Huge number of job seekers crowd expo
Huge number of job seekers crowd expo
JAKARTA (JP): With estimates reaching as high as 25 million
Indonesians out of work, it is not surprising that any employment
opportunities will attract a high number of job seekers.
Three months after its first successful job recruitment fair,
"Career 2000", Asia Expo and its sponsor, Internet recruitment
media PT Jobs DB Indonesia, organized another employment market
at the Jakarta Convention Center on Friday.
The opening day of the two-day fair brought about 3,000 job
seekers, many of them fresh university graduates. They thronged
the stands of 40 companies with some expectation that they might
end their day with a glimmer of employment or by getting a better
job.
After paying an entry ticket of Rp 9,000, the visitors
received dozens of brochures and application forms, along with a
glass of coke.
By forking out another Rp 9,000, the visitors could also
purchase at a separate counter a nice bag to keep their thick
brochures in.
When asked, most of those who filled out application forms
were upbeat with guarded optimism.
"I hope I can find a new job after obtaining my management
magister at UI (University of Indonesia)," Raditya Aditama told
The Jakarta Post.
The 28-year-old bachelor said he previously worked at Bank
BNN. Raditya came with a colleague who still works at the bank
and was worried about losing his job following the merger of the
bank with another bank.
Raditya said he could save a lot of money by participating in
the fair, because he did not need to buy stamps and other
material as he did when sending out job applications by mail.
About 40 companies, including Citibank, head hunter BTI
Consultants Indonesia, clove cigarette maker Djarum, state-owned
insurance firm PT Asuransi Jiwasraya, pharmaceutical company
Pharos Group, pulp and paper producer Sinar Mas, and California
Fried Chicken (CFC) took part in the event.
In total the companies offer about 800 vacancies, most of them
in the sales division. The first fair was held in March and
involved about 20 major companies.
CFC was probably the most generous fair participant. It
provided donuts for job seekers as they browsed about or while
they were busy filling out application forms.
Catherine Mensana, BTI managing director, said she did not
expect too much from the fair as her company is searching for
senior executives to be offered to big companies.
Catherine explained to her guests that her company could only
store their names in the company's computer and will offer their
information to inquiring companies.
"Most of the visitors are young and fresh graduates. As a head
hunter, my company is more interested in recruiting people for
middle and upper management level. Our participation is more as a
public service," said Catherine.
A fact, also stressed by the Ministry of Manpower's Director
General of Labor Replacement Din Syamsudin who opened the event,
increasingly obvious in the fair was that due to limited
opportunities and fierce competition many Indonesians should look
beyond the country's borders for employment.
According to Din there are still many job opportunities for
young people if they are ready to work abroad.
"Several rich countries in Asia are in extreme need of migrant
workers from Indonesia," said Din.
Focus, a training and recruitment company, tried to persuade
job seekers to work abroad especially in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
"You can get at least Rp 12 million for your initial salary,"
its female staff explained to a young man who looked like a
physician.
She appeared disappointed when the man told her he was a
physical therapist. (prb)