ENDING JOB MISMATCH WITH AI: TECH SOLUTION FOR A STUBBORN PROBLEM

ENDING JOB MISMATCH WITH AI: TECH SOLUTION FOR A STUBBORN PROBLEM Job mismatch is not just a technical issue—it’s a silent productivity killer and a threat to national well-being. Every year, thousands of qualified Filipinos are either underemployed or wrongly placed, resulting in a workforce that's not just underutilized, but demoralized. It’s time we accept this harsh truth: our current system of matching people to jobs is broken. But there's good news—artificial intelligence (AI) may be the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for. Let’s define the problem first. Job mismatch happens when a person’s skills, education, or experience don’t align with the demands of the job they land. This may seem harmless at first glance, but the consequences are far-reaching: · Job insecurity rises as mismatched workers are more likely to be laid off. · Employers lose money on hiring and training people who don’t stay long. · Some companies abuse the mismatch excuse to delay regularization and dodge employee benefits. · Mental health takes a hit, with job instability and lack of satisfaction leading to anxiety, burnout, and worse. · Social risks multiply, as unemployed or underemployed individuals may resort to crime or other risky behaviors just to survive. Despite these red flags, we've long tolerated this cycle—posting job ads, sorting résumés, interviewing mismatched applicants, and repeating the whole thing when it doesn’t work out. So here’s the proposal: Let AI handle the matchmaking. A Filipino-developed AI platform now exists that can precisely pair job seekers with employers, based not just on keywords but on a comprehensive set of data points—skills, experience, interests, location, and even aptitude. Think of it as a dating app for jobs, only smarter and more purposeful. Even better, this AI tool is not for sale. It’s offered as a free subscription, meaning the government can endorse and promote it without legal complications—no procurement, no bidding, no red tape. Job seekers benefit without spending a single peso. Employers get better candidates. Government agencies can refer applicants with confidence. This kind of tech-based approach could also help clean up one of the public sector’s open secrets: the overuse of job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) positions. Too often, agencies fill tech roles with warm bodies rather than well-matched talent. With AI-powered matching, we can make sure that digitalization efforts are supported by the right people with the right skills, not just whoever’s available. Let’s also remember that mismatch is not limited to unemployment. Underemployment—when someone is technically employed but working below their qualifications—is just as destructive. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) has found that 40% of working Filipinos are overqualified for their jobs. That’s not just wasted talent. That’s a systemic failure. Fixing this can lead to higher job satisfaction, lower turnover rates, and a more resilient economy. And while this AI solution was designed primarily with private sector hiring in mind, there’s no reason it can’t be adapted for government use, especially in conjunction with training programs like the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act. This is a low-cost, high-impact solution. It won’t require huge capital outlays. It won’t need new laws. What it needs is political will and leadership endorsement. It’s about time we moved past the old, inefficient ways of job hunting—random résumés, guesswork hiring, and HR roulette—and embraced data-driven, AI-assisted employment matching. The technology is here. The software exists. The only question now is: Will we use it? Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com 07-15-2025