A human resource specialist and consultant, Ivy Yayra Tessu, has said the mismatch of skills of job applicants is one of the contributory factors to joblessness in Ghana.

Speaking on Class91.3FM’s Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Wednesday, 22 May 2019, Ms Tessu told show host Benjamin Akakpo that: “The next thing that is causing the unemployment is the mismatch of skills”.

“People don’t have the skills for the jobs they want to do”, she explained, adding: “You pick a typical finance person and the person says: ‘I’m reading finance’, but you look on the CV and you ask certain questions like the skills that a finance person needs to possess and you realise that the person doesn’t have the skills”.

Ms Tessu noted that potential employers look out for “the skills, the knowledge and the abilities of the person” when they are considering them for employment, “so, if you don’t have the skills that I need you to work [with], you probably might not get the job.”

“For instance”, she explained, “If you’re an HR person and you come for an interview, I ask you: ‘how is performance management done?’ and you don’t know how to do a simple performance appraisal or sometimes recruitment. Recruitment is a process, there’s a process you go through to recruit and I ask you: ‘so how is the recruitment done?’ and you don’t have the skill. So, most people do not have the skills to do whatever they’re doing.”

The HR consultant and specialist also urged job seekers to give some attention to their creative sides by taking up their passion and talents and generating a living out of them.

“Most people too are not looking at their entrepreneurial side, they’re not using their skills, their talents. People are very creative but they just sit home and say they’re looking for a job.

“…What comes to you naturally, what are your talents, what do you do with ease? They tell me and I say: ‘why don’t you try something instead of waiting to get a job, why don’t you put something together, your skills; if it is cooking, if it is baking?

“Some people are very good at styling, they dress well, so, why don’t you become a style coach, why don’t you teach your friends how to style. Somebody is going for a programme, they call you: ‘what should I wear?’, you do that and get some little money.

“You should be using your talent as well rather than sitting at home to get a job.”

Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM