Temp work to boom in project management and finance sector

Contractual business analysts and PMO specialists are projected to be in high demand.

Whilst the common misconception around temp and contractual work is associated with low-skilled roles, recruitment agency Hays reports that candidates are slowly shifting their attitude towards the gig economy as it gains more legitimacy across industries particularly in project management, IT and accounting. 

Temporary work offers jobseekers excellent opportunities for a more flexible schedule and attractive salaries whilst providing recruiters with a more malleable workforce.  

In its Asia Salary Guide for 2017, Hays noted that more than half (56%) of recruiters in Asia have opted for a more flexible recruitment approach, with nearly three quarters choosing to hire temporary contractors through a recruitment agency. 

“We have seen the market develop, becoming more sophisticated. More companies than ever before are viewing temporary and contracting resources less in the context of short term staff augmentation, and instead increasingly as value-add hires,” said Hays Hong Kong managing director Dean Stallard. 

Strong demand for candidates in temporary roles has been recorded in the finance sector and this is expected to extend to IT, accounting and regulatory jobs following the implementation of IFRS17 which has enhanced Hong Kong’s appeal as a derivatives hub. 

Project management continues to take the lion’s share in temp work as it has seen large demand over the last 12 months. Hays adds that program managers, business analysts and PMO specialists are all positions that companies wish to fill with temporary hires.