Hello,
The
'tension headache' of most graduates is getting a job. It becomes a
'migraine headache' when all the jobs you see require certain years of
experience because "you actually need to work to get
the
experience". How do you get a job without experience or how do you get
the experience without a job?
Let us go through these points together.
Know your professional skills
Know
what makes you different from the other person, what you like doing and
what you do not like doing. Know the skills you possess which must have
been reflected in your academic or extracurricular activities. They
could be marketing, negotiating or leadership skills. If there is need
to develop them, this is an opportunity to do just that.
Reflect your skills in your resume in a way that enhances them - not diminishes them
You
have acquired a number of excellent skills. It is important you package
them well in your CV. The content might be superb and the packaging not
attractive. Make your content and packaging catchy. Put your skills,
activities and achievements in an attractive way in your CV. We can help
you with that. Click here to find out how
Acquire experience through internship programs and volunteer activities
Most
graduates see their first few years in the labour market as the money
making period. As such, they think of the salary rather than the
experience. This is a faulty perception. See your first few years as the
time to gain experience and improve on your skills. Take up voluntary
jobs and internship programs paid or not. These would help you sharpen
your skills.
Create work samples
When
you claim to have knowledge in a field, create samples of your work.
For example, you can do graphic or web designs and you do not have a
sample of your work. That does not speak of seriousness in you. Let the
samples reflect current trends.
Network informally with those in a position to hire you
In
this day and age, it is easy to network informally with those in a
position to hire you. Talk with them about your interests and goals.
They could be your family members or friends. Seek their advice. Social
networks are also good platforms to share your ideas and create
networks. Join quality jobs website like Jobberman.com.
Finally,
be humble to learn from anybody. Do not limit yourself. Employers want
professionals in and outside their fields to help their team think more
creatively about solutions. On the other hand, some of us are not meant
to be job seekers, we are meant to be entrepreneurs. Not everyone can
work in a corporate environment. Why not put to work those vocational
skills like tailoring, baking
etc.
that you possess.
Watch CNBC Africa
Inter
views
with Jobberman.com co-founders, Ayodeji (the doctor), Lekan and Opeyemi
today, Tuesday July 17 on DSTV Channel 410 at 5:30pm GMT.