Less than 500 hired on-the-spot in metro-wide DOLE job fairs

The Department of Labor and Employment-7 reported that 456 jobseekers were hired on-the-spot (HOTS) and 2,081 were nearly hired during the recently concluded Labor Day job fairs.

DOLE-7 officer-in-charge Exequiel Sarcauga said they are optimistic that the number of HOTS recorded so far will increase as they wait for the final reports from employers.

Of the six simultaneous job fairs conducted by the agency last May 1, the job fair in Lapu-Lapu City tallied the highest number of HOTS at 159 for local positions.

The local job fair in SM Consolacion, Cebu came in next with 100 applicants hired on the spot while the one conducted at the Cebu Provincial Capitol Social Hall recorded 98 applicants who were HOTS.

SM City Cebu Trade Hall job fair produced 88 HOTS while at the job fair at the Cebu City Sports Center, only four applicants got a new jobs for overseas positions.

In Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, the HOTS recorded included six for local positions and one for an overseas position.

Ma. Nancy Abad, chief of the Technical Support Services Division- Employment Welfare of DOLE-7, said there are 2,081 applicants considered as near-hires.

Abad cited Business Process Management as an example, where near-hires were recommended for simulation and training about the products and services of the companies concerned.

In other fields, trade testings were required before the near-hires will be eligible for hiring.

Abad added that near-hires can also be required by companies to comply with medical requirements and background check when needed.

"It is still the prerogative of the employers to finally hire them or not depending on the participants' level of experience and expertise," she clarified.

DOLE-7 said that among the 6,427 applicants interviewed, 6,287 were able to meet the minimum requirements of the employers. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon