Demand for marketing talent in Malaysia rises, market recovers from February dip

Southeast Asian companies have been on the hunt for marketing talent this year, with Malaysia witnessing a 14% annual growth from 56 in 2018 to 64 this year. This was an improvement from the month of February, which saw a 9% year-on-year (yoy) dip in the demand for advertising and marketing talent in Malaysia. The data is according to the Monster Employment Index (MEI) which is a monthly gauge of online hiring activity across Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines tracked by Monster.com. Across the border, Singapore outdid its peers in Malaysia and the Philippines in March 2019, recording a 29% annual growth during the month. In fact, Singapore saw an increase in demand for marketing talent throughout January to March this year, growing at an annual rate of 16% in January and 15% in February. Meanwhile, the Philippines reported a 7% annual growth for March, up 1% from the reported annual growth of 6% during February. Malaysia also made a considerable recovery in March with 9% yoy growth in the availability of marketing and communication roles. This was up 12% from the annual decline of 3% that February brought. Singapore experienced an 8% improvement in the abundance of marketing roles during March, reporting double-digit, year-on-year growth of 16% for the month. In the meantime, the Philippines managed to break into double-digit growth territory with 10% annual growth recorded during March. [Celebrate and reward your star employees and teams at the inaugural Marketing Talent Awards 2019, and attract new talent. Entry submissions close on 10 May—start your entries now!] Abhijeet Mukherjee, CEO of Monster.com – APAC and Middle East said that international brands looking to embrace digital are beginning to realise the "massive potential" that lies within Southeast Asia, where eCommerce and internet companies are expanding at "astronomical rates". "With all of these entities fighting to get a share of the pie that is Southeast Asia’s digital and social media ecosystem, it is evident that there is a burgeoning demand for digital marketing and advertising professionals,” he said. He added that the marketing scene in Southeast Asia is experiencing a boom in terms of available opportunities. With digital becoming a core component of brands’ marketing strategy, companies would be looking to hire candidates who are able to maximise digital utility, and leverage digital capabilities for a wide variety of functions, Mukherjee added. (Photo courtesy: 123RF)