The competition for workers in the software, Internet of Things (IoT) and semiconductor fields is intensifying as companies seek professionals with related skills and know-how, recruitment consultancy Michael Page Taiwan said yesterday.
“There is a fierce talent war to secure top Taiwanese employees, particularly in the software, semiconductors and IoT areas,” Michael Page Taiwan director Shaun Cronin told a news conference as it released its annual salary report.
Professionals with the requisite technical skills, such as product development and integration, quality engineering, machine learning and data science, can expect a higher than average salary increase of up to 20 percent when switching jobs, the report said.
The job rich, but talent short employment landscape lends support to the salary increase, it said.
The supply of jobs is entering Taiwan in large volumes because both multinationals and local companies are expanding their operations, Cronin said.
A number of traditional companies are finding ways to digitally reinvent their processes, while companies from Singapore, Hong Kong and other Southeast Asian nations are looking to Taiwan to establish their regional research and development centers, he said.
Skilled professionals are highly sought after by traditional companies looking to digitalize processes and progressive technology-driven firms wanting to stay ahead of the curve, the report said.
Taiwan has a reputable high-quality developer market and the rise of e-commerce and digital businesses will continue to create job opportunities across sectors, it said.
Against this backdrop, professionals have multiple job opportunities and can assess potential employers on their in-house technological advancement, Cronin said.
Companies need to remain competitive by offering attractive salary packages and maintaining strong employer branding, the report said.
“It is important that firms invest in the implementation of new technology to ensure candidates gain experience in these cutting-edge projects,” Cronin said.
Technical candidates, such as mobile application developers, user interface/user experience designers and search engine optimization engineers, are in also high demand, the report said.
Savvy digital marketers with the ability to harness a full suite of marketing tools are badly needed to produce data-driven results, it said.
In addition, Taiwan’s healthcare industry will continue to mature this year and attract even more international players, it said.
A jump in hiring activity is anticipated across the pharmaceuticals and medical devices sectors, creating more opportunities for professionals in medical affairs, as well as brand and product management, it said.
Market access that ensures drugs and media procedures are facilitated to the appropriate patients has developed relatively well and will generate more demand for experienced talent, it said, adding that this is an area with an acute talent shortage.
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