As the Department of Labor and Employment revs up its preparation for its nationwide job fairs to accommodate the influx of graduates and jobseekers, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday reminded the future workforce entrants to be armed and ready for their job search. She said jobseekers must prepare their ‘things to bring’ list for the job fairs this summer.
“When you are going to the DOLE job fairs in your city or province, have your application documents ready as thousands of job opportunities will be available. This basic,” Baldoz said following her recent call to graduates to participate in the region-wide DOLE job fairs in April.
Among the documents required by employers at the job fair are resume or curriculum vitae; 2 x 2 ID pictures (bring extra copies for multiple job applications); certificate of employment, for those formerly employed; diploma and/or transcript of records; NBI/police clearance; authenticated birth certificate, and other pertinent documents such as TIN and SSS.
“Being prepared will give our jobseekers higher chances of finding a job suited to their qualifications as employers can already pre-screen their documents and interview those qualified,” Baldoz said as she emphasized that having all pre-employment documents readily available shall allow a employers faster and easier job selection and processing.
“This will increase the chances of applicants to be hired-on-the-spot (HOTS),” Baldoz explained.
The job fairs are open to all unemployed, skilled and unskilled workers, fresh college graduates, graduates of training institutions, displaced workers, and employees seeking advancement to rise in the career ladder.
The DOLE’s year-round job fair schedules and venues are posted for online accessibility in the government’s job and skills matching portal, www.phil-job.net.
Aside from preparing the ‘things to bring’ to the job fairs, Baldoz also said jobseekers must be on guard against illegal recruiters and placement agencies which may even offer fake or bogus job offers in job fair venues.
“At this time of the year when recruitment scams proliferate, jobseekers, particulalry new graduates, should be watchful and should guard themselves against too-good-to-be-true offers that might merely lead them to the path of those who have been victimized by scammers,” Baldoz said.
The labor chief encouraged students and jobseekers to visit or contact the DOLE’s regional and field offices in their area to check the list of licensed private recruitment and placement agencies (PRPAs) and their authorized branch offices and representatives before applying for a job.
“Our DOLE front liners, in partnership with our PESO officers, will assist jobseekers in verifying the authenticity and legitimacy of local recruitment agencies so they will not be duped,” she assured, adding that a visit to the local Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) is helpful if they wish to avail of other employment facilitation assistance and services.
“For example, they should know the schedule of our job fairs, training, and career counseling which could help them get into ‘skills-fit’ employment opportunities,” the labor and employment chief said.
An updated directory of PESO offices across the regions can be accessed at the DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment website at http://ble.dole.gov.ph/pesodir.asp.
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