You’ve just graduated and can’t wait to land that dream job. All that’s left is to get that CV out there and within no time get an interview and be hired? Well, afraid not.
Here’s some scary facts:
According to Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) “results continue to show that youth remain vulnerable in the labour market”. As at Q2 2022, the youth unemployment rate was at 46.5%. Easily, for any job advert on LinkedIn, there are 200+ applicants, and that’s not even entry level jobs. And if predictions of a global recession in 2023 are true, this rate is likely to increase as opportunities in the labour market shrink.
So clearly, landing the dream job cannot be left to chance or pursued blindly. A strategic “game plan” is required to increase chances of success.
Here are some of the top 3 strategies that can help you.
Know yourself:
The disadvantage of this lack often shows up during interviews and one is unable to sell themselves to the panel, thinking their qualifications and skills speak for them. Sadly, this doesn’t instil confidence to your audience. So spend time to introspect with these questions:
Who am I?
What are my strengths & weaknesses?
What motivates me, what do I enjoy, which environment or activity inspires me?
What are my natural skills & talent that align with the job I want?
Do the homework and you will be better able to answer that dreaded “tell us about yourself” question. There are many questionnaires and tools to aid this, find one that suits your needs and you will gain more self-knowledge and awareness.
Know your Career Anchor:
The qualification proves you’ve met requirements but doesn’t say much about where you can add value in your industry. As a young person, maybe just getting a job is the priority. But knowing your anchor will ensure synergy of your natural skills & talents, technical skills/knowledge and roles you pursue. This ensures your career progression is firmly in your hands, and guides choices you make for your future.
What are career anchors? These are “characteristics of a role, job or career that align with an individual’s underlying perception of their values, talent, skills, motives, needs and attitudes” (www.worldofwork.io). Being equipped with a better understanding of your career anchor will help you make informed decisions, know what you want, and go towards it.
Know what employers are looking for:
Ask any talent acquisition/HR person and they’ll tell you about talent and organizational fit. Ask any agency and they’ll tell you they source talent for clients, and not look for jobs for people contrary to popular belief. In many adverts, there will be certain skills and attributes required. How do you fare against them? There’s also what’s known as employability skills, which is defined as “a set of achievements, skills, understandings and personal attributes that make graduates likely to gain employment” (www.futurelearn.com). Do you have them? What about emotional intelligence, which relates to being aware and able to manage oneself, and aware and able to influence others. It can really be challenging to wrap your head around all these concepts. Spend time researching these and recent trends in your industry, peruse recent adverts, ask for mentorship and guidance.
As time goes, you will find the job search and building your career not such a daunting exercise.
Benefits:
- Clarity around your challenges and opportunities
- Confidence in your unique traits to sell yourself better & inspire confidence in others
- Authentic and purpose driven approach in life
- Gain personal mastery and take responsibility for personal growth & development
- Better decision making, backed by facts and preparation.
We have vast experience working with young professionals and graduates. We have also worked with mid-career transitioning. Our 1 on 1, group coaching and workshops have assisted them set themselves for success. If this is something you’d like to explore give us a call.
Coach AJ: Silu Coaching & Consulting.