7.3 Recruitment and Hiring

Poor recruitment strategy and a poor range of incentives have led to unfair and ineffective recruitment processes

According to key informants, the recruitment strategies in the Libyan labor market are one of its primary weaknesses. Businesses are perceived to have little understanding of how to employ the people they require, and jobs seekers have little understanding of how to best showcase their range of skills when applying for a job. Whilst 95% of the companies in the PSS sample use some form of recruitment method, 44% rely on a single recruitment method, and only 16% use a diverse range of methods (3 or more). The most common methods that companies use are friends/family (87%), online recruitment (40%) or personal networks/wasta39 (28%). Recruitment methods are thereby fairly informal and only 13% of the companies in the PSS sample use public recruitment agencies, whilst 15% use private recruitment agencies. With few professional recruitment companies in the country, poor recruitment strategies and a lack of professional recruitment standards, this has created a culture of favoritism in the labor market. These findings were also corroborated by qualitative data.

“It’s random. We don’t have companies that function to assess people who are looking for jobs. The recruitment strategy is to make an advertisement that you need employees or by recommendations. In Libya we don’t have a clear recruitment strategy.”

Professor, Albayda

“The recruitment processes happen through personal networks and societal bonds.”

Ministry of Labor branch, Kikla

“The biggest challenge is the connection challenge; most people get recruited by the strategy of favoritism and connection. Employers usually hire people they know.”

Senior member in the administrative branch at the Almadar company, Benghazi

The growing use of social media, however, and a few online platforms may help to improve the efficiency and reach of private sector recruitment and break the culture of favoritism in the labor market.

“Currently, through social media or through private relationships. If the employer is employing in a formal way, he can use social media, where he can set certain conditions, but if he wants to hire in an informal way, it will be through his personal relationships.”

Teacher, Faculty of Economics, Ajdabiya

“Favouritism is the first method, and for people who have a background on libyainvestment or libyajobs platforms (two online recruitment platforms). Almost daily, new jobs are added, so those who persevere, and search, will get a job. But this requires you to be a person who knows how to write or prepare your CV, your motivation letter, and that you also have experience. The libyainvestment platform is aimed at people with ready-to-use experience and skills (the educated class) without targeting skills development. So, if you ask me how to get a job that does not require a lot of skills or experience, it is still through connections and word of mouth. As for the complex positions or jobs, most of them are via libyainvestment and social media.”

Entrepreneurship expert, Tripoli

The online supply-side survey reveals that the majority of participants also rely on friends and family for recruitment (60%), in addition to online recruiters (48%) and personal connections (24%). Traditional recruitment agencies remain the lowest methods used for job searches. As such, the methods used by the private sector companies and jobseekers do match, but these methods are, however, not optimal in ensuring proper linkages between employers and job-seekers.

Another concern highlighted by the data is the lack of understanding of the importance of CVs on the part of both employers and job seekers, which was highlighted by key informants.

“Job seekers make 15 copies of their Certificate of Graduation and prepare 15 files, then they start looking for a job by submitting these files in all the sectors they can reach. After two months or so of not being able to find a job, people will tell you they must have a good connection with those in charge in order to be employed.”

Student Union, Benghazi University

The issue of favoritism is also perceived by online survey respondents as being among the main challenges they face in finding a job. Indeed, it is the most frequently mentioned challenge, with 24% mentioning this. Other key challenges include a lack of opportunities (20%), experience required (14%) and skills required (8%). In relation to this, however, survey results showed a more positive outlook on how long participants have been looking for a job. 52% of respondents expressed it has been less than a year, whilst 32% of respondents answered 1-2 years. Only 6% expressed that they have had great difficulties in searching for a job (6+ years).

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Private sector growth forecast