The rate of employment in Cameroon is very low, reported at 3.1291% in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. This low employment rate hides an important problem, the challenge of finding competent workers.
In fact, one might be tempted to think that low employment means over-availability of skilled labour relative to demand. Unfortunately, this is not always the case because for people to develop competencies, they need in most cases to gain experience.
Meanwhile, the literacy rate in Cameroon is quite high relative to other countries in the subregion. According to UNESCO, Cameroon had an adult literacy rate of 78.23% back in 2020. At that time, while the male literacy rate was 83.4%, for females it was 73.12%, showing a gap between the sexes. The global literacy rate is expected to increase every year as the government partners with the private sector in creating schools even in far flung communities. But being literate is not the same as being competent.
How Competence is Acquired
There is a consensus in the literature that competence is acquired more through on-the-job training than through classroom training. When a company provides on the job training to new employees, it also has a big advantage of giving the employee personalized training that is right for them. Instead of using cookie-cutter training videos or learning materials, an employee will get thrown into the fray immediately. A more experienced employee will be partnering with them one on one. This will allow for more personalized attention.
The trainer should be able to identify what a new employee’s strengths and weaknesses are and can then adjust accordingly. With customized instruction, the trainer can give a new employee extra help where they need it while limiting instruction on skills they’re already proficient at.
It is consequently safe to say that an experienced employee is probably more competent than a person without work experience. In fact, it is common sense to expect an entrepreneur to stake their trust in someone who has “touched it, smelled it and tasted it” than on a person who simply “heard about it” even if the latter was
tutored by the best of teachers or graduated from the best of schools.
Such is the challenge that Cameroon faces: high literacy rate but few opportunities for graduates to gain professional experience because of the very few employment opportunities in the country.
The Nature of Cameroonian Workers
Meanwhile, those who are lucky to find employment in Cameroon give their all to it. The country has amongst the most loyal and submissive employees in the world, who go at every length to practice enterprise first behaviors. This explains why turnover rate in most companies and organisations in Cameroon is quite low. A country where resignation from any office or employment is still considered strange. Many people spend their entire productive life working for the same company.
Why Outsourced Headhunting Services are Relevant
The point we are making is that, most competent professionals who are already employed in Cameroon – particularly those with stable contracts of indefinite duration – do not pay much attention in looking for other opportunities outside their organization. Companies understand this quite well, they go at length to provide their core employees with financial and social amenities that encourage competent talent to keep their eyes inward rather than outward.
You would be amazed by the number of vacancies that organizations and companies have unfilled in their organizational structure, and the number of times that employers advertise the same positions. An average vacancy in a fortune 500 company in Cameroon attracts over 300 applications and for many technical and sensitive managerial positions, finding a single suitable candidate, one that ticks all the boxes, remains a stiff challenge for such companies.
This is of course more difficult for some organisations than others, depending on the sector of operation and the risk tolerance level. Oil and gas companies for example find it difficult to backfill low to average level roles such as scaffolders, drillers, derrickman, material man, FRB Captains, crane operators, pumpman, jack operators, wellhead technicians and similar roles that require certified professionals.
In other sectors, finding the right executive managers, legal/compliance advisors, actuarial scientists, business economics, customs and freight forwarding experts, risk and control experts, compensation and benefits specialist, geophysicists, IT infrastructure managers, project managers and strategists can be a daunting task. The best ones are usually already engaged with other organisations who sometimes underuse them as they have managed to put systems in place that run on autopilot or have trained other colleagues who can keep the boat afloat.
The result is that organisations that really need such professionals find it terribly difficult to locate them.
In today’s fast-paced and competitive business environment, the success of an organization is largely dependent on the quality of its leadership and workforce. Executive roles, including senior management, and other high-impact technical roles, require individuals who possess not only exceptional skills and experience but also the ability to drive strategic initiatives and inspire their teams. This is where headhunting, or executive search, becomes crucial.
SPETIV Consulting is the leading recruitment and headhunting firm in Cameroon, that supports companies and charities in proactively seeking out and recruiting top-tier talent for executive and technical roles, ensuring that organizations have the right leaders to navigate challenges and the right talent to achieve their goals.
WHY USE SPETIV CONSULTING?
We did not become leaders in recruitment and headhunting by chance. The following are the values we add to your recruitment objectives:
1. Access to Passive Candidates: We have expertise and networks to reach out to passive candidates who are not actively seeking new opportunities but may be open to the right offer. These individuals are often highly successful and content in their current roles but can bring immense value to a new organization.
2. Targeted Search: SPETIV Consulting conduct a highly targeted search based on the specific requirements of the role. This ensures that the candidates presented have the precise skills, experience, and leadership qualities needed.
3. Speed and Efficiency: Utilizing SPETIV Consulting as a headhunting firm can significantly speed up the recruitment process. We have the resources and connections to quickly identify and approach suitable candidates, reducing the time to hire.
4. Confidentiality and Discretion: Our firm maintains strict confidentiality throughout the search process. This is particularly important when replacing an existing executive or when our client organization wants to keep strategic plans under wraps.
5. Market Intelligence: SPETIV Consulting brings valuable market intelligence, including insights into competitors’ leadership structures, compensation packages, and talent availability. This information can be crucial for making informed hiring decisions.
6. Enhanced Candidate Assessment: We conduct thorough assessments, including detailed interviews, reference checks, and background verifications. This comprehensive evaluation process ensures that only the best candidates are presented to our clients.
AVAILABLE HEADHUNTING SUPPORT
SPETIV Consulting is an invaluable partner for organizations seeking to fill executive and other sensitive management or technical roles with top-tier talent. Our proactive and targeted approach ensures that companies have access to the best candidates who can lead them to success. By leveraging our expertise as the leading recruitment and headhunting firm in Cameroon, organizations can make strategic hiring decisions that align with their long-term goals and drive sustainable growth. In the ever-evolving business landscape, the right workforce makes all the difference, and SPETIV Consulting provides the means to locate and secure the competent talent you need.
