Singapore – New media and digital are among the sectors where demand for experienced and talented staff is most acute, according to findings from the Aquent Orange Book Asia Pacific Edition 2008-2009. Agents report a candidate shortage of experienced people in the fields of digital, project and account management, creative, brand consulting, communications, new media, public relations and web design. No longer than two years is the average stint with the same employer for the majority of employees in Malaysia, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia. Across the region, Aquent found that for both hiring managers and employees, the top three strategies are word-of-mouth/referrals, using recruitment agencies, and job websites. Social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook are becoming increasingly popular. When compared with the last edition, all companies reported lower average turnover rates, with the exception of Hong Kong. On average, the permanent staff turnover rate is highest in Hong Kong, Malaysia and New Zealand, while Taiwan and Singapore are still reasonably high at 19 percent and 18 percent respectively. Only Japan and Korea are keeping turnover rates at much lower levels. More than 30 percent of the companies surveyed by Aquent intend to increase freelance/temporary/contract staff in the coming year to meet demand. Employers in Korea are the most prepared to use a flexible workforce in the year ahead, followed by Singapore, China and Malaysia.