July 21, 2023
As some governments in the Caribbean are calling for their respective diasporas to take advantage of investment and job opportunities in their home countries, the CEO of a leading recruitment firm says more of an effort must be made to make them aware of the opportunities.
Caribbean Employment Services Inc. is a market-leading digital talent acquisition service that aims to connect the top talent from the Caribbean with hiring managers, HR professionals and decision-makers in companies both within the Caribbean as well as abroad.
“As it is right now, digitalization is lacking when it comes to job opportunities in many respects,” says Joseph Boll, Caribbean Employment Services Inc. CEO. “Most jobseekers already rely on antiquated methods like radio ads, in-person job fairs that haven’t been adequately advertised and word-of-mouth referrals.”
Boll says this method is already frustrating and ineffective for people who live in the country. When trying to reach diaspora who live abroad, he adds, it’s even more so.
“It’s a good idea to try to reach diaspora to build human capital and combat brain drain, which contributes to a skills gap issue,” according to the CEO. “But more digitalization and better ways to make diaspora aware of the kind of job opportunities that may be available to them are necessary if anyone is to be successful in this goal.”
Digital talent acquisition services, such as those offered by Caribbean Employment Services Inc., offer a far more effective option for reaching diaspora about job opportunities that would entice them to return home. Services like this directly connect employers with qualified candidates and have the ability to notify candidates via email when new opportunities arise, instead of hoping that the right candidate will happen to hear an ad or happen to be on the island when a job fair is held.
More employers are being encouraged to utilize such services to reach a wider talent pool, including members of the diaspora. Especially as countries like Guyana and Barbados have made appeals for members of their diaspora to return home for investment and job opportunities; as brain drain continues to be a major challenge in the region; and CARICOM’s CSME that would allow free movement of skilled workers between participating member-states has yet to be fully enacted.