Traditional recruitment portals fail entry-level jobseekers

Traditional recruitment platforms are not geared towards efficiently linking job seekers with job opportunities s, says youth employment engine Lulaway.

Traditional online portals cater for white collar applicants, leaving behind the vast majority of jobseekers who don’t have formal qualifications or extensive experience, says Lulaway’s chairman, Andile Mkhosana.

“To reach entry level job applicants who don’t have qualifications, recruiters often relied on newspapers to communicate vacancies in the past. Although newspapers continue to be read by a fair number of people even today, their reach is declining,” says Mkhosana.

“Total newspaper circulation declined by 1.5% in the second quarter of 2017, and by 6% in 2016, according to data published by the Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa,” adds Mkhosana.

This method is time consuming and with no  screening processes in place, recruiters are often inundated with non-qualifying applications that they have to wade through.

Another traditional method favoured by human resource managers is the mass recruitment drive. “Often, when companies go into recruitment mode, there is a sense of urgency to fill vacant positions and these drives can be costly – from providing taxi fare for the applicants, to the hiring of a venue and paying for recruitment agencies’ manhours. In addition to the logistical woes associated with mass recruitment drives, recruiters cannot notify every candidate and guarantee they show up,” explains Mkhosana.

“Because most entry-level job applicants are entering the workspace for the first time and have little or no qualifications, they tend to be overlooked by these types of recruitment drives, which often require some level of experience and qualifications,” adds Mkhosana.

Recruiters rely extensively on online job portals whichare fast and can significantly reduce the time it takes to find qualifying candidates. These recruitment portals, while a primary avenue for skilled recruitment, are not relevant to the entry-level job seeker and employer.

Mkhosana says traditional online portals are not tailored to the needs of the entry-level labour market. “They are not built for bulk recruitment. They do not conduct assessments, and often, entry level jobseekers do not apply through these portals. This is where Lulaway has managed to bridge the gap. Our approach has been to allow job seekers to create an online presence, by establishing physical job centers in easily accessible locations.

“The Lulaway portal requires job seekers to complete basic numeracy and literacy assessments, which helps gives employers a sense of job-seekers’ aptitude and ability to succeed at certain jobs.”

Because job openings are posted instantly, responses can be received in real time and sorting can be done quickly based on eligibility and required criteria, which saves time. Lulaway’s portal also allows for bulk SMSing to be conducted which is the best method to communicate with these job seekers

To accommodate those who may not have access to the internet due to socio-economic circumstances, Lulaway has physical presence in major townships, metropolitan and rural areas where they assist entry level jobseekers to upload their resumes and accompanying documentation.

“The Lulaway portal takes it even further and offers employers the ability to set up multi-media assessments and simulate various scenarios (such as that of a cashier) which enables employers to filter accurately and only accept the most suitable candidates,” Mkhosana elaborates.

Fort those who are not close enough to access Lulaway’s kiosks and job centres, Mkhosana suggests jobseekers visit any of the country’s national libraries to access the portal.

“Lulaway’s online portal also assists in the validation of candidates’ documentation. While traditional portals do not require candidates to upload their documents, Lulaway’s portal allows employers to immediately verify the accuracy of the applicant’s resume. Documents range from copies of identity documents, to educational certificates and driver’s licenses,” concludes Mkhosana. “Our portal has proven to add significant value to employers looking for job seekers in these environment, and provide an efficient and effective link between the two parties.

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