Choices and changes of recruitment methods in a Tanzanian city

Abstract

Labour market processes in Tanzania constitute an important but an under-researched topic. This study investigates the recruitment methods of private companies in Mwanza, Tanzania's second largest city. It asks whether employers make use of informal methods more often than formal methods, whether the skills required for a job relate to the choice of methods and whether the vacancy period of a position is linked to a specific approach. A survey consisting of 81 face-to-face interviews with hiring authorities shows that employers prefer informal to formal schemes but tend to rely on formal ones for filling high-ranking positions. Statistically, no influence of the recruitment method on the vacancy period could be found. Additional insights are provided by 10 semi-structured follow-up interviews with respondents from the same group. They suggest an increase in solicited and unsolicited applications that might have caused some hiring authorities to avoid formal methods or modify informal methods. Moreover, it emerges that recruitment choices may be influenced by powerful actors outside or within companies. Future research should explore the benefits and risks of specific recruitment methods as related to the socio-economic context in which they are used, changes in the repertoire of recruitment methods and the role of various actors as potential codeterminants of recruitment methods, especially for lower ranks.