22/02/2019
Laura Miti writes
Advice for Job Applicants
I have some advice for job applicants after a painful week reading 160 applications. Unemployment makes the competition crazy. Please do not get your CV thrown out for simple no-nos you can avoid. Here are some:
1. Please tailor your CV and application to the exact requirements outlined. If advert is looking for experience in mobilsation, that experience should be easily seen. Employer is not really interested that you once did filing for Kabwe Council.
2. The relevant qualifications should be right at the top of the CV. If the position seeks a degree in economics, don't start with every short course you ever went to, then stick the degree on page 3.
3. Not sure what this objective and profile thing is. Cut to the chase. How are you exactly what we are looking for?
4.If you have a degree, you must have passed grades 12 9, 7 and 5. No need to tell us.
5. If your achievement is that you were employer of the month in 2001, best not tell us. What happened between then and now??
6. Avoid flowery language. I am a dynamic chakuti, chakuti🙄.
7. Proof read, proof read, proof read. When curve becomes cave, you have injured yourself, maybe mortally.
8. Be sure you use vocabulary you understand or else you will say you are opportunistic🙆🏽♀️
9. Save your documents with your full name - and CV or application. Not FP cv🤷🏽♀️
10. This might be controversial, but pick your colleges and universities carefully. A diploma from Singsong College in UK will only be looked at after a certificate from Lusaka Trades.
Lastly, please please send your application from a laptop with no virus. I know this is tough when you have no computer of your own, but it is heartbreaking to not be able to open an application.
Employers are overwhelmed with the sheer number of applications. Make sure yours is read.
