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ROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010www.
robertwalters.
com.
hk11MAY2010ROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXQ12010RobertWalters,theinternationalrecruitmentconsultancy,todaypublishesitsAsiaJobIndexforthefirstquarterof2010.
TheRobertWaltersAsiaJobIndextracksadvertisementvolumesforprofessionalpositionsacrosstheleadingjobboardsandnationalnewspapersinHongKong,Singapore,ChinaandJapan.
KEYFINDINGS:AdvertisementsplacedinQ12010increasedby46%comparedwithQ12009,indicatingacontinuingreturnofemployerconfidenceintheregion.
JobadvertisementsplacedinFebruaryfellacrosstheregion;thiswasduetotheseasonalimpactofChineseNewYear,whenmanypeopletendtotaketheirannualleavesoastoenjoyalongerholiday.
TheoveralleffectofChineseNewYearwasthattotaljobadvertisementsinQ1fellby0.
22%comparedwithQ42009HongKong(up33.
5%)andChina(up36%)showedthehighestincreaseinjobadvertisementsinQ12010,comparedtoSingaporeandJapan(up6.
5%anddown9%respectively).
Ingeneral,jobadvertisementsacrosssectorsincreasedinQ1.
AnexceptionwasArt/Design/Creative,whichfellby10%.
InChina,jobadvertisementsforHR/Traininghaveincreasedby53%inQ12010overQ42009.
TherewasalsoasignificantincreaseinjobadvertisementsforaccountingprofessionalsinChina,up52%.
InHongKongtherehasbeenamajorincreaseinjobadvertswithinthepropertysectorinQ1(up61.
30%)Operations/Logistics(up58%)andAdministration/Clerical/Secretarial(up58%)InSingaporethemostsignificantincreasesinjobadvertisementshavebeenintheMerchandising/PurchasingandLawyer/Legalsectorswithincreasesof119%and120%respectivelyoverQ42009.
RecoveryisevidentacrossmuchoftheregionwithChinaandHongKongespeciallystrong,despitetheNewYearandthenumberofpublicholidays,withJapandemonstratingrelativelysoftnumbersincomparisonwiththeotherregions.
ROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010www.
robertwalters.
com.
hkTHEROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXTheRobertWaltersAsiaJobIndexindicatesthatthetotalnumberofadvertisementsforprofessionalpositionsinQ12010wasmarginallydown(0.
2%)onthepreviousquarterbut46%aheadoftheadvertnumbersseenintheequivalentperiodof2009.
Thequarteronquartertrendpointsclearlytowardsasustainedreturnofemployerconfidenceacrosstheregion,especiallyconsideringtheimpactofChineseNewYearandotherpublicholidaysonadvertisementvolumesandhiringtrendsduringthefirstquarter.
MonthbymonthanalysisofjobadvertisementsforprofessionalpositionsplacedinQ42009/Q12010:HongKongSingaporeJapanChinaTOTALOct-09114,74174,12893,7032,636,4522,919,024Nov-09112,50471,34877,5942,493,4172,754,863Dec-09105,70859,916108,0922,512,5732,786,289TotalinQ42009332,953205,392279,3897,642,4428,460,176Jan-1091,27675,979106,5532,536,8192,810,627Feb-1083,01260,214122,9421,624,5081,890,676Mar-10121,88880,94796,9933,440,1993,740,027TotalinQ12010296,176217,140326,4887,601,5268,441,330%changeQ42009–Q12010-11.
05%5.
72%16.
86%-0.
54%-0.
22%%changeJanuary2010–March201033.
54%6.
54%-8.
97%35.
61%33.
07%ROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010www.
robertwalters.
com.
hkMonthbymonthanalysisofjobadvertisementsforprofessionalpositionsplacedinQ42009/Q12010:HongKong*20092010%changeJanuary70,53091,27629.
41%February98,91383,012-16.
08%March100,593121,88821.
17%HONGKONGTOTALQ1270,036296,1769.
68%SingaporeJanuary48,71175,97955.
98%February57,48660,2144.
75%March57,75580,94740.
16%SINGAPORETOTALQ1163,952217,14032.
44%JapanJanuary89,429106,55319.
15%February83,423122,94247.
37%March62,75496,99354.
56%JAPANTOTALQ1235,606326,48838.
57%ChinaJanuary1,426,7312,536,81977.
81%February1,829,8831,624,508-11.
22%March1,865,9323,440,19984.
37%CHINATOTALQ15,122,5467,601,52648.
39%TOTALASIAJanuary1,635,4012,810,62771.
86%February2,069,7051,890,676-8.
65%March2,087,0343,740,02779.
20%TOTALQ15,792,1408,441,33045.
74%*HongKongfigureshavebeenadjustedtoreflecttheinclusionofCareerTimesandFuelMagazineadvertisements.
ROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010www.
robertwalters.
com.
hkSectorAnalysis–numberofjobsadvertisedforprofessionalrolesQ12010ChinaQ12010%changeJapanQ12010%ChangeJanFebMarJan-MarJanFebMarJan-MarRetailServicing/Sales/BusinessDevelopment700,508441,728984,37841%32,72238,81530,110-8%PropertyManagement001100%6242678%Operation(Product,Logistics)293,639130,508388,83932%198176173-13%Merchandising/Purchasing22,52617,21827,51522%614-33%Lawyer/Solicitor/Barrister/ComplianceOfficer6,1283,3217,10316%1029794-8%ITSupervisor/Manager/Programmer/DatabaseAdministrator262,259128,028345,16332%2,7333,3982,9388%HumanResources/Training134,278111,572205,30753%140133122-13%Engineer/Surveyor/Architect/Technician309,640272,932415,01534%14,03117,10912,613-10%Editor/Reporter58,49337,04972,52324%54716520%CustomerService/AccountServicing39,70729,96646,87318%625544-29%Consultant/Analyst63,91431,71385,71234%73686883013%Art/Design/Creative55,67131,80950,362-10%1,6602,0762,01922%Advertising,Marketing257,559117,245355,92438%341287317-7%Administration/Clerical/Secretarial57,77244,07073,49927%4,6084,9604,376-5%Accounting/Finance170,315152,368258,18952%2,0102,2641,942-3%Others104,41074,981123,79619%47,38752,80041,490-12%AVERAGE33%-4%ROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010www.
robertwalters.
com.
hkSectorAnalysis–numberofjobsadvertisedforprofessionalrolesQ12010HongKongQ12010%changeSingaporeQ12010%changeJanFebMarJan-MarJanFebMarJan-MarRetailServicing/Sales/BusinessDevelopment12,47012,30017,25338%12,15710,47814,18317%PropertyManagement1,2121,2811,95561%527362524-1%Operation(Product,Logistics)4,8175,3217,63158%6,7954,9136,752-1%Merchandising/Purchasing4,1663,6025,88641%9165542,004119%Lawyer/Solicitor/Barrister/ComplianceOfficer1,3601,4261,74728%3241,323712120%ITSupervisor/Manager/Programmer/DatabaseAdministrator6,1424,8006,3944%6,0725,2397,15018%HumanResources/Training6924847316%4,3012,7613,771-12%Engineer/Surveyor/Architect/Technician11,0088,32513,87726%10,6178,47111,72810%Editor/Reporter245202243-1%1758483-53%CustomerService/AccountServicing1,2079211,39115%4,1641,1201,324-68%Consultant/Analyst642178245-62%*1,164293376-68%*Art/Design/Creative2,3652,0453,33141%1,4641,1811,69416%Advertising,Marketing5,9245,4748,10037%3,6673,0184,12613%Administration/Clerical/Secretarial10,13110,49915,97958%6,5516,4108,18525%Accounting/Finance12,51211,52915,66125%9,5548,50511,09016%Others19,67017,43625,97732%10,16074459188-10%26%9%*Duetochangesinreportingprocedures,thefigureforConsultant/AnalystisnotalikeforlikenumberinHongKongandSingaporeROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010www.
robertwalters.
com.
hkMARKETCOMMENTARYDespitetheimpactofChineseNewYearandanincreasednumberofpublicholidaystotaladvertisementnumbersacrosstheregioninthefirstquarterof2010remainedatlevelscomparabletothoseseeninthelastquarterof2009.
LocalvarianceswereclearlyseeninFebruary,withChina,HongKongandSingaporeexperiencingmarkeddeclinesinadvertisingvolumes.
Ingeneral,however,employerandemployeeconfidencecontinuestoimprove,withthebankingandfinancialservicessectorinparticularleadingtheway,althoughstrongrecoverieshavealsobeennotedacrossothersectorsincludingpharmaceuticals,logisticsandsupplychainmanagementandlowendretail.
Budgetsareincreasing,projectspreviouslyputonholdarerecommencingandmanyorganisationsareactivelytryingtorecovergroundlostduringtherecession.
Intermsofindividualdisciplines,accountingandfinancehas,onceagain,provenveryresilientacrosstheAsiaregion.
Advertisementshaveincreasedinmostterritories,up52%inChina,up25%inHongKongandup16%inSingapore,althoughJapandidshowaslightdropof3%.
HumanResourcessawaparticularlylargegaininChina,up53%,andwasalsoup6%inHongKong,butfellby13%and12%inJapanandSingaporerespectively.
MarkEllwood,ManagingDirector,RobertWaltersAsia(ex.
Japan),explains:"AcrossAsiaconfidencehasreturnedtothehiringmarketrelativelyquicklywithadvertisingactivityreturningtosomethingclosetopre-bankingcrisislevels.
"ChineseNewYearcanaccountforthedipinadvertisementnumbersduringFebruaryinChina,HongKongandSingapore,buttherewassignificantpickupinMarchwhichenabledtheregiontogainslightlytowardtheendofthequarter.
DespiteamarginaldropinoverallnumbersofjobadvertisementsacrossAsia,westillbelievethatconfidenceamongstemployershasreturnedandthatrecoveryiswellandtrulyunderway.
Thingsaremorepositivethantheyhavebeenforsometime.
"InHongKong,numbersofadvertisementsplacedfellduringQ12010comparedwithQ42009,butwereupalmost10%onthesamequarterin2009.
ThepostChristmasperiodinHongKongistraditionallyquietandwhencoupledwiththeChineseNewYear,advertisingvolumesarenegativelyimpactedwithkeydecisionmakersaway.
Marchhowevershowedagoodlevelofrecovery(up45%monthonmonth21%onQ12009)withrecruitmentactivitybacktolevelsnotseensinceOctober2008.
Acrossthesectors,arecoveryinpropertymirroredthatexperiencedinthewidereconomy,advertisingvolumeswereup61%acrossthequarter.
Therewasalsoasteadyimprovementinretail,whichreboundedinlate2009,withadvertisingvolumesincreasingby38%duringthequarter,parallelingariseinconsumerconfidence.
Growthinexportshasalsoresultedina58%riseinadvertisingduringQ12010forOperationsandLogisticsroles.
MatthewBennett,DirectoratRobertWaltersHongKong,comments:"InMarchhiringbecamequiteaggressivefollowingtheChineseNewYearbreak.
Somesectorshaveimprovedsignificantly,includingPropertyManagement,Retail,AdminandSecretarialandOperationsandLogistics.
WehavealsoseenanotableupliftinLegalastherehasbeenanincreaseinIPOsandnewregulatoryconditionsonreportingstandards,requiringahighernumberoflegalandcompliancestaff.
AsHongKongisgearedtowardsfinancialservices,thistrendhasbeenhighlybeneficialtotheregion.
"ROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010www.
robertwalters.
com.
hkInSingapore,thelegal(120%),merchandising/purchasing(119%),IT(18%)andAdministrative(25%)sectorshaveseenthebiggestpercentagerisesinjobadvertisementsacrossthequarter.
FebruarysawadistinctdipinadvertisingduemainlytotheeffectsofChineseNewYearbutasperHongKong,therehassincebeensignificantupliftinMarchatatimewhenmanybankshavepaid,orareabouttopay,theirMarchbonuses.
AndreaRossDirector,RobertWaltersSingapore,comments:"Singaporeismovingstronglyaheadandtheoutlookispositive.
Somesectorsarerecoveringmorequicklythanothers,suchaslegalandIT,andsomeareasaretrailingslightly,includinginparticularcustomerserviceandconsultantanalystpositions.
TheChineseNewYearreducedthelevelsofjobadvertisementsinFebruary.
However,Marchrecoveredsignificantlyandwearenowgettingbacktothelevelsofadvertisingwitnessedduringthemiddleof2008.
"InChina,thenumberofjobadvertisementshasincreasedbyalmost50%ascomparedtoquarteroneof2009.
Thehumanresources(53%)andaccounting(52%)sectorssawthehighestadvertisingvolumes,withtheretailsector(43%)closingthegapasitcontinueditsgrowthmomentum.
Februaryistypicallyamuchshortermonth,particularlyforChina.
Besideshavingfewerworkingdaysinthemonth,thetraditionalChineseNewYearholidayswhichfallduringthisperiodalsomeantfewerworkingweeks(onlythreeworkingweeksfortheentiremonthofFebruary).
Manypeoplewillalsotaketheopportunitytogoonalongerholiday,whichisverylikelytohaveresultedinadecreaseinthenumberofjobadvertisementsasmostpeoplewereaway.
CarterYang,DirectorofRobertWaltersChina,comments:"Thesignificantincrease(48%)inthenumberofjobadvertisementsascomparedtoQ1lastyearclearlyindicatedastrongrecoveryintheeconomyandinconsumerconfidence.
ThoughtheChinaeconomydippedtogetherwithothercountriesintheregionduringthe2009financialcrisis,consumerdemandwithinChinaaswellasinwardinvestmentremainedrelativelyhigh.
Withthemajorityoftheindustriesreturningtopre-crisisdevelopment,growthandactivitylevels,thedemandforprofessionals,particularlyintheareasofaccounting,humanresources,advertisingandmarketing,havealsoincreasedcorrespondingly.
Overall,themarketdefinitelylooksstrongerin2010aswehavestartedtoseestrongerrecruitmentactivityfromourclientsinShanghaiandSuzhou.
"TherehasbeenupliftinarangeofsectorsinJapanthroughoutQ1,ledbyfinancialservices,whichisnowhiringquiterapidly,aswellasthepharmaceuticalindustry,supplychain&logistics,ITandvalueretail.
Thechangeingovernmenthashadlittlediscernabledirecteffectonhiringlevelsandtheeffectoftheirpoliciesontherecruitmentmarketgoingforwardisstillunclear.
AccountingandfinanceisonlyslightlydowninMarch,andsawabigincreaseinFebruary.
MarchistraditionallyatimewhenmanyfinancialinstitutionspaytheirbonusesandsincetheJapanesefinancialyearalsoendsinMarch,bothofthesefactorsmayhaveaffectedbothadvertisingandhiringlevels.
DavidSwan,ManagingDirectorofRobertWaltersJapan,comments:"InJapantherewasadefiniteimprovementinbusinessconfidencethroughoutthefirstquarter.
Theoutlookfortheremainderoftheyearisgoodandastherecoverytakeshold,wecanexpecttoseeincreasedadvertisingandhiringlevelsacrossmanysectors.
Ofparticularnote,withinJapanwesawseveralinstancesofJapanesebusinesses,particularlyinthefinancialandpharmaceuticalsectorslookingtohirebilingualJapaneseandforeignprofessionalstohelpinternationalisetheirdomesticoperationsandassistwithoverseasexpansion.
ThisisanewphenomenaandonethatIexpectwe'llseemoreofinfuture.
"ROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010www.
robertwalters.
com.
hkNOTESFOREDITORSRobertWaltersistheleadingprofessionalrecruitmentfirmintheAsianmarketandcurrentlyhasanofficefootprintcoveringHongKong,Singapore,China,Japan,MalaysiaandThailand.
METHODOLOGYRobertWaltersspecialisesinrecruitmentatamid-seniorexecutivelevelandisabletoprovidecommentaryonkeytrendsacrossthissegmentofthemarket.
TheRobertWaltersAsiaJobsIndextracksadvertisementsbynumberintheexecutiveappointmentssectionsofthefollowing:-End-FORMOREINFORMATION,PLEASECONTACT:RichardParnellCEO,AsiaPacific(exJapan)T.
+61(02)82893100MarkEllwoodManagingDirector,Asia(exJapan)T.
+6562280200MatthewBennettManagingDirector,HongKongT.
+85221035300AndreaRossManagingDirector,SingaporeT.
+6562280200DavidSwanManagingDirector,JapanT.
+81(03)45701524ForFurtherinformationontheAsiaJobIndexortosubscribeforfuturereleases,pleasevisitourdedicatedmicrositeatwww.
asiajobindex.
comHongKongClassifiedPostCareerTimes(FridayEdition)FuelMagazinewww.
careertimes.
com.
hkwww.
monster.
com.
hkwww.
jobmarket.
com.
hkwww.
jobsdb.
com.
hkwww.
classfiedpost.
comwww.
jobs.
gov.
hk/engSingaporeStraitsTimes(Daily)www.
jobstreet.
com.
sgwww.
monster.
com.
sgwww.
jobscentral.
com.
sgwww.
jobsDB.
com.
sgwww.
ST701.
com.
sgChinawww.
51job.
comwww.
chinaHR.
comwww.
zhaopin.
comcareer.
ceconline.
comwww.
jobchina.
netJapanAsahiShinbun(Sunday&Mondaymorningedition)NihonKeizaiShinbun(Sundaymorningedition)rikunabi-next.
yahoo.
co.
jpdoda.
jpemployment.
en-japan.
comwww.
indivision.
jpwww.
careercross.
com/enROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010–APPENDIXIwww.
robertwalters.
com.
hkHongKong:Jobadvertisementsforprofessionalpositionsplacedinbothprintandonlinemedia,2009Singapore:Jobadvertisementsforprofessionalpositionsplacedinbothprintandonlinemedia,2009ROBERTWALTERSASIAJOBINDEXHONGKONGQ12010–APPENDIXIIwww.
robertwalters.
com.
hkChina:Jobadvertisementsforprofessionalpositionsplacedinbothprintandonlinemedia,2009Japan:Jobadvertisementsforprofessionalpositionsplacedinbothprintandonlinemedia,2009