Job opening thrives in Singapore's financial services, accountancy sectors

This is for the next 6 months.

Professionals employed in Singapore’s financial services, accountancy, and IT sectors face good news along the way as these areas will experience an upward shift in recruitment during the second half of 2014.

According to a release from Robert Half, those employed in these sectors will see good job prospects as Singapore’s economy gains momentum.

Stella Tang, Managing Director of Robert Half in Singapore said, “We expect the hiring market for all three sectors to be particularly active for the next six months, as companies move to drive growth plans and take advantage of the global upswing of the economy despite the current labour crunch.”

Here’s more from Robert Half:

If there is one thing that Singapore bosses can agree on, it is that they are all concerned about retaining and finding skilled talent. This is according to Robert Half’s Employment Report for the second half of 2014, based on the latest survey of 225 senior executives in Singapore: 75 senior leaders from the banking and financial services sector; 75 Chief Financial Officer (CFOs) from the commerce and industry sector companies; and 75 Chief Information Officers (CIOs).

The survey found that Singapore’s corporate leaders are even more concerned about talent retention now than they were six months ago.

Notably, respondents across the board expressed concern over losing top talent. All the senior leaders (100%) from banking and financial services who were surveyed remarked that they were concerned about retaining top talent, as compared to just 91% in the first half of the year.

For the IT sector, 96% of the respondents were worried about talent retention – up 5% from the first half.

With business confidence remaining at relatively high levels, Singapore’s corporate leaders are also planning to increase or maintain current staff levels over the next six months.

For business leaders in the banking or financial services sector, 49% plan to add new permanent staff, with 41% maintaining current levels. Another 7% are freezing all new hires while only 3% plan to reduce headcount.

Hiring within finance and accounting in the commerce and industry sector will remain buoyant in the second half of the year. 55% of CFOs are planning to add new permanent finance and accounting staff, while 39% will be maintaining their current headcount.

Only 5% are freezing all new hires and 1% forecasting a reduction in headcount. Recruitment of technology professionals will be slightly less active than for finance and accounting professionals with 44% of CIOs planning to add new permanent staff, 49% maintaining current levels, 7% freezing all new hires and none are looking to reduce headcount.