Thousands of job seekers pin hopes on national recruitment campaign

AMMAN — Holding a yellow file with several copies of her CV and higher education documents, 25-year-old Hayfa Muhsen moved between desks of private companies to fill out forms and submit her résumé.

Muhsen, a graduate of tourism and antiquities from the University of Jordan, has been looking for a job for the past eight months, but with no luck. She expressed hope that her chance of finding a good job would emerge during an ongoing national employment campaign.

“I filled out several forms today, submitted my CV and did three interviews with representatives of hotels and firms so far. This is a great opportunity for youths looking for a job because there are several companies and employment agencies here,” Muhsen said.

She is one of more than 4,000 job seekers who visited the national employment campaign’s headquarters in Al Hussein Youth City, where 380 private companies are offering jobs and interviewing job seekers.

Hussam Ali, a resident of Ajloun Governorate, some 70km northwest of Amman, came to the campaign’s headquarter with two of his friends to apply.

“I honestly have a job now, but the pay is so meagre that it only covers my transportation and part of my personal expenses. Before the end of the month, my salary evaporates and I have no chance to save any money,” Ali, who holds a certificate in accounting, told The Jordan Times.

The 27-year-old man applied for jobs in construction companies as well as food factories.

Oula Nashaat, a representative of a private company participating in the campaign, sat at a desk piled with papers and filled out forms as she instructed a young woman on how to accurately fill out the application.

“There is a huge turnout today; I’m very happy to see young people eager to find a job, but sad to see that so many are unemployed,” she told The Jordan Times.

Nashaat said that the company she represents is offering more than 50 jobs in hotels, restaurants and other hospitality facilities.

The third stage of the national employment campaign was launched on September 7 and will continue until September 23. Over 18,000 job opportunities are on offer, according to the Ministry of Labour, which embarked on the National Employment Campaign in January 2013 with the goal of creating thousands of jobs for Jordanians in cooperation with the private sector.

More than 12,000 unemployed Jordanians secured jobs during the first phase of the campaign. The second stage, launched on December 15 with the aim of creating 25,000 job opportunities in 11 sectors, witnessed a “huge turnout” of job seekers.

The ministry said that the third phase of the campaign, however, is different as it focuses on remote areas. 

Ministry of Labour Secretary General Hamadah Abu Nejmeh said that the campaign offers everyday job opportunities in different sectors, highlighting that hotels, restaurants, construction companies, food factories and the garment industry were among the early partners.

The second phase saw jobs offered in the telecommunications sector, the commercial sector, such as malls and retail shops, and the health sector, according to the campaign officials. 

The ministry’s official figures indicate that 4,100 job seekers were registered as candidates for jobs by Monday, while around 12,500 job interviews were made, as applicants normally are interviewed by more than one potential employer.

“Some 40 per cent of the registered job seekers were females, which is a good share,” Abu Nejmeh told The Jordan Times in a phone interview.

In May this year, Labour Minister Nidal Katamine announced the results of a study evaluating Jordanians’ satisfaction with the national campaign, which has so far secured jobs for 32,000 job seekers in the private sector.

The study, carried out by a local polling firm, showed that 36 per cent of the 32,000 had quit their jobs six months after recruitment due to low salaries, the impact of work on their studies, incompatibility of their educational background and skills with the job requirements, and transportation challenges.

It also revealed that 62 per cent of those who retained their jobs were satisfied, and that those employed in the construction and telecom sectors tend to keep their jobs, compared to other sectors.

Labour Ministry figures indicate that the unemployment rate currently stands at 11.8 per cent.