Strategies to boost your employability

Wetumwene Shikage
  • 6 Months Ago
There is a widespread belief among young people that in order to acquire employment, particularly formal employment, one must be well-connected. While this is true in some cases, it should not prevent job seekers from going out into the workforce and acquiring the necessary skills to get the job they desire.

Statistics from the University of Namibia (Unam), the Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST), and vocational training schools around the country show that Unam produced 21 350 graduates over the past five years, Nust produced 14 111 and vocational training institutions produced 37 975 during that period.

Even in today's competitive business environment, young people must improve their talents and achieve standards above and beyond what is required.

Do the work

Azalia Arendse, a human resources manager at Komatsu Namibia (Pty) Ltd, says that first and foremost, students must be certain of the road they intend to embark on. This can be accomplished by researching their prospective profession via podcasts, reading articles and staying well-informed about global developments.

She actively promotes job shadowing as another type of research.

“This is fairly important because many students are drawn to employment roles depicted in the media when, in fact, the career choice is not as glamorous,” she says.

Job shadowing is the process of following someone through their everyday job routine. Depending on the circumstances, job shadowing can last a few hours, days or even weeks.

Companies such as Namibia Media Holdings and Deloitte, among others, offer such opportunities.

Students should continue to acquire diverse knowledge within their chosen profession to ensure a well-rounded skill set. As the phrase goes, a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.

Furthermore, young Namibians should venture out to see what talents the country needs. Use all available means to get funds or bursaries for diplomas or degrees, and study hard when the opportunity arises. A few years of study can actually steer your entire career in the direction of contributing to the needs of the country.

Network to meet the right people

According to Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho, the university conducts a graduate survey that tracks the career paths of its graduates and holds networking events that provide a platform for alumni to connect and network with one another as well as potential employers to build their professional networks.

In the same vein, NUST spokesperson John Haufiku stated that the university has integrated learning that ensures students are placed to obtain practical skills, enhancing their prospects of employment.

"Other programmes that assist students with employment preparation include the B360 initiative, which has international professionals train students on what employers look for as well as how to present themselves and be more employable," Haufiku said.

These are also excellent strategies to boost your employability:

While not totally discarding the idea, it is critical to create professional networks in order to advance one's career and achieve certain goals.

Relationships with many types of people who could be your next employers can help advance your career. It's also critical to spread your network across businesses and jobs. Only when you have a strong network of professional contacts and connections will you be able to attract top employers and your desired jobs.

You can utilise several social media channels to build relationships and expand your network. There, you can interact with specialists from many industries who can help you grow your career in the proper manner by providing helpful information.