Malaysia reported an 11% decline in online recruitment activity between April 2016 and April2017, according to the latest Monster Employment Index (MEI).  IT, Telecom/ISP and BPO/ITES reported the steepest growth in online hiring activity at 12% year-on-year, while the retail sector saw the biggest decline of -36% year-on-year.

Across the occupational groups monitored by Index, Sales & Business Development roles were most in demand, registering 9% year-on-year growth in online hiring April. Customer Service professionals continued to fare the worst, exhibiting a sharp -60% annual decline – dipping further from the -58% annual decline recorded in March.

“While fluctuations in the Malaysian labour market persist, it is pertinent for businesses to devise a talent strategy that minimises the skills mismatch between that of fresh graduates and what industry requires currently,” said Sanjay Modi, Managing Director, Monster.com – APAC and Middle East.

See: Malaysia’s Slow Hiring Intent Likely to Continue in 2017

“The global workforce is in a constant flux and it is vital for the government, industry and educational institutions to work in sync and support workers in mid-careers to upskill. Moreover, with Sales and Business Development roles taking the lead, candidates with a keen perspective eye and a flair for commercial acumen will be most in demand. Malaysia needs to address the country’s skills challenges and help the economy towards its goal of achieving the high-income status by 2020.”

The Monster Employment Index Malaysia 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 Malaysia.

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.

Also read: How to Turn a Risky Hiring Bet into a Winning Employee Gain?