JEDDAH, 4 April 2004 — Local businesses have recruited some 850 Saudis, mostly in low- to mid-level jobs, as a result of a two-week recruitment mart at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
“One out of every four Saudis who responded at the event have been offered jobs,” JCCI Secretary-General Muhammad Al-Sharif told a press conference yesterday.
“We expect job offers to reach 900 by the weekend,” he said.
Jobs ranged from the food, perfume, and carpet trade to executive secretary; the bulk were sales staff and security guards.
“Our strategic plan is to provide employment to all Saudis who come,” Al-Sharif said.
Some 100 companies participated in the event, with Saudi students and jobseekers thronging the JCCI hall. The event offered an opportunity for direct interaction between the employers and jobseekers.
Many had no idea about job interviews. “So the JCCI conducted a series of lectures and courses to enable the candidates to deal with interviews,” Al-Sharif said.
The indications were that Saudis in general preferred executive secretary positions to sales jobs. “We had to convince them of the benefits of sales jobs, and only then did they start to accept them,” he said.
He told those who accepted the job offers to fulfill their contractual obligations, respect working hours and work diligently. “You should demonstrate that you are capable of taking up responsible positions in business organizations,” he said.
Abdul Fattah Aldhawi of the A.M. Aldhawi Office for Customs Clearance said the department’s 15 entry points needed trained Saudis. “This is urgent,” Aldhawi said, adding that the ongoing eight-month course to train Saudis for customs clearance offices would help. “But we need them to be able to translate Arabic and English documents,” he added.
Alsorayai Carpet Factory Human Resources Director Atiyyah ibn Abdul Razzak Al-Zahrani said Saudis should be discouraged from switching jobs frequently, a practice which is putting employers off hiring Saudis. It also “will not benefit employees as they will get no experience,” he said.
