By: Nana Aning
Job hunting in the twenty-first century is not as tedious as it was in times past. There are a lot more ways that people can apply now, and there are even professionals online like https://www.arcresumes.com/local/california/ and others like it so that they can smarten up their resumes and appeal to potential employers.
Gone are the days when people had to buy several newspapers and magazines just to find jobs they were qualified for. Finding a job you were qualified for did not mean you would be employed when you applied. In the past, many employees were even unable to find relevant information about the company they were looking for, but today, job portals make it quite easy to find various reviews and company benefits.
There are several instances when people were not even considered for shortlisting let alone for an interview. Job portals have made job hunting easier nowadays.
There are several online job boards on the internet. There are those that are worldwide and there are those that are region or country specific.
On example of an online job portal is the WealthBankers Job Arena which focuses on job opening listings in Africa.
Online job portals have become popular in recent times due several reasons. In this post, I list some of the key reasons why their popularity has grown in recent times.
The Employer
Huge database of job seekers
One of the many reasons employers now post ads on job search sites is because of the huge database of job seekers available on the site.
One major problem that plagued employers in times past was the inability to reach a wider base of job seekers. They could only reach a few job seekers at each point in time with some resorting to employing promising students in school before they even graduated.
This particular problem hampered employers from getting some of the best talents available for their businesses.
This huge database of job seekers now available to employers contains people of various skills, qualifications and backgrounds.
This means that employers have the opportunity to select candidates they believe are the best.
There are also job seekers who have not signed up to job sites but visit regularly to find jobs that appeal to them. Employers can leverage the reach of job finding sites to their advantage.
Affordability
When it comes to affordability, online job portals tend to be cheaper than a few other means of advertisement.
Advertising in newspapers and magazines are generally considered to be very expensive. The average price of advertising in a newspaper is around $50.
This price may vary depending on the region or country you are placing the ad. Magazines on the other hand are very expensive and this may also depend on the reach of the magazine.
The average low end of advertising in a magazine is around $200.
What also makes this very expensive is the fact that ads are just placed in just one issue.
Online job boards on the other hand are quite cheap considering how expensive the others are. Using WealthBankers Job Arena as an example, employers are charged $15 to post an ad that will run for 60 days. The duration can be extended if necessary. This places online job boards above others media forms in terms of affordability.
The Job Seeker
Huge list of job opportunities
One reason job seekers are using online job portals comes down mainly to the daily job openings posted on these sites.
There is an average minimum of 10 new jobs posted each day on these websites. The jobs span several different categories that job seekers with different qualifications can apply for.
Moreover, you get a piece of clear information about what are the specific requirements for the job position, and you can do quick courses to fulfill those necessities.
For example, say you want an IT job, you can do a short 1-day or 3-day aws training to gain extra skills that can make you eligible to apply for the job online. Online platforms can be used efficiently for applying for jobs as well as to gain new career related skills.
Cheaper to use
The main reason a lot of job seekers use online job boards is because most of them are free to use. Job seekers can sign up to these sites for free and also apply for vacancies without paying anything to anyone.
Since applications are filled and submitted online (unless told otherwise), job seekers do not have to spend money on transportation to and from the institutions they are applying to. With most job seekers having limited funds as a result of unemployment, it would be unwise for them to pay to see a job they may not be qualified for. Their only focus should be on making their profile on these sites more noticeable to recruiters. And, nowadays, there are even services available, such as those provided by Career Climb that can help in enhancing the resume in a way that attracts more employers. What better way than to use these to stand out?
To conclude, are online job boards the best places to find jobs in Africa? In this modern era, it seems like that is the case.
There are several job seekers that have found good jobs as a result of using these sites. There are also employers who have found their ideal employee as a result of using these platforms.
Online job portals have become a necessity in the current job market and it is not difficult to see why.
