Recruitment needs in Africa vary according to region and socio-economic situations, while headhunting applies in almost all sectors.
However, there is an evolution in the recruitment sector, having to adapt to the companies needs for new skills, especially those generated by technological advances.
In an article published in July, Talent2africa spoke about the study conducted by Forbes Africa, on the skills most sought after in Africa. The general observation of this study (2015) indicates a “trend of recruitments evolving towards a need to hire local professionals and people from the Diaspora.”
This is explained by the fact that these profiles are very quickly operational. They demonstrate a high capacity of adaptation, an understanding and proximity to the local culture.
As an example, candidates with technical profiles: engineers, experts or backing up functions to CFO, COO, sales manager, marketing manager, etc.
In addition, senior managers, department heads or company directors, technical directors, infrastructure and road structure engineers, cereal crops or fish farming managers, risk managers etc.
There is also a shift in the typology of positions in some countries. In the North African industry, for example, managers are sought to improve the productivity of sites, qualified engineers with advanced R&D skills, particularly in the automotive sector in the Maghreb, subcontracting the production for Europe.
In fact, in Africa, technological advances around the world have disrupted the companies operating mode and created new professions. Some kills are sought after, because of the lack of training or experience.
Indeed, new professions in the digital sector such as Big Data Architects, Digital Project Manager, Web and Mobile Product Manager, Chief Data Officer, Content Manager, SEO Consultant, Data scientist, Developer (multimedia, IT, web, mobile apps), Digital brand manager, Multimedia-graphic designer trainer, Cloud Computing Engineer etc., are highly sought after and well paid.
In this sector, companies such as Orange or Atos (a company that recruits developers very often, in Senegal and Morocco for example), are very interested in “tech talents”.
Telenco Group is another example. According to the socialnetlink.org, the company “embarks on a new adventure in Dakar, with the challenge to support the actors of the digital sector, by launching the SMART program (Specialists in Network and Telecom Architectures).”
Also, there are many private companies switching to digital and looking for technological skills, in fields such as banks, agribusiness, oil and mining, Fintech, the health sector and even start-ups etc., as the true symbols of the dynamism of entrepreneurship in Africa.
It is worth noting that in most cases, candidates must be at least bilingual French / English for example, bridging understandings as facilitators between companies working in accordance with the Western standards and local cultures.