When Nguyen Thu Nga, a worker at the Thang Long Industrial Zone in Hanoi's Dong Anh District, heard that the company would not be giving any Lunar New Year bonuses or financial support, she decided to tender her resignation.

It took her only a week to find a vacancy at a mobile job fair organized by the Hanoi Centre for Employment Service in Quoc Oai, a suburb of Hanoi.

High recruitment demand during Tet 

The Hanoi Center for Employment Service organized 191 job fairs in 2023. Photo: Nguyen Hai/ The Hanoi Times

Tra is one of many young people who have got new jobs in such a short time as many businesses are seeking workers in the capital city.

Vu Quang Thanh, deputy director of the Hanoi Employment Service Centre, expected high recruitment demand during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year or Tet period, especially in the trade and services, wholesale and retail, tourism, catering and accommodation sectors.

He added that industrial processing and manufacturing companies also actively seek labor to meet order fulfillment requirements.

In addition, certain industries such as information technology, e-commerce, construction, finance and insurance still have significant staffing needs at this time, he said.

Observations from recruitment events show that many enterprises are unable to hire as many workers as they want due to the high demand for labour, Thanh said.

Le Thi Phuong Loan, who works in the administration and human resources department of Minh Quang Service and Trading Production Co. (located in Thach That - Quoc Oai Industrial Park), which specializes in the production and export of curtains to various countries, explained that the company needs to increase its workforce from the current 700 to 1,000 people to expand its business.

In the short term, the company needs around 100 sewing workers to meet its 2024 production requirements, she added.

However, according to Loan, the recruitment process has proved challenging. As a result, the company has decided to widen the age range for recruitment, accepting workers between the ages of 18 and 45 with relevant work experience. Sewing workers are offered a monthly salary of between VND7 million and VND8 million (US$286-US$327) and other benefits such as fuel subsidies.

Thanh said the labour market in northern Vietnam had shown positive signs in the early months of 2024, with recruitment needs ranging from tens to hundreds of jobs.

In Hanoi alone, it is estimated that businesses will need to recruit more than 100,000 workers in the first quarter of 2024.

At job fairs organized by the Hanoi Centre for Employment Service in January, an average of several thousand workers signed employment contracts, with some events offering tens of thousands of vacancies.

An online job fair held in nine provinces and cities on January 11 attracted 180 companies, offering nearly 59,000 vacancies. Another on 18 January drew over 150 companies seeking more than 23,000 workers.

Nguyen Van Dung, director of the Trung Hoa Post Office (Cau Giay District, Hanoi), said his department found 150 postal workers with incomes starting at VND13 million ($531) or more at online job fairs.

The Hanoi Railway Company Limited has announced that it is currently recruiting hundreds of staff to work on the Hanoi urban railway pilot project on the Nhon - Hanoi Station line and the Cat Linh - Ha Dong line.  

The income will vary depending on the job position, ranging from VND7 million to VND13 million ($286-$531) per month. Workers will be eligible for social, health and unemployment insurance, and will receive shift support, uniforms, labor protection and other benefits according to regulations, according to the Hanoi Railway Company Limited representative.

Income is top concern for jobseekers  

Job seekers at a job fair in Hanoi. Photo: Tran Oanh/ The Hanoi Times

According to recent surveys conducted by the Hanoi Center for Employment Service, the most sought-after positions include restaurant managers, technical supervisors, sales and marketing, electrical and electronic technicians, engineers, sales and customer service staff, delivery personnel, drivers, security guards and janitors.

According to the deputy director of the Hanoi Employment Service Centre, Vu Quang Thanh, if companies do not offer favorable policies and support for workers, it won't be easy to retain employees after the Lunar New Year.

Thanh emphasized that current social security policies are straightforward and flexible, leading many workers to opt for part-time or temporary employment. This type of work offers higher wages and a wider range of career opportunities. As a result, companies should prioritize social policies to retain their workforce.

A recent report by Navigos Group also shows that in 2024, salary will be the most important factor for employees when looking for a new job. In fact, 83.4% of employees said that salary is their top priority when looking for new employment and 70% of them believe that salary is the most influential factor in their decision to quit if they are unsatisfied with the company.

Other factors include company culture, promotion opportunities and bonus schemes. Employees expect stability in business operations, particularly in the face of economic fluctuations and job market conditions. They also value financial support from employers, such as receiving salaries on time, as a top concern, the report found.