Internet penetration and smartphone use in Africa has simplified the job search process for job seekers by giving them access to thousands of job opportunities.
Ten years ago, it would have been unheard of to find a job seeker searching and applying for jobs online. Today, the word ‘tarmacking’ is being used figuratively because technology has changed the entire job search and hiring process.
Kenya’s population is becoming increasingly tech-savvy as evidenced by the growth of registered users on popular platforms like Facebook. Facebook reports that it has seven million registered users in Kenya and is expecting a 24% annual growth in that number.
It is users like this who are moving away from traditional job listing websites to AI (artificial intelligence) based platforms which offer a personalized experience and access to a plethora of jobs from one central location. In a competitive job market, where getting your CV in first really matters, job seekers are also looking for platforms that can give personalized job-hunting experience to give them an advantage over other candidates.
Web-based platforms such as Fuzu, an AI-based platform are seeing an increase in the number of job seekers visiting the site, with the number of registered users increasing by about 73% in 2018. This is a reflection of the value that tech-savvy users find in searching for jobs online.
Employers have also been swept up by the digital revolution. Over the years, companies have increasingly moved from traditional methods of hiring to using online recruitment platforms. This is because technology has made it possible to easily find the best talent. There has been a 22% annual increase in the number of jobs posted online over the last two years according to a recent job market research.
The report also established that the business, medical and IT industries have notably been the early and fastest adopters of online hiring with about 18% of jobs posted with sectors like agriculture which typically employ a large proportion of the population only making up 0.02% of the jobs posted on the platform.
“With online recruitment, employers get a larger target audience. They also enjoy improved shortlisting efficiency since they can include pre-screening, personality assessments, and testing to gauge and shortlist qualified candidates who match their organization’s values and culture. Online recruiting saves a lot of time and costs,” said Nelly Mutula, Fuzu’s Head of Talent Acquisition when marking Fuzu’s third anniversary emphasizing on the benefits of online recruitment.
