Job seeking was taken into the next level as the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Job Creation (OPAJC) partners with JobsDB and launched the PGMA Career and Education Fair 2006 (CEF) at the World Trade Center, Pasay City last May 3-4, 2006.
More than showcasing a hundred companies offering more than 70,000 job openings, the Fair also boasts an application system that’s easy, fast and job-hunter friendly. “Nagulat nga ako kasi ang bilis lang,” (I was surprised to find out how quick it (the application process) took), says Gemini Recase, a Management graduate from Philippine Christian University.
Even better is the procedure of some participating companies to conduct interviews right there at the fair. Sherry Baronia, Human Resource Head of American Technologies Inc. has conducted preliminary interviews for qualified applicants and has scheduled them for an interview two days later. “We are trying hard to make it a one-day application process because we are sensitive to the costs that the applicants incur in a long recruitment process.” She explained that aside from the one conducted at the Fair, the applicant could undergo interviews with the Supervisor and the Head and could be hired all in a day.
Gemini is proof of this fast-paced application process. At one past noon of the first day, she already had undergone four interviews in various positions of her interest, and would be hearing from them a few days later.
According to AmTech, Inc., positions that were gaining a lot of interest are mostly as a sales marketing manager, a graphic artist or as technical support engineers. Testimony to the large opportunity that cyber services entail, IT graduate Katrina de Guzman from UE was planning to apply for six companies so far in the day. She has learned about the Fair through the internet and has enlisted on the Jobs DB database two days earlier.
To apply, job seekers first must log on to the CEF website and register. There they are asked to fill-up a resume form either on-line or, for those who are not familiar with computers, on paper. They are then ushered to the exhibitors’ area where they could take note of the positions that they wish to apply for. “The rest is just a click away,” says one JobsDB.com staff, pertaining to the terminals at the near end of the exhibitors’ hall, where the applicants log on, look for the companies and the specific positions they wish to apply for and send their resumes with a click.
Mr. Felix Sy, 53, of San Jose del Monte City has heard of the Job Fair through a radio program announcement. He went to the fair in hope of landing a job abroad. Having decided to apply as a cook in a cruise line, he went to the JobsDB booth where a volunteer readily assisted him in filing out his resume on-line and in submitting it to the company of his choice.
Mang Felix would be glad to know that the filing out of his resume and its submission would not be a one-time thing. “His resume will be included in our database where we could refer it to other companies in need his skills,” says Ms. Jayjay Viray, Country Manager of JobsDB. Attuned to the privacy privilege of our job seekers, the site would only release the personal information of the applicant if they signify their interest to the job opening at hand.
The two-day event was also lined up with training sessions, seminars and fora serving as a venue for updating our job seekers, students and even employers of the latest developments and trends in career and education in relation to business demands.
Signifying their strong commitment in facilitating the creation of jobs for more Filipinos, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Mr. Samuel Sung, CEO and Chairman of JobsDB.com, Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas and Presidential Adviser on Job Creation (OPAJC) Secretary Arthur Yap graced the PGMA-CEF Opening.
The partnership between the government and JobsDB shows no sign of abating as both are now gearing up to bring the job caravan to selected poverty enclaves in the metro and some provinces. Another job fair to watch out for is the joint project of JobsDB, Microsoft and OPAJC in Cebu this coming May. “If they can’t go to these job fairs, then we will bring it to them,” enthuses Sec. Arthur Yap, who is currently working on a convergence program that merges training agencies and microfinance opportunities together with job fairs.
Meanwhile, online applications for the job openings posted at the Fair are ongoing until May 21. Click on to www.jobsdb.com.ph and log on to the CEF banner.
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Source: JobsDB-CEF Press Release and Personal Interviews. |
