Archives des Recruitment Africa - Page 2 of 5

03Apr

Africa: when the blue economy generates jobs

Contrary to what stereotypes and misperceptions “Afro-pessimistic” have here and there, Africa is full of potential. Actually, it is not a coincidence that more and more investors have set their eyes on the black continent to do business. Talking about great potential, the blue economy have plenty of it in terms of investment so jobs. Therefore the blue economy generates jobs in Africa and is dedicated to reducing the unemployment rate in the black continent. According to experts, approximately 23 million of people work in the fishing sector. It ensures food safety for more than 200 million of people and generates an added value of 24 billion dollars so a 1.26 GDP of all the African countries. Experts believe that the blue economy in Africa plays an important part in promoting a substainable economic growth with ressources coming from the ocean, waterways, lakes and other water related ressources. It makes more sense knowing that 38 of the 54 countries in Africa, are coastal countries and 90% of exports and imports go by sea. Because of this, some observers considers the blue economy as “ the new line of development in Africa”.

Millions of direct jobs

The fishing sectors generates millions of direct jobs and induced employment. This goes from processing to packaging, fish nets and engines making, ice supplying, the building and maintenance of ships. Actually, the economic role of that sector has been confirmed by WorldFish center research institute based in Malaysia that tells us that in Uganda for example, fishing in lakes brings more than 200 million of dollars every year which represents 2.2 of the GDP of the country. That sector of activity has 135 000 fishermen working and 700 000 people working in the processing and fish trading and making 87.5 million of dollars exports revenues.

A sector that is mainly controlled by foreign companies

If there is something that observers have all noticed is the fact that the blue economy in Africa is mainly controlled by foreign companies. Statistics from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) confirm that statement by showing that even though the potential is obvious in Africa, it is however a rather low fish producer and is only ranked 4 on the worldwide scale with 4 500 00 tons. Continental fish is mainly done in Africa especially in Africa’s big lakes regions (Uganda and Tanzania) and Nigeria for river fishing. This sector would benefit more from opening up to local fishermen so the blue economy can even more contribute in reducing poverty in Africa. It is therefore necessary to have a better participation of locals in the sector.

30Mar

Africa: more than 3 million jobs expected by 2025 thanks to e-business

In a world where economy is now highly digitalized, e-business have generated 1.462 billion of euros in 2014 with China and the USA on top. Africa is also part of the movement. Therefore, in the black continent, e-business have reached more than 50 billion in 2018. Despise the digital divide that defines the continent, this business that consist in buying and selling goods and services on the internet is booming in Africa. Indeed, only 26% of the population in Africa has access to internet. Moreover, e-business looks into being a real tool in reducing the unemployment rate. That is at least what a new study from Boston Consulting group revealed. According to them, a collaboration between the private and public sector in Africa could unlock the potential of e-business and boost up the economy of the African continent and create up to 3 million jobs by 2025.

From the conclusion of that report called « how can digital marketplaces propel jobs in Africa » and published by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), digital marketplaces like Jumia Souq, Thundafund and Travelstart could create 3 million new jobs by 2025 in Africa. « Those ‘e-business’ websites that connect buyers and suppliers of goods and services, could also increase the revenues and facilitate the international economic growth all without disturbing the activity of the existing companies », the report added.

Africa is lucky enough to have a very young population and an emerging middle class which represents the perfect environment for e-business . However there are lots to do in order to give a real boost to e-business. The study of the e-business ecosystem in Africa helps us realise that this sector has a long way to go in the black continent. For example, in the report, for the digital marketplaces to really reach their full potential in Africa, public and private sectors must first work together to create a suitable digital environment. It also lets us know that in Africa approximately 58% of new jobs will be in the consumer goods sector, 18% in mobility services and 9 % in travelling and hospitality.

The obstacles that the expansion of e-business in Africa could be facing are, according to the report, the lack of infrastructures, of regulatory clarity and a limited access to certain markets. Policy makers, on the other hand, are concerned about issues related to securing citizens personal data and the possible risk of disturbance in the sectors of activity.

Nonetheless, despite the obstacles, we can hope for an evolution of e-business in Africa and in turn, the creation of new jobs in this continent that has become the main destination of investors. The Young Africans should therefore seize this good opportunity that e-business is offering to boost their chances of having a job. In order to do that, it is necessary to get a training in ICT.

18Mar

The 5 African countries where to invest in 2020

The year 2019 has ended on a hopeful note for Africa which is once again on the list of the areas with cost-efficient investment. This is at least what we can remember from the traditional annual report of the most attractive countries to invest in « Where to invest in Africa » initiated by the South African financial group Rand Merchant Bank. They have just published their 9th edition in which the focus is on the most attractive African countries where to invest in, in 2020. Usually in every edition, we find the same countries with the most appealing economies on the top ten. We will go over the list of cost-efficient countries in 2020.

Egypt

For the third consecutive year, Egypt can brag about being the most appealing economy in the 9th edition of that report. The country has the advantage of having an important demographic market and is still one of the most favorite places for investors. So according to the author of the report, “it’s the third year at the top of our ranking. For the past three years, Egypt has made significant strides in changing their business environment, improving external investment into the market and growing their own industries ». « They also took the difficult decision a few years ago to devalue their currency to be more reflective of what’s happening in the market. Even though these were tough decisions, in the long run it will help with structural changes in the economy. We are also expecting an approximate 5.3% growth rate for the next five years. This is well above the 4% average expected for the rest of Africa.”, they specified.

Morocco

Morocco comes second after Egypt on the list of most cost-efficient countries for investment in 2020. The Sharif kingdom is currently developing and should record an average growth of 4% in the next coming years. “iIts reintegration into the African Union and accession to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have enhanced its investment appeal”, says the report.

South Africa

South Africa falls down and trades places with Morocco. In the report the country settles for the third place with a “cyclical downturn”, “poor growth” and “a deteriorated business environment”. However, the country remains an economy with a liquid financial market compared to the other countries in the continent.

“It is definitely still the most liquid market in Africa. We’ve spoken to many international clients and South Africa is still the springboard for investment into Africa. But we have to see structural reforms being implemented, specifically at our state-owned enterprises. These changes can easily put us back into the number one spot over the next few years.” said Celeste Fauconnier.

Kenya

Kenya joins the exclusive list of high cost-efficient countries in 2020. We expect a 5 percent middle term growth rate this year. The country has “favourable weather conditions”in a more pacified political environment”. The economy benefits from diversity as well as a sustained expansion in consumer demand. It also benefits from urbanisation, East African Community (EAC) integration, structural reforms and investment in infrastructure, including an oil pipeline, railways, ports etc.”

Rwanda

Finally, Rwanda holds the 5th place on that selected report. The country was pushed by a very favorable business environment as mentioned in the last Doing Business. The report also praises the development of domestic industries and a high increase in FDI (foreign direct investment).

12Mar

Our experts give you the secret to the perfect motivation letter

It is true that nowadays, it is easy to find a great number of cover letter templates online, so many of them that we wonder if they are really that important. Trivialized, standardized, recruiters barely read them unless there is one that stands out from the rest. Even though, it is clear that when you start the process of writing a cover letter, as a candidate what matters for you the most is to be special. That is so true that your cover letter is actually your first direct contact with the recruiter. So it is necessary for it to be neat. But how? Our HR gives up the updates.

Be brief…

Did you know? Recruiters spend little or no time reading a cover letter. Most recruiters spend, on average, around 2 or 3 minutes reading your job application. That is the reason why in order to grab his attention, you should be brief so you can make his job easier. Your cover letter should be short. Ideally, a good cover letter should fit in one page max. The cover letter should also be convincing and personalized for each job application. It is true that it can be tiring to always change it up for every job offer but it is way more efficient. The recruiter will notice that you took some of your time to read the job announcement meticulously and to write a cover letter that fits with the job description. This would make him want to find out more about you because you took interest in the company.

Give your job application to the right person

The other aspect that people tend to forget is sending your job application to the right person. It is so important however. In the perfect world you would find out about the name of the recruiter and and send him a personal email with your CV and cover letter. This would maximize your chances of getting an interview.

Get a catchphrase to grab the attention of the recruiter

The catchphrase is a necessary step in the writing process of a good letter because it helps you grab the attention of the recruiter. You must therefore write a catchphrase that grabs his attention. Our RH experts recommend you to avoid classics like “I am interested in your offer, I would like to submit my application”. You should focus more on having a short and direct catchphrase.

Show interest for the company

Do not make the mistake of only talking about yourself in the cover letter. In the first paragraph, you must show your interest in the company by giving a description of its activity and values. Our HR experts suggest you to give actual facts that seduced you (the company’s latest news update, its latest successful deals).

Quote key words from the job posting

In the second paragraph of the cover letter, focus on explaining to the recruiter why this offer matches with your skills and career expectations. Use some words from the job posting and list your skills, your knowledge and your know how that have a direct link with them. Be clear and specific. Give examples, accomplishments numbers. Mostly use action verbs.

What about the conclusion?

In your conclusion, you should make the recruiter want to contact you for an interview. Show your motivation for the particular job with enthusiasm and suggest a conversation. The recruiter should feel that you genuinely want to join the company.

09Mar

4 tips to Creat a business in Africa

Unless you want to risk going through bankruptcy before you could even establish a business in Africa, you need to make sure you take some preliminary elements in consideration. Taking decisions on an impulse or making management mistakes can be extremely detrimental to anybody who is trying to be an entrepreneur in Africa. Those two things are actually the main issues that people who have been trying to establish a long running activity on the black continent have been dealing with. For that reason, we have 4 tips to help you have a successful business in Africa…

Find an incubator to help you

Whether you graduated from an Ivy league business school or not, as an entrepreneur, you need to get acquainted with the reality of the market and have someone help you through all the paperwork and necessary steps especially when you are a foreigner who is trying to invest in Africa. Unfortunately, the majority of the project holders in Africa, in French speaking areas specifically, start their business without trying to get some tips from experienced professionals like incubators. That is the reason why we recommend you to get you an incubator if you want to become more efficient, gain legitimacy and credibility, in your line of business.

Test your idea on the market

An idea of a project can seem relevant in theory and have a hard time being well received in practice. Thus, many entrepreneurs have ideas that are strictly laid on paper without the concept of it having really seen the light concretely. So in order for you to have a chance to have a successful business in Africa, we recommend you to test your concept on consumers. That would allow you to get your idea approved on the present market and to have the opportunity to gather feedback, criticisms, and suggestions from clients in order to consistently improve the characteristics of the product until it completely meets the needs of the consumers.

Think big

In Africa, lots of entrepreneurs tend to have projects that are not quite big. Most of the time, they just stop at selling out all their products and provide their services locally . Yet, investments opportunities are huge in this continent where middle classes are emerging. Project holders in Africa can therefore benefit from a consistent increase of their business. For that reason, they must think bigger and try to increase their market share in the sub-regions, whether in the CEMAC region -Central African Economic and Monetary Community – or in the -ECOWAS region -Economic Community of West African States.

Surround yourself with qualified partners

In many cases, the skills of the project holders are not a match with the core business of the company. Majority of companies choose to have people performing several functions as managers and technicians in an effort to reduce the costs. This represents one of the main reasons for business failures in Africa. This lack of skills towards the design of a product or a serious issue with the way a service has been provided, are in the very heart of the growth of a business. You need to make sure you are only surrounded with people with solid expertise and a good knowledge of your products if you want to maximize your chances of seeing your project succeed.

06Mar

How to make your LinkedIn more attractive?

Everybody agrees on the fact that social networks are important for people who are looking for a job. They allow you to be visible, to let yourself be seen and to show out your personal and professional skills in order to attract recruiters. However, in order to get the best out of those tools, you must know how to get the maximum of potential out of them. We will explore different ways of making your LinkedIn more attractive.

What do job seekers need LinkedIn for?

If there is any social network that job seekers visit the most, it is definitely LinkedIn. This network is a “professional” social network that is very useful in job seeking. It allows job seekers to lay out in plain view their career path, or their training and activities. LinkedIn is perfect for getting more information about the people you will be talking to and display your own skills. It helps to efficiently reach out to future contacts for job seeking purposes or markets. A lot of job seekers manage to create a real universe online capable of putting their profiles on top of researches on google in fields where they major. Thanks to that network job seekers can also download their own C.V next to their profiles. It is therefore, possible to really give a lot of information to the recruiter who, on the other hand would feel suspicious to see a page with little information, myCVfactory creator Pauline Lahary tells us.

How to maximize your profile?

In order to fully take advantage of what LinkedIn has to offer, it is crucial to first of all, work on the header of your profile. First, it is mandatory to put a picture, second, it has to be a professional one. LinkedIn is a digital webpage where everybody expect to see some media. Then, your page needs to come with the perfect title. To do that, you must either display your current job or choose a sentence that will perfectly summarize your skills.

It is also recommended to put key words that are the most looked for on google. According to Pauline Lahary creator of myCVfactory, it is a very lucrative technique. Last, From her opinion, it is helpful to pay attention to the summary of our professional path, to highlight our skills, our expertises and to give an insight of what we would like to do in life. It is about giving a real “pitch” that would make managers and recruiters want to contact you, she explains.

LinkedIn pulse: an efficient solution

According to Pauline Lahary, creator of myCVfactory, it is recommended to put as much pictures and videos as possible, not to forget presentations and other links. LinkedIn gives the possibly to share some multimedia content in order to show your experiences off. On LinkedIn, we can also have access to a service named « LinkedIn Pulse ». It aims at allowing internet users to post articles about their area of expertise. Basically, it is therefore possible to join a community of experts or create a group or display our knowledge and our abilities. You must be a real « influencer »in you area of expertise. It is also a good way to make yourself seen. In short, it is all about how you present yourself on social media to maximize your chances of getting hired.

02Mar

How to handle tricky questions during job interviews?

We are often confronted with tricky questions during job interviews and answering them is not an easy task. Are we allowed to lie in that specific situation? For example can we say that we left our former employee on good terms when it is actually the opposite? However it is, no answer that could possibly mess up your chances of getting the job should be given. But how do we handle it? Find our tips in the following paragraphs.

Can we lie to avoid a tricky question during the job interview?

First and foremost, we should keep in mind that no matter how difficult the question is, liying is not wanted nor recommended during the interview. The only lie that recruiters can tolerate at the most is lying through omission. And that is understandable since an interview is after all a sale. In that sense we have the right and the obligation to display a product at its best. It is therefore useless and stupid to talk about all our imperfections, to reveal our professional plans when it doesn’t benefit the company. This is at least according to expert Patrice Ras, author of « Grand livre de l’entretien d’embauche» published by Studyrama.

How to talk about our former job when it didn’t end well?

The rule is to absolutely avoid saying bad things about our ex boss. Keep in mind to never bash your former enployer, says Patrice Ras. Adding also that « if however, the recruiter wants to know the exact reason why the candidate left, he can talk about it without getting into the details and without whining: throwing too much shade on your ex employer can often look bad on your side ». You must nevertheless remember that employer are not gullible , they are very much aware of the realities of the working world and especially about the behavior of some managers who tend to be nasty, too demanding, unfair and harassing. So you can talk about a professional relationship that didn’t end up well with tact and grace because the recruiter feeling any sense of hate in your speech could make you look bad.

How to explain a long period of unemployment to the recruiter?

This question also is delicate, in a sense. Some people go as far as changing the dates in their C.V to hide it out and avoid the question. This option is not recommended because there is a high risk for the company to find it out and see you as someone being fraudulent. When confronted to that situation, it is better if you clearly explain why you were not selected during previous job interviews. Point out all the different procedures you have been through and how motivated you are. That would make the person you will be talking to have a good feeling about you. So according to Patrice Ras HR expert, the job interview is actually the best moment to bring light to those periods of inactivity and turn the question to you advantage by showing that you are still active and positive despite the setbacks. Human qualities that recruiters appreciate.

Avoid definite and closed answers…

When asked to know about their career plan, many candidates get it all wrong because they think that we expect from them to give a closed and definite answer like « I will become a C.E.O ». Quite to the contrary, what matters for the recruiter is to know about your plans in terms of your career. Therefore, you must be able to present your arguments by stating every major facts and trying to put a date limit for every goal. The candidate must be able to give an account of every major step of his career. The answer should come out naturally. Therefore, try to show how, where, what and when you plan on reaching your career goals. You must justify them by all means because they don’t expect you to just give empty promises.

Be consistent…

When you are presenting your career plan to the recruiter, it is important to always be consistent and realistic. The answer that you give should be the result of a medium term well detailed career plan. It should be something that has been thought through. For that reason, it is recommended not to say things like « it is hard for me to plan for the future, it is so uncertain that I might give you a wrong answer ». That answer that you probably find extremely wise is actually seen as a headlong rush for the recruiter who will definitely not appreciate it.

Do not confuse ambitious and pretentious…

It is clear that a recruiter will always appreciate having an ambitious candidate, but be careful not to do too much and have him confuse ambitious with pretentious. The ambition needs to be realistic. You must keep your feet on the ground to show to the recruiter that you are capable of taking yourself to other lands. In other words, he will appreciate for you to have your wishes and your passion but also take in consideration the situation of the professional market when you present your career plan. Either way, you should keep in mind that the question about your career plan is the perfect opportunity for your recruiter to test you in terms of planing ahead of time. Avoid going overboard and having over the top goals. In brief, you need to be ambitious but without doing too much. Once again be realistic because it is the perfect opportunity for you to be so.

10Feb

How to deal with a recruiter who is trying to bully you?

Sometimes during an interview you can happen to deal with a recruiter who is deliberately trying to push you to the limits. This unexpected situation can be very difficult. How can we overcome it? We will present you some examples of uncomfortable situations… and some possible solutions.

The recruiter finds it fun to interrupt you every time you are speaking

It is rude and unpleasant to have the person you are speaking to interrupt you every time you are trying to answer a question but he enjoys doing so. Don’t get mad, don’t crack under the pressure and stay calm. Show him that you know what is going on and you can keep track of what you are saying and answer to his questions at the same time. That would convince him that you are capable of doing two things at the same time.

The recruiter is being aggressive towards you…

The recruiter keeps on being despicable to you despite you being nice and polite. This situation can get you so upset that you might start seeing the person you have in front of you as an enemy who is deliberately asking you disturbing questions. It is not true however. You must know that the recruiter does not have any personal issue with you and that he is giving you the same treatment like anyone else who would be sitting in his office. It is just an interviewing method. You must take up the challenge of the recruiter and understand that it is just a job interview, nothing else, nothing more. No matter what shot comes at you, you must see it as a game. If the recruiter asks you an aggressive question and you answer it with a smile that would definitely show that you are turning the situation in your advantage.

What about the indiscretions of the recruiter?

Even though an interview is not an excuse to step into your personal life, one must admit that when it comes to it, there is a thin line between invasive questions and private ones. It makes even more sense knowing that apart from your skills, the interview must also show your personality and your character. So expect to have some personal questions thrown at you, here and there. Questions like, « Are you married, do you have kids? » or again « do you plan on having any? » are obviously, invasive questions… You must however face the facts… Those invasive questions do have an impact on your work. The fact that you are married and have kids can have an impact on your flexibility and your availability at work but also reveal a sense of responsibility and some sort of stability. So you must accept the fact that you will be asked some personal questions. If however the person you will be talking to tend to ask questions that are getting too personal then be evasive.

31Jan

how to answer the salary expectation question?

Most of the time the salary expectation question can seem awkward during the job interview. A salary expectation represents what a candidate expects to be paid for a job and is a question that recruiters ask for majority of the time during the process of a job interview. It is, therefore, important for the candidate to be ready for that question so he is not taken by surprise. But how do we really answer the salary expectation question? Find in this article the best answers to that question.

Offer a number and put a question right after it so you don’t give a closed-ended answer

There are many answers that could be said to answer the question about the salary expectation. However recruiters do expect to hear about a yearly based net salary. That shouldn’t be a reason for you to give a fixed salary because after all the goal of a salary negotiation is to have the maximum the employer could offer you, thinks HR specialist Thierry Krief. He adds « if you give a non negotiable number then naturally it is not opened for negotiation ». In an effort to not breach the conversation which is detrimental to the negotiation, we suggest you don’t answer with standard questions like « I need » or « I want ». Answer with something more like: 45 000 euros a year salary sounds fair, what do you think? » Answering with another question opens the conversation.

The bold move : “ the higher the better”

You could also respond to the recruiter’s question about the salary expectation by saying the very bold words “ the higher the better”. Be careful though because if it is not done in a very humorous way it could be misinterpreted. Basically, if you do not have a good sense of humour do not say it.

The flexible response : Provide a salary range

When they ask you a question about salary, it happens sometimes that you provide a salary range rather than a fixed amount. It is a good answer but make sure to do it the right way. When you provide a salary range your desired salary should be the lowest one and you should be able to explain why you want more or else you could lose your credibility. That is at least according to the HR specialist Thierry Krief. From his opinion it is strongly advised to not under evaluate your salary range because it could make you lose the position. “You don’t make yourself more marketable by lowering your value,” he added.

What not to say at any mean: “How much can you offer?”

It there is one thing that you should never say to the recruiter it is “ how much can you offer me? This answer is counterproductive in the sense that the recruiters want to have candidates who know their worth. You could happen to not know the salary for that specific job. In that case you should look at studies about salary ranges available online. Anyway, be ready to provide some proofs to justify your salary expectation, for example you can show them you pay slip. Highly demanded profiles can ask for more based on their accomplishments.

30Jan

After a job interview when should you call

It is quite often for recruiters to not tell you how soon they will contact you afterwards. You could stay a long time without hearing from them.

After a certain time of patience, you start to wonder if you should contact the recruiter or no, but you don’t want to be seen as someone impatient or hasty. How do you handle all that? Here are some tips to help you put all the chances on your side.

Do not rush into follow-ups

after an interview, many candidates long for that phone call especially when they had the feeling that there was a real connection with the person they were talking to and that it went pretty good. As a candidate, if you happened to be in that type of situation, you must not give in contacting the recruiter right away. You must understand that, first the company allows itself a certain time to process and select the candidates, and the person you talked to might not be the only one who gets to decide in others words it might not be up to him.

Next, do not rush into sending a follow-up message to the recruiter immediately afterwards because if you are actively looking for a job, it is good to have in mind that you could possibly have other opportunities and that you are not putting all your eggs into that one basket. If the recruiter had expressed to you that the position was available immediately then there is nothing wrong with sending a thank you message the next week just to let them know that you are here.

When is the right time to send a follow-up ?

If after waiting for ten days, you still have no feedback on your application, then you should send a follow-up message. That would be a second opportunity for you to expose your motivation and explain briefly the reasons why you are interested in this job. “if you have had an interview with the hiring company and they have given you a time limit on the feedback that just passed then you can send a follow-up email to the person who you told you about it “two days after due date “says the counselor Laurent Hyzy leader of Alterconsult. If you still have gotten no answer from that follow-up then send another one every week, stop at three. If on the other hand, the recruiter had informed you that he would reach out to you but will not give you a certain time limit for doing so then send a keep in touch email every month to let him know that you are still interested in that position. At the same time, commit yourself 200 % into other possibilities“ she added.

Phone calls or emails follow-ups ?

You can send a follow-up through emails or phone calls. However, the second option should be the first choice, especially if you have applied for a position in a small company or if you have had a special connection with the recruiter who manifested some interest in your application.

Make sure to only contact the person who you have met with. If you have to go through the

switchboard then when asked about the reason for you calling: “I would like to speak with Mrs or Mr X following our meeting on [date] because he or she was supposed to call me back.”,

suggested a HR specialist. If they tell you that that person is in a meeting then give you name and number so he can remember you and directly contact you on your phone.

1 2 3 4 5