'Only 10 percent hired on-the-spot in job fairs'

CEBU, Philippines - Apart from the traditional employment and career coaching seminars conducted by government agencies and other concerned organizations, the Public Employment Services Office (PESO) suggested an intensive college course on call center training to fully prepare interested applicants for the sought-after and high-earning position in the labor market.

PESO - Mandaue chapter manager Musoline Sulive said in an interview that skills mismatch has been the usual scenario during job fairs.

He added that although applicants attempt to apply for a position even if their skills do not correspond to the qualifications of the employer, they are still given the opportunity to try it out.

"They may be given consideration by the employer. It's like giving them the benefit of the doubt," he said.

He even said that there are more job vacancies available in the labor market than those who look for jobs.

Yet, only 10 percent of the total number of applicants is usually hired-on-the-spot during job fairs, he said.

For instance, he said, the services sector, particularly the business process outsourcing companies, offers a good number of job vacancies.

Sulive, however, added that there are more skilled workers in the manufacturing industry than the services sector. 

He said that there are certain standards for employment in the BPO industry specifically the fluency of the English language for call center agents.

He further noted that even though the government and the academe conduct employment coaching sessions prior the job fairs, a college course on call center training could be recommended.

"A subject may not suffice for the job on field. An intensive training is better," he said, adding that capabilities of aspiring applicants may not be fully honed during the pre-training sessions given by the employers themselves.

He also said that the labor department has been working out to address the skills mismatch while the academe continues to orient high school and college students on their career development.

Sulive then advised jobseekers not to take job fairs for granted but instead assess their skills and qualifications of the job vacancies first.

He added that they should be prepare in securing their written resumes, open application letters, photocopies of birth certificate and other necessary documents, including a portfolio of work experience prior going to job fairs.

Last May 18, PESO manned the job matching and assisted the registration during the "Trabaho Ko, Mahal Ko" program organized by the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Zugbuana through the partnership of Benedicto College and the Mandaue City government.

About 400 applicants took advantage of the 1,100 job vacancies made available by 43 companies that belong to the services, manufacturing, tourism, hospitality industries, business process outsourcing and retail industries.

This was the fourth job fair conducted in coordination with PESO following the job fairs initiated last January and April 20 at J Centre Mall and last April 15 to 17 in Parkmall Cebu.

Sulive added that the public could expect more job fairs lined up within this year to be held at the Mandaue City Sports Complex on July 27, September 28 and November 7.  /JMD (FREEMAN)