WITH the economy growing strongly last year, recruitment agencies like Jobstreet have seen a surge in business. "We experienced very healthy growth in 2007 with many customers relying on us as an important source of recruitment," said Tay Kok Choon, Jobstreet's country manager for Singapore.

"Filling a very broad spectrum of jobs ranging from F&B staff to senior management positions, we provide customers with a one-stop solution for their entire recruitment needs," he explained.

Jobstreet won an award for return on equity (ROE) in the services category. It managed to achieve an ROE of 336 per cent with a net profit of $11.3 million.

Mr Tay added that in addition to helping fill positions for present needs, the company also helped organisations, especially the larger ones, look ahead of their immediate requirements and enabled them to develop a relationship with job seekers ahead of time.

"Today, we continue to serve as an important conduit for fresh graduates to tap the job markets, giving them a wide range of choices and opportunities," he noted.

Given the strong economy and the tight market for talent, 2007 was a great year for the company from a sales growth perspective, said Mr Tay. "It's premature to talk about the full year but through the third quarter of last year, the company achieved growth of over 35 per cent."

The company attributes its success to delivering innovative recruitment solutions by collaborating with its end-users to "connect businesses with the right talents".

Employers looking for people are exposed to more than 500,000 registered job seekers in Singapore on its database, and over four million users regionally. JobStreet.com also attracts a monthly average of 25 million page views in Singapore while garnering a viewership of over 120 million regionally, the company said.

With the spectre of a recession in the United States looming which could see a slowdown in the Singapore economy, Mr Tay said businesses are very likely to be hurt. However, looking on the positive side, recruitment activities will continue to take place and there are many fundamental HR improvements that organisations can undertake to prepare themselves for the next upturn, he noted.

"Additionally, the value of our job posting products tends to be highlighted when companies are focused on looking for the most cost-effective recruitment solution which allows us to take market share from traditional recruitment methods."

In the coming years, the company says it will continue to develop its core asset - its people - as well as technology.

"We will continue to scan the technology landscape and innovate to better assist job seekers to look for jobs and enhance their careers."

Since 1995, JobStreet.com has grown into one of Asia's leading online recruitment websites. It offers a suite of solutions that facilitates a common platform for both employers and job seekers to interact efficiently and cost-effectively throughout the region. Some of its key customers include the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, the Defence Science and Technology Agency, Singapore Land Authority, Dell, DHL Asia Pacific, Chartered Semiconductor, Infineon, OCBC, Colgate-Palmolive and Siemens.

It has managed to pull ahead of the competition with a first-mover advantage, coming into this business much earlier than many of its rivals. "What is even more important is that we do not rest on our laurels and remain focused on our online portal business with loads of faith and ingenuity."

With offices spanning seven countries in Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Japan, the company currently serves over 50,000 corporate customers and over four million job seekers.

On its business outlook, Mr Tay said the company is "cautiously optimistic".

"It's pointless being overly pessimistic by looking at all the negative factors and trying to ascertain their impact. We will remain true to our customers."

The company will deliver by taking away the "pain" of recruitment for employers and giving job seekers all the opportunities to seek the best job that will enhance their career, he added.