Gamjobs in collaboration with UNDP-The Gambia Accelerator Lab has introduced an SMS service targeting job seekers and employers, geared toward increasing public access to job information.

This will enable job seekers and employers to be receiving regular job information amid coronavirus pandemic.

Through the service, job seekers will receive real-time SMS alerts of existing job opportunities directly on their mobile phones. It also enables users to subscribe and send inquiries about job applications via text message of the word “SUBS” to 1820.

On the other hand, employers can also use SMS to inquire about job posting procedures and receive updates of resumes matching their job requirements instantly by texting “HIRE” to 1820

According to Gamjobs General Manager Seedy Fofana, being the leading career network in The Gambia, they find it prudent to support out people that matter through instant SMS especially during this covid-19 pandemic which has restricted movement. “Besides, as companies struggle to reach customers during this global health crisis, SMS has become an essential tool to increase customer base,” he said.

Ebrima Dem, founder and CEO of Gamjobs highlighted that apart from job seekers and providers, the SMS service can also be used by institutions and organisations running campaigns and awareness-raising programmes especially those targeting people at working age.

According to him, through an experiment with the UNDP-The Gambia Accelerator Lab, they were able to increase their SMS subscriber-based from 400 to 5500 active subscribers in 3 months. “Many of these users are young people thus making it a good medium to reach out to a large audience instantly in all GSM networks in the country,” he said.

Mr. Dem said SMS is a very practical form of communication in today’s daily lives hence Gamjobs deemed it fitting and necessary to use this technology to reach people, especially those without internet facility or those whose access to the internet is limited.