If you are a tertiary student in Ghana or a Ghanaian professional, you definitely know what national service is, and how the government is so peculiar about providing employment avenues for young professionals ready for the labour market.
According to the Ghana National Service Secretariat, National Service Scheme (NSS) is a Government of Ghana program under the Ministry of Education, Ghana.
This is a one-year mandatory employment program for all tertiary graduates above age 18 and was introduced in 1973 as a requirement for tertiary graduates upon completion of their first degrees/ diplomas.
The scheme provides newly qualified graduates the opportunity to have practical exposure on the job, both in the public and private sectors, as part of their civic responsibility to the state.
Now to the BIG question! WHAT NEXT AFTER NATIONAL SERVICE?
Well, the answer is obvious. Look for a JOB!
Currently, we face a massive unemployment situation in Ghana and as a fresh graduate or professional, you must have a strategy to land you a job.
If you missed our recent webinar, dubbed “Life after National Service”. Here are excerpts from the webinar hosted by Genevieve Amponsah with our human resource and recruitment experts here at Jobberman Ghana as guest speakers, (Michael Akwasi Gyimah and Freda Nana Embil).
1. Self Identification
Generally, the journey of looking for a job starts with self-identification. Before you push your curriculum vitae out to an employer to seek for a vacancy, you must first all assess yourself to know your strengths, weaknesses, and your work values. Think about what you can do best and the areas you need improvement on. After identifying all these, take it a step further to seek career counseling so you can be helped to identify jobs that perfectly fit your personality and career.
2. Focus on Specific Industries
Secondly, as a job seeker, you need to be very objective in selecting the sector that clearly fits your skills and career. Don’t be interested in jumping after every job opportunity you come across just because you want a job to do. After identifying the sector you want to work in, then you tailor your skills on your CV to suit the specific job you are applying for. This approach helps you to optimize your CV. Note that, at every point in time, your CV is always your number one marketing tool. So make it relevant to the job description.
3. Build an Online Presence
Another powerful tool to help you to get notice by potential employers is to build an online presence. This is important because gone are the days when people used to carry hard copy CVs in their hands looking for companies to dump them at their reception. The world has gone through digital transformation and today it is easy to create a profile account with recruitment companies like Jobberman, upload your CV or fill out all the necessary information within one sitting. This is a great way to connect with employers.
4. Network
Networking and mentorship are key ways to start off your career. The job you are looking for today, someone else is doing it or has done it before and can provide you with relevant information. As you job hunt, make sure you attend job fairs, seminars, and webinars so you can get the opportunity to meet and network with people who can be of help to you. Volunteering is also a good way to build a healthy network that can later help you in your job search.
5. Build on Your Employability Skills
Last but not the least, it is important to note that there are specific employable skills (both hard and soft skills) that employers look out for when hiring. These are skills that one does not necessarily obtain from the classroom but they add up to make you employable.
These among many other tips you need to know as a graduate to help you land your first job after school.
Wondering where to start from, LevelUpWithJobberman today. Your next career step begins with us.
Watch Webinar here
