Is the China job-market really weakening in 2009?

[Michael Wright]

Personally, myself and my team have never been busier. The requirements, meeting requests and RFI/RFP suggestions are regular as clock-work.

From where I am sitting, apart from a dip in activity from some of the largest of our customers, business in China is hungry for talent, with many seeing the current climate as an opportunity for them to scoop up global talent who in brighter (pre-Olympic Games) times, might not have had China on the radar for relocation, but following the great PR of the Olympics and the change in the Wind, Shanghai and Beijing are now looking more plausible as a place to build or enhance a career.

However, in a recent survey by Manpower, here it's been suggested that the job market WILL weaken to a 2-year low in Q1 of 2009. According to the article, they surveyed over 3000 companies in 10 major cities.. and the sectors who fared the worst included Financial Services (no kidding!)and Real Estate.

I can't help but wonder though - are 'Manpower' really the best people to be talking to. They tend to fill 'low-level' clerical jobs, and 'blue-collar' type positions which are very generalist. I have a feeling that the emerging service/knowledge economy in China (IT Outsourcing, Internet & E-Commerce, Online Gaming, Cleantech, IPTV) might tell you a differnent story if you asked them if they were hiring in Q1.

I'd love to know the opinion of the members here - how are YOU finding the market right now?

[Jojo Li]

"They tend to fill 'low-level' clerical jobs, and 'blue-collar' type positions which are very generalist. I have a feeling that the emerging service/knowledge economy in China (IT Outsourcing, Internet & E-Commerce, Online Gaming, Cleantech, IPTV) might tell you a differnent story if you asked them if they were hiring in Q1."

I agree with you.Besides those mentioned industries,positions from senior/executive/strategic level still have a huge demand of the talent market.

Government in China are doing their effort to make the market as stable as it could be,and since many companies here are state-owned(most of are vital to China economy),the negative effect brought by financial crisis is much smaller than western countries. In my opinion, companies do business with those state-owned giants still have a promising future in 2009,such as companies from energy industry,telecom industry and so on.

[Tyler Moore]

I do not see how we could fool ourselves to think that the market will not slow down. Yes, looking from East to West the glass might seem half full, however looking from West to East the glass seems half empty and we need the government to buy another round.

[Hui Shen]

China's hiring trend has been and will continue to be more knowledge/technology oriented, however, I totally agree with Tyler, China cannot survive this slow down all by itself. And never never neglect the impotance of "blue collar" type of positions. Specially manufacturing jobs. US is at where it is now more or less has something to do with they outsourced their manufacturing jobs. It is much easier to outsource those jobs elsewhere than to bring them back.