Electronic jobs service attracts new visitors

In the Image and Artists Bank artists can display their abilities online by means of reference pictures and details of qualifications. It is one of the new parts of the electronic services of the Swedish PES. There is also a Vacancy Bank, Jobseeker Bank and the Temporary Replacement Worker Bank.

A job description system, describing jobs from A to Z, acts as a complement to the various banks. In the autumn, the services will also be available via digital TV.

Because the PES services have been developed and are available via the Internet, people’s attitudes to the PES have changed. Whereas previously it touched primarily those who were unemployed or had just completed a course of education/training, it nowadays works on an interactive basis, enabling people to continually monitor the situation relevant to their own area of interest.

Everyone can «subscribe» to job vacancies in their chosen occupational area and geographical region. Employers, too, can deal with large parts of their recruitment activity using the «Recruitment assistant», which facilitates communications, tests and so on. The first job interview can be carried out via e-mail.

«We estimate that we reach between ten and twelve per cent of the total labour force each month, and we reach new groups who are using the electronic services to monitor their interest areas on the labour market,» says Clas Almén, head of Employment Service Systems. Since its start in 1995, the use of electronic employment services has increased dramatically, and nowadays self-service via the Internet is definitely the most normal way of getting hold of labour market information. Statistics show that accessibility
has increased. Many searches are conducted outside normal office hours.«

The services become accessible in a completely new way. There is increased transparency in the system between individuals and authorities,» says Clas Almén.

When an increasing amount of the job placement work is carried out via the Internet, the role of the ordinary employment service changes and it is increasingly able to concentrate on job-seekers especially in need of measures
and assistance.

The major challenge at the moment is to achieve a common standard among the various suppliers of job vacancies.

«Our objective is that people should only need to enter one site. We do not view the private players as competitors, we see them rather as a complement to our services. Presumably, the private companies will be able to take over certain tasks from company personnel departments,» says Clas Almén.

In the autumn, the employment services will be made available via digital TV. The PES is also involved in the development of a European jobs database on behalf of the European Commission.

«Many countries are interested in our system and we are not holding back on refinements,» says Clas Almén.