Off late people have been doubting whether going to school will be the solution or rather starting early on the street. Especially among the youth it has been a matter of controversy.
Arguably, being on the street with direct and quantifiable goals and purpose is no harm, likewise going to school with goals and aspiration in mind is a great thing. But as it stands now, especially in Ghana here, many of us (the youth) have lost hope in education, simply because thousands of graduates are unemployed. And the cause of this unemployment has been ascribed to lack of jobs in the country.
Yes it is true, jobs are limited. But not to the extent that we may think. And why may I say that, several interviews with CEOs across the country have shown that there are more jobs in their companies but there are nobody to fill those positions. According to this CEOs, most graduates apply for work with no skills and abilities, except with their certificates. Thinking that it is enough for them to secure a job.
For instance, in an interview with a chief executive of Goldman Sachs, she revealed that, they do not basically employ graduates just because they have higher GPA, according to her, a higher GPA shows the persons level of commitment and so during employment they look at several factors other than GPA.
So I want to establish that, Education is not Success, Education is a TOOL and a KEY to success. YOU won’t be successful because you are educated.
But indirectly that is what we have been doing. We spend all our time in school learning books of all kinds without applying those knowledge and then we come out as graduate with no skills and wants to work for that entrepreneur who has suffered to build that company. No he is a afraid he can’t employ you, what value are you bringing to him.
So then,
HOW DO WE GET EMPLOYED EARLIER AFTER SCHOOL?
We need to use the education we have to polish and build ourselves for the job market whiles we are in or outside school. This is how we can do that;
Develop your soft skills: Examples of this skills are leadership, communication, decision making and more. Learn how to communicate with crowd effectively and also learn how to lead groups of people to accomplishing a task. You can learn this by joining fun clubs, associations and more. It might be a gradual process though.
Develop computer skills: One of the most crucial skills everyone must have in the 21st century. You need to know how to use computer to get things done. There are three basic computer programs that every graduate must be abreast with. Namely, Microsoft Office (Word Document), Microsoft PowerPoint and Spreadsheet. This programs are widely used in every organization so been good in it is a stepping stone and moreover, every employer assumes that you know how to use this software. Apart from this there are more advanced computer software that you may want to learn which will increase your chance of getting employed faster. Examples are computer programming languages.
Take online courses: You might consider taking courses either in your field of study and probably those outside your programme of study. This will give you more insight on how to deal with situations. It will also give you upper hand over those limited to their field of study when applying for a job. You can study new courses on the following online platforms: Coursera, Allison, Corporate Finance Institute (CFI), Udemy and you can Google for more. Some of this platforms will offer you certificates in the courses you will take and this will serve as evidence to employers, thereby increasing your chance of employment.
Attend seminars and develop networks: Either you are a graduate or still in school it is a healthy practice to attend seminars and make connections. Attending seminars will help you to know and learn more about the corporate world, allowing you to know what is expected of you as a graduate as well as a potential employee. You will also have the chance to learn more about people who are already on your career path and has gotten to the top. But one main reason to make connections is that you need recommendations from some people when you apply for a job, and so the more people you know the higher your chance of getting employed faster. I will like advice my colleague students in school not to always spend their time on books but should also make some time for extra-curriculum activities. That is a healthy practice as students.
We can all attest to the fact that some percentage of people get employed earlier after school even though unemployment rate keeps increasing. Why does that happen? Is it that they are genius?
Probably no, the secret is that, they have what employers are looking for. Employers looking for those things I have listed above. Possessing some of those skills might be an advantage for you.
Finally, one might say that, a person can have all of these skills but still will not secure a job. Yes, that is true. But that is the time to use all those skill you have acquired as a tool to create a job for yourself. That is being an entrepreneur, finding solutions to problems and making money out of it with the skills you have.
So now, I believe you have seen why some people become unemployed after school, you have learnt a lot today. Don’t be a victim.
Thank you for reading. Don’t forget to comment and share.
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