5 AMAZING job seeking tips

Finding a job in Zambia can be tough. However, there is lots that you can do to boost your chances of finding employment. In this article we provide 5 amazing tips to help you find a job.

1. Opportunities exist in Zambia (and if they don’t create them)

If you look at the Zambian economy you will find that many sectors are growing rapidly. These sectors include construction, manufacturing, transport, energy, communication and food (see the Zambia Development Agency for more information). With this growth comes opportunity for employment. Pay attention to news and media channels and look at the companies and brands that are active in Zambia and in other countries. Then think about what type of employees these companies need and how you can meet these needs. You could think about starting your own business.

Want to find out more? Check out these useful tips:

• How to submit speculative job applications
• Do you have the skills to work freelance?
• Unemployed? Could self-employment be the solution?

2. ALL experience is GOOD experience

Spent the summer helping a family member sell fruit? You were part of a small business, responsible for sales, marketing, finance and customer service. Worked part-time in a fast-food restaurant? You worked as part of a dynamic team, providing excellent customer service and learning about food industry with emphasis on retail. However little you think of your work experience it is probably of great value to a potential employer. The same goes for any research projects or activities that you may have been involved with whilst studying. The key when job seeking is to try and take the positives from all your experiences and make them sound relevant for the job you’re applying for.  Try and see your experiences through the eyes of an employer. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? What skills did you develop?

Want to find out more? Check out these useful tips:

• What to do if you if you have little or no work experience
• How your transferable skills could help you find a job
• Does experience matter?

3. The perfect CV is a myth

There is no such thing as a perfect CV. However, you can improve your chances of obtaining an interview by ensuring that your CV is clear and concise and clearly demonstrates your suitability for the role. If you are sending the same cover letter and CV for 100s of jobs then you going to struggle to find employment – there is nothing worse for an employer than receiving a generic CV which shows little thought or effort. Use each CV as a fresh opportunity to demonstrate how you meet the requirements for the role because if you don’t another applicant will.

Want to find out more? Check out these useful tips:

• How to create an impact with your CV
• How to get noticed when looking for a job in Zambia
• 5 reasons why you should never send the same CV twice

4. Small can be beautiful

Many graduates make the mistake of only applying to large companies. There are 1000’s small and medium sized companies in Zambia looking to hire bright graduates. However, they might not advertise these jobs in the newspapers. In fact, some may not even know themselves that they need the help of a graduate. If this is the case you can try doing some detective work and track down smaller companies in your sector.

• 8 different ways to find a job in Zambia

5. If it’s not working, it’s time to stop doing it

One of the biggest mistakes a graduate can make is repeating one job-hunting strategy again and again before saying, “I’ve applied for 5,000 jobs and heard nothing back!” If after the first 20 or 30 applications you have not heard anything, then stop, reassess your job seeking strategy and make a new plan.

• Improve your application success rate

Further Information

To find more careers articles including interview tips visit: Careers Advice

Search for Jobs

To search for the latest jobs in Zambia visit: www.gozambiajobs.com/jobs