<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published April 23, 2009
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Temp jobs still don't appeal to S'poreans
Only 33% surveyed say they will be willing to take a contract position
By JOYCE HOOI
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</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>WHILE Singaporeans may be warming up to the idea of contract positions in a tight job market, they still lag their regional peers in terms of willingness to do so.
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</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>Ms Ross: More professionals and employers are beginning to see contract work as mutually beneficial </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Only 33 per cent of Singapore respondents indicated that they would be 'happy to take on a contract role', according to a survey of professionals by recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.
This is far below the global average of the 55 per cent who said that they would have no qualms taking up a contract position.
Within the region, 53 per cent of respondents in Thailand and 42 per cent in Hong Kong felt the same way. Only Malaysia recorded a smaller proportion of respondents who would be happy with a contract position, at 30 per cent.
Nevertheless, reality has begun to sink in for local professionals, with 50 per cent of them saying that they would consider contract work if there were 'no permanent options', compared with the global average of 33 per cent.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>[FONT=Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]<!-- REPLACE EVERYTHING IN CAPITALS WITH YOUR OWN VALUES --><TABLE class=quoteBox cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=144 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom>
</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#fffff1><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=124 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>But 50% of local professionals say that they will consider contract work if there were no permanent options.
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>According to Andrea Ross, managing director of Robert Walters Singapore, more professionals and employers are beginning to see contract work as mutually beneficial.
'It is well known that employers can turn to temporary recruitment in tougher economic conditions as a way to control headcount costs and maintain productivity,' she said.
'What is interesting is that candidates are also increasingly focusing on the flexibility that contract work can offer - from hours worked to experiencing different work environments and roles.'
The remaining 17 per cent of local respondents said that they would not consider contract work, against the global average of 12 per cent.
The survey was conducted with 4,288 people in 17 countries, including about 700 people in Singapore. [/FONT]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Temp jobs still don't appeal to S'poreans
Only 33% surveyed say they will be willing to take a contract position
By JOYCE HOOI
<TABLE class=storyLinks cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=1 width=136 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR class=font10><TD align=right width=20>
</TD><TD>Email this article</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD align=right width=20>
</TD><TD>Print article </TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD align=right width=20>
</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>WHILE Singaporeans may be warming up to the idea of contract positions in a tight job market, they still lag their regional peers in terms of willingness to do so.<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>Ms Ross: More professionals and employers are beginning to see contract work as mutually beneficial </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Only 33 per cent of Singapore respondents indicated that they would be 'happy to take on a contract role', according to a survey of professionals by recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.This is far below the global average of the 55 per cent who said that they would have no qualms taking up a contract position.
Within the region, 53 per cent of respondents in Thailand and 42 per cent in Hong Kong felt the same way. Only Malaysia recorded a smaller proportion of respondents who would be happy with a contract position, at 30 per cent.
Nevertheless, reality has begun to sink in for local professionals, with 50 per cent of them saying that they would consider contract work if there were 'no permanent options', compared with the global average of 33 per cent.
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'It is well known that employers can turn to temporary recruitment in tougher economic conditions as a way to control headcount costs and maintain productivity,' she said.
'What is interesting is that candidates are also increasingly focusing on the flexibility that contract work can offer - from hours worked to experiencing different work environments and roles.'
The remaining 17 per cent of local respondents said that they would not consider contract work, against the global average of 12 per cent.
The survey was conducted with 4,288 people in 17 countries, including about 700 people in Singapore. [/FONT]
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