Jobseeker Company Promotes Social Recruitment Model for Blue Collar Workers

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that there were 7,99 million unemployed, which reached 5,83% of the productive age population at the end of February 2023. Of this number, the most unemployed were Vocational High School (SMK) graduates of 9,6%, then High School (SMA) graduates were 7,69%.

The high gap between supply and demand making unemployment not completely resolved in Indonesia. Meanwhile, there is no popular job search platform that specifically caters to the needs of job seekers blue collar worker optimally. However, the recruitment process for this segment cannot be compared to white collar jobs.

There is a big opportunity in this segment, Chandra Ming is challenged to work on it by establishing Jobseeker Company in February 2022. Chandra has a relatively strong background in the HR field, having been involved for the past 20 years. Several important positions on job search portals, namely JobsDB and Jobstreet ever occupied.

In a recent meeting with a number of media in Jakarta, Chandra explained that there is no local job portal that can address specific issues for the undergraduate segment and below. LinkedIn, job portals in general, headhunterand outsourcing is not the right answer for looking for workers with types of work that rely more on skills and experience, such as baristas, waiters, and so on.

"In Indonesia there are 75 million workers with less than a Bachelor's degree as of February 1 out of a total of 2022 million workers. If you want to go to high school, it's getting more and more expensive, while people have to work. If they can't go to college, they'll have to look for work at a minimum. This issue It won't be finished if it's not completed straight, that's why Jobseeker focuses on non-white collar," said Chandra.

For blue collar worker, applying by sending a resume/CV is not the right way because many of them only copy the existing CV format. Recruiters are unable to assess whether the candidate is suitable for the job, plus the process filtering manually. As a result, everything goes back to instinct, there is no supporting database.

"Many at undergraduate level and below are not yet sophisticated [digitally literate]. Take the example of a barista, what shop owners look for is someone who can make coffee, the certificate and where they graduated from doesn't really matter."

The magnitude of this potential attracts various people angel investors to fund Jobseeker. They are Sandiaga Uno (Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy), Helmy Yahya (Entrepreneur), Gita Wirjawan (Entrepreneur), Rizal Gozali (Credit Suisse), Daniel Surya (WIR Group), Philip Ng (BitCyber), Steve Lovato (Incentive Dynamics) , Biju Mohan (Accenture), Akshat Chawla (Autofleet).

On average, they joined in the third and fourth months since Jobseeker first started operating in February 2022. Now they serve as advisors at the company.

The company also received strategic investment from the Salim Group. The conglomerate holds a 40% stake in Jobseeker.

Jobseeker Company Products

Jobseeker Company takes a different approach to matching applicants with employers by creating video resumes containing self-introductions. The concept is similar to the FYP (For Your Page) algorithm on TikTok or Tinder but the version is more serious and complex behind it enginebecause it is powered by artificial intelligence (AI). This technology is used for matching skills-based algorithm and locates candidates based on nearby employers.

The recruitment process to full employment can be done via the Jobseeker application, so everything is done in one go pintu. This application for applicants is called Jobseeker App. The company has three other products whose specifications target more diverse company needs.

First, Jobseeker Software which is equipped with Customized ATS (Applicant Tracking System), unlimited users, and affordable prices. This solution is intended for large corporations, including Alfamart which has succeeded in recruiting 200 thousand new employees, Mitra Keluarga Hospital, Ranch Market, Superindo, and so on.

This product is the result of investment given by Chandra to Karirpad which was then merged with Jobseeker and finally became its own product.

Second, Jobseeker Services is a service headhunter from Jobseeker to find the right candidate according to the skill specifications the company is looking for. Third, Jobseeker Partners, in the form of an application to help MSME level companies find the candidates they need.

"Many small businesses have difficulty finding positions with turnover tall, such as baristas, cashiers, waiter, merchandiser, staffer. "So far they have only relied on references."

Meanwhile, the average company user on Jobseeker comes from the retail, FMCG and hospitality industries.

Next target

Even though Jobseeker is only 17 months old, Chandra claims that the company has already recruited 2,6 million applicants who have registered and created resume video they. This database will be strengthened by educating applicants to make video resumes that are more presentable.

For this reason, the company will hold roadshows to various cities throughout Indonesia and enter vocational and high schools. They will later be taught how to make it resume video good through the device smartphone. "We also plan to create features upskilling so that the skills of applicants improve. One of them that is ready to go is Rumah Ready to Work."

Home Ready to Work is an initiative created by Sandiaga, one of the investors in Jobseeker, in the form of a forum that connects various special programs for young people available in government, private sector and society.

Not only that, the company will improve the Jobseeker Partner platform, such as processes and matching the algorithm is more accurate and seamless pattern. This platform will soon be released in full version towards the end of 2023, so far it is still in beta form.

"Version beta Ours is very long because there are a lot of printouts that have to be completed, there is AB testing too. Jobseeker App is slicker now. But Jobseeker Partner still has a little more work to do."

Support from investors regarding solutions and challenges for blue workers has made Chandra ambitious to bring Jobseeker to expand to the Asian market. A number of countries in Southeast Asia, India and China have been targeted, although he cannot confirm when this plan will be realized.

According to him, all these countries have the same number of blue workers as Indonesia. Also, there is no job search platform that can overcome issues like those faced in Indonesia.

"At least by the end of this year we can get 5 million applicants and in 2024 we can increase the number to 20 million applicants," he concluded.

Even though it has ambitions to become a global company, Chandra takes a different approach in recruiting talent. He recruited talent from Bali and made it his head office and made Jakarta his marketing office. The advisors at the company, the majority of whom come from global companies, will also guide local talents to transfer knowledge so that they can learn and know what development patterns outside Indonesia are like.

Our total employees are 50 people, 65% of whom are located in Bali, there are product teams, engineers and others. Apart from Jakarta for the marketing team, Jobseeker also has an office in Singapore. "Outsiders I set as advisor so that we can give our children the opportunity to learn and know what the development patterns of the world outside are like. "Hopefully these [Balinese] children can become champions in this industry," concluded Chandra.