pharmaceutical companies and retailers might consider individuals with complementary FMCG experience whose skills can be refined internally.
The data also showed that as more manufacturing plants establish operations in Vietnam, professionals skilled in engineering, procurement, sourcing and supply chain will see increased job opportunities.
Additionally, the entrance of mobile applications and tech start-ups will steer recruitment for IT candidates towards iOS development, Android development as well as graphic design.
Meanwhile, demand for marketers within the technical healthcare sector will continue as global firms expand their presence and more competitors enter the Vietnamese market.
Although salary is always a key factor in attracting new employees, the opportunity for structured career progression will be more important than ever in 2016, as the competition for talent intensifies.
In 2016, we foresee more manufacturing operations entering Vietnam from China, Thailand, Japan and South Korea in a variety of industries including electronics, textiles and FMCG.
As a result, we anticipate that the competition for HR managers with experience in factory operations will intensify in 2016.
Also read: Where are the Most Satisfied Workforces in Asia?
Image credit: cosmeticsdesign-asia.com
