PHL online hiring up 13% in December 2017 —Monster.com

Online hiring in the Philippines increased by 13 percent in December 2017 on the back of the country’s strong economic growth, data released by online jobs portal Monster.com showed Thursday.

The Monster Employment Index (MEI)—a monthly gauge of online job posting activity in the Philippine- showed online recruitment increased to 102, up 13 percent from 90 in 2016.

The online hiring growth in December was also the highest recorded for 2017.

“The Philippines has solidly positioned itself as a shining spot for economic expansion this year, with a strong gross domestic product (GDP) growth projection and an overall growth momentum that fell well within targets,” Sanjay Modi, managing director of Monster.com for Asia Pacific and Middle East, said.

"This can be attributed to a few factors, including the country’s expansion in export activities and an increase in domestic demand and growth in public sector investment. Such optimism has definitely provided some peace of mind for employers considering a rise in headcount this year,” Modi said.

For 2017, Monster.com said online hiring in the Philippines recorded an average 6 percent growth.

Hiring spiked in the retail sector, which posted a 25-percent growth, with an average 19-percent increase in hiring in 2017, from 12 percent on average in 2016.

The information technology-business process outsourcing sector posted an 8-percent growth in online hiring, while the banking sector saw a 16-percent increase in e-recruitment activities.

Hiring activity for human resources and admin roles grew by 15 percent.

The Monster Employment Index is a monthly analysis of online job posting activity in the Philippines, based on real-time review of employment opportunities culled from online career outlets. —Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News