Gen Z: A how-to guide to landing your first job.

If you find yourself graduated, having recently completed your skills training or passed your matric and now in the process of get your first J-O-B, this blog is for you.  

I would like to put some disclaimers out there before you read any further. It is most likely going going to be a roller coaster ride that will have highs, near-misses and some lows that will punch you in the gut as well. 

It is not an easy time to venture out as a young talent into the job market in the midst of Industry 4.0 automation, the recession and a lack of job creation.

However, there is a drastic under-supply of talented young people especially in Science, Tech and Mathematics so you need to heed the words of Nelson Mandela: "It always seems impossible until it is done”; and see the exercise as an adventure and a challenge.

It is an incredibly exciting time to be a young professional. Organizations are questioning our ways of work to better accommodate a new generation and harness your ability to be resolute in yourselves and the worlds you engage and create. With the world being more connected than ever; it enables people to work and make money in ways, companies never thought of before.

However; if you need to earn a pay check, get a job to start you out, or want to embark on a career there are a few things to consider to help you stand out from other first time Gen-Z and millennial job-seekers:

1. Create a CV to remember:

·      Keep it to one page.

·      Customize your CV by highlighting key words for each job description and tailoring your CV to each application. Yes, each one! It might be time consuming, but HR divisions spend an average of 30 seconds per CV in the screening phase. So, can you really afford not to speak to every skill their looking for?

·      Think out of the box. Search alternative titles for jobs that you are keen on, look at the LinkedIn profiles of people in those jobs and consider where they started out. It might completely unrelated but probably gave them the soft skills to transfer when their time came.

·      Be reasonable and apply the 80/20 rule to assess your fit for a job description. Positive thinking, being a quick learner and passion are not characteristics that will make you a developer if you did not take maths.

·      Use an infographic CV builder – Here is a link for 5 sites to play around on.

2. Swop Instagram for LinkedIn:

Although Instagram has made millionaires, overnight teen sensations and is a valid frontier for e-commerce entrepreneurs; not all of us can be a Kardashian.

Secondly, most companies have not figured out how to reach the talent market on Instagram either.

So, if you want an 8 - 5; here are some tips on how to make LinkedIn work for you:

• Capture all the detail from your CV on LinkedIn and state that you are open for new opportunities in your title. Try and catch the eye with a title such as "B. Sc Computer Science Grad seeking opportunities," etc.
• Use the jobs tab on LinkedIn and set an alert for all jobs matching your interest and skill levels. You can also download the LinkedIn Jobs app on your phone.
• Use LinkedIn to identify & reach out to managers, graduate coordinators in HR and relevant people in companies on your wish lists and send them connections requests with a short message. Follow up with a CV once they accept.
• Relentlessly check the job boards of a wide sample of companies you have an interest in and remember to tweak your CV ready.

3. Volunteer:

·      Identify NPOs and charities that might need your skill sets, reach out, go volunteer and use it as a chance to network, get to know their operations and spot chances for you to solve problems for them in the back office.

·      Focus on showing value in a project whether it ranges from administration, project management, developing some small tool or app, data capturing, etc.

·      Keep your promises, manage expectations and build relationships. The more

you show practical work examples and create positive references, the better your chances of landing a paying gig.

4. Network: meetups, associations and forums.

·      Go to meetup.com to identify meetups in the line of work you would like to explore and join those professional networking events, participate, ask questions, learn, take notes. At MMI Holdings alone we have a Java User Group, Women In Tech and Artificial Intelligence ZA meetings monthly.

·      Keep tabs on your fellow graduates and where they are working or interning and facilitate introductions.

·      Join any related forums for your ideal profession ranging from SAICA, SAIIE etc.

5. Find Career Mentors and coaches:

·      Use your LinkedIn hit list to not only ask for a job, also ask if they will meet for a coffee to tell you what a day is like on the job. Some basic tips are to:

-      Choose a hotel lobby as a venue, they are usually quiet and you can talk freely & discreetly .

-    Be on time and pay for the coffee.

-  Right now just ask for advice. The job will come from your passion and interest.

-    Dress as if you are being interviewed. Just because you are not asking for a job, does not mean they won't walk away and consider you when an opportunity does come about.

-   Prepare, have questions on the day of the job, key projects, the personalities that do well, alternative companies where you can look, people they believe you should know and meet, career growth options, alternatives to the job, etc.

-   Keep quiet and listen. You asked them to meet you so they could share their knowledge. Make the most of it, by asking direct questions, listening intently and digging into the details with the what, where, who, why and how?

-    Thank them for their time and stay in touch.

5.  Research & get to know the companies you are keen on:

Research the companies you like, get familiar with their history, culture, their products and services, their competition, the board, management, role titles, analyse the career progression of people in the field you are interested in and see the growth and studies they have undergone. 

6. Lastly, share widely that your looking. There is no shame in seeking out opportunities. Also network as broadly and often as you can.

It won't be an easy undertaking and it might even feel hopeless at times, but know that not every job is meant to be yours. It is often the the hard knocks that push you in a new direction and land the right opportunity.

Happy hunting and keep that irrepressible belief in yourself that defines your generation.