Graduation comes with two sets of feelings, elation and fear. On one hand, you are saying goodbye to monotonous classes, exams, CATs and RATs and on the other hand, you now have to think about bills and launching your career. If you have recently graduated then chances are you've heard both optimistic and pessimistic stories about landing a job. There are degree holders who either don’t have a job or have menial jobs and there are those who have already launched their careers despite their little to no experience in the industry they are in. The question now becomes, what sets these two personas apart? Well, in truth, some people are lucky enough to land a job immediately after campus, while others are simply well-connected (cue in Uncle Sam). So, what then happens to the graduates whose hands have not been kissed by lady luck or those who do not have any connections in the private or public sectors? In this article, you will learn how the Bridge can prepare you to be hired by top companies in Kenya as a recent graduate.
But first, what are employers looking for in recent graduates?
What employers are looking for in recent graduates
A common question that you will be asked as a graduate is, “What sets you apart from other applicants?” The response you give here should be able to clearly demonstrate why you will be an asset to a given company. Let’s take a look at some of the qualities that will make you more employable to Kenyan employers!
1) Self-learning and continuous development
With technology evolving every day, it has become easier for people to learn new skills. In fact, a study revealed that 2,000 adults preferred learning new skills via online platforms because they could easily revisit them and they were self-paced.
Self-development is important to employers as it shows that you have self-drive and the passion for continuous learning. It is also proof that you will always be in sync with the trends in your industry. For instance, say you are in the marketing game and your company has yet to discover how to use Open AI to generate market content, you can introduce this concept to your colleagues and management. This would ideally result in efficiency when it comes to completing tasks and will help prove your value to the company.
Also, self-learning shows employers that you are self aware when it comes to your career path. For instance, when you are in the marketing space and you decide to take on a design course, it means you want to upskill in your field and gain skills in every aspect of marketing. This, therefore, demonstrates that you are very intentional about continuous development as a professional in the industry you are in.
2) Problem-solving/Analytical skills
Employers need an employee who is a solution provider. This means that they are always looking for someone who can analyze a situation and come up with a creative solution to a problem that the company is facing.
This is why in a majority of interviews, you will be given theoretical scenarios highlighting a potential problem that might incur in the company. Your response will display your analytical skills and tell the employer whether you will be the right fit for the position offered. Also, if you join a company and you always present yourself as a problem-solver, you will find yourself landing promotions.
You can become a problem-solver by learning from some of the great thinkers of our generation i.e., Elon Musk.
3) Developing a growth mindset
Did you know that Ed Sheeran was not born with an incredible singing talent? When he was young, his voice was croaky and he could not hit any correct note, or any note at all for that matter. But he loved music, and was fascinated by how it made people feel, how it touched hearts and changed lives. Ed Sheeran knew that he wanted to sing and he was willing to learn this skill for years. Today, he is one of the most celebrated musicians globally and yet, he has been caught saying in several interviews that he is still developing this skill.
People with a growth mindset believe that talent and skills can be acquired through hardwork and determination. Those with a fixed mindset, however, believe that talent and capabilities are inherent. If Ed Sheeran had a fixed mindset instead of a growth mindset, we would have lived a life without the song, “Perfect”.
Catastrophic, right?
Having a growth mindset shapes your attitude on how you approach challenges, projects and your career in general. This mindset helps you focus on the long-term rather than the short-term i.e., being willing to get the 1 now so that you can get the 1000 later.
Employers are looking for someone who is willing to grow their skills, their career, their network; they want someone who sees a road where others see cul-de-sacs.
4) Execution skills
The Kenyan education system has a tendency of pouring focus on theories rather than practicals. You have probably come across someone saying that they know of a concept but they cannot practically execute it.
Standing out as a graduate requires you to have the ability to execute. This means that you have to be decisive, analytical and more often than not, a leader.
Consider this scenario, you have been tasked with positioning a product in a new market. You have done extensive market research and tested the product, you have concluded that it is ready for the market. Now the only thing that is left is how you are going to introduce this product to the market. While having the idea on how to introduce the product to the market is important, implementing it is what will determine whether the idea is feasible or not.
Being an executor means you can reduce the gap between having an idea and implementing it. An issue that a majority of individuals have is that they want an outcome of an idea or project to be perfect. This is why you will hear cases of people claiming that their ideas have been stolen; it’s because they have taken a significant amount of time to refine, plan and perfect the idea while someone else was working to test the feasibility of this idea in the market. Also, it is important to remember that a task will always expand depending on the time you allot it. For instance, if you say you will write an email for five hours. You will wind up using all this time to compose a short email. While if you assigned this task an hour, you will find yourself having completed the task within this particular time.
Execution can be scary especially if you happen to be a perfectionist. However, this skill is what will separate you from the crowd and allow you to stand out. Not many people can reduce the gap between coming up with an idea and implementing it. Become a doer and employers will recognize and appreciate your value.
Turning the ideas in your head into tangible, real-life objects can be daunting. The ability to seamlessly do this will set you apart as a graduate.
5) Communication skills
Communication is a skill that cuts across all departments in an organization. This skill will help you pitch your ideas to your employer, clients and it will help you effectively collaborate with your colleagues.
Communication in companies can involve preparing a pitch presentation, a memo, composing emails or newsletters, relaying instructions for a project and so on. Knowing how to package your words in a way that they are easily understood and impactful to your audience is vital for the projects and relationships you will develop in that given company.
Sharpening your communication skills such that you come across as assertive and professional when engaging with a potential employer will increase your chances of launching a career at their company. You will also be able to share an elaborate report with your employer regarding your work and feedback on something you have observed.
Also, having great communication skills will improve how you relate with your colleagues. In any organization you wind up working in, you will need to collaborate with other individuals on various projects. Being able to say “no” and offer criticism can be a hard task but an excellent communicator will know how to deliver such information in a manner that is concise and rational.
Now that we know the skills employers are looking for, how exactly can the Bridge help make you more employable?
How the Bridge can make you, a graduate, more employable
The Bridge Career Accelerator Program is dedicated to helping 3rd years, 4th years and recent graduates launch their careers in the 21st century job market. This four-month online program equips learners with practical skills that they can apply in the real world.
Through the Bridge, your mindset will change such that you will begin to value self-development and to perceive problems with a solution-oriented attitude. You will also learn how to effectively communicate both in writing and verbally. This essentially means that you will learn how to create appealing and clear presentations; report your progress to your employer; offer constructive criticism; how to say “no” to your employers and colleagues and pitch ideas to your colleagues, employers and clients.
Additionally, you will learn how to turn theories into tangible solutions. The Bridge provides its learners with an opportunity to work on a practical project that will help students apply the skills they learned in class and the ones they have obtained during the program. This way, once you land a job, you will be able to keep it and to climb the corporate ladder.
The Bridge will empower you with interview hacks that will increase your chances of landing your dream job. This program will also help you be more employable by teaching you how to brand yourself, create an appealing resume and how to tell your story in an impactful manner i.e., build an impressive portfolio.
The Bridge understands that job searching and launching a career after graduation can be daunting and overwhelming. To ensure that you do not end up suffering from unemployment, the Bridge has curated a program guaranteed to make you stand out among your peers.
