Job Applications in Industries Worst Hit by COVID-19 Are Spiking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SINGAPORE, 9 June 2020 - According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore's GDP growth forecast for 2020 now stands at -4.0 per cent[1]. Overall unemployment rate rose over the quarter in March from 2.3 to 2.4 per cent[2]. Such news no doubt has cast a pall on job seekers and fresh graduates. What is the outlook for Singapore's current job-hiring situation? JobStreet's latest job report offers insights.

Job applications rise in industries worst hit by COVID-19

In a declining job market, the top five industries with the biggest drops in job ads are namely aerospace; grooming, beauty, fitness; retail; F&B, catering and restaurant; and event management and MICE. These industries have been directly affected by COVID-19 and the circuit breaker measures that have been put in place. Uncertainty is expected to loom post circuit breaker, as businesses are expected to recuperate at a slow rate.

The significant reduction in openings means current employees as well as recently displaced candidates in these industries now have to vie for a much smaller pool of jobs.

Top 10 industries that are still hiring

As of end May 2020, there are over 33,000 job vacancies available on JobStreet. The top 10 industries that are actively hiring are as follows:

1. Healthcare
2. Education
3. Banking & Finance
4. Government
5. Computing & IT
6. Security & Law Enforcement
7. Transportation & Logistics
8. Construction/Building/Engineering
9. Manufacturing & Production
10. Insurance

In particular, there was a 41 per cent increase in job ads for security and law enforcement jobs, such as security officer, security supervisor and night security officer. Science and technology jobs registered the next highest increase at 20 per cent, with opportunities ranging from microbiologist to research fellow, laboratory technician to research assistant.

This however does not mean that the industries are not themselves affected by the detrimental effects of COVID-19. For example, the number of job postings for the transportation, construction and manufacturing sectors have declined 55 to 75 per cent year on year. However, due to the sheer volume of job ads that companies in these industries continue to post, they remain the top industries that are still actively hiring.

Job search intent remains strong

Unsurprisingly, demand for jobs remain high with over 11 million job related searches observed on Google in April. The following findings are curated from JobStreet's internal data:

An interesting observation is the surge in searches for temperature screening roles, which are a job opportunity directly stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak. Searches for data entry jobs have also spiked by 162%, rising 13 ranks to become the second-most searched keyword. The spike could be attributed to the fact that recently retrenched workers were looking for a quick temporary job without requiring specific industry knowledge. With the circuit breaker coming into effect circa April, data entry jobs allow retrenched workers to work from home and still earn salaries to help them tide over the difficult periods.

#WorkNow: Helping candidates stand out and get noticed by employers with urgent recruitment needs 

Many job seekers, from retrenched workers to fresh graduates, are now seeking jobs with immediate start dates; some are even taking up part-time work to make ends meet. In view of this, JobStreet has launched #WorkNow, a first-of-its-kind feature to help expedite the job matching process by enabling candidates to stand out and get noticed by employers looking to make immediate hiring decisions.

"Although the job market has softened across most industries, there are still companies that are hiring," says Chew Siew Mee, Country Manager, JobStreet Singapore. "The #WorkNow initiative was born out of the idea of streamlining the job hiring process to help Singaporeans secure available jobs in the shortest time possible. With just a few easy steps, job seekers can now indicate to potential employers their immediate availability to work."

To use this function,job seekers need to log into theirJobStreetprofiles, edit "Additional Info",go to "Other Information", type in "#WorkNow"and click "Save". This feature also allows companies to identify candidates who are available for urgent employment.

Besides the #WorkNow initiative, JobStreet has also unveiled the COVID-19 Jobs and Resources Hub. Companies that are hiring amidst the COVID-19 pandemic are featured on jobstreet.com/sg/sgunitedjobs. The hub also serves as a repository of knowledge, where job seekers can seek advice on carving out sustainable career paths and employees can receive guidance on adapting their businesses during this challenging time.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a new norm, one that presents a set of unique challenges to both employers and employees. As a steadfast partner, JobStreet is committed to empowering job seekers and hirers during this trying time. We will continue to rev up the job market by connecting and matching job candidates to the right employers," says Siew Mee.

About JobStreet 

JobStreet is a leading online job board presently covering the employment markets in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. JobStreet currently services over 230,000 corporate hirers and over 15 million job seekers in its database.

About SEEK Asia

JobStreet.com and jobsDB are part of SEEK Asia, which is the leading online employment market place in Asia. SEEK Asia covers 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

SEEK Asia is the extension of the Australian Securities Exchange listed company called SEEK. The company's purpose is to help improve people's lives through a better career. SEEK Asia's database consists of over 500,000 corporate hirers and over 24 million candidates.

For more information, please visit www.jobstreet.com

For media enquiries, kindly contact:

[1] https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/news/gdp1q2020.pdf

[2] https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/employment-unemployment-rate-q1-2020-mom-12687128