Overview of Hiring Activity
The foundit Insights Tracker (fit) for Malaysia rose 1% month-on-month in September 2025, signalling a mild recovery in hiring activity. However, hiring remained 15% lower year-on-year, indicating that overall sentiment is still subdued.
The 3-month trend (0%) shows flat momentum, while the 6-month trend (+6%) reflects a gradual improvement as employers cautiously resume expansion plans.
Hiring Trends by Industry (YoY change)
Four of the eleven industries monitored by fit registered annual growth in September.
In demand
- Logistics, Courier/Freight/Transportation & Shipping (+24%) – Supply chain and e-commerce logistics continue to drive robust demand for operations and fleet roles.
- Hospitality & Travel (+8%) – Steady domestic tourism and recovery in events sustain hiring momentum.
- Engineering, Construction & Real Estate (+6%) – Infrastructure and urban redevelopment projects are supporting demand for engineers and project managers.
Facing challenges
- IT, Telecom/ISP and BPO/ITES (−39%) – Persistent spending caution and outsourcing slowdowns weigh heavily on recruitment.
- Retail (−25%) – Consumer sentiment remains fragile, with hiring limited to essential retail operations.
- BFSI (−15%) – Hiring moderation continues as firms prioritise automation and cost efficiency.
- Oil & Gas (−15%) – Prolonged price volatility restrains upstream hiring.
- Advertising & Media (−15%) – Marketing budgets remain conservative across sectors.
- Production/Manufacturing (−2%) – Hiring stabilises in line with modest output recovery.
Hiring Trends by Functional Area (YoY change)
Five of the ten occupational categories monitored by tracker showed year-on-year growth.
In demand
- Engineering/Production (+10%) – Industrial and construction activity continues to lift technical hiring.
- HR & Admin (+15%) – Workforce restructuring and compliance roles drive steady demand.
- Purchase/Logistics/Supply Chain (+12%) – Supply-chain optimisation remains a hiring bright spot.
Facing challenges
- Customer Service (−46%) – Hiring remains sharply down amid automation and support-centre consolidation.
- IT (−25%) – Tech recruitment slows further as firms optimise headcount.
- Hospitality Roles (−38%YoY but positive MoM) – Hiring remains weak despite sectoral recovery.
- Sales & Business Development (−10%) – Employers maintain leaner frontline teams.
- Marketing & Communications (−8%) – Spending discipline limits new
Mandates.
- Finance & Accounts (−7%) – Incremental hiring for reporting and audit cycles offsets prior declines.
Why the Mixed Signals?
Macro headwinds: Global trade softness and sectoral cost discipline continue to dampen large-scale hiring, even as local consumption steadies.
Selective resilience: Logistics, engineering, and HR functions show structural stability, reflecting investment in essential operations and compliance.
Efficiency over expansion: BFSI, IT, and retail sectors remain focused on productivity gains over workforce growth.
About the foundit Insights Tracker
The foundit Insights Tracker (fit) Malaysia, formerly the Monster Employment Index, is a leading barometer of the country’s e-recruitment landscape. By analysing millions of job postings, fit provides timely intelligence on hiring activity across industries and functional areas.
