With an abundance of job opportunities, companies have ramped up their talent acquisition efforts across Singapore in the first half of 2019, resulting in a 16% year-on-year growth in online recruitment for the month of June. This increase is consistent with the annual growth from May 2019, showcasing positive movement for Singapore’s hiring landscape, according to the latest Monster Employment Index (MEI).

All of the 14 industries monitored by the MEI surpassed last year’s numbers, recording positive year-on-year growth for the month of June, reflecting strong demand across each sector. The IT, Telecom/ISP and BPO/ITES industry led the country’s online recruitment rise from the forefront with 44% year-on-year growth for the month of June - slightly higher than May’s 42% growth.

Other industries that recorded notable growth in June were Advertising and BFSI, with 29% and 27% year-on-year growth respectively. The hipping/Marine industry recorded the lowest annual growth, with a modest 1% increase for the month.

In terms of specific occupations, 11 out of 12 job roles monitored by the Index witnessed positive growth in online hiring demand for the month of June. Software, Hardware, Telecom professionals were most in-demand with a 29% year-on-year spike.

Online demand for Hospitality & Travel professionals paced up by 26% compared to the same month last year, higher by 12% from May. This was also the steepest growth witnessed since April 2012.

Marketing & Communications also continued to rank among the top growth occupations on an annual basis, charting 16% year-on-year growth for June, up two points from May. Sales & Business Development professionals also experienced significant growth in online demand, up by 14% from last year’s numbers.

Real Estate was the only profession in Singapore that witnessed a decline, falling by 1% between June 2018 and 2019.

The good news is there are ample jobs available in Singapore; Manpower Minister Josephine Teo recently announced there are currently 60,000 positions available, half of which are PMET roles. The biggest challenge remains locating and attracting talent with the right competencies to plug manpower gaps and drive forward productivity, says the company.