As per the Robert Walters Asia Job Index, the number of jobs advertised in Singapore in Q3 remained largely in line with the previous quarter, growing by 5% over the quarter and by 7% from Q2 to Q3. Both candidates and companies have begun to display a degree of caution due to the uncertain economic environment and pending budgetary reviews.
Sectors proving more resilient to the economic uncertainty included medical services and legal services, which have seen numbers of job advertisements rise over the quarter by 19% and 17% respectively. To meet regulatory requirements, pharmaceutical companies continued to invest in clinical assistance, research and development, whilst companies also increased headcount within legal departments to prepare for incoming financial regulations such as Basel 3.
“The number of job advertisements over the quarter has not increased significantly in Singapore as both candidates and international companies in particular are assessing recruitment strategies in the wake of the global economic slowdown. However, the increase in advertisements in disciplines such as customer servicing and business development highlights that companies are still willing to hire in those areas that support customer retention and growth.”
ANDREA ROSS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ROBERT WALTERS SINGAPORE
Sector Analysis – number of jobs advertised for professional roles in Q2 2011 compared to Q3 2011:
