By Mike Dulira
In Malawi, as in many other parts of the world, job vacancies are seen as opportunities for people to improve their lives, contribute to the economy and shape their futures.
Yet, a troubling trend has emerged in the country’s job market, one that raises an important question: are vacancies indeed vacancies or are they merely a formality?
For many job seekers, who are mostly young people, applying for a position is a hopeful step towards securing gainful employment.
However, an increasing number of positions being advertised in Malawi seem to invite an excessive number of candidates, far more than necessary.
A case in point is the growing practice among employers, such as government institutions and larger corporations, of inviting hundreds of applicants for a single position when only one individual is truly needed.
Some job listings appear to attract up to 80 candidates, even though it is well understood by those in the know that the position has already been earmarked for a specific individual. This is not fair!
This practice of delays and inviting more candidates than necessary raises questions about transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.
In many instances, these vacancies seem to serve no purpose other than to create the illusion of an open and competitive process.
For example, government departments in Malawi, which are supposed to set the standard for merit-based hiring, often take an inordinate amount of time to shortlist candidates and make final decisions.
In some cases, months or even years pass between the advertisement of a position and the actual appointment.
This delay often raises suspicions that the process is not as transparent as it should be and of course, it reduces hope among the potentially qualified candidates.
The practice of holding large-scale recruitment only to select a candidate who was already known to be suitable or selected in advance is not only a waste of resources but also a disservice to those who invest their time and energy into preparing for a job that they may never truly be considered for.
This situation undermines public trust in both the recruitment process and the fairness, leaving many job seekers frustrated and disheartened.
The issue of unnecessary recruitment drives can also be seen in the private sector, although to a lesser extent.
Many companies, in an effort to appear open and inclusive, cast a wide net with job postings, sometimes inviting dozens of candidates for interviews when they are already aware of who they plan to hire.
Sometimes they do advertise for the sake of an audit to various stakeholders.
These inflated numbers create a sense of competition that may not truly exist, leading to disillusionment a m o n g candidates and increasing the perception that the hiring process is merely a rubber stamp.
The question remains: Are these vacancies real?
When employers post job openings with the knowledge that they have already chosen their preferred candidate or when excessive numbers of candidate
