A report from Vieclam24h, a platform under Sieu Viet Group, titled “Vietnam Labor Market Summary for Early 2025” revealed notable trends in IT recruitment. Data shows that during the first two months of 2025, the demand for IT recruitment slightly decreased by 2%, while the number of job seekers rose by 18%.

The decline in recruitment demand stems from several key factors. From 2023, IT hiring began to slow as the technology sector entered a period of adjustment following rapid expansion and aggressive talent acquisition. Global economic downturns forced technology companies to tighten budgets, focus on retaining core employees, and limit expansion.

Additionally, the rapid development of AI has reshaped the IT workforce, particularly at lower levels. Routine tasks such as basic coding, software testing, and system maintenance are increasingly handled by AI. Consequently, many new graduates are under pressure to upskill or pivot their career paths. Businesses now prioritize enhancing operational efficiency rather than expanding their workforce.

CEO of Sieu Viet Group Dao Thu Phuong emphasized that the real challenge for IT professionals today is not being replaced by AI but learning to use AI proactively and intelligently. She stressed that while AI excels in handling repetitive tasks, it cannot replace human creativity or strategic thinking. The ability to create new solutions for unprecedented problems remains an irreplaceable human strength.

The current market adjustment phase demands higher competency among job seekers, especially in technical expertise, foreign language proficiency, and the ability to work with new technologies like AI to maintain competitiveness.

High demand for specialized IT roles

Despite a slight slowdown in overall recruitment, specialized IT positions continue to face severe shortages. Among the most sought-after roles are AI engineers, cybersecurity experts, data engineers, and cloud computing specialists. These positions are critical to digital transformation and require high levels of expertise, making qualified candidates scarce.

In addition to specialized roles, developers specializing in Back-end, Front-end, and Full-stack are in high demand. DevOps engineers and mobile application developers are also highly sought after due to increasing automation trends, CI/CD adoption, and the need for cross-platform application development.

Proficiency in programming languages such as JavaScript, Java, PHP, C#/.NET, and Python remains a priority, with JavaScript being almost mandatory in most job postings.

IT professionals continue to earn top salaries

The IT sector continues to offer some of the highest salaries across the labor market. This is not only due to the high level of technical specialization required but also the constant pressure for innovation and rapid technological change.

As the pace of technological advancement accelerates, particularly with the growth of AI and new platforms, companies are compelled to invest in talent capable of mastering new technologies and deploying them efficiently within short timeframes. Businesses must either move quickly with top talent or risk being left behind. This has driven salaries in the IT sector steadily higher, especially for roles involving strategic technology implementation.

Newcomers to the industry enjoy comparatively high starting salaries, while experienced professionals, particularly those skilled in in-demand technologies, can command salaries well above the market average. Mid-level and senior technical managers, who bridge technical work and strategic operations, earn significantly more.

Despite a temporary slowdown in overall IT recruitment, the shortage of high-quality IT talent remains. Companies are willing to offer flexible incentives such as competitive salaries, specialized training opportunities, and clear promotion paths to attract and retain top technology professionals.

Van Anh