The job market remains a damp squib – with hope for 2018 beyond the election
The new dispensation achieved back in 2017 today has lost much excitement and the hope renewed remains a damp squib across the job market. Change has not translated into any job creation or growth whatsoever, and across many professional sectors, it is worse. The renewed hype and euphoria escalated but turned in to total frustration and anger for many qualified job seekers today. Every year we continue to churn out thousands of graduates, newly qualified CAs and other skills, only for them to become street vendors or leave Zimbabwe to support the region with our manpower – trained at a considerable cost to the Country. We remain the training ground for other Countries and this needs to stop soon!
However, the challenge and call for Zimbabweans to come home to help build the Country is too soon as there are no jobs back home. There may be investment opportunities only. The employment cost to also attract skills back from the Diaspora is too costly for most local companies, which is often a preferred route for international clients who seek specially trained skills from the first world. Today, Diaspora skills are required to discount their services by up to 50% of their external earnings to be affordable in Zimbabwe. The lack of actual USD dollars remains another headache and hurdle as few companies pay real US dollars cash in hand. Existing skills already on the ground remain affordable whereby employers continue to pay sub-economic salaries and benefits to desperate employees who have no bargaining power. This trend should change in the future if new employment opportunities expected met growth plans. A preferred employer status will count in the long term.
Back in Oct 2017 and beyond – we were overwhelmed with inquiries from the Diaspora, and this continues today. Over the past week alone we received 150 new CVs for the Mining Sector. The Mining sector is perceived to be a growth area, and the demand for skills may eventually outstrip supply in the years ahead. Our immigration policy will need to change to meet this quota if we are open for business. Our database currently exceeds 55 000 registered skilled CVs based in and outside Zimbabwe. We receive over 100 applications each day. Our website receives over 350 000 hits a month. Up to 300 applicants apply for each position listed – we are overwhelmed with attempting to help each person. We cannot cope with job seeker demand and its heartbreaking. The desperation of a job seeker is well known with many graduate applicants offering their service for free just to get work and experience ! Due to this pressure, we only list a few jobs on our website as we cannot cope with the traffic.
Our weak economy remains sluggish and suggests possibly that the boost is still to come! We are very hopeful. I met an investment client last week who stated they would only invest in Zim if a work permit quota awarded for their CFO role. General Immigration shall be a new challenge for the government who in the past closed the doors on many foreigners and former Zimbabweans wanting to work here. A liberal approach will be needed. We have to turn optimism into reality and create work for thousands of people going forward. I have recruited for over 35 years, and I am very excited for the future. Zimbabwe has some of the best-skilled people in the world who are dedicated and hard working. The Recruitment service industry is a competitive market and discerning future representation for client and applicant alike will be our significant success as Zimbabwe’s oldest and most recognized agency in Zimbabwe. We have geared and ready for change ahead. We need to be patient, beyond 100 days and send the right message to our people and investors. Zimbabwe is open for business!
So let’s hope the next quarter of 2018 brings success and rewards to us all. Good luck in your job hunting ahead.