'Collusion and nepotism, good in certain ways'

The unemployed struggle to find vacancies as figures show that nine million are jobless nationwide. Desperation to find work is leading to an increase in collusion and nepotism. Jakartans share their experiences of the job market with The Jakarta Post.

Lyla, 29, is an employee of a private company in Radio Dalam, South Jakarta. She lives in Tangerang with her family:

Finding a job is an unpredictable business and sometimes it is just a matter of luck.

The employer has many factors to consider and intelligence alone is not a guarantee of a position.

I applied many times to various companies. I even reached the final stage of recruitment but in the end I failed and it was unclear why.

I agree that collusion and nepotism are going to help the unemployed find jobs and I don't see that as a negative thing.

People say that collusion is a negative process and leads to the recruitment of unqualified candidates. Even worse, they get better positions than other candidates and high levels of remuneration.

Collusion could be acceptable if the candidate is qualified for the job. I have one experience of this and the outcome was okay.

However, I prefer that the person who is recommending me is not a relation. If I don't perform well It might ruin my family's name.

I don't like applying for jobs through agencies either. They will take a cut of our salary, often almost half of it. That's not fair.

I plan to apply for a new job as my colleague is recommending me for the position. That's often a better way to get a job rather than searching in the newspaper or going to a job fair.

I'm skeptical about job fairs. It seems that they make a big profit and don't necessarily have the ability to match you up with a job.

Suharyanto, 41, is part of the management at a supermarket in West Jakarta. He lives in Tangerang with his wife and son:

Frankly, I prefer to have someone with a good knowledge of me helping me to get a suitable job. Since my first job, I have always been recommended by someone I know.

I tried several times to apply for advertised positions but with no results. I never had a chance.

I guess I believe that getting a job by collusion is more efficient.

I hate to admit it but in reality I have less power to compete in the job market due to my educational background. I only have a senior high school diploma. That's the most crucial reason I rely on collusion rather than on open competition.

Recently I started to worry as I will be soon be laid off due to the closure of the company where I work.

I was just lucky that I got another job offer, regardless of my education. The company considered my experience and reputation first.

Diah Massardi, 40, is a director of a private company in South Jakarta. She lives in Bekasi with her husband and three children:

I have had an easy time getting jobs. I always seem to find the right opportunity when I need it. When I had to switch companies someone usually recommended me for the position.

That does not mean I didn't compete with other applicants. The process was fair, my advantage was only small.

I think collusion and nepotism are good, in a way. This can be a positive process. It wouldn't be a problem if all the recommended candidates had the right quality and personality for the position. The employer has the ability to make collusion operate in a positive sense. Personal competency is the main consideration.

I think many job seekers are just show offs. Often they are freshly graduated with inadequate experience and then they demand a remuneration that is too high.

I don't like candidates who try to buy time when we invite them for an interview or test.

I don't recruit candidates who don't have bargaining power and take it for granted that they are going to wind up with the position.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.