"IT" Jobs are still "hibernating"

The wave of job cuts in the information technology (IT) sector since late 2022 has made workers very worried. Up to now, young people looking for jobs in this field still face many difficulties. Most companies that have not closed down or cut jobs are only keeping their current staff and are hiring very few new employees. Some companies "have not hired any new staff for the past three years."

Just after graduating, Trịnh Đồng Khánh (24 years old), a newly graduated Java programmer, is finding it quite hard to get a job. He chose to study IT because he loves it. When Khánh graduated from high school, the IT field was booming due to the high demand for online services.

However, graduating at this time and wanting to work, Khánh faced a wave of job cuts. He joined a job connection program with many tech companies, hoping to find an internship position to learn and gain experience.

Nguyễn Ngọc Tú, who is directly involved in hiring, agrees that the competition for new candidates with little experience in this field is fierce. Her small company received applications from 100 to 200 new graduates.

"The economy is tough, many companies are laying off workers, closing down, or reducing staff, so the number of job seekers in this field is high. I also had to leave my previous job and just started at a new company after several months of job searching," Tú said.

In recent years, freelancing has become quite popular among IT workers. However, as fixed job opportunities in companies shrink, choosing to freelance is not easy for young people with little experience.

Đình Tuyên (24 years old, living in Thủ Đức, Ho Chi Minh City, specializing in data processing for websites and apps, and product development) said that although he wants to take on extra projects for more income, he only has two years of experience. During this time, he is working and self-studying before considering forming a group to take on outside projects.

There is a big difference in salary between newcomers (1-3 years), those with some experience (3-5 years), and those with many years of experience (over 5 years). The salary differences between startups and companies from Japan or Europe are also significant. New graduates or those with little experience often do not have enough skills to find extra projects.

"You need at least three years of experience in a company before you can take on extra projects. You should be able to handle everything from websites to apps and servers," Tuyên explained.

Ms. Nguyễn Thị Thu Giang, the deputy director of Navigos Search in the North, said that compared to the second half of 2023, when there was a large drop in IT staff, the demand for hiring experienced specialists in this field continues to slightly decrease.

According to data from Navigos Search, in the IT and telecommunications job market, the highest demand is still for experienced workers to meet the specific needs of each project.

Ms. Giang noted that the job market is generally difficult for all workers, especially for young graduates at this time. This is especially true as companies want to hire candidates with experience who can start work without needing much training.

Similarly, freelance work in general, and freelance work in IT specifically, requires high initiative and discipline.

New graduates often do not have many connections to find job opportunities, lack professional experience, and are not familiar with how projects operate, which puts them at a disadvantage.

"Employers are also concerned about the commitment of young candidates to meet work deadlines," Ms. Giang commented.

Looking ahead, Ms. Giang predicted that the demand for hiring in the IT sector will remain high in the coming years. Forecasts show that Vietnam will need 700,000 workers in the IT sector by 2025, while the current number of programmers is only about 500,000.

The problem is that currently, only 30% of IT candidates meet the requirements of employers, which is quite low compared to the demand.

From the perspective of a recruitment service provider for mid-level and senior positions, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Giang believes that young people in IT who have just graduated should consider looking for internship opportunities, small projects, freelance work, or unpaid internships for a while. This will help them gain practical experience and learn from more experienced people.

The advice is that while searching for full-time jobs can still be difficult, young people should think about shifting to related jobs or expanding their job applications to other fields that have a high demand for IT skills, such as data analysis, technology project management, or technical support.

"It is important to continue learning and developing new skills, especially those that many companies are looking for, such as AI, machine learning, and information security. Joining short courses or specialized training programs can also help improve job search abilities," Ms. Giang analyzed.