Released by the online job platform Vieclam24h on March 18, the report on Vietnam’s labor market in early 2025 was based on a survey of over 400 businesses and 1,000 workers conducted in early March.

The report indicates that Vietnam’s labor market in the first two months of 2025 showed positive recovery signs compared to the same period in 2024.

Survey results revealed a 19 percent increase in overall hiring demand year-over-year, reflecting businesses’ expansion trends.

However, this growth hasn’t aligned with labor supply, as job-seeking demand remains uneven in different industries.

Notably, for the IT sector, Vieclam24h’s latest survey found that hiring demand dropped 2 percent in the first two months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the number of IT job seekers surged by 18 percent due to recent workforce shifts.

However, the salaries offered for software-related workers remained among the highest in the market, and "businesses are still in great need for high-quality IT talents,” a Vieclam24h expert noted.

The study also found that Vietnamese businesses face mounting recruitment challenges due to competition, labor market shifts, and a supply-demand imbalance.

Specifically, the labor market shows stark disparities across industries. Some sectors face severe talent shortages, while others have a surplus, intensifying competition and complicating hiring efforts.

For instance, fields like data analysis, technology, logistics, and sales see strong demand, but struggle to find suitable candidates.

Also, rapid tech advancements create needs for new skills, but many candidates lag in upgrading or accessing relevant training, thus widening the supply-demand gap.

Additionally, Vieclam24h’s survey showed that technology—especially AI—is reshaping recruitment methods in Vietnam.

Online platforms are constantly upgraded with AI to connect with candidates faster and more accurately, while job seekers increasingly leverage tech to find work.

Workers, candidates urged to boost AI skills

Navigos Group, in its mid-February 2025 salary and labor market report, stated that over 81.2 percent of surveyed businesses plan to ramp up IT hiring this year and beyond.

Among them, businesses prioritize candidates with 1-3 years of experience (55.47 percent) and 3-5 years (27.36 percent).

Navigos Group also emphasized the growing use of technology, particularly AI, in recruitment and job hunting.

AI is increasingly used by candidates to optimize resumes, search for jobs, research companies, practice interviews, and build skills.

Yet, only 18.45 percent of surveyed candidates reported using AI in their job search, while 81.55 percent have yet to adopt it.

For IT personnel specifically, experts all agree that high-quality talent demand will keep rising. Aptech, an international programmer training system, cited organizations’ predictions as saying that, in the coming years, IT salaries in Vietnam will consistently rank among the top in the labor market.

Amid market fluctuations, experts recommend workers focus on enhancing AI, data analysis, and digital tech skills; prioritize foreign languages like English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese to broaden opportunities and thrive in multinationals; and stay updated on AI and automation tools.

Workers and candidates should also adapt to flexible work models, honing time management and communication skills, while building a personal brand on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook to stand out and access new opportunities.

Generative AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, are driving profound changes in global education, including in Vietnam.

Aptech CEO Chu Tuan Anh noted that beyond serving as a tool for both learners and educators, AI also promotes educational equity.

“With generative AI, no matter where learners are, they can interact with the ‘world’s smartest expert’ thanks to vast data, breaking down barriers of geography and time,” Anh said.

For learners, the Aptech expert stressed that educational institutions should allow, or even require, their students to use AI to avoid missing out on pioneering technology opportunities.

At Aptech, for instance, students are encouraged to use AI daily. When struggling with complex programming concepts in class, they can turn to AI for explanations tailored to their understanding.

For programming assignments, AI assists by generating code snippets, but more importantly, students compare and analyze solutions to identify the most efficient approach. Beyond that, they can even ask AI to act as an examiner—posing test questions and grading responses.

Vu Diep