By Stephen M. Mureithi (PhD)
Congratulations for your excellent results:) Now
that you have just or is about to graduate, what next?
Still have dreams? I hope yes. OK, good because if you stay
focused you will be able to achieve them. There is nobody who can stop you
apart from yourself and the limitations you set for yourself in the mind. God
has already provided you with the potential and ability to achieve what you
want in life, so go for it. And honor him when you get there.
Things to do:
Acquire Financial Education – At the University or College you have so far acquired academic
and professional education which is key to excelling in life as you serve
the society. But as you will soon (or you have already) realize, the world
deals with money, and to be successful, you’ve got to learn how to deal
with it. So, endeavor to acquire financial education, without which you
will not be truly successful in life despite your achievements in academics and
profession. Like a three legged stool, acquiring the three will make you stable
and successful. Where do you start? Read books – I suggest you start by reading
‘The Richest Man in Babylon’ here!
Get right back to college – Continue with your studies (M.Sc./M.A. or PhD). There is nothing
cool like studying while you are young. However, what you choose to pursue at postgraduate levels has to fit in your long-term career goal, not just to fill a nothing-to-do time gap. Interested? See some Master and PhD Scholarships here!
Find a job/management trainee-ship
positions - The advantages of getting into employment as quickly as
possible are:
- Start earning income! You've probably got a student loan to pay back, and your parents have probably got plenty to spend their missing millions on, rather than their 'boomerang' offspring!
- Employers are more impressed by people who have shown commitment to work, and are willing to learn new things (ask questions).
- Gets you in the habit of getting out of bed early in the morning - the work routine.
- You're more likely to encounter people who can help you in your career while seeking for a job, than while in the couch!
Don't make the mistake of thinking you should wait until a job
in your chosen field comes along: it may never do so, or maybe not for quite a
while. There's nothing wrong (and everything right) with getting a job that
gets you started, and continuing to look out for 'a proper job'. You could
change jobs several times over the first five years of your working life before
you acquire the label 'job-hopper'. Employers understand that it takes a while
for young people to find their feet.
The vast majority of people 'fall into' long term careers by
this process of trial and error, and never end up in what seemed like 'the
proper job' at the outset.
OK! So you've decided to take this advice and get cracking. Now,
what exactly should you do?
Attitude (Your mind)
Be as flexible and open-minded as you possibly can be! If you
are willing to take any job, anywhere, for any (reasonable) money, then you are
more likely find a job sooner than if you are not!
CV (Resume)
Prepare a CV! The internet has many resources on how to write a
Good CV.
Referees
Obtain permission from two or three people to use them as
referees. Ideally, these should include your college tutor and someone who
employed you in an industrial placement during your degree, or a vacation job
for example. Failing that, use a family friend who holds a professional
position: doctor, lawyer, pastor, employer, for example. Include the names and
contact details (including email) of your referees on your CV.
Magazines – include daily newspapers in your local reference library.
Apply to every job that interests you. Do not worry if the
advertisement asks for more experience than you have to offer. The employer may
not be able to find an experienced person, and by applying you will be saving
him the expense of re-advertising for a trainee position in a month's time.
Secondly, they may have another, unadvertised job for a trainee. Thirdly, what have
you got to lose by trying?
If you have been able to obtain back issues of publications,
apply to every organization that advertised the sort of jobs you are interested
in, in the last year (or in fact, as far back as you like!). Write a slightly
different covering letter to accompany your CV:
Dear Sir/Madam, I noticed that in last January's issue of The Daily
Nation that you were advertising for a Soil Scientist position. This is exactly
the sort of job I am looking for. If you have any current or forthcoming
vacancies for Trainee Soil Scientists, then I would be very interested to meet
you. I enclose a CV for your consideration.
Do not worry about doing this: they might not have filled the
job, or they might have filled the job, but the new person didn't work out very
well, or they might have a new junior position. Again, what have you got to
lose?
Internet
If you have access to the worldwide web (preferably on
broadband, with unlimited access), scour the internet for information and
potential job (scholarships) opportunities.
Seek internships – whether paid or unpaid, internships helps to build up your
experience that you will table as you seek for jobs. Employers are more likely to
hire a person who is volunteering somewhere than one just tarmacking in the
streets.
Volunteer – Not many organizations will refuse you to work for them, even
for free. Many will soon put you in the payroll if they find you persistent and
valuable. Works the same like internships, but the later have short time
frames.
Start a business – If you are entrepreneurial (everyone should be able) you can
start a business which you have passion, knowledge and skills in. Agribusiness for
example, offers many opportunity for agriculturalists who do not mind getting
dirty while earning good money. You are surrounded by a crowd of both old and young people who have employed themselves and created jobs for many others. Start now, start small and grow Biggest:)
Things not to do:
Do not sit at home – pity parties’ leads nowhere. Wake up and do something
positive.
Do not do drugs, prostitution,
alcohol or crime – If you didn’t do it so far, why start
now? Concentrate on healthy living, and you will live long, healthy and happy:)
Do not waste time – thinking you are still young is wasting life.
If there are things you need to do, do them now.
The Author is an Entrepreneur and a Lecturer in Land and Water Resource
Management at the University of Nairobi. Comments can be left under this post (click title) or sent to stemureithi@uonbi.ac.ke
