BY KENNY CHEE

SENIOR secretaries, support staff like receptionists and data-entry clerks, accountants and lawyers have reason to cheer this year.

A survey by international recruitment firm Robert Walters found that they are set to get a pay rise this year.

Secretarial and support staff could see their salary leap by up to $14,000 a year - one of the highest jumps among all the positions covered in the survey.

Ms Andrea Ross, managing director of Robert Walters Singapore, told my paper there is a strong demand for high-calibre support staff who can multi- task and communicate well.

'Many workers are being stretched as companies let go of staff, so finding top-tier personal assistants who can take on extra administrative responsibilities well is critical in helping to relieve some pressure on the business,' said Ms Ross.

However, those in the financial-services and information-technology sectors could see their pay cheques shrink. A senior trader in a financial institution like a bank could have his annual salary cut from $220,000 to $180,000 as firms try to contain costs.

IT professionals could see a slight drop in salaries due to slowing demand after years of expansion in the sector. Salaries in sectors like engineering and logistics are expected to remain largely the same this year, compared to last year.

For Mr Y. Cheng, 27, a product engineer, his company has implemented a wage freeze but that did not bother him.

'I feel fortunate that my company has not had to cut pay to control spending,' said Mr Cheng.

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