Malaysia’s labour market remains broadly resilient, with employment continuing to grow in July while the unemployment rate remained unchanged from the previous month at 3.0%.
While the latest labour market figures point to continued employment growth, Jobstreet by SEEK Malaysia’s platform data offers a closer look at the types of jobs being advertised and the candidates seeking opportunities.
The data highlights a potential skills mismatch between available jobs and the experience and classifications represented among registered candidates.
Manufacturing and Logistics Lead Hiring Activity
Manufacturing, transport and logistics accounted for the largest share of advertised jobs on Jobstreet by SEEK, representing 12.9% of hiring activity.
Retail and consumer products followed with 8.4% of advertised roles.
This broadly corresponds with findings from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), which showed that employment continued to expand in manufacturing and across the services sector.
However, the areas where employers are advertising vacancies and where candidates are looking for work do not always align.
Retail and consumer products accounted for 8.4% of advertised roles, but only 5.3% of registered candidate classifications. Conversely, administration and office support represented 11.3% of registered candidates, compared with 7.0% of advertised roles.
Skills Mismatch Emerges Beneath Positive Figures
As Malaysia’s labour force grew by 0.1% to 17.37 million people in July, the figures point to an important challenge beneath the positive headline numbers.
Greater labour force participation and continued employment growth do not automatically mean that candidates’ existing experience matches the areas where job opportunities are concentrated.
According to Nicholas Lam, Managing Director of Jobstreet by SEEK Malaysia, the next challenge for the labour market is therefore not simply supporting employment growth, but helping workers keep pace with changing demand.
A resilient labour market requires stronger connections between the skills available among jobseekers and the capabilities businesses need as Malaysia’s economy evolves.
Upskilling Can Help Jobseekers Access Opportunities
For jobseekers, particularly those earlier in their careers who may have less professional experience to draw on, targeted upskilling can help bridge this gap.
Building transferable skills that are relevant across different roles and industries can give candidates more ways to access available opportunities, rather than limiting their job searches to positions that correspond exactly with their previous experience.
As hiring demand shifts across sectors, developing capabilities that can be applied in multiple environments could help workers remain adaptable and competitive in Malaysia’s changing labour market.
Employers Can Look Beyond Exact Experience
Employers, meanwhile, have an opportunity to reconsider how they assess talent.
Placing greater emphasis on skills and potential, alongside clearer pathways for training and professional development, can help businesses reach candidates whose previous experience may not be an exact match but who have the capabilities to grow into a role.
Broadening recruitment criteria in this way could allow employers to tap into a wider pool of potential talent while giving jobseekers greater opportunities to transition between roles and industries.
Connecting Workers With Where Demand Is Growing
Malaysia’s resilient labour market is not only one that creates employment opportunities, but one that helps people move towards them.
Improving the connection between available jobs and potential talent will require both jobseekers and employers to look beyond exact experience matches and recognise how skills can transfer across Malaysia’s changing economy.
As hiring needs continue to evolve, stronger investment in upskilling, transferable skills and skills-based recruitment could help ensure that employment growth translates into more accessible and sustainable career opportunities for Malaysian workers.
