Tomorrow (7 January) evening, more than 790,000 matriculants who wrote their 2019 Department of Basic Education (DBE) matric examinations, will find out their academic fate as the results for 2019 will be released.
When the results are released, the learners will be planning for the year ahead and many may be looking for employment.
In a press release, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator has gathered practical tips that could assist all in their pursuit of employment.
Harambee is a non-profit organisation (NPO), a social enterprise that possesses wide-ranging experience in building resolutions and innovations that can crack the youth unemployment challenge.
They tackle this challenge by using information, innovation, partnerships, and on-the-ground experiences in order to develop practical solutions that can be implemented.
The partners are in South Africa and Rwanda, with businesses, the government, the youth and people who are dedicated to solutions that work.
Here are the 9 tips to assist 2019 matriculants in successfully finding employment:
- Your job is to find yourself a job
Looking for work is a full-time job until you find it! Therefore, you need to work on this every single day. Look for and read job ads online or in the newspaper and apply for the ones that look right for you. Also, talk to people you meet about your job search. Knock on business doors and hand out your curriculum vitae (CV). A wise employer will be impressed by your attitude and your confidence.
- Network, network, network
This is one of the most important things you can do when looking for work. Ask EVERYONE you know if they know about any jobs you could apply for and ask them to introduce you to other people who might know about employment opportunities.
- Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to gain experience, which is something that most employers look for in a new hire. You can offer to help out at your church, community centre or sports club. Any kind of job counts as experience and can be added to your CV. You can also offer to work for free at businesses in your area but be very clear about your reasons for doing this; you want to gain experience or you hope the business will hire you. Nonetheless, only do this while you’re learning – not forever.
- Get your CV and references in order
You need a written CV. If your English is not very good, ask someone to check your spelling and grammar! Your CV can be short and it should include:
- Personal details (date of birth, ID number)
- Contact information, such as your cell number, email address. Always use the same cell phone number. Ensure that you keep your phone on and fully charged, and answer calls politely. If your number does change, make sure you change it on your CV too. You also need an email address to send your CV out. If you don’t have one, it’s easy to set up a free @Gmail account.
- Education background.
- Work experience – any actual work experience you have, including holiday jobs and volunteer work.
- Any achievements – awards, pass marks, sporting achievements.
- Any other experiences that show your character, such as taking care of others, roles within the church, your family or your community.
- References. Even if you’ve never worked, you can ask teachers, church leaders or even an employer of your parents who knows you to provide a testimony of your strengths and capabilities.
- Look where the jobs are, and look for an opportunity that is close to where you live
A lot of entry-level jobs are in the service and sales industries like retail, restaurants, and hotels. Also, look out for small businesses that hire young, enthusiastic people who are willing to learn and grow with the business. Remember, be prepared to start as a junior at entry-level. We all have to go through this valuable time to gain experience and prove ourselves. Also, try to look for a job that is close to home, so you can save on travel costs.
- Learn how to “package yourself”
Most of us have tons of life experience – even if it’s not formal work experience. However, we often don’t know how to sell it to potential employers. Think about your responsibilities in your home and community and talk about these skills when selling yourself. After all, employers value candidates with courage and resilience.
- Speak clearly and confidently
Employers value good spoken English – it’s recognised as confidence, and can really help in the job-hunting process. So be clear and confident in who you are, look your interviewer in the eye and communicate clearly about your abilities and the benefits you will bring to any job.
- Beware of social media
Potential employers will look you up on social media before they interview or employ you. Remember this when you’re posting. The rule of social media is that if you don’t want people (especially employers) to know something about you, then don’t put it on social media.
- We’ve saved the best tip for last – register with Harambee
For help with job hunting, register on www.harambee.mobi by completing the online application form. Harambee is a 100% free network that helps young first-time work-seekers find work. They can give you the tools you need to find work, assess your skills and strengths and help you fill any gaps you may have. They have already helped young people find over 100,000 jobs and work experiences and could help you too.
