How to find the best jobs

Pichaya Changsorn

The Nation

Job seekers skilled in information technology, engineering and accounting, and who have a good command of English will have a much higher job-application success rate. Their pay scales are generally 20 to 25 per cent higher than others, Tidarat Kanchanawat, country manager of Adecco Consulting, said.

Job seekers should watch the latest trends in local business, such as which industries are booming, she said.

"If a new IT hub opens this year, there will be many more new positions for IT graduates. ExxonMobil, which has opened a shared-service centre in Bangkok, is recruiting 300 new employees every year," Tidarat said.

Among industries that are hiring most, IT holds the largest share because it plays a crucial role in almost every business. There is a high demand for programmers, developers and testers.

IT job seekers should look for specific areas of growth, Tidarat said. For instance, there is a growing need for candidates with knowledge of third-generation mobile-phone technologies, Java, Microsoft .net and other Web-based applications.

The high demand for engineers stems from the growth of petrochemical and automobile industries. Offshore platform construction is also recruiting heavily.

"Experienced workers, if they're in the right industry and have a  proven track record, will always be in demand," Tidarat said.

In other industries, people who get the best pay are usually those whose work directly affects profit - such as sales and marketing personnel.

"Their pay schemes usually tie up with incentives. But their jobs are more challenging, because if they can't deliver, companies won't let them stay," Tidarat said.

Back-office jobs are steadier, she said. However, finance and accounting workers are still paid well because it is hard to find qualified candidates, especially those with good English skills.

Because it is not easy finding talent, companies have turned to proactive recruitment strategies - instead of waiting for someone to apply for the job, they go out to shop for top-grade students from universities. This requires manpower planning to be done in advance to identify targeted jobs and universities that they will approach.

Demand for third-language skills is also high, especially Japanese. Adecco has a unit dedicated to Japanese clients. Most Thais who speak the language, however, only have Japanese Language Proficiency Test scores of level three or four, while most businesses require level one to two.

Tidarat said workers should explore their potential, develop their strengths and have a clear picture of what they would like to do for the next three to five years. They should be capable of anticipating new trends or requirements in their industries.

Those looking to change jobs have to find out which industries are booming and consider what skills they have to offer, Tidarat said. If competencies do not match job requirements, no matter how hard candidates try, they will not get the job.

"It's unncessary to hop jobs. You may switch every time you get a 30 per cent pay hike, but at some point, you may find you have a high salary but can't go any further. On the other hand, those who accumulate experience take off slower, but can go farther," Tidarat said.

Despite economic problems, she said the job market is "not bad at all" this year.

"We know where the growing markets are. If job seekers' skills aren't in these areas, they may have problems," she said.