INT 2025 Performance Review & 2026 Outlook

25/12/2025

Building Resilient Talent Strategies in a Volatile Global Economy. 2025 was a defining year for global talent markets. Economic volatility, layoffs, and tighter capital flows forced companies to rethink not just how fast they hire — but how precisely they build teams.

For INT, 2025 marked a strategic transformation:
from a traditional recruitment agency into a talent intelligence and advisory partner, supporting international businesses expanding and operating in Vietnam and the broader APAC region.

This review highlights what we achieved in 2025 — and how those learnings shape our direction for 2026.

2025: A Year Defined by Volatility — and Strategic Growth

Global hiring in 2025 was shaped by unprecedented uncertainty.

Across APAC, Europe, and North America, organizations faced a convergence of challenges:

Widespread layoffs and cost restructuring
Slower funding cycles across technology and growth sectors
Heightened scrutiny on headcount ROI
Rising expectations for productivity with leaner teams
Amid these pressures, one insight became unavoidable:

Talent strategy is no longer about growth at speed — it is about growth with precision.

For INT, this environment accelerated a necessary evolution. Clients no longer needed “more candidates” — they needed clearer market intelligence, sharper hiring decisions, and lower risk.

INT 2025 Performance Highlights

Measured Growth, Stronger Impact

Despite market headwinds, INT delivered consistent, quality-driven results across core performance indicators.

Expansion of International Client Base

In 2025, INT strengthened its position as a trusted partner for cross-border hiring:

Supported clients from Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Europe, and the United States
Strong growth in remote and hybrid hiring mandates
Increased demand from mid-sized international companies, not only large enterprises

This shift reflects a broader market reality:
mid-sized global firms are increasingly entering Vietnam and APAC — and require hands-on, localized talent advisory, not generic recruitment.

Focus on Mid–Senior & Business-Critical Roles

While overall hiring volumes declined in 2025, role complexity increased significantly.

INT successfully delivered placements in:

Technical leadership and niche specialist roles
Product, engineering, and operations functions
Positions requiring technical depth combined with global communication and leadership skills

This reinforced INT’s strategic positioning:

We do not compete on hiring volume.
We compete on hiring accuracy.

Reduced Mis-Hire Risk for Clients

By deepening our screening methodology and advisory scope, INT helped clients mitigate one of the biggest hidden costs in hiring: mis-hires.

Key outcomes included:

Lower offer rejection rates
Stabilized time-to-hire despite tighter talent supply
Stronger first 6–12 month retention reported by clients

This validated our belief that slower, informed hiring outperforms rushed recruitment — especially in uncertain markets.

Market Reality 2025: Layoffs Changed Hiring Psychology

Global layoffs reshaped how both employers and candidates approach hiring decisions.

What INT Observed in the Market

Employers became more cautious, data-driven, and ROI-focused
Candidates prioritized stability, leadership quality, and long-term direction
“Low-cost hiring” mindsets consistently failed — particularly in Vietnam

INT played a critical role in recalibrating client expectations:

Vietnam is no longer a low-cost talent market
Hiring decisions require local intelligence, not outdated assumptions
Hiring wrong once is often more expensive than hiring right — even if it takes longer

Key Lessons Learned in 2025

Three strategic insights fundamentally shaped INT’s thinking:

1. Speed Without Context Fails

Fast hiring without cultural and leadership alignment leads to early attrition and lost momentum.

2. Employer Branding Must Be Localized

Global brand recognition does not automatically translate into local talent trust.

3. Soft Skills Are the New Scarcity

Candidates who can operate across cultures, time zones, and stakeholders are harder to find than technical talent alone.

These lessons now directly inform INT’s roadmap for 2026.

2026 Outlook: From Recruitment to Talent Strategy Partner

As we enter 2026, INT is intentionally prioritizing depth over scale.

Strategic Priorities for 2026

1. Talent Intelligence & Market Advisory

Advanced insights on salary benchmarks, talent availability, and role feasibility
Advisory support for market entry, hiring strategy, and team structuring in Vietnam

2. Hiring for Resilience — Not Headcount

Supporting lean, high-ownership teams
Prioritizing leadership maturity, autonomy, and cross-border readiness

3. Stronger Partnership with Global Decision-Makers

Closer collaboration with Founders, CEOs, and Regional Leaders
Aligning hiring decisions with long-term business vision — not short-term urgency

4. Continued Commitment to Quality & Ethics

Transparent processes for both clients and candidates
Measuring success by long-term placement outcomes, not short-term wins

Looking Ahead

2025 reaffirmed INT’s core belief:

Hiring is no longer a transactional function — it is a strategic lever for survival and sustainable growth.

As global businesses move into 2026 facing continued uncertainty, INT remains committed to helping organizations build future-ready teams in Vietnam and APAC, grounded in: