Retail, healthcare sectors on hiring spree

If you’re a job seeker applying online, it could be better to look past BPO (business processing outsourcing) and ITES (IT-enabled services) industry postings, as this sector saw stagnant growth in online recruitment activity in the past year, according to a recent report by Monster.com.

Based on the Monster Employment Index (MEI), retail and healthcare were the two industries that saw the highest growth in online recruitment activity from August 2017 to August 2018, at 40 percent and 33 percent, respectively.

After retail and healthcare, logistics and the BFSI (banking, financial services and insurances) industries also enjoyed significant growth of 27 percent and 21 percent, respectively.

At the opposite end of the spectrum were BPO/ITES and Education, which respectively saw 0 and -3 percent year-on-year growth.

The index, compiled by online career and recruitment resource Monster.com, is a monthly gauge of online job posting activity, based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large representative selection of career websites and online job listings across the Philippines.

Overall, online hiring in the Philippines saw an 18 percent year-on-year growth.

In terms of occupations, those under the purchase/logistics/supply chain category had the highest demand with a 38 percent growth, followed by posts under sales and business development, healthcare, and HR and admin (32 percent year-on-year growth each).

Other occupation categories which registered positive growth include: finance and accounts, 31 percent; software, 22 percent; marketing and communications, 18 percent; hospitality, 15 percent; and engineering 11 percent.

Customer service is the only occupation which saw a decline (one percent) from last year’s numbers.

“Infrastructure is the backbone of a country’s economic development. A McKinsey Global Institute study predicts the Philippines’ economy is set to rise again and will achieve sustained growth over the next decade. The IMF, too, retained its growth forecast of 6.7 percent for the country.

In line with this optimistic outlook, the MEI has reported an uptick in the demand for talent in logistics and supply chain. This can be attributed to the fast-changing infrastructural landscape of the economy, which is likely creating more jobs,” said Abhijeet Mukherjee, CEO of Monster.com–APAC and Middle East.

“While the medium-term outlook may be positive, the labor market can be exposed to domestic risks and vulnerabilities as a consequence of market irregularities and structural changes. The government’s Build, Build, Build campaign is looking to pave the way for a new era of growth and prosperity in the Philippines,” he added.