Help wanted: Singapore job postings surge 30.1% in April

Production and F&B related jobs saw increased demand.

Singapore job postings on Indeed rose by 30.1% in April up from their level on 1 February 2020 after adjusting for seasonal trends according to a report by the job search website.

Indeed considered the period 1 Feburary 2020 onward as the start of the pandemic, for the purposes of this report.

Job postings exceeded pre-COVID levels in mid-October 2019, having gradually recovered since May 2020, and surged in the new year. 

“Strong hiring activity is typically  a great sign for future employment growth. It means that businesses are fairly optimistic about their future prospects and confident in Singapore's broader economic recovery,” Indeed said.

The report also revealed that job postings in every broad occupation category were above pre-pandemic levels.

Jobs in the production category led the way with job postings soaring by 87% above February 2020 levels. Following second are food and beverage related job postings which saw a rebound of 64%.

“Quite simply, there are a lot of jobs available in Singapore, across a broad range of occupations. Many Singapore businesses are playing catch-up to make up for the hiring that would normally have taken place last year but didn’t due to the pandemic. That has quickly created labour market conditions that are favourable to jobseekers and has contributed to the recent decline in the Singapore unemployment rate,” Indeed said.

Indeed expects market dynamics to shift towards the jobseeker which could potentially lead to greater choice and higher wages.

“In some cases, skill-shortages may develop or become exacerbated and Singapore employers should be wary given the inability to attract foreign talent during the pandemic,” the report said.