What LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise Report tells us: COVID-19 has accelerated digital transformation across Southeast Asia

2020 was a rough year for many. The global pandemic brought with it significant upheaval in Southeast Asia’s job market, leaving many without work. For others, it meant the quick transition to remote work and learning to use digital communication tools to stay connected with colleagues. Very quickly, we had to get teams settled on remote work, communicate customer and employee support policies, ensure pivoting of businesses to the right focus and constantly checking in on colleagues who face headwinds in their daily lives. I know many other companies also had to go through these same shifts. It’s safe to say that while 2020 was tumultuous, we learnt and grew from these experiences. 

In the last year, we also saw that skills are increasingly becoming the currency for professionals around the world, especially since more companies have shifted towards skills-based hiring instead of traditional qualifications. More people invested time in picking up new skills or honing their current ones as they learnt to adapt to the new digital workplace, or pivot in their careers. In fact, in Singapore alone, we saw a 304% increase in total hours spent learning on LinkedIn Learning in the period of July 2019 to June 2020, compared to the year before.

As we move forward into 2021, many want to know what’s next. What are the jobs that are going to be in demand, and what are the skills needed for them? We took a deep dive into the region’s jobs landscape over the past year. This year’s Jobs on the Rise in Southeast Asia report is a special edition of our yearly Emerging Jobs Report and looks at roles experiencing the highest growth between April and October 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. 

We’ve mapped out the top 15 job categories that have risen to the fore in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines), and the skills needed to fill these roles. Here are five areas with fast growth in roles.

1. Digital content specialist
2. Data analyst
3. Software and technology
4. Finance and insurance
5. Education 

Many of the rising jobs reflect emerging trends that are reshaping Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines’ job market. 

1. As COVID-19 forced many of us to stay home, many of us became digital consumers. Whether it was grocery deliveries or streaming entertainment, there was a significant surge in the adoption of digital services across the region. The further digitization of our lives is supported by those with tech skills — from software and engineering roles creating seamless experiences on apps to cyber security roles to keep our data safe and secure. 
2. Southeast Asia’s shift to digital is also driving demand for talent who can help brands connect with growing online audiences. At LinkedIn we observed a 48% boost in companies talking to followers online, reflecting the growing importance of connecting with customers online. Whether it is growing followers or serving up engaging content — digital audiences support a range of jobs including digital content freelancers, and digital content specialists.
3. While Southeast Asia did see significant growth in its e-commerce sector, that doesn’t mean all opportunities require hard tech skills. The growth in online services, including shopping, food delivery and media, is driving demand for a range of roles with a variety of experience, including logistics skilled talent, customer service roles, and business development and sales.  In fact, globally the majority of people who fill these roles often come from non-emerging jobs.
4. COVID-19 saw many businesses quickly pivot to offering their services online, meaning traditional roles are evolving quickly. With 70% of the region online, those in sectors shifting more online, like education, finance and some health services, do need to master the basics of technology to stay ahead.

A central theme running throughout the Jobs on the Rise report is the importance of digital know-how. For some this can be intimidating, but it’s never too late to start. Workers can begin by taking online courses to pick up new skills, or hone their current ones.

It’s also about getting a sense of perspective on what skills you have, and where they would be best suited. LinkedIn’s free Career Explorer tool is designed to give you a clearer picture on your current skill set and show how they can be used across different industries and roles. Once you’ve got this new sense of perspective, you might want to learn something new — LinkedIn Learning offers free online learning paths from project management, coding and digital marketing. 

You can also tap into the power of your network by adopting the #OpenToWork profile photo frame, which helps members earn 40% more recruiter InMails and 20% more messages from their communities. Hiring managers can also use the #Hiring profile photo frame too.

And finally, if you are part of a company that is looking to prepare your workers for new roles within the organization or upskill your workforce in general, I hope these trends help your organization in meeting the demands of today’s changing talent landscape.

To keep up to date with the latest workforce trends, read the full Jobs on the Rise report (Southeast Asia) here. You can also read more about jobs on the rise in Singapore here.