Hays Accountancy & Finance - January 2010
Commerce & Industry
Hotspots
Financial and Regulatory Reporting and IFRS candidates are needed in response to increasing levels of internal and external regulations. The demand for IFRS candidates is higher due to changing regulations and conversions to IFRS.
Candidates with Chinese accounting experience are also sought in response to the number of companies in improving markets that want to expand into China.
In order to attract such skills, employers are engaging recruiters with overseas networks to locate Chinese returnees or others with appropriate skills. Candidates with less experience are also considered since they can grow into a role.
The coming quarter
The first two quarters of 2010 look very encouraging. Employers in Asia are generally positive and we expect a dramatic increase in their hiring activity. Recruiting at the executive level should also rise, with employers having more openings in 2010. We are seeing opportunities in product control and financial control.
Employer trends
The recruiting timeframe has extended since employers are now more cautious and take longer to make their decisions. Salaries are increasing slightly. Employers are more willing to consider overseas candidates given the improving market.
Candidate trends
Candidate levels are decreasing, although this is an expected trend since bonuses are paid in early 2010. Following Chinese New Year we expect a significant increase in candidate levels.
