Online recruitment sentiment weakens, sees 11 per cent decline in 11
KUCHING: Malaysia saw an 11 per cent decline in online hiring between March 2016 and 2017 – its first decline in the first quarter (1Q) – according to the latest Monster Employment Index (MEI).
While hiring momentum between February and March has eased, the IT, telecom/ISP and BPO/ITES sector remained the leading sector in online recruitment, reporting 13 per cent growth between March 2016 and 2017.
The retail sector continued to fare the worst among all job sectors at minus 36 per cent year-on-year. This is a further 14 per cent plunge from the minus 22 per cent reported between February 2016 and 2017.
Across the occupational groups monitored by index, purchase/logistics/supply chain roles were most in demand, registering 10 per cent year-on-year growth in online hiring March - its sixth month of consecutive positive growth.
Customer service professionals continued to fare the worst, exhibiting a sharp 58 per cent annual decline and dipping further from the minus 55 per cent annual decline recorded in February 2017.
“The persisting gloomy economic outlook has left employers conservative when it comes to hiring across the board, in spite of the short-term positive economic forecasts in key sectors such as IT, production and manufacturing.
“Bank Negara Malaysia’s data has revealed the youth unemployment rate was three times the national average.
“These are the very people who are most vulnerable to the trend of slow hiring, as they are typically the last to be hired, and the first to be let go,” said Sanjay Modi, managing director of Monster.com for APAC and Middle East.
“However, it is encouraging to note the growing business confidence in Malaysia on the whole, amidst the gloom, whilst the intention of creating new job opportunities for the locals in the months ahead.