business

Vic Sithasanan takes JobStreet to the next level

KUALA LUMPUR: JobStreet Malaysia is accelerating its plans to assist employees in re-discovering their passion by enabling employers to reinvent their companies under the leadership of managing director Vic Sithasanan.

Vic emphasised that the reopening of more economic sectors bodes well for the employment sector.

"Bank Negara Malaysia has revised its full-year 2021 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast to between three and four per cent," Vic said in an interview with The New Straits Times.

"Even the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have projected Malaysia's 2022 GDP to grow at five and six per cent, respectively, supported by a gradual normalisation of economic activities.

"Hence, there has been strong recruitment momentum in the market," Vic said.

According to a JobStreet study, jobs in manufacturing is in high demand currently with 89 per cent growth year-on-year.

Other roles seeing high demand currently include administration and human resources, sales together with information technology.

Vic also shared that there is a global trend happening called the 'great resignation', also known as the 'big quit', of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs in recent months.

"This trend is due to employees looking for more flexible working environments and greater support for mental health from companies."

Another recent JobStreet study indicates that some 80 per cent of Malaysians are also considering switching jobs.

"The pandemic has prompted jobseekers to re-evaluate what they want from work, and factors include work practices, values and relationships they seek," said Vic.

"For many employees and often the best talent, this period also represents opportunities to reflect and search for their next career move.

"Being a pioneer in meeting these expectations can put firms in the frontline in the war for top talent," he added.

He recommended for employers to continuously build value-based workplace cultures together with an emphasis on cultural elements such as relationships, appreciation for work, and work-life balance.

"Emphasis should also be placed on employee well-being holistically – not just by monitoring their employees' physical health, but also their mental health," said Vic.

At its end, JobStreet aims to contribute even more to the Malaysian employment market moving forward.

"In the very near future, we will be hosting the biggest tech career fair in Asia which also incorporates a local virtual career fair," said Vic, adding that the goal is to provide hirers and jobseekers immediate outcomes and instant connections.

JobStreet is also currently working to provide data-driven reports that provide actionable insights for both employers and employees.

"As Malaysia's leading and most influential employment marketplace, JobStreet is committed to helping rebuild our economy as we, collectively as a country, recover from the pandemic," said Vic.

A seasoned senior executive with over 15 years of experience in leadership positions, Vic joined JobStreet in July last year.

Prior to his current position, he had co-founded and sold two innovation-led start-ups, successfully turned around two digital advertising agencies, and enjoyed success scaling technology businesses across different markets and segments.

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