A different set of skills and capabilities has emerged in recent times as essential for job candidates.

Vietnam’s talent
landscape is undergoing one of its fastest periods of transformation in a decade,
as rapid digital adoption and foreign investment together with evolving employee
expectations reshape hiring across the country’s major industries. According to
PERSOL’s Industry Insights Report 2025, employers are entering a new phase in which
hybrid skill sets, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) literacy, and multilingual
capabilities increasingly outweigh traditional experience as determinants of competitiveness.

Drawing on insights
in 12 Asia-Pacific markets, the report positions Vietnam as one of Southeast Asia’s
fastest-growing hubs for digital hiring, particularly in e-commerce, omni-channel
retail, high-tech manufacturing and data-driven logistics. But as momentum accelerates,
talent shortages are widening, and companies are struggling to meet the expectations
of a workforce that is both more confident and more selective.

“The region’s talent
economy is at a crossroads,” said Mr. Elvin Tan, Regional Director and Head of Operations
at PERSOL. “Workforce gaps are no longer just about headcount. They are about adaptability.
Employers who balance technology investment with cultural intelligence and purpose-led
hiring will emerge stronger in the next cycle.”

Talent shifts

Across Asia-Pacific,
PERSOL identified several fundamental shifts that are reshaping how organizations
hire, develop, and retain talent; trends that are particularly visible in Vietnam.

First, hybrid skills
are emerging as the centerpiece of modern workforce expectations. Digital fluency
and human capability now go hand-in-hand, with employers seeking professionals who
can balance AI and data literacy with collaboration, communication, and critical
thinking. In Vietnam, this dual capability is becoming essential across sectors
such as manufacturing, consumer goods, and logistics, where technology and strategic
judgement increasingly intersect.

Second, sustainability
and compliance literacy are moving from niche competencies to mainstream hiring
priorities. As ESG expectations become more deeply embedded in business strategy,
knowledge of environmental standards, responsible sourcing, and regulatory compliance
is now required not only in sustainability teams but across finance, operations,
and supply chain roles. Companies in Vietnam, especially those exposed to global
supply chains, are accelerating the recruitment of professionals with ESG-oriented
skills.

Third, the employer-employee
dynamic is shifting as candidates behave more like consumers. Jobseekers expect
transparent communications, mobile-first engagement, and a clear sense of purpose
from the hiring process itself. Nowhere is this trend more visible than in Vietnam,
where candidates place strong emphasis on clarity, convenience, and authenticity.
Slow or opaque recruitment cycles often lead to immediate drop-off, particularly
among younger applicants.

Fourth, changing expectations
among Gen Z and millennial professionals are reshaping work cultures across the
country. Younger workers prioritize flexibility, belonging and personal growth,
with many placing greater value on meaningful work and supportive leadership than
on salary alone. These preferences are compelling employers in Vietnam to adopt
more progressive, people-centered workplace practices if they want to attract and
retain top talent.

Finally, the report
calls for deeper collaboration between business, education, and government to bridge
widening skills gaps. As automation and sustainability reshape industries, coordinated
action is essential to ensure that talent development keeps pace with economic transformation.
This need is especially acute in Vietnam, where rapid growth in digital and high-value
sectors requires faster adaptation to prevent shortages from intensifying.

Sector-by-sector breakdown

Hiring patterns
have shifted sharply over the past year in Vietnam’s consumer goods sector. The
rapid expansion of e-commerce and omni-channel retail has pushed companies to prioritize
digital talent over traditional FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) profiles. Skills
in data-driven marketing, platform management, and consumer insights are now among
the most difficult roles to fill.

Global trends, such
as rising sustainability expectations and health-conscious consumption, intersect
with Vietnam’s own digital transformation agenda to reshape hiring criteria. Talent
that can blend digital fluency, sustainability awareness, and commercial acumen
is increasingly prized.

Candidate expectations
have evolved just as quickly. Transparent pay structures, mobile-first application
experiences, and consistent employer branding are now baseline requirements. Flexibility,
once rare in retail and consumer goods, has become a decisive factor even for roles
historically tied to physical operations. Employers report widening gaps between
what senior candidates expect – career acceleration, leadership culture, innovation
exposure – and what companies can currently offer.

Meanwhile, Vietnam’s
corporate and professional services sector is experiencing accelerated change as
new investors enter the market and companies localize leadership roles long held
by expats. Demand has surged for senior finance, human resources (HR), and legal
professionals, particularly Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), Chief Human Resources
Officers (CHROs), and Heads
of Risk and Audit.

Southern Vietnam
is seeing strong hiring momentum in finance, accounting, and auditing, driven by
FDI from China, Taiwan (China), and Hong
Kong (China). This shift has created intense competition for bilingual
and multi-lingual professionals, especially those fluent in Vietnamese, English
and Chinese, who are now essential for cross-border operations.

Severe shortages
persist in areas such as merger and acquisition (MA) advisory, data privacy,
intellectual property (IP) law, and strategic audit. With regulatory frameworks
evolving and business operations growing more complex, companies increasingly need
professionals able to navigate compliance, stakeholder management, and strategic
transformation.

Candidates are also
taking the lead in negotiations. Flexibility, mental health support, and transparent
career pathways are now as important as salary. Lengthy or unclear hiring processes
risk losing top talent, particularly as some candidates accept offers quickly or
withdraw last-minute when better packages appear.

Regarding manufacturing,
the sector continues to benefit from global supply chain diversification and strong
government incentives, with high-tech industries such as electronics, semiconductors,
automation, and renewable energy expanding rapidly. Hiring demand for engineers
and technical specialists is rising faster than supply.

Acute shortages
are evident in high-skill roles – automation engineers, robotics technicians, semiconductor
designers – and in multilingual talent able to interface with Chinese, Taiwanese
and Western stakeholders. At the same time, younger workers are avoiding repetitive
factory jobs, leaving low-skilled roles increasingly filled by older workers.

Professionals across
engineering and sourcing now expect flexibility, an inclusive culture, and clear
career development. Hybrid work options, once considered impractical for manufacturing,
are becoming more commonplace in planning, engineering, and administrative roles.
Companies that fail to modernize workplace practices risk losing competitiveness
in a market where workers increasingly prioritize purpose, culture, and development.

Looking ahead, semiconductor
design, renewable energy technology, and sustainability engineering are expected
to dominate hiring as automation, AI integration, and global semiconductor policy
shifts reshape the industrial landscape.

Employers are placing
greater emphasis on adaptability, problem-solving, and resilience, recognizing that
operational know-how alone is no longer sufficient in a disrupted logistics environment.
Mandarin-speaking talent is also in short supply as Chinese companies expand operations
into Vietnam.

Candidate expectations
are shifting significantly. Flexibility and career development now weigh as heavily
as compensation. Employers with rigid pay structures or mandatory in-office schedules
for non-operational roles are losing ground. Younger professionals, in particular,
expect stronger employer branding, clearer learning pathways, and more progressive
cultures.

Vietnam’s logistics
sector is evolving from a low-cost operating base into a strategic hub for high-value
functions. Whether this potential can be unlocked will depend on companies’ ability
to adapt hiring practices and workplace cultures to attract and retain tech-enabled
talent.

VET-Diep Linh