Job hunting is taking a digital turn, with artificial intelligence creating new ways for Namibians to showcase their skills, connect with employers and earn an income.

AISODX Hire is an AI-focused talent marketplace that connects businesses with verified AI professionals, offering opportunities ranging from short-term gigs to full-time jobs and pre-scoped digital services.

Gone are the days when job seekers had to go from one office to another, CV in hand, in search of employment.

AISODX Hire is designed to bring job seekers, freelancers and businesses onto one digital platform, where users can create profiles, showcase their skills and undergo verification before being matched with relevant opportunities.

The platform says its verification process focuses on practical skills rather than certificates alone.

AISODX Hire's Chief AI and Creative Officer, Maria Matheus, says the platform was developed in response to the challenges faced by unemployed young people, particularly those who have skills but struggle to access opportunities.

She says the platform can reduce some of the costs associated with traditional job hunting, allowing users to apply online, showcase their work and potentially connect with employers or clients.

"There is a platform for the administrator as well as the client. The client is the one who's offering the gigs or the jobs. So, what the client does is. The client goes to the AISOD X platform, signs up, and then fills in their CV, or rather, their portfolio profile. So we actually have a voice. You can actually fill in your profile just by giving an overview to say, My name is Maria Matthews. I have five years of experience or two, three years of experience. These are my skills and so on. So once you do that, it automatically fills all the fields, except you still have to upload, let's say, your CV. You still have to upload it because we still need to have that view. Perhaps your LinkedIn profile or your developer profile, and then from there it moves on to the administrator. The administrator needs to verify you. If you're not verified, you cannot be matched to jobs. Once they verify you, AISOD X will automatically match you to all the jobs that align with your skills."

The platform also allows users to showcase completed work as packages that businesses can browse and purchase, while companies can post gigs or recruit verified talent. AISODX Hire says payments for work on the platform can be protected through an escrow system.

Lourena Lourenςo, a software developer at AISODX Hire, says this gives people with practical skills another avenue to demonstrate what they can do and potentially turn those skills into an income.

The platform is currently offering its premium access for free, as the developers aim to make the service accessible to people who may not have the financial means to pay for job-search services.

"As a user, you need to go there. You upload your portfolio or CV, and I, as a client, have an overview of all the available users available in the platform and what they have to offer. And I can offer the gig or job that they have, or you, as a client, can just go there and apply for the job I posted. We also have the option for users to upload their own work. We call it a 'package' on the website; you just upload your own work, and then I, as a client, can go there and apply for or pay for the work you did."

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape workplaces, platforms such as AISODX Hire are positioning AI skills as a potential source of employment, freelancing and entrepreneurship for Namibians.

The platform is aimed at connecting African AI talent with businesses locally and internationally.