Jobformidling

Jobformidling is the process of helping job seekers find employment by matching them with available vacancies. It is typically carried out by public employment services, private recruitment firms, and, in many countries, through partnerships among government agencies, employers, and training providers. The activities include assessing a candidate's skills and preferences, advising on resumes and interview techniques, identifying suitable vacancies, facilitating introductions to employers, and sometimes arranging work trials or subsidized employment.

Many jobformidling programs also offer labor market training, career counseling, and ongoing support to improve job retention. In some systems, subsidies or incentives are provided to employers to hire unemployed or long-term unemployed workers, apprentices, or people with disabilities. The goal is to reduce unemployment, shorten the time to placement, and raise long-term employment outcomes while ensuring a good fit between worker and job.

Organization and funding vary by country. Public employment services typically operate within a national or regional framework and are financed from government budgets; private agencies earn fees from employers or job seekers. Key performance indicators include placement rate, time to placement, job retention, and user satisfaction. Critics point to potential inefficiencies, risk of mismatch, privacy concerns, and unequal access, especially for marginalized groups. Proponents argue that effective jobformidling strengthens labor markets by improving information flow and reducing fragmentation between job seekers and employers.