BY LAJU ARENYEKA

President Goodluck Jonathan recently declared that the families of those who lost loved ones at the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, recruitment exercise recently, be given three employment slots each in the service. Magnanimous as this might seem, this move cannot bring back the lives lost. With 52% of Nigeria’s youth unemployed, it should come as no surprise that recruitment is almost always a living hell.!

But it doesn’t always have to be so. Harnessing the opportunities that technology provides, recruitment can be easier, more effective, time saving, and as we have come to learn the hard way, life saving.  The benefits of online recruitment aren’t just for employers alone, job seekers can find positions without the traditional hustle and bustle.

An aspect of job recruitment that has gained popularity is the job-seekers website phenomenon. Sites like jobberman.com and careers.ng are now become the Linda Ikejis and Nairalands for Nigeria’s teeming job seeking populace. Advertising positions online however, is not the entirety of online recruitment. The process can start there, but does not end there.

Smart employers go a step further to begin the employment process in a virtual environment. Candidates can summit necessary credentials and answer necessary questions on an online portal. This makes filing information for future reference easier. Numerous online testing software also make testing and assessment easier. What about the physical touch? Well, say hello to video conferencing. Video CVs are relatively inexpensive and can help employers get a better impression of the candidate, and give the candidate a better opportunity to make a first impression.

Technology makes recruitment less stressful, less time consuming and less expensive from start to finish. What’s more, you can be sure the candidate is tech savvy!