On the job hunt

The economy may not be roaring ahead but there are pockets of growth and employment opportunities in several sectors in the third quarter of the year (Q3), according to the Employment Outlook Q3 2013 Report published by PrimeStaff Management Services.

For those seeking greener pastures, these are some of the growth sectors you could consider, as they will experience robust hiring activity over these few months: food & beverage (F&B), retail, hospitality & Mice (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions), telecommunications & information technology, education, health care, and energy.

The F&B and retail sectors are in expansion mode due to strong consumer demand while the energy sector will experience an increase in the hiring of engineers as demand for sustainable and green energy ramps up.

Hospitality and Mice players will also be actively hiring to replace the loss of foreign workers, arising from the legislative clampdown in the hiring of foreigners, and the resulting call to build a workforce comprising a strong Singaporean core.

The education and health care sectors will continue to thrive, as they provide key services required by the nation, and these industries are critical for human capital growth and the wellbeing of the population.

The telecommunications & IT industry will see some expansion, especially in the area of cloud computing providers and their corresponding support industries, due to the higher take-up rates by organisations to get on the “cloud” in order to manage the cost of doing business in the long-run. There will also be more hiring for start-ups as the start-up scene continues to heat up in Singapore.

Advice for job seekers

Employment opportunities will tend to be industry- and role-specific in Q3, as it is neither an employees’ nor employers’ market. In view of this, here are some recommendations for job-seekers:

• Consider contract roles: Due to the cautious hiring sentiment in the market, many companies will avoid increasing their permanent headcount. They will thus prefer to hire on a contract basis in the interim, so if you need a job, do consider taking on a contract role.

• Upgrade yourself: Embrace the fact that change is the only constant and continuously upgrade your skills in order to stay relevant and current.

• Cultivate career management skills: Keep ahead of the employment curve by cultivating proactive career management skills. Learn to add value to your workplace by finding ways to achieve higher productivity gains. Enhancing your personal employability factor will help increase your chances of getting headhunted. So wherever you are planted, do and give your best.

• Keep the Faith: Expand your network and be willing to explore opportunities outside your industry. Do not shortchange yourself; expect a destined opportunity to come your way.

Practicing these tips will stand you in good stead in snagging a job in the few months ahead.