Young people choose jobs based on new criteria.

Finding a job isn't just about earning income.

According to the Hai Phong Employment Service Center (Department of Internal Affairs), in the first nine months of 2026, nearly 1,000 businesses participated in recruitment at 96 job fairs and 8 Job Fairs, with a demand for 298,003 workers (an increase of 14.02% compared to the same period). Job opportunities are abundant, and the number of positions available is diverse, giving many young people a wide range of choices.

At the recent Job Fair held at the end of September, Ngo Ba Loi, a K18 student from the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department of Hai Phong Technical College, said: "I want to find a job with a salary of around 10 million VND, in line with my field of study. After researching and gathering information, I found that many businesses offer corresponding benefits."

However, Lợi also cared about having a workplace close to home for convenient commuting, and a clean, advanced, and modern working environment where she could further her skills if needed.

No longer confined to familiar career choices, in the digital age, career selection is shifting from "learning a trade to do one job" to preparing the skills to adapt to many future jobs. "After graduating from the Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, instead of looking for a job in my field of study, I'm trying out some side jobs such as: managing communications for startup projects, taking on extra work at photo studios to gain more experience… With the nature of service work requiring frequent travel and communication, flexible problem-solving, and adaptability to customer demands… it gives me the opportunity to strengthen my soft skills. Based on that, I will have enough personal experience to choose a job that provides both income and best utilizes my strengths," said Pham Trung Duc (residential group No. 5, Hai Duong ward).

Today, digital platforms are a vast database of job opportunities. Videos introducing professions, describing actual work at companies, and career aptitude tests have become effective tools to help young people get closer to the workplace.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha Phuong, an officer in the Administration and Human Resources Department of Toyoda Gosei Hai Phong Co., Ltd. ( Japan Industrial Park - Hai Phong), said: "During the candidate interviews, many young people showed dynamism and boldly discussed in depth issues such as opportunities for further training abroad, the specifics of the working environment at the company, personal protective equipment, transportation, etc. Therefore, at the company's recruitment booth, we not only showed the campus and briefly introduced the interior space of the factory, but also had a 'test steering wheel' model to help young people easily visualize the specific work processes."

Flexible career guidance

In the digital age, choosing a career is no longer simply about selecting a job to do, but also about choosing a skill set to adapt to constantly changing job markets. As technology opens up more and more opportunities, proactive learning and adaptability will become crucial tools for young people entering the labor market.

According to Mr. Nguyen Duy, Director of Next Step Group JSC, for young people, choosing a career should begin with understanding themselves (what abilities they have, what they enjoy, what requirements they can meet, and what they are willing to learn). They also need concrete products or initial projects to demonstrate their personal capabilities.

In reality, many young workers are willing to change jobs when they realize their current position no longer offers learning opportunities or career advancement prospects. This presents both a challenge and an impetus for businesses to innovate their policies for attracting and retaining talent. This changing mindset regarding work demands a fresh approach to connecting labor supply and demand.

Mr. Tang Tien Son, Director of the Hai Phong Employment Service Center, said: "The most notable change in the Hai Phong labor market today is that both sides (employees and employers) are paying closer attention to the level of suitability. Having someone and a job is the first condition; the right skills, the right job, and the potential for long-term employment are what both sides aim for. In light of these changes, the center will regularly update recruitment information and job search needs, and continue to play a role in participating in the National Job Exchange and other digital channels in addition to direct job fairs. After the job fair, we will continue to contact businesses to update available positions, monitor interview results, and advise job seekers on other opportunities who have not yet found a suitable job."

Hai Phong is a locality experiencing rapid industrial development, attracting increasingly large investments, which in turn leads to a significant increase in the demand for high-quality young human resources. Therefore, competition for labor is not only about the number of job openings, but also about the quality of work and career prospects.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Internal Affairs Bui Quoc Trinh, many businesses require candidates who meet stringent requirements regarding soft skills, work attitude, and technological adaptability. Conversely, employees need thorough knowledge of the job nature, income, safety conditions, and career advancement path. In this value chain, training institutions act as a bridge. Schools need channels to update information from the market to be ready to adjust professions, renew teaching content, and bring learners closer to, and earlier than ever before, their career paths, affirming the personal capabilities of young people in particular and the workforce in general.

HUY DAI