Laborers expect to find "job as desired
According to the Hanoi Employment Service Center, immediately after the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, the Center will continuously organize job transaction sessions with different topics/fields to connect labor supply and demand. In which, specialized sessions will focus on information technology, services, and education.
Information about job transaction sessions will be widely announced so that employers and candidates can proactively plan recruitment and application. However, according to the Hanoi Employment Service Center, after accessing recruitment information, many workers who need to find jobs early realize that the reality is not as "pink" as expected.
Ms. Doan Thi Thi (from Dong Bac commune, Phu Tho province) graduated from college in marketing in May 2025. For 5 months of looking for a job, Ms. Thi has not had a suitable job due to barriers set by employers.
I am "criticized" because of college degrees, recruiters also require some more experience and soft skills that only people who have worked before can have. Not being able to find a job in the right field, for more than half a year now I have been an employee for an electronics supermarket in Ha Dong ward (Hanoi). During this time, I take advantage of studying some more certificates and skills training," Ms. Thi shared.
Most manufacturing enterprises still need workers to work in shifts, ready to work overtime when ordered. High-paying positions often come with requirements for skills, experience or high work intensity. Therefore, many workers participating in dozens of job transactions have not yet chosen a job. Partly because the salary is not as desired, partly because the job is suitable, they require many overtime jobs. Wanting to have a high income, there are very specific "requirements" for each field," said Mr. Vu Quang Thanh - Deputy Director of Hanoi Employment Service Center.
According to Mr. Thanh, in the opposite direction, many businesses fall into a situation of prolonged recruitment. Many companies in industrial parks after the Lunar New Year have to continuously post news, organize job fairs, and even resort to labor brokerage units, but there is still a shortage of people. Notably, some businesses have recruited workers but the rate of early resignation is quite high, only after one to two months of work.
Reflections from businesses show that many workers come for interviews but do not accept the actual working conditions, especially shifts, labor discipline and progress pressure. Some others receive jobs but quickly quit when they see that the job is not as expected initially," Mr. Thanh informed.
Where does the "mismatch" originate?
Analyzing this "mismatch", Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong - former Director of the Institute of Labor Science and Social Affairs - said that the situation of businesses "hungry" for labor at the beginning of the year, candidates struggling to find jobs is not a new phenomenon but is increasingly clear. On the one hand, workers tend to place higher expectations on income and working conditions in the context of increasing living costs. On the other hand, businesses are under competitive pressure, orders fluctuate, forcing them to optimize costs and require more flexible labor.
According to Ms. Huong, the labor market structure is changing rapidly, while the skills and expectations of a part of the labor force have not kept up. Many workers, especially young workers, want "light", stable, and less constrained jobs, while businesses need people with discipline, skills and willingness to adapt to high intensity. In addition, the psychology of "exchange jobs at the beginning of the year" also contributes to the fluctuation of the labor market. Many workers quit their jobs after Tet hoping to find a better job, but when faced with reality, they fall into a state of waiting, hesitation, and prolonging unemployment.
The prolonged "mismatch" not only affects workers but also causes difficulties for businesses and the labor market in general. Workers lose job opportunities, income is interrupted, and easily fall into depression. Businesses lack human resources, have to race to recruit, affecting production and business progress. If there are no appropriate solutions, the situation of local labor shortage - surplus will continue to recur after each Tet holiday. This not only causes waste of human resources but also reduces the effectiveness of social security policies and labor market development," Ms. Huong said.
