Salary Survey 2018: Innovation and internationalisation will continue to drive recruitment in China

Due to the continuous eastward shift of economic activities, China’s recruitment market remains strong, while the accelerating digital transformation and increasing business technology investments have been driving hiring activities in areas of innovation and technology, e-commerce, and digital marketing, as well as in the finance and HR sectors.

Technology hiring accelerated across various industries

The Chinese government has rolled out a series of policy initiatives such as ‘Internet Plus’ to provide solid support to technology and innovation across various sectors. With China now the world’s largest e-commerce market, the rapid development of online and mobile payment solutions will drive exceptional demand for specialists of domestic and cross-border e-commerce platforms. At the same time, the ongoing digitalisation and automation of businesses will generate strong demand for specialists with niche skills including big data, Internet of Thing (IoT) and AI. Salary increments in the IT sector are expected to vary greatly according to particular skills, with an average of 12-18% for job movers in 2018.

Demand for bilingual talent continues to rise under internationalisation

Under government programmes such as the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative and the ‘Go Global’ campaign, the rate at which Chinese companies internationalise has accelerated to unprecedented levels. Candidates with strong bilingual proficiency, experience working in international companies, and local market knowledge will be prime hiring targets in 2018 across all sectors and employment grades. Compared to a few years ago, there is a shift in candidates’ preferences towards working for Chinese companies due to their growth potential, local culture and business stability.

About the Salary Survey 

The Robert Walters annual Salary Survey is the most comprehensive review of professional salaries and recruitment trends around the world. The Greater China & South East Asia book consists of 9 countries, is free, and covers China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Our Salary Survey is based on the analysis of permanent, interim and contract placements made across each of our geographies and recruitment disciplines during 2017.

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