DOLE reports fewer online jobseekers

MANILA, Philippines – Fewer Filipinos seem interested in looking for a job nowadays.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported yesterday that only a few applicants are using the government’s online job facilitation system in looking for jobs.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said an average of 70,511 vacancies are now being offered through the Phil-JobNet, but only 21,187 have applied in the past months.

“These vacancies cut across the professional, technical, skilled, and semi-skilled occupations. It is unfortunate, however, that there are only very few applicants registering with the Phil-JobNet where these vacancies were posted,” Baldoz said.

She said among the top 20 job vacancies being offered online are those for call center agent, domestic helper, sales clerk, driver, factory worker, production machine operator, cashier, waiter, customer service assistant, service crew, agent, janitor, product specialist, electrician, carpenter, construction laborer, saleslady, technical support staff, promo staff and nurse.

Baldoz said the DOLE put up the Phil-JobNet to hasten the search for jobseekers as well as the search for workers of employers. Registered employers, companies, and agencies can post vacancies on the Phil-JobNet for free.

The labor chief said data from the Phil-JobNet showed that many employers have no specific preference in terms of gender and civil status. However, 40.7 percent of them prefer workers aged 25 to 44 years.

She said a majority of the job vacancies were for males (16,272), while there were 9,800 slots for female applicants. A large portion of the vacancies – 5,978 – requires unmarried applicants.

Most of the job vacancies require workers aged 25 to 34 years while a very limited number of positions are available for those aged 35 years and above.

Most of the job vacancies (61,812) required applicants with one year or less work experience; 4,214 required 1-2 years experience; 3,213 vacancies needed 2-3 years and 1,172 were looking for applicants with 3-5 year experience.

“Overall, 8 out of 10, or 87.7 percent, of the employers who posted their vacancies at the Phil-JobNet did not require any relevant work experience from applicants, while the remaining 12.4 percent did require,” Baldoz said.

Of the 21,187 applicants who registered during the second quarter, females (11,762) outnumber the males (9,424); 16,201 were single or unmarried while 4,764 were married.

Most job applicants belong to the 20-24 years age bracket; 6,083 to 25-34 years age group; 3,069 to 15-19 years, and 1,665 to the 35-44 years age bracket. Of the total applicants, 91.7 percent, or 19,471 have five or more years work experience. –Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)