Better hiring practices from the employer’s end and upskilling from the employee’s end can minimize job mismatches, according to the employment website JobStreet.
“Job mismatches are one of the primary reasons that new hires don’t stay in certain positions long-term, which translates to high turnover rates for the company,” said JobStreet Philippine country manager Philip A. Gioca, in an Aug. 24 press statement. “Not only will this require employers to invest more to hire and train new employees, but it also reflects negatively on the employee experience that other jobseekers perceive.”
JobStreet recommends better hiring practices, which includes crafting specific and well-detailed job descriptions, to minimize the incidence of job mismatches. A job description that is clear about the skills needed for the position, the requirements needed to assume the role, and the expectations the company has for the candidate targets the qualified and avoids misinterpretation among jobseekers.
Job or skills mismatches are either horizontal or vertical. A horizontal mismatch is when an employee who has studied in one field works in a completely different one. Employees under that category may have the right level of education, but don’t necessarily have the ideal level of expertise.
A vertical mismatch, on the other hand, is when an employee’s level of expertise does not match the level needed for a job. The terms overqualification and underqualification fall under a vertical mismatch, as both imply a discrepancy between the individual’s abilities versus the abilities required for the position.
The online job platform recommends that companies evaluate candidates beyond interviews through skills assessment tests, which can come in the form of tests or job simulations. This type of test, it said, offers a more unbiased perspective as to what candidates are capable of and helps measure their abilities.
Jobseekers, meanwhile, should ensure that their academic pursuits are geared towards an industry they are interested in. JobStreet also recommends that candidates upskill to minimize skills gaps.
Crucial too is the need to read job descriptions to understand what a particular position entails.
“It’s important for candidates to focus on the development of not only hard skills through their education and other experiences, but also soft skills. With a combination of both, candidates can then look at job listings more critically and come to a decision as to whether they would be the right fit for a position,” Mr. Gioca said.
Six of the top 10 popular courses on the educational site LinkedIn Learning were related to the soft skills of speaking and critical thinking, based on data collected in Southeast Asia between June 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the total number of unemployed Filipinos reached 2.990 million in June. — Patricia B. Mirasol
