Online recruitment seen to remain positive

MANILA, Philippines — Online recruitment activity in the Philippines is expected to remain positive for the rest of the year on the back of favorable economic conditions, employment website Monster.com said.

“Due to economic expansion, the Philippines maintains a positive outlook on online hiring for the remainder of 2018,” Monster said in its Southeast Asia Online Recruitment Trends Report for the first quarter.

Monster said the Philippines has seen a spike in hiring activity at the start of the year, due in part to the positive investor outlook on the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals.

It said the inflow of foreign direct investments (FDIs) into the country, which posted growth in January, has allowed businesses to expand and create job opportunities.

“With plans to not only retain these existing FDIs but to also attract more, we can likely expect positive hiring trends in the quarter ahead,” Monster said.

Monster also said the move of businesses and organizations to take advantage of opportunities using digital technologies, is likewise expected to help drive online hiring activity in the country.

Citing a recent study by Microsoft and IDC Asia Pacific, it said the Philippines is expected to witness an increase in its gross domestic product by $8 billion, owing to the expansion of digital transformation.

“This will likely boost job creation, salaries and training opportunities, pointing towards an even more promising hiring growth prospects ahead,” Monster said.

Monster tracks online recruitment activity using the Monster Employment Index (MEI).

An increase in the MEI indicates growth in online job availability and suggests an increase in the demand for employees by employers.

In March, the MEI in the Philippines registered a 14 percent year-on-year growth.

In the same month, Monster said the Philippines posted year-on-year growth in online hiring activity in the following industries: advertising, market research, public relations, and media and entertainment (27 percent); human resources and administration (30 percent); and banking and financial services (14 percent).