During the 6th Regional Virtual Days of Careers and Knowledge from October 21 to 28, the Croatian portal MojPosao, in collaboration with job advertising portals in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, conducted a survey of over 4,000 respondents to determine the similarities and differences in the labor markets of these countries.
The MojPosao survey shows that Croats hope to find a job within three months after completing their education and that they have the shortest unemployment duration in the region.
Almost 40 percent of respondents plan to change jobs this year, which is about 10 percent less than in 2013. A quarter would change jobs only if forced to. Respondents from Serbia would change jobs the most, while Croats, who fear for their jobs, would change the least, even though they want to work for a foreign employer.
Croats Fear for Their Jobs More Than Serbs and Bosnians
Croats are more concerned about their jobs, with 45 percent expressing this concern, compared to 37 percent of respondents from Bosnia and Herzegovina and 36 percent from Serbia. The highest percentage, 36 percent of respondents, would choose a foreign employer whom they consider more ideal than others. A quarter of respondents would work for themselves, and a fifth for the state. Working for a domestic private employer is equally unattractive to everyone.
Respondents do not consider money the most important factor, but rather interpersonal relationships and recognition for their work, with only a fifth considering money the most important element. More than 70 percent of respondents do not expect promotions or raises by the end of the year, and only 10 percent received one. Only seven percent advanced. The highest expectations for raises and promotions are among respondents from Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the least are from Croatia.
Unemployed Due to Non-Renewal of Employment Contracts and the Crisis
In Croatia, a third of respondents are unemployed because their fixed-term contracts were not renewed, and a quarter lost their jobs due to the economic crisis. About 30 percent of unemployed respondents have been out of work for three months, and a quarter for one to three years. The shortest unemployment duration is among respondents from Croatia, with 27 percent unemployed for up to three months, while 15 percent are in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 percent in Serbia.
A fifth applies to job postings 20 times, while a third applies up to ten times. Thirteen percent of respondents applied to more than 100 job postings, while 9 percent did not apply at all. On specialized job advertising sites, 80 percent of respondents are looking for jobs, and 78 percent through the Croatian Employment Service. Almost 70 percent of respondents are looking for any job, 27 percent would work in their field, while others would choose jobs outside their field.
Two-thirds believe that having connections is important for getting a job, while a slightly smaller number of respondents believe that experience is important. Connections were most frequently mentioned by respondents from Serbia and least by those from Bosnia and Herzegovina. As many as 90 percent are willing to volunteer for the possibility of permanent employment.
About 30 percent of respondents believe they will find a job within three months, a fifth extends this period to six months, another fifth to a year, and 12 percent believe they will be job hunting for more than a year. Almost half of the surveyed students believe that the best time to look for a job is during their studies, while 38 percent believe it is after graduation.
The survey involved more than 600 respondents from Croatia, of which 48 percent are unemployed, 48 percent are employed, 7 percent are studying, and most do not expect either a raise or a promotion this year.
