Hiring in Vietnam: How to Retain Staff in Vietnam
Hiring in Vietnam is not only about CVs and certificates. It is about context. Behind every candidate are family ties, regional norms, first‑job habits, and unspoken networks that shape how they work. If you learn to read these signals, you can recruit in Vietnam with more accuracy, reduce churn, and build teams that fit both culture and role.
There are a few things that even your hiring software (which all too often depend on keywords) will not be able to pickup. So, before you expand headcount or set up a company in Vietnam, use this practical guide to decode Vietnam recruitment culture and design better interviews.
TL/DR - What you will learn:
- Cultural signals often predict performance and retention better than CV keywords.
- Alumni networks and regional differences influence fit and onboarding.
- First job effects in the Vietnam workforce set lasting habits you will need to coach.
- English learning journeys reveal grit, resourcefulness, and global adaptability.
- Family business backgrounds correlate with practical problem solving and customer focus.
- Tet influences mobility, relocation, and leave expectations.
- Exposure to foreigners helps with feedback culture and cross‑functional collaboration.
- Side activities surface leadership, sales instinct, and resilience that CVs do not show.
1) Religious Affiliation and Community Ties in Vietnam Hiring
Why it matters
Religion in Vietnam hides in plain sight. The country is secular on the surface, yet faith often organizes how people live and who they trust. A Catholic in Saigon may have a parish network that stretches into international business circles. A Buddhist volunteer at a pagoda may spend weekends helping neighbors in ways that reveal patience and discipline.
These are not just private affiliations - they are social infrastructures. For employers, understanding them is less about belief and more about connection. If you acknowledge the invisible map of communities, you often find that trust, referrals, and loyalty flow more easily.
What to ask
- Which communities or networks are important to you and how have they supported your growth?
- Tell me about a referral or mentorship you received through your community and what you did with it.
What to watch for
- Treat patterns as directional, not deterministic. Use this insight to build trust, not to stereotype.
- Ensure equal opportunity policies are clear and consistent across all candidates.
2) Family Business Background and Practical Skills
Why it matters
In Vietnam, many children grow up in the aisles of small shops, behind counters, or on delivery runs with their parents. They are not thinking of it as education, but it is. They learn what it means when a supplier is late, or how to calm a customer who feels cheated.
This is the unofficial MBA of the Vietnamese street. Candidates from family businesses carry instincts for negotiation and cash flow that textbooks do not teach. Compare that with someone who spent their entire youth chasing academic excellence - bright, yes, but perhaps missing that everyday improvisation. Both paths produce talent, but very different kinds of talent.
What to ask
- Did your family run a business and what roles did you take on?
- Describe a time you solved a customer problem with limited resources.
What to watch for
- Strength in improvisation can mask gaps in process discipline. Plan training on documentation and compliance.
3) Vietnam Alumni Networks - University and the Hidden Prestige Factor
Why it matters
When foreign companies think of Vietnamese universities, they think of the obvious ones: Foreign Trade University, RMIT. But Vietnam has a second layer (Banking Academy, University of Economics, PTIT) places that outsiders aren't familiar with, but insiders know produce reliable, practical graduates.
And here’s the twist: Vietnam alumni networks often matter as much as the brand name. Two Banking Academy graduates may share an unspoken bond that accelerates trust on day one. If you are recruiting in Vietnam and ignore that “hidden prestige,” you risk overlooking candidates who are perfectly suited to your team.
What to ask
- Which alumni groups or mentors shaped your path and how did they help on a specific project?
- Share a time your university network opened a door or improved an outcome.
What to watch for
- Balance network strength with evidence of individual initiative.
- Do not filter only for the “top” schools or you will miss overlooked performers.
4) Regional Differences Vietnam Wide: North, Central, South
Why it matters
Vietnam is a geographically long country (Hanoi to Saigon is as far as Chicago to Miami!) with sharp cultural contrasts. In Hanoi, hierarchy is instinctive; formality is respected. In Saigon, risk feels more natural; people take chances and bounce back. In the central provinces, loyalty is prized, forged by communities used to enduring hardship together.
These aren’t stereotypes so much as rhythms. Put a Northerner in a role that demands careful navigation of government offices, and they often thrive. Place a Southerner in a fast-moving sales role, and they may feel at home with uncertainty. The trick is not to judge one region better than the other, but to match rhythm to role.
What to ask
- Tell me about a workplace where you felt most comfortable. What made it work for you?
- If placed in a team with a different regional culture, what would you need from your manager to succeed?
What to watch for
- Fit is about feasibility, not value judgments. Use coaching and onboarding to bridge differences.
Role–Region Fit Matrix
| Role Type | North | Central | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government relations | Strong with protocol and patience | Reliable follow‑through | Good, yet less protocol focused |
| Sales and BD | Formal enterprise sales | Steady account servicing | Dynamic new business, high adaptability |
| Operations | Process adherence | Loyal, consistent execution | Fast iteration, flexible processes |
| Startup roles | Needs clarity and structure | Stable with clear KPIs | Thrives amid ambiguity |
5) English Learning Journey and Adaptability
Why it matters
English in Vietnam is more than a language; it is a mirror of character. Some learn it in expensive international schools where native speakers are the norm. Others grind away in evening classes, supplementing with YouTube videos until late at night. A few are lucky enough to study overseas, where fluency and confidence come almost by osmosis.
Two candidates can test at the same level, but the path they took reveals much more. Self-taught learners often display grit and resourcefulness. International students bring adaptability to multicultural settings. If you want to understand how someone will face challenges in your company, ask how they learned their English. The answer tells you far more than their test score.
What to ask
- How did you learn English and what was most difficult for you to master?
- When have you used English to solve a work problem with cross‑border teams?
What to watch for
- Confidence can outpace accuracy. Test for listening, summarising, and asking clarifying questions.
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6) Vietnam Tet Impact on Hiring and Mobility
Why it matters
Tet, the Lunar New Year, is Vietnam’s collective pause button. For a week, sometimes two, the cities empty, the countryside fills, and everything resets. How someone spends Tet tells you where their anchor lies.
If a candidate always returns to their hometown, it signals family roots that may shape how they view relocation or long assignments away. If they stay in Saigon, they may be more independent, more flexible with where life takes them. This single holiday, more than any line on a CV, offers a glimpse into a person’s priorities.
What to ask
- How do you usually spend Tet and what matters most to you during the holiday period?
- Would you consider short assignments outside your hometown after Tet if the role requires it?
What to watch for
- Plan critical handovers before Tet Impact on Hiring starts (at least a month ahead!). Stagger returns and set realistic post‑Tet targets.
- Offer travel support or flexible return dates to reduce stress.
(For general context on Tet, see Tet holiday overview.)
7) First Job Effects in the Vietnam Workforce
Why it matters
Ask any professional about their first job, and you will hear more than nostalgia — you will hear the imprint of a work culture that lingers. In Vietnam, this imprint is especially strong.
Those who start in Japanese firms absorb structure and discipline. A candidate from a Korean company or a local SME may be used to long hours, quick fixes, and improvisation. Someone whose career began in a Western-style office may already be comfortable with open feedback and flat hierarchies.
These early habits become the DNA of a career. Understanding that DNA can tell you how much guidance, structure, or freedom someone needs to succeed.
What to ask
- What did your first boss reward most and how did that change your work style?
- Which habits from your first job still help you today and which ones have you had to unlearn?
What to watch for
- Map habits to the role. Provide clear expectations on documentation, quality, and communication style.
First‑Job DNA Flow
- Japanese training → process, detail, punctuality
- Korean or local SME → speed, endurance, improvisation
- Western early exposure → direct feedback, collaboration across functions
8) Relationship With Money and Retention Signals
Why it matters
One of the quietest yet most telling questions in a Vietnamese interview is: “What do you usually save for?” It sounds casual, but the answer often reveals how a candidate thinks about stability, ambition, and responsibility.
If someone is saving for parents or siblings, it usually signals reliability. If most of their earnings go to fashion or travel, you may be looking at a candidate who will move quickly for higher pay. Neither is good or bad, but for a company trying to predict retention, money habits are an early clue.
What to ask
- What are you saving for right now and why is it important to you?
- Tell me about your approach to planning for large expenses.
What to watch for
- Align incentives with values. Offer clear progression paths for growth‑driven profiles.
- Use retention bonuses for hard‑to‑fill roles where family support is a priority.
9) Exposure to Foreigners and Feedback Culture
Why it matters
Vietnamese professionals who have worked with foreigners before often walk into a meeting differently. They are less surprised by bluntness, more comfortable speaking up, quicker to adapt to written processes.
Those without this exposure may need more support. They can be excellent technically, but the style of international workplaces (direct criticism, casual jokes, flat structures) can be unsettling at first.
This is why it pays to ask: have you worked with foreign colleagues? Because that single experience can shape how fast someone integrates into your team.
What to ask
- Describe a time you worked with foreign colleagues. What felt different and how did you adjust?
- When did you give feedback upward and what was the result?
What to watch for
- Provide meeting templates and explicit expectations on voice and participation.
- Pair new hires with a buddy who models direct yet respectful communication.
10) Hidden Soft Skills From Side Activities
Why it matters
Finally, there is the double life of Vietnamese professionals. By day, they are accountants or engineers. By night, they may be online sellers, football captains, or wedding organizers.
These activities are not hobbies in the Western sense - they are laboratories of skill. The football captain learns leadership. The online seller hones persuasion and customer care. The volunteer discovers resilience. When you ask, “What do you do outside work?” you are not making small talk. You are uncovering qualities that no CV will ever show.
What to ask
- What do you do outside work and what skills from that carry into your job?
- Describe an event or project you organised. What was the outcome and what did you learn?
What to watch for
- Ensure side projects do not conflict with employment terms. Convert these strengths into formal responsibilities where appropriate.
FAQs on How to Interview and Recruit in Vietnam
How do I avoid stereotyping while using cultural insights?
Treat insights as hypotheses. Validate with behavioural questions and work samples. Use consistent rubrics for all Vietnamese candidates.
What interview questions Vietnam hiring managers should prioritise?
Ask about first‑job habits, English learning journey, and side activities. These reveal process, grit, and leadership.
How do regional differences Vietnam wide affect onboarding?
Provide explicit norms on hierarchy, decision rights, and feedback. Use a buddy system for the first month.
How to recruit in Vietnam for relocation‑heavy roles?
Ask about Tet plans and family ties. Offer phased relocation and travel support after Tet to improve acceptance.
For a high‑level overview of Vietnam’s economy and labour market context, see the World Bank country page for Vietnam.
Final Thoughts on Hiring Best Practices Vietnam
Hiring in Vietnam is about reading between the lines. Cultural signals are directional, not deterministic, yet they spotlight fit, coaching needs, and retention risk. When you recruit in Vietnam with this lens, you build teams that perform and stay.
At United Consulting, we help Vietnamese work culture meet your operating model. We design interviews, calibrate scorecards, and coach managers to turn insights into results.
Explore our advisory services for market entry and set up a company in Vietnam.
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Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication, laws and regulations may change. Readers are encouraged to consult with qualified legal or financial advisors before making decisions related to foreign investment or share transfers in Vietnam. United Consulting is not liable for any actions taken based on this content.
A Better Way to Hire in Vietnam: Cultural Insights For Fit and Retention