Hiring speed back to 'normal pre-CNY levels' in Hong Kong

The job market's a hive of activity.

Hong Kong’s jobs market is incredibly active now that the slowdown in the recruitment process during Chinese New Year is over, says recruiting expert Hays.

According to a release from Hays, its April to June 2015 Hays Quarterly Report states that the speed of hiring has now returned to the same levels seen before Chinese New Year, when employers rushed to fill roles before the holiday.

“After Chinese New Year there was an influx of new jobs, which gave candidates more choice and caused hiring timelines to be extended,” says Christine Wright, Managing Director of Hays in Asia.

Here's more from Hays:

“In addition to the New Year jump in vacancies, the payment of bonuses has seen more candidates look for their next role.

“With hiring activity up, we’ve seen an increase in the number of employers looking to attract Hong Kongers home from overseas.

While most employers prefer to recruit local candidates, there has been an increase in the number of employers looking overseas when they cannot fill jobs locally.

These employers are mostly targeting Hong Kong expatriates in the Asia Pacific region, but some are also interested in those in Europe,” said Christine.

Another trend of note is the increased use of temporary assignments. “These roles are now increasingly appealing to employers and we are certainly seeing demand in this area grow,” she said.

”While permanent positions still dominate the jobs market, some excellent opportunities do exist for contractors. In such roles candidates can gain exposure that is not often available to permanent employees.”