Job opportunities increase in 2013

The country’s job market is looking positive for the remainder of the year, with the manufacturing sector expected to continue to offer the most job opportunities.

Employers are becoming less cautious this year, after being fairly conservative in hiring in 2012 due to the European crisis and Malaysia’s general election, said Chook Yuh Yng, country manager for JobStreet.com

According to their Job Outlook Report, 36% of employers are expecting to increase their hiring intent in the next 12 months, compared with 23% at the same time last year.

“Despite all the cautiousness, we still see a high number of jobs in the market. For the first quarter of 2013, the outlook was also more positive compared with last year's,” Chook said at the Malaysia Career and Training Fair on Friday, The Sun reported.

According to the report, the manufacturing sector has continued to offer the most jobs in the past few years, followed by ICT, banking, construction and wholesale and retail.

This is due to Malaysia’s positive growth and stable economy, Chook said.

“Malaysia is very much a manufacturing-driven country and this sector is very big. Naturally, it will offer more jobs.”

Additionally, the company’s Job Satisfaction Survey found 62% of jobseekers would like to switch jobs if they had the case to this year.

Chook said now jobseekers have the opportunity, knowledge and mobility to do so.