DIFFERENT PERCEPTION REGARDING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES – UNEMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS AND EMPLOYERS

A frequent problem faced by employers in the labor market in the Republic of North Macedonia are candidates who possess formal knowledge but lack the necessary skills, abilities and knowledge. In short – they lack the competencies required for successful performance in a specific job position. In every hiring process, employers first assess the competencies possessed by the job candidate, or the potential that determines whether they will be successful in the workplace. It should be emphasized that competencies encompass skills, abilities, knowledge and personal traits that match the job requirements, determining whether a specific candidate is suitable for the job or needs to improve some skills and develop competencies necessary for the position. Most of the technical competencies should ideally be acquired during formal education i.e. undergraduate studies for the majority of citizens in Macedonia. The entire problem regarding the different perceptions of employment opportunities between the two sides of this issue – the unemployed and the employers – lies in the different assessment of the candidate's competencies from both sides (often including a lack of awareness of the competencies required for the job being applied for by the candidates). The analysis in this paper is focused on this extremely relevant issue, with an emphasis on the fact that quality education based on real needs is the foundation for a healthy economy, a healthy labor market and progress in any country.