Which jobs will be most in demand in Hong Kong's retail sector?

E-commerce management roles should be plentiful this quarter.

Hong Kong’s retail sector is projecting a positive outlook this quarter which in turn, has created an uplift in recruitment activity, according to recruiting experts Hays.

The Hays Quarterly Report tracks recruitment trends in Hong Kong and reveals that over the April to June period, a range of quality roles are coming to market for retail professionals.

“At the end of last year many retail professionals were predicting a slump in turnover for 2017 and thus a shortage of quality opportunities coming to market, but in reality the sector is gaining strength,” says Dean Stallard, Regional Director for Hays in Hong Kong.

“The current market is stable and employers are creating a number of quality new positions, which will hopefully prevent experienced talent leaving the sector to join other industries they perceive to offer greater employment security,” says Dean.

“Certainly, e-commerce management roles should be plentiful this quarter,” he says. “Candidates should note that many companies are focused on increasing their market share regionally and looking to their e-commerce talent to help make this happen.”

Hiring the right digital marketing talent is also crucial to companies achieving regional success through greater brand awareness. As a result, Hays expects to see more opportunities for digital marketers in the retail sector over the quarter.

In the more traditional end of retail recruitment, we are seeing a number of frontline in-store roles coming to market and this is expected to continue throughout the quarter.

“For all roles, employers are placing greater importance on a candidate’s soft skills and will test accordingly during the recruitment process, so its important candidates are well prepared for interviews,” says Dean.

“Certainly, retail is becoming more sophisticated and in response, we are seeing a number of senior candidates undertaking a master’s degree in business management or completing more general management courses to boost their promotion prospects,” he says.

“Junior candidates are also taking on additional training in their own time. However, many are also moving jobs frequently to achieve career advancement and this could work against them as the recruitment market strengthens,” says Dean.