Thai tech hiring startup GetLinks gets revenue boost from pandemic layoffs

By Chayut Setboonsarng
BANGKOK, July 9 (Reuters) - Alibaba-backed BABA.N tech
hiring platform GetLinks is seeing a boost in revenue after a
series of layoffs at technology-related companies like Grab and
Agoda enabled other firms expanding digital and online
operations to snap up workers.
GetLinks saw its revenue double in the first half of 2020
from the corresponding period a year earlier, chief strategy
officer and co-founder Djoann Fal told Reuters.
Companies ramped up recruiting to enhance digital services
and e-commerce capabilities, reflecting how the coronavirus is
accelerating digital trends like online shopping and remote
work.
GetLinks has placed workers at Uniqlo, L'Oreal and top
retailer Central Group this year, he said, and that full stack
engineers, e-commerce and product managers were among the top
roles recruited.
“A Thai bank in June bought our pre-paid subscription for
$20,000 to hire dozens of people for the next three months,” Fal
said.
Prior to the pandemic, the bank would pay $1,000 per hire or
15% of salary.
GetLinks does not charge candidates.
In May, the company listed 4,700 jobs versus an average of
2,000 in a month.
The demand coincided with a flood of new candidates as
startups and other companies shed workers.
Bookings Holdings Inc's BKNG.O Thailand-based Agoda
slashed 1,500 jobs. Singaporean ride-hailing startup, Grab, laid off about 360
employees and rival operator, Indonesia-based Go-Jek, also cut
430 jobs. "The influx was so high that we had to make a special CSR
(corporate social responsibility) campaign to support the
talents who got fired by providing them work from home
opportunities," Fal said, adding hundreds of new candidates from
Agoda and Grab came onto the platform.
Last month, GetLinks entered into a partnership with
Manila-based Kalibrr, bringing the number of candidates on
GetLinks to 5 million from one million with more white-collar
professionals.
The tie-up also expands its customer base from 10,000 to
25,000 companies and gives it reach in Indonesia and the
Philippines.