Recruitment demand increases sharply after Tet
According to the latest data from the Ho Chi Minh City Employment Service Center, the total recruitment demand after Tet this year is expected to fluctuate around 50,400 - 55,500 job positions, an increase of about 7% compared to the same period last year. This demand is largely concentrated in fields such as trade - services accounting for nearly 68%, industry - construction nearly 32%.
In Hanoi, more than 19,300 job seekers were hired in January, an increase of nearly 25% compared to the same period last year, showing that labor demand is not inferior in the post-Tet context. It is forecasted that in the first quarter of 2026, the wholesale and retail industry, motor vehicle repair will have the most breakthrough job growth (over 4%); the manufacturing and processing industry (up about 3%). Other key economic sectors such as tourism, restaurant services, catering, and logistics transportation are also forecast to have recovery and slight job growth, contributing to general stability.
Mr. Duong Duc Hoang - Director of Hoang Hai Transport Company (Xuan Mai commune, Hanoi) said that right after the Tet holiday, his company recruited about 50 personnel for driver, assistant driver, accountant, administrative positions... However, Mr. Hoang predicted that the recruitment situation would be difficult because of the recruitment period before the Lunar New Year, the demand for 60 positions was 60, but his company only recruited 35 people.
Among the positions, the most difficult to recruit are drivers and accountants. We have balanced to adjust income higher than businesses in the same segment, adding benefits for meals, clothing, gasoline... but it is very difficult to recruit enough personnel. Qualified people agree on higher salaries than our ability to pay, many people apply but do not meet the seniority and qualifications. In general, recruiting the right person, passing the exam at this time is very difficult," Mr. Hoang said.
Also complaining about the difficulty of recruiting people, Ms. Nguyen Chi Mai - Human Resources Director of HTPL Pharmaceutical Group (Yen Hoa ward, Hanoi) said that for many years, the post-Tet recruitment period has always been the most difficult recruitment period for the group.
Many people believe that after Tet, there are many workers "job-changing", so it is easy to "scoop up" candidates, this view is probably no longer true. For many years, it has been very difficult for us to recruit personnel after the Lunar New Year holiday. I imagine there is a gap between labor supply and demand, the people we need cannot be approached, and the candidates who can be approached do not meet the requirements of employers," Ms. Mai shared.
Businesses "yellow-eyed" looking for people
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hoat - Director of Tan Mai Trading Co., Ltd. (Phu Dien ward, Hanoi) said that he is very "headache" because of finding someone after the annual Lunar New Year holiday.
I predict that this year the recruitment situation will be even more "tense" because many migrant workers choose to stay in their hometowns longer, causing businesses to lack candidate sources immediately after the holidays. Not to mention, the difference between skills and recruitment requirements in technical, production, and skilled workers positions... requires a few months of training to keep up with job requirements," Mr. Hoat said.
Sharing recruitment difficulties with businesses, Mr. Vu Quang Thanh - Deputy Director of Hanoi Employment Service Center said that the labor market in the Capital after Tet has many signs showing that there is still a shortage of high-quality labor, especially in industries that require digital skills, automation or deep professional expertise.
Mr. Thanh also pointed out the "gap" that exists in the labor market: Businesses expect candidates to have almost "perfect" skills right when starting work, while the proportion of workers who fully meet technical, soft and culturally suitable criteria is not high, causing businesses to recruit longer than expected. Conversely, from the perspective of workers, many candidates reflect that they face difficulties when applying because salaries and benefits are not commensurate with job requirements, especially in complex technical positions. This creates a gap in expectations between businesses and candidates.
The deeper reason is the increasing skill gap between labor and job requirements. Not only positions requiring in-depth knowledge, even moderate technical jobs such as machine operation, assembly or logistics also require digital skills, quick learning ability and logical thinking - something that is not new labor or general available. For example, in Hanoi, more than 40% of recruitment needs belong to groups that do not require specific qualifications, while the rest require clearer skills and the proportion of candidates with suitable skills is not sufficient to meet," Mr. Thanh said.
