International roundup

04-Mar-2009

USA
US hiring levels did not recover in January, according to a survey from intelligence firm Wanted Technologies. The survey indicates that this year’s post-holiday recovery in the level of hiring demand is the lowest seen since the data began.

Asia Pacific
RPO provider Futurestep, a Korn/Ferry company, has expanded its Strategic Talent Acquisition solutions across Asia Pacific. Tim Nelson, president of Futurestep Asia Pacific, says that an RPO strategy is ideal for Malaysian companies who will need to scale-up rapidly as the
market rebounds.

Vietnam
International recruiter Manpower has won a licence for permanent employment services from the Hanoi People Committee, ensuring that
Manpower is the first 100% foreign-invested employment services company to enter Vietnam. The permanent licence follows the opening of
Manpower’s first Vietnam branch in Hanoi in January last year.

Germany
Germany’s unemployment rate rose to 8.5% from 8.3% in January, according to figures from its national abour office. Numbers out of work reached 3.5m in February, an increase of 63,000 in the past month.

Switzerland
British PAs are in high demand among Swiss firms. David Morel, managing director at commercial recruiter Tiger, says that a client in Geneva believes “British PAs are the very best”.