There are celebrations this week at the Keepmeposted offices. Keepmeposted has turned ten! Ten years bringing employers and jobseekers together! During these ten years, Keepmeposted filled an important niche in the Maltese employment market and has gone from strength to strength. This job platform has not only witnessed the changes in the recruitment process, but is one of the main reasons for them.
Where it began
A long, long time ago, (ten years to be precise), job seekers were still dedicating a significant amount of time scanning the newspaper. Armed with a pen and lots of determination, they were full of hope that their future was listed there, waiting to be circled. Until the hope dwindled and the whole process became extremely tedious, extremely quickly. Keepmeposted changed all that, offering a digital and far more efficient alternative. Job seeking is still not the most fun thing in the world, but the shift from print to digital means it’s faster and easier.
The changes
Keepmeposted was a positive disruptor in the recruitment process for both the employer and job-seeker. The recruitment process has not only become faster, but also less costly as so many steps have been eliminated. Advertising a job on a newspaper often meant creating artwork, waiting for its approval, booking your space on the newspaper…Basically it was quite a lengthy process. Today, the job is posted almost instantly and the process is so much more efficient.
This does not mean that the recruitment budget has diminished but rather that it has shifted. Competition has become fierce not only amongst job seekers but is also amongst employers, especially within certain industries. In fact, many companies today invest far more in recruitment than they did before and there is a lot of focus on employer branding in order to attract the best talent.
The challenges
Understanding and adapting to the needs of the ever-changing workforce is probably one of the biggest challenges in the recruitment process. That which was on offer ten years ago is no longer enough now. Up and coming talent entering the workforce today have different expectations, aspirations and goals to the newly grads of ten years ago.
Company culture is extremely important for them as well as the feeling of belonging and making a difference. For this reason they look very closely at what the company is offering beyond salary. What is the lifestyle of the company? What are the perks? What are the values of the company? Is it a company that cares?
Other challenges that many companies face is a shortage of resources within certain sectors, especially where certain skillsets are required. During these years Keepmeposted has had their finger on the pulse and have been amongst the first to see industry and job trends emerging. Jobs in tech and finance have increased, and the demand for these jobs is so significant that finding the right candidate for them is not easy. This is especially true of tech, where the skillset is specific. Moreover, Covid-19 has further accentuated this situation, as so many have left Malta
The successes
Jean Schaak, CEO of Keepmeposted, believes that getting into the industry ahead of the curve is a major factor that has contributed to Keepmeposted’s success. The timing was perfect, enabling Keepmeposted to accelerate the move to online recruitment in Malta. Playing such a significant role in this revolution definitely helped to make Keepmeposted leaders in the sector.
Another factor that Jean Schaak believes is key to Keepmeposted’s success is the fact that, in spite of being an online platform, Keepmeposted has kept a direct relationship with clients. This allows the company to understand clients’ requirements and helps to give the best possible service.
The future
Undoubtedly, employer branding will continue to be, and become, a priority for more companies with focus on Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance. As mentioned above, candidates don’t only want to know what job they are applying for. They also want to know what type of company they will be working for, and if the culture aligns with their way of thinking.
As technology continues to improve, specifically AI, the process will be further simplified for both employers and job seekers. Keepmeposted is continuously looking at ways to simplify the recruitment process by introducing new tools enabling better productivity. Bring on the next ten years!
