Robert Walers, a global specialist recruitment agency, recently published their 21st edition of the organization’s annual Robert Walters Salary Survey which provides a comprehensive overview of global salaries and recruitment. We’ve put together a summary of their key findings and predictions for South East Asia in 2020 - Read below to discover job growth projections, shifts in talent and skill demand, and how you can stay relevant in 2020. While some economies had sluggish job growth in 2019, South East Asia experienced a mostly bright hiring market, particularly in Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand (Robert Walters). Singapore and Malaysia also saw steady growth, particularly in technology sectors. There was and will continue to be increasing demand for ‘glocal’ professionals with a strong understanding of business practices and local cultural mindsets (Robert Walters). Insight: Job seekers will benefit from increased international exposure and collaborations with multi-cultural colleagues and teams. As demand for ‘glocal’ talent rises, companies may hire more international talent. This may be a strong advantage for South East Asian job candidates to leverage in 2020. As technology and transformation continues to be a top priority for businesses across the region, Robert Walters anticipates the following hiring trends: 1. Hybrid Skills Sought After “As the push for digital transformation continues, hiring managers are looking for experienced managers with hybrid skill sets - they are seeking midlevel and senior managers who can help their teams navigate change and ensure the successful adoption of new technologies. Aside from technology professionals, employers are looking for professionals who are able to adopt and leverage new technologies within their function to push the business forward. For example, HR professionals who are experienced with workforce analytics and finance professionals with experience in business intelligence are increasingly in demand” (Robert Walters). Insight: Technology professionals will benefit greatly in 2020 by developing an understanding in another field (ex: HR, Operations, Marketing) so they can create more value throughout the organization. To thrive in 2020, professionals outside of the technology field should focus on learning and adopting new technologies that they can apply in their job role. 2. Hiring Top Talent “Broadly speaking, demand outstrips the supply of well-rounded talent who demonstrate strong expertise in their own field, the ability to leverage new technologies to drive efficiencies in their own work and a commercial mindset” (Robert Walters). Increasingly employers are hiring outside of their own industries and are searching for potential and transferable skill sets rather than market sector experience (Robert Walters). Insight: 2020 shows a positive outlook for job seekers hoping to gain experience in new industries or switch careers. The job market will favour those with a demonstrated expertise, well-rounded skill set and the ability to navigate in an increasingly multicultural world. Looking to change careers in 2020 or take your career to the next level? SDIM offers a wide range of accredited MBA programmes, postgraduate diploma courses, and professional diploma courses that can help you gain the skills, experience, and exposure you need to succeed in 2020 and beyond. To learn more about our courses, visit us at www.sdim.education or email our academic advisors at info@sdim.com.sg.