MACHARIA:Widen your networks as you leave campus for better job prospects

For many ,this transition entails navigating job searches, graduate school applications, relocation and bidding farewell to familiar academic environments and social networks .As fourth year university students prepare to transition into the professional world, my take is that the support and guidance provided by academic institutions or the universities plays a crucial role in facilitating their exit strategies by mainly offering networking opportunities to facilitate every connection and collaboration among graduates and potential employers. This in turn reduces job tarmacking and confusion as most graduates don’t have any idea of life after graduation.

The job hunt is usually very brutal. Tarmacking is not a sure path to success when getting a job but it generally involves casting a wide net and employing a wait and see approach while hoping for best alternatives. Almost everyone is doing it but the probability of success is narrowed down. 

It sometimes pains me to see graduates making viral videos and posts on social media or some standing on roads with some posters searching for jobs. There is always this perception of job seekers being ‘slackers’ and they aren’t trying their best to get jobs. To those people who think this statement is true, I pray that you don’t find yourself in this similar situation or position.

Constant rejection and picking yourself up every day is hard in itself. There are days when these graduates don’t want to try to apply for jobs and days where their self worth hits rock bottom and they start questioning themselves if they were ever proficient in their calling to begin with. It is no longer news that many people are beginning to lose interest in education due to the pressure and frustrations graduates encounter because of the low chances of getting employed after school. 

We need a comprehensive university exit strategy for our youths and graduates. The university institutions are required to have retainment and absorption strategies with apprenticeship programs like hospitality, plumbing, hairdressing and beauty industries among others. These partners should be able to absorb graduates after completing their studies and help other university students in acquiring vacancies for attachment. This in turn creates good collaboration and partnership among university institutions, graduates and future employers which reduces the aspect of job tarmacking and unemployment.

Therefore, I urge graduates or fourth year university students to attend networking sessions, sell value, upskill and keep themselves busy while that dream job arrives so that they are in a position to ace it. This also goes to the university institutions; they should thrive not to be always concerned with the number of students graduating per year but should prioritize support for graduate’s transition into post-graduate life which in turn may empower them to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of life beyond campus or life after graduation.