Wanted: Job advertisements in Singapore up 24%

Companies in both commerce and financial services enjoyed a healthier quarter.

Robert Walters said, “This is further reflected in the significant 45% year-on-year growth experienced across the region. Recruitment levels in financial services in particular increased significantly by 21% on the back of positive banking results and increased market activity.”

Meanwhile job advertisements rose by 21% in the retail sector, according to the Robert Walters Asia Job Index, as demand for luxury brands and consumer items remained high as indicated by the number of shopping centres under construction in the region. Robert Walters noted that this in turn had a knock on effect within the buoyant engineering and construction market which saw a 24% rise in job advertisements as infrastructure projects fuel demand for facilities and construction managers.

Andrea Ross, Managing Director of Robert Walters Singapore and Malaysia, said recruitment activity within the second quarter benefited from a renewed level of confidence as companies released better than expected results. She noted, “The outlook for upcoming months is broadly positive, particularly within those sectors that are directly fueled by increased consumer spending such as property management and retail services.”

The Robert Walters Asia Job Index tracks advertisement volumes for professional positions across the leading job boards and national newspapers in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore.