VNExpress-Feb 23
Vietnam’s job market is shifting in 2026, with sales professionals and AI talent at the front of the hiring race.
After several years of restructuring, businesses are regaining stability and shifting focus back to two core priorities: boosting revenue and strengthening production. At the same time, companies are accelerating digital transformation and investing in new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
Recent employment surveys released ahead of Tet show recruitment demand recovering across multiple sectors, with clear patterns emerging about who companies want most, and who may face tougher competition. According to Navigos, sales accounts for 46% of recruitment demand this year, followed by IT-software at 13%. A similar survey by TopCV places business-sales at 48%, IT-software at 9%, communications-advertising at 8%, and customer service at 4%. In sales, companies are overwhelmingly targeting professionals with one to five years of experience. More than 67% of employers say this group forms the operational backbone of their businesses, ready to generate revenue immediately without extensive retraining. About 31% of companies plan to hire fresh talent, reflecting efforts to build long-term workforce pipelines. Meanwhile, around 20% are recruiting team leaders and mid-level managers. Businesses appear to be balancing short-term performance with long-term talent development. In IT, the most sought-after roles include web developers (45%), back-end developers (37%) and AI engineers (30%). Companies are not just expanding teams but also upgrading them. Many are prioritizing candidates with deep expertise in AI, semiconductor technology and microchip-related engineering. Employers increasingly favor experienced professionals with strong systems thinking over entry-level applicants. Read more at:
