MUSHROOMING DEMAND

Specialist technology recruitment agencies proliferate in Thailand to capitalise on the tech start-up boom and worker shortage.

Specialist technology recruitment agencies have been popping up like mushrooms in Thailand to capitalise on the boom in tech start-ups.

The strong demand for technology professionals has also caused a shortage of IT workers.

Many large tech companies, meanwhile, are on the verge of setting internal mobility policies to serve new-generation workers.

Ardent Capital, a Bangkok-based venture capital firm, recently launched Ardent Hired Co, a specialist technology recruitment firm.

John Thornton, head of recruitment at Ardent Capital, said the recruitment arm would concentrate on market demand for IT recruitment and jobs, especially for tech start-ups.

Ardent Hired provides recruitment services including social recruiting by using the full social network to source candidates.

The company targets Generation Y candidates, believing they tend to fit into the start-up culture, environment and work ethic, Mr Thornton said.

Meanwhile, middle-management candidates in their 30s offer experience and discipline in launching new ventures.

“Tech start-ups still face a shortage of candidates,” Mr Thornton said.

“The three most common job postings are for developers, online marketing, and sales and business development positions.”

He said tech start-up firms had a competitive advantage in attracting employees, as they offered a more dynamic and flexible way of working.

Candidates are drawn to new enterprises where they can be challenged and work on new technologies, products and projects.

Polpat Songthamjitti, co-founder of GetLinks Co, another Bangkok-based recruitment agency for mobile apps, said acquiring knowledge and challenging jobs were career priorities for most of the Gen Y workforce.

Salary is the next priority for Gen Y workers, and tech start-ups offer double the salary of conventional businesses, he said.

Peter Fischbach, president of ISM Technology Recruitment, said despite the economic downturn, demand for IT professionals in Thailand would continue to exceed supply, especially those with English-language skills.

The rapid rise of tech start-ups has hurt the ability to recruit talent in the short term but in the long term will attract more young people to choose information and communications technology (ICT) as a career path, he said. Large firms wanting to remain an attractive employment choice must adjust by allowing ICT staff to work flexible hours or remotely.