In early 2012, like all the other graduates, I found myself unemployed. I had finished writing my last exam in November 2011 and remember this exam explicitly, it was a communications exam. I then, like all the other graduates who come to the big city to study, went home for the December holidays. I only started hyperventilating about my no work status in January when I had to make my way back to the big city to look for employment.
By Oluchi B Carter
I would like to paint the sad story about my poor parents having to use money they didn’t have to get me to Johannesburg and having to financially support me until I could find employment; and having to use all my money and time in internet cafes and subsequently remaining unemployed for four months. I cannot put in words the amount of frustration and depression I endured during that time period. However, this is not the article for that. The article aims to give direction on how to avoid that and be pro-active in looking for an organisation before you even graduate so that you can avoid being part of South Africa’s unemployed graduate statistic which is getting bigger every year.
I thought I would work for Draft FCB after my graduation, little did I know that things would turn out so differently. First, as an undergraduate, you need to identify industry players in the field you are aspiring to work in. Identify at least 10 players and follow them on all social platforms including but not limited to company website, Facebook, twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. LinkedIn is one of the best platforms for budding careerists; please use it as frequent as possible. Do check employees and senior management profiles on Linked in, specifically their qualifications as well as previous employment. This helps you get the gist of the organisational structure and its culture. It may seem like a lot, but as a tertiary student, one of the few things you have in abundance is the internet.
Take risks, find a manager in the department you want to work it and send them an email asking if you can job shadow for at least a week at no cost to the company. This will look good in your resume. The aim of job shadowing is so that you can be familiar with the work environment in the filed you aspire to work in. You might not get a response, you might get a no or you might get a yes. Life is about taking changes. I was fortunate enough to job shadow for a week at an electrical engineering company in high school. In that experience I learned that I actually do not want to be an electrical engineer. And nor do I want anything to do with the sciences.
The aim is so that you get a job, and get a job that you want. Websites like Gradza etc. are doing a great job in directing graduates to companies that offer internships and learner ships. The limitation is that they only offer direction, like any other regular job hunting site. I was not one to be buddy buddy with lectures but I have learned that some form of relationship with a lecture helps in steering one in the right direction. Pick their brains on best companies to work for, what to expect once you start working, do they have any contacts in the industry and so on.
Last but not least, your CV speaks volumes. Please use a professional template. Also, make sure that your cover letter is at least two paragraphs long, get to the point as well as add a recent professional picture of yourself.
The sooner you start your job search, the higher your chances of finding employment. Start while you are still a student. If you are fortunate to know certain individuals that work in a similar field, ask them for guidance. The more visible you are, the higher your chances of being employed. Again, take risks.
Article republished with full permission from Oluchi B Carter from his page: https://blackchronicles101.wordpress.com/2018/05/01/the-unemployed-graduate/
