Despite signs of softening in the Taiwanese economy, employment prospects in the IT and technology industries remain strong with a high demand for R&D specialists and software engineers as companies seek to capitalize on Taiwan's strong pool of technology talent, according to a survey conducted by professional recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.
The competition for talent will be particularly strong for areas that require niche expertise, such as software engineering and e-commerce.
The Robert Walters study also highlighted that Taiwan will remain a candidate-short market in 2016.
Figures from the survey suggest that professionals moving jobs received an average 10-15% salary increase in 2015, rising to 18-22% for more senior positions due to the shortage of experienced candidates in the market. These trends are likely to continue in 2016.
"We expect hiring levels will remain stable in 2016; top talent with solid technical expertise and strong soft skills will be the most sought after," comments John Winter, Country Manager, Robert Walters Taiwan.
"Companies should strengthen their employer brand in order to attract the best professionals in the market. In areas where talent shortages are most acute, hiring managers should take a flexible approach and focus more on the growth potential of candidates and groom them internally."
Sales and marketing professionals will expect to find more opportunities in the FMCG and consumer retail sectors; candidates with proven digital experience will be key hiring priorities as competition intensifies in the e-commerce space.