Hiring plans to pick up in second half of 2012

RECRUITMENT       ECONOMY        TRENDS      FLEXIBLE WORK

Singapore - Hiring activity is expected to pick up in the second of half of the year, according to a new survey by a recruitment consultancy firm.

The survey, conducted by Kelly Services, included over 900 companies.

It indicated sectors such as healthcare, gaming, aeronautical, infocomms and sales would see a boost in jobs as these areas have constantly reinvented themselves.

Despite the current economic downturn, respondents are convinced the current gloom is likely to be short-lived.

"Many of them have expressed that the American economy is slowly improving. They also feel that the Eurozone crisis will get resolved over a period of time. And most importantly, the confidence they have in the Singapore government and the economy is boosting their hiring confidence," Dhirendra Shantilal, senior vice president of Kelly Services, said.

Survey respondents also noted that companies were likely to compete and recruit people who could substantially increase profit margins and generate income for the firm.

Employers are also more likely to opt for flexible work arrangements or will resort to re-deploying staff amidst the global economic downturn in order to cope.

However, companies have been warned to remain cautiously optimistic, as uncertainty is still rife throughout global markets.

Singapore's unemployment rate may even increase by 0.9%, in conjunction with the economy being expected to grow from 1% to 3% this year, according to Professor Hoon Hian Teck, a lecturer at the Singapore Management university, said.

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