Malawi's Myjobo.com begins commercial push

Soft-launched in 2014, as of this August Myjobo.com is entering a new commercially-oriented phase, having market tested and validated its functionalities and model, with support from Malawaian tech incubator mHub.

The platform has attracted 41,000 subscribers and 500,000 unique visitors since launching; while 11,200 jobs have been advertised on the platform by 330 employers. In addition, a number of training providers have also shown interested in listing their services via the platform.

Employment-seekers have proven open to paying for premium services, with assistance in CV-writing the most commonly requested value-add service.

To date, the startup has been self-funded by founder Kondwani Mwangulube, with some services on offer for free or at discounted cost during the testing period.

Platform and model complete, the startup is now looking to shift into a commercial phase, and will focus on maximising revenues from various channels: online job advertising, pre-vetting staff, CV services, and reference checks.

“Speed, low cost, flexibility and reach are among the most common factors cited by recruiters when considering online job advertising or recruitment. Employers advertising on Myjobo.com have reported receiving applications within 15 minutes after a position appeared on the website. That shows how effective and trustworthy our job site is,” said Mwangulube.

The transition of platform to a paid-for business model is a reflection of the increasing value that time conscious and busy employers see in Myjobo.com; with numerous employers signed up to paid-for services after satisfying results during the pilot phase.