Construction & property professionals in demand: Active investment from the mainland creates new jobs

Hong Kong's active property market and a boom in construction are giving skilled candidates numerous opportunities to benefit from the buoyant growth of these sectors.

This growth is attracting Hong Kong professionals back from the mainland as there is sustainable demand for talent with specific skills.

The investment spree by mainland investors into Hong Kong's commercial and residential projects is adding lustre to the local construction and property sectors. Active recruitment of construction professionals and property managers is expected.

A number of projects are in the pipeline thanks to mainland investors' rising interest in Hong Kong's commercial and residential properties.

As noted in the latest Hays Quarterly Report of skills in demand, commercial and residential projects in Hong Kong have created a large number of vacancies for skilled candidates to fill, with an expected rise in the number of mainland professionals moving to the city to apply for jobs.

We are seeing many mainland professionals in the construction sector returning to Hong Kong to take advantage of the opportunities here. Most of them regard Hong Kong as a more stable market and are convinced of sustainable growth backed by upcoming projects.

In this quarter, hiring activity will be strong specifically after the Chinese New Year as new hiring plans are put into place across various junior and senior level positions.

Positions in high demand will include project managers, site architects, junior leasing managers, and investment analysts. New projects can't be completed without qualified candidates and the necessary skills.

Project directors who are capable of overseeing multiple projects in Hong Kong are also needed to help developers better monitor progress of construction. Contract managers are also needed to survey and oversee vendor management.

Commercial buildings being built in the Kowloon East area have ushered in demand for junior leasing talent in retail and commercial properties. Manager-level investment analysts with strong financial backgrounds will receive more offers as investors such as real estate private equity funds and asset management companies need them for effective financial planning on their projects.

In terms of candidate trends, jobseekers prefer to work closely with recruitment agencies to secure their next opportunity because recruiters who know the market can add value to their job searches.

Qualified Hong Kong talent is renowned and also sought after by investors in South East Asia and other overseas locations to help ensure smooth construction and management of their projects.

With Hong Kong professionals taking opportunities abroad, more shortages have come become apparent in the local market. However, at the same time we are also seeing local talent looking to return home from working overseas which will balance levels of supply and demand.