Careers in retail: BRJ helps women fare well

In cooperation with Bab Rizq Jameel (BRJ), Kamal Othman Jamjoom Company (KOJC) has created several sales job opportunities at its branches throughout the Kingdom.
The company created more than 600 job opportunities including as administrators, saleswomen and showroom supervisors.
In response to the latest decisions of the Ministry of Labor, certain companies launched initiatives. For example, KOJC successfully made a difference in the area of feminizing showrooms.
The company decided to solve and remove all the difficulties that could hinder continuity of feminizing jobs, and became the first company to encourage employment of Saudi females in retail business for more than 15 years.
The company made practical steps by providing employment, training and support to the Saudi females at key trade outlets of the company such as the Body Shop, Naomi and Mikyaji.
Hameed Diyab, sales director at KOJC, said the feminization plan has been achieved with ease and flexibility as a result of the supportive cooperation from BRJ, the initiative of Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI), which effectively helped in providing qualified females throughout the Kingdom.
In addition, this step will guarantee continuous cooperation to cope with the progress and development in labor market.
Rola Basamad, employment general director at BRJ, announced that the Female Employment Center at BRJ has helped in creating around 600 job opportunities for Saudi females during the first half (H1) of 2013, at various branches of KOJC in the Kingdom.
In addition, several females have been approaching BRJ for job opportunities.
On its part, BRJ conducts interviews and nominates candidates for the jobs based on the job descriptions.
Basamad said BRJ has created 16,243 job opportunities during H1 2013, that is 41 percent compared with the same period of 2012.
Nearly equal job opportunities for males and females have been created through the direct employment program — 8,033 job opportunities for males and 8,210 others for females.
The direct employment program matches job seekers and jobs available at private sector companies, and introduces companies to qualified male and female job seekers through BRJ database. BRJ creates direct jobs with these companies.
Most jobs created were for production workers, salesmen, security guards and female sales representatives.
Companies cooperated with BRJ during H1 2013 were Al Hokair, Tadhadis Najd Security Services, SAS International, Avon, Al Rajhi Contracting, Bameko Arabian and Al Shaya International, aside from KOJC. Jobs are approved after obtaining a formal statement from the employers.
KOJC distinguishes itself from other companies by the long career and stability it offers to females. This is achieved through pre and on-the-job training and qualification, as well as the continuous elaboration of standards that control the process of employing females, including work hours, incentives and enabling partial work hours.
This resulted in increased sales of the company.