The trials and tribulations of job hunting in Malta

there was a time when a first job was essentially the first rung on the ladder of successful career progression and that job security and loyalty to one's employers were synonymous with expectations of the longevity of the period of employment. Not so today - certainly, in Malta the acceleration of the recessive process has had both direct and indirect effects on the employment scenario.

Recent reports in the media have highlighted the changing scene in the current job market in Malta. The downward trend in tourism has had a 'knock-on' effect on all aspects of employment in Malta. The catering industry has suffered as a direct result but associated businesses, such as, for example, travel agencies, the entertainment industry, building projects, tourist attractions, etc., have all suffered in consequence.

In turn, this has rebounded on the job market with disastrous effects on all those seeking to remain gainfully employed with a reasonable amount of job security.

Job hunting for those who have become unemployed through no fault of their own but as a direct or indirect effect of the economic recession is proving a painful and often fruitless experience. In the secretarial/clerical field the situation is somewhat dire. Advertisements of such positions are nowhere as prolific as of yore.

Sundays and Wednesdays seem to be the most popular days of such adverts and any of these find an immediate and prolific response. One such position recently advertised for secretarial help in the construction industry resulted in 120 interviews and many of those who applied were graduates and highly qualified personnel, all seeking to be appointed to the one position.

One such job seeker, a qualified and experienced clerical/secretarial member of staff, had been employed for several years by a travel agency. Her terms of employment were on a contractual basis, renewable every six months and, this January, she was informed that her contract was not going to be renewed.

Effectively, the young lady joined the ranks of the unemployed almost overnight and with practically no notice. The lack of job security under such circumstances is somewhat frightening and the ex-employee found herself enduring the process of job hunting in the bewildering scerario currently existing in these islands.

In other words, on becoming unemployed, the job seeker has to make an immediate and necessary visit to the Employment and Training Corporatin (ETC) at Hal Far. Although the registration process appears to be pretty well organised, it is still a gruelling and time consuming process.

Newly unemployed persons are directed by the receptionist to the correct section and each job seeker is handed a queue ticket number (reminiscent of those supplied at the delicatessen counter in a supermarket). The number of persons joining the queue seeking new registration varies, but Mondays are highly popular and it is not unusual for around 40 people of all ages and varied backgrounds to present themselves for registration.

This is handled in a confidential manner and an acceptable degree of privacy maintained between the interviewer from ETC and the unemployed job seeker. Nevertheless, it is easy to imagine how demoralised and even embarrassed the job seeker must feel under these circumstances.

It seems to be the case in Malta's job market that recruitment is at a very low level and each position advertised attracts responses from a very large number of those seeking to return as soon as possible to full time employment.

There appear to be several employment agencies who offer their services in the field of recruitment. Such agencies are most important to those seeking employment, but the market seems to be in dire straits and few jobs are available, while the number of those seeking to fill such positions is quite out of proportion to the number of vacancies.

This situation might be said to benefit the employers in that they are able to select only the best and have a wide choice of applicants from whom to select the optimum person for the vacancy. However, the recession of necessity creates an atmosphere where companies seek to adopt cost cutting exercises and place recruitment on the 'back burner'.

In times of recession, those seeking to trim their businesses and maximise profits under trying circumstances usually initiate a ban on recruitment and, in fact, commence a 'downsizing' process which in turn results in further increases in the numbers of the unemployed.

It seems that one of Malta's best chances to emerge from the current trend towards recession is for government and the private sector to work together to make the right steps conducive to an improvement in Malta's prime source of income - tourism. The present downward trend started with the in tourists, problems with the airline industry in general and with Air Malta in particular and the situation has snowballed into the rather alarming, more recent situation where unemployment is developing into rather worrying proportions.

Now that a new era is advancing with the entry into the European Union and the impending appointment of a successor to Dr Eddie Fenech Adami as leader of the Nationalist Party and prime minister, it is to be hoped that fresh and innovative systems will prove beneficial to industry, commerce, government and employees alike.

Let it be very much the hope for the future that a united front and a consolidated and dedicated approach to solving the current situation will prove successful and Malta will emerge triumphant and regenerated to face the future with pride.