Overcoming the unemployment crisis

An average of 800,000 job seekers join the job market every year. This is a situation that continues to frustrate many job seekers who have the hope of finding a job as soon as they leave school so that they can start actualizing their dreams. It has created an unemployment crisis in Kenya, which continues to baffle stakeholders and policy makers as they look for the elusive solutions to the unemployment scourge.

On the other hand, there are only a handful of jobs available in the market and worse still, employers complain that there is a shortage of relevant skills in the market. For the few available jobs, employers are increasingly asking for much higher qualifications and experience, which most job seekers do not have. So, how can you ease the jobs crisis impact on yourself?

1. Make use of job boards

There has been a rise of job boards that are transparent and available on the internet, such as BrighterMonday. These job boards specialize in looking for available opportunities and presenting them to job seekers conveniently and for free. Bear in mind that the employment crisis is made worse by the inability of job seekers to find and apply for available vacancies.

The beauty of job boards is that you also get to be guided on how to create robust profiles which can attract employers and get you a job. So, make a habit of looking for available opportunities through job boards and sign up for alerts so that you get to know about available jobs as soon as they are advertised.

2. Turn to your talent

Everyone is born with a special set of skills and these can be a source of income and employment for yourself and others. As we have established, there are only a handful of available jobs in the market, all of which are being chased by a huge number of competent job seekers. You can turn to your talent and have a fulfilling career and also create employment for others.

You can also use your talent to sell yourself as an ideal candidate for a position that heavily relies on it. This makes you stand out from the crowd and improves your chances of finding a job in a flooded job market.

3. Gain experience through internships and volunteering opportunities

Experience continues to be the major roadblock to finding a job for most graduates. Graduates have the right skills which they can offer but the lack the practical experience in the real market to make them employable. One way of gaining experience is by taking up an internship or volunteering opportunity.

This can help you overcome the unemployment crisis by gaining the all-important experience that employers are always asking for. These opportunities also give you a shot at a job if it arises as your employer will already be aware of what you are capable of doing. You also get to network and you can get a job offer in the industry, which has not been advertised.

The most important part is that you should not be afraid of starting small as this is the best way to gain experience. Most companies are looking for interns and volunteers so grab one today and be more competitive.

4. Self-employment

Since finding a job is hard, why not start one and even get to employ other job seekers in the process. Self- employment gives you a chance to implement and test theoretical knowledge while creating a job opportunity for yourself. Do not be scared of taking risks as that is how great businesses are built.

You can also combine your talent with business acumen to create a job for yourself by offering services that exploit your talent. Talent continues to be one of the biggest employers in the modern world so find yours and get a job in the process.

5. Make use of social media

Social media has created a world of opportunities for individuals and businesses. For starters, you can get to network with the right people who will hook you up with jobs in your preferred industry. You can also create a detailed profile of yourself on Linkedin or a portfolio of your work on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for people to view. This has been know to make people visible and give them access to job offers in the industry.

Networking with the right companies also helps you know when a job is advertised so that you can apply as soon as possible, seeing as companies are increasingly announcing vacancies through social media.

Additionally, social media is creating jobs for many people as influencers and digital marketers so you can also use your networks to create a business for yourself by being a digital marketing consultant.

6.  Create a winning CV

Most job seekers get turned down because their CVs are inappropriate either because of having irrelevant information or not being properly structured. Create a good CV which makes your skills and experience shine so that you can stand out from the crowd.

Employers typically peruse through CVs in 7 seconds so you must ensure that you capture their attention and keep it so that you can get a chance to be invited for an interview. Customize your CV and application letter for every job you apply for so that you do not sabotage your chances of getting a job through a bad CV.

Additionally, know your strengths and highlight them in your CV. Tailor your strengths to fit the job description so that you can convince the recruiter that you are the best candidate at a glance.

7.  Have a targeted job search

As competition in the job market becomes cutthroat by the day,  job seekers are looking for any job that they can get, and some are simply not suitable for them. This creates frustrations as you keep getting rejected despite demonstrating your interest in the job.

Narrow down your job search to those jobs that require your particular skills and experience so that you improve your chances of being noticed. Applying for a job while you do not have the right skills or qualifications only gets you eliminated from the race and frustrates you so focus your search and increase your chances of being noticed.

Getting a job has become increasingly hard as graduates compete for the little available opportunities. You can overcome the employment crisis by making use of the 7 tips mentioned above.