A growing number of African start-ups are entering the recruitment space against a background of rife unemployment, reports Disrupt Africa, a news and commentary site for African start-ups.

It lists the top five e-recruitment start-ups “to keep an eye on” as follows:

Duma Works, a Kenyan start-up providing recruitment solutions for small- and medium-sized enterprises. It allows users to create a profile via SMS (text message), messaging app WhatsApp and online. Employers can then be connected to the most relevant candidates.

Kama Kazi, also Kenyan, provides an online platform to link employers and jobseekers. Jobseekers are pre-vetted by the company, as well as offered training and assistance in finding the right job.

M4Jam, a South African ‘microjobbing’ platform, takes big jobs from reputable companies and breaks them into smaller jobs. This allows users to complete simple tasks using their phones in exchange for cash. Once the ‘microjobs’ are complete, the platform collates them and sends the finished package to the employer.

Giraffe, also South African, focuses on improving access to job listings for the low and medium-skilled job market using mobile. Jobseekers can sign up via SMS or Giraffe's website, which asks them a series of questions, culminating in a short digital CV. Employers can log on and submit a staffing request. The platform’s algorithm then automatically contacts suitable candidates asking if they would like to interview. It even schedules interviews for those that respond with a yes, then forwards their CVs to the employer.

PushCV, a Nigerian start-up, allows jobseekers to upload a CV. It pre-screens applicants, whose profiles are then made available for employers to browse.

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