Job-seeking platform FastJobs makes applying for employment easier and faster
THERE are many job recruitment sites available today, but FastJobs is trying to make a difference by catering to blue-collar employment daily via social media.
Founded by Singapore Press Holdings as a start-up in 2015, the FastJobs platform (www.fastjobs.my) offers gig-focused hiring approaches to new and niche industries across Southeast Asia, backed by technology and industry insights.
"Technology has played a huge role in hiring activities in the past 18 months.
"We saw essential services adapting their business models, embracing technology in their recruitment process, and shifting more of their hiring needs through technology-enabled platforms," said FastJobs Malaysia's general manager Joelle Pang on how the tech-driven job platform helps employers mitigate the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Movement restrictions imposed by governments in the region have contributed to the rise of e-commerce and food delivery, which in turn, has resulted in increased hiring in these sectors, especially for last-mile orders.
"We facilitated a huge number of interviews through our e-FastRecruit service during the pandemic, which has also given us greater insight into the evolving mindset among jobseekers and human resource practitioners with regard to talent acquisition and retention.
"We are certain that we will further evolve the human resource and hiring practices very soon.
"Through this service, we also aim to help companies build a contingency workforce to support their existing teams," said Pang.
UTILISING SOCIAL MEDIA
On top of having "WhatsApp to Apply" and "FastChat" features, FastJobs also utilises its social media platforms to connect with jobseekers and provide them with tips on how to successfully secure a job, like interview tips and etiquettes via Instagram reels, and short videos on Facebook and LinkedIn.
"We also hope to facilitate gainful employment of local jobseekers by simplifying the job-seeking process.
"They too have access to a free resume builder available on the website.
"At the same time, we also take proactive measures to highlight active job posts via targeted email blasts and push-app notifications to our jobseekers, which currently stand at over 1.4 million," she said.
In recent campaigns, the platform saw about 80 per cent of jobseekers use their mobile phones to secure job interviews, which according to Pang, validates the company's decision to adopt the mobile-first strategy.
The FastJobs app has been downloaded more than one million times since it was launched.
"We find that jobseekers are more likely to attend online interviews than face-to-face ones at this time. When we organise online interview campaigns, we witness a rise in applications on our platforms for companies that provide this solution.
"This is also why we empower employers to adapt and pivot their hiring efforts online, and to also invest in more technological infrastructure to enable a seamless hiring experience.
"Having the right technology in place will ensure a smooth interview process and also allow companies to proceed with scheduled interviews despite movement restrictions," said Pang.
BEING FLEXIBLE
According to Pang, the platform has gained traction in the services industry, including food and beverage, retail, and hospitality.
"Although many industries were impacted heavily by the pandemic. FastJobs saw a steady increase in hiring by the manufacturing sector, as well as the logistics and warehousing sectors since the start of the Movement Control Order in Malaysia in March 2020," she said.
To address the challenges faced by employers, especially when physical distancing is enforced, FastJobs introduced e-FastRecruit, a service that assists with sourcing and assessment of relevant candidates, which is tailored for the gig economy.
"e-FastRecruit is the latest development of our growing legacy as a technology innovator and trendsetter within the talent solutions industry.
"Additionally, with the pandemic continuing longer than expected, we've revised our hiring strategies to suit the current situation, considering the challenges faced by jobseekers.
"In these extraordinary times, we've provided a platform like 'FastGig' to enable gig workers, including stay-at-home mothers, to work while they tend to other responsibilities at home," said Pang, adding that the company utilises key data insights to support better job-matching.
Designed to evolve with the hiring process, the e-FastRecruit service allows companies to continue mass hiring to meet business demands, even during lockdowns.
Sharing one of their success stories, Pang said during the initial phase of introducing the e-FastRecruit service, FastJobs partnered with Japanese retailer Don Don Donki (also known as Jonetz), which offered hundreds of positions ahead of its outlet opening in March.
More than 300 jobseekers in Malaysia were hired at its outlet in Lot 10 Shopping Centre via the FastJobs platform.
FIVE EASY STEPS
On FastJobs, it takes only five steps before jobseekers are matched with potential employers.
The first is to download the FastJobs app, followed by creating an account and verifying the jobseeker's mobile number. The third step is to build their resume.
For those who do not have a resume ready, they can produce it with the help of FastJobs' in-app resume builder.
Once the resume is ready, jobseekers can choose their preferred job locations and categories, positions and companies they wish to work for.
The final step is to press the "Apply Now" button to post their resume to the jobs that they want to apply for.
It will then be the employer's turn to complete the hiring process.