Frank Julie, founder of YoungPeople@Work non-profit organisation.
As the euphoria over the matric pass rate will soon start and quickly dissipate, let me share some cold facts to bring us back to reality.
Thousands of matriculants will be joining the depressing labour market with no job-hunting plan, which includes to upskill yourself. They will job hunt by default and not by design. And others think having matric is enough.
You need to invest at least three to four years after matric in your own skills development to make yourself employable.
You will soon discover that our school system did not prepare you for the new world of work.
Remember, job searching is a process, not an event. This is how it works:
Stage 1: Understand yourself, your strenghts and weaknesses. What is your passion, what do you love doing? What is your dream job, your vision?
Stage 2: Build your credibility and integrity. Build your track record. Make people want to believe and buy into you.
Stage 3: Build your network, recruit partners who genuinely want you to succeed.
Stage 4: Prepare for your dream job.
How do you build credibility? Sign up for any available skills development courses like computer literacy, marketing, driving, cooking, training skills, writing, bookkeeping, office admin, business admin, plumbing, welding, photography, home-based care, nursing, hospitality, tourism, sewing, knitting, crochet, etc. And even join an activist group that challenges the system that creates unemployment and learn some organising skills. Stop playing the victim.
Go for internships, volunteer, job shadow where possible, but invest in yourself. Don’t sit at home doing nothing. You will only feel isolated and more depressed. Build up your CV, make it look attractive. Let the interviewer see your passion to learn and to grow yourself.
Show your passion to want to add value to yourself and your life. A value that can never be taken away from you.
Your attitude is more important than paper qualifications. Learn, learn and learn. The illiterates of today are those who stop learning. And then as you empower yourself, develop a clear job-hunting plan, with clear objectives. Your objectives must be specific (never look for any job. That job does not exist in the real world). Make the objective measurable. How many CVs do you plan to submit per month?. Make it achievable, realistic and time-bound. There must be a beginning and end with clear dates.
To job hunt costs money for data, transport, food, emails, copies, etc. Create a budget. Find the money by doing odd jobs like looking after children, house cleaning, walking kids to school, recycling, plaiting hair, gardening, washing cars, doing laundry, running errands for people, assisting with homework, etc.
Your biggest asset is time. This is the scarcest resource for many working people. Use yours wisely. Then build your networks. Remember, to network is not who you know but who wants to get to know you. What attracts people towards you? Build on that.
Offer your skills to people for free. Get a foot in the door. If there is no door, climb through the window or build your own doors.
Follow certain people on social media (like the members of our Youth Business Network) and many others, and learn what makes them tick.Watch out for freebies like workshops, online events and get connected. If you don’t know someone, ask for an introduction. But do something to build your network.
And stop that mentality of I want, want want. Change it to how can I give, give give. And then the doors of opportunity will open for you because, remember, the future belongs to those who prepare for it.
