Online job hunt rises

Being unemployed can be very stressful, and for Nana Yaw Nti, it is even more traumatic when he consistently fails to pick his mother’s medical bills for lack of money.

The 29 year-old unemplyed graduate feels dejected enduring months of impersonal online job search since 2012. In 2013, he submitted dozens of applications, but he didn’t get any response, even electronically.

After a week or two, he often called human resource departments and left messages, trying to track the status of his application.

He heard back from only about 10 per cent of them, mostly by email, and he usually learned the job was filled or he was no longer in the running.

Once, when Nana Yaw Nti did reach a recruiter, he discovered his resume had failed to upload so he hadn’t even been considered.

 There is, however, a relief in sight for job seekers such as Nana Yaw Nti. The anonymous online application process still leaves many job seekers cold, but employers are becoming more aware of its shortfalls.

Indeed, in some industries where talent is in short supply, such as technology and engineering, a more personalised approach is becoming a must.

Selling jobs on Tonaton.com

Prior to the springing up of online classified websites like Tonaton.com in Ghana, recruiters and job seekers relied heavily on newspapers, relatives and friends to land jobs of their choice. With the major newspapers publishing job vacancies, it was easy to think that the only vacancies available were the ones advertised in the dailies, but that was just the tip of the iceberg.

The dynamics in the job market have changed dramatically since free online platforms became available for both the recruiter and the job seeker. Websites have become a more compelling alternative and an innovative step forward in the evolution of the Ghanaian job search and recruitment market.

A comparative analysis of the contents of newspapers and online classified platforms shows that about 80 per cent of available jobs in Ghana are posted online. 

“Most people just go through newspapers and once they don’t see an advertisement with their job title, they start thinking that’s the end of the road in terms of looking for a job. Our website alone has over 5,000 vacancies that have been advertised,” says Kwabena Opoku-Boakye, Marketing Manager, Tonaton.com.com.

He advises job seekers not to rely solely on what they see in print since a lot more recruiters are now posting job vacancies on online platforms because they are cheaper, more convenient and cost effective. “This is the best way to tap into the hidden job market,” he adds

The table shows some of the most sought after jobs that can be found online. 

The areas where recruiters are currently focusing on are overseas jobs; media, advertising and marketing; sales and retail as well as office administration jobs.

According to some recruitment agencies, there is a relatively high demand for technical personnel from Ghana by the oil-rich countries due to their high competence levels.

Multinational companies and the proliferation of media houses on the other hand account for the high levels of demand for advertising, marketing and sales jobs on the market. Students with these backgrounds seem to be the biggest winners! 

Most of these jobs can be found in Greater Accra where about 79.7 per cent of the vacancies are posted.  

Kumasi follows with 9.6 per cent whilst Sekondi Takoradi has about 6.3 per cent listed online. This spread is actually in line with the economic activities in the country, which is concentrated within the Golden Triangle. 

Mr James Kwofie, CEO of Plato Consult, one of the top job recruitment agencies in Accra, believes the increase in internet usage has enabled more people to look for jobs online.

“I realise that more people are now seeking information from online platforms. This could be as a result of the growth in the use of internet-enabled devices like tablets and smartphones. I, therefore, have to take advantage of these platforms and reach out to as many young talents as possible since they are always online looking for jobs”.