Links International’s Mid-Year Job Market Analysis
Hong Kong has experienced its fair share of problems recently, and with a third-wave of Covid-19 hitting the city, coupled with the loss of its special trade status through the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, more uncertainty is expected for HK’s job market. As part of Links International’s commitment to providing companies with practical business solutions, we will be sharing our mid-year analysis of HK’s job functions.
| Mid-Year Job Market Report 2020: |
| ▼ Information Technology (IT) |
| ▼ Administration & Human Resources |
| ▼ Banking, Finance & Accounting |
| ▼ Sales & Marketing |
| ▼ Sourcing, Supply Chain & Manufacturing |
Demand for Sales & Marketing Professionals Picks Up Steam After a Rough Start to the Year
The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have not been felt more strongly than the Sales and Marketing function. With social distancing measures enforced and work from home arrangements in place for much of the first half of 2020, the need for sales and marketing professionals took a hard hit.
As consumer appetite for spending dried up, traditional sales and marketing roles began to diminish. Hong Kong’s retail sales reported a 44% year-on-year decline in February, due to a combination of social unrest, the pandemic and US/ China trade tensions.
However, after feeling the squeeze at the start of the year, demand for senior sales positions picked up rapidly from May and into June. Sales Managers and Key Account Managers saw a spike in demand, a very positive sign for the job market. The need for senior sales professionals strongly indicates that businesses see the market returning. If the situation improves for the second half of 2020, demand for sales professionals will likely continue its positive trend.
With more people staying at home, spending heavily shifted its focus to digital platforms. In an age where everything is becoming digitalised, the occurrence of the pandemic has only accelerated the technological transformation of consumer spending.
Source: statista.com, shopify.com
The seismic shift towards online consumerism has been reflected in the growing demand in Ecommerce Managers, Social & Content Marketing experts, and Digital Analytics professionals. As e-commerce’s share of global retail sales is predicted to carry on growing, the likelihood of the need for these professionals will continue to flourish. The demand for Brand Managers and Brand Marketing candidates with exposure in the China market is also expected to rise as the market becomes increasingly important. Sales and marketing positions have been particularly steady in industries like IT, Engineering, Pharmaceuticals, and Property Development.
Ready to Expand Your Sales & Marketing Team?
The start of 2020 saw major implications on the sales and marketing function, leading to many top talents to be released into the candidate pool. Great talent does not come around often and such an abundance of talent is a rare opportunity for businesses.
Candidates which possess traditional Sales and Marketing skills like strong communication, excellent public speaking, and negotiation will continue to be in demand, however, the everchanging situation has placed a larger emphasis on new skillsets such as technological competence.
Business leaders should take advantage of the currently available professionals and prepare for the future. Snatching up the right people for certain positions at a discounted rate is perfectly possible. Businesses with long-term plans are encouraged to make use of this extraordinary period of time.
Links International can help you find the perfect candidate for your role! With a dedicated team that specialises in Sales and Marketing recruitment, Links will find you the best person to fill your position. Learn more about how our award-winning recruitment services and 20+ years of experience can assist you by speaking to one of our representatives today!
Related Articles:
- A Burning Passion for Recruitment – Employee Stories
- Hong Kong 2020 Mid-Year Job Market Update: Banking, Finance & Accounting (BFA)
- Hong Kong 2020 Mid-Year Job Market Update: Information Technology (IT)
- Hong Kong 2020 Mid-Year Job Market Update: Administration & Human Resources
- 2020 Legislation Updates & Stimulus Measures Comparison Chart
Links International is an industry leader in innovative HR outsourcing with services such as payroll outsourcing, visa application, Employer of Record (EOR), outplacement, recruitment and more! Contact us for more information on how we can help leverage your HR function.
