Job Hunting in Ghana - My personal experience / key lessons learnt
Hello my lovelies! Hope everything is going well for you all! It has been a while since my last post - How to Look Put Together All the Time and so I thought it was about time I came back and shared some more gems with you. Todayâs post is focusing on the corporate side of my life, as many of you know (or donât know) I am not a full time blogger (very far from it) I spend most of my time in corporate Marketing / PR.
That being said, I thought it would be helpful a few key lessons to learn about job hunting in Ghana since I recently started a new job in the field which I am loving so far!
Okay so some background information. I completed my Masterâs degree (MSc Marketing, Distinction) in September 2016 and graduated in January 2017. I returned to Ghana in September 2016 and did not find a job until April 2017, almost 6 months later. This can be daunting but I think by sharing the lessons I have learnt, one of you out there who might be in the same predicament will be better prepared to face the challenge of job hunting in Ghana.
Basically, I took a well deserved break from September 2016 - November 2016 - I took this time to catch up with friends and family I had neglected during my intensive 1 year programme. In November, I begun to send out a few emails to some professional contacts and networks to let them know I was back in town and looking for a job. Most of the responses I got were âNo one is really hiring at this time of the year, it will be better to start in the New Year.â So I slowed down in December / early January / until I returned from my graduation and then I switched gears at the end of January. I sent my CV to any and everyone I knew who was in the industry and signed up and with some recruitment agencies. The most important point for me was that I did not want to get hired because of nepotism / as a favour. I wanted my CV and experience to speak for itself so that whoever was going to hire me would really see the value I would be bringing to the table. Long story short, one of the professional contacts I got in touch with responded and let me know there was an availability and the rest is history.
Here are 10 key lessons i have learnt during the 6 months I was job hunting in Ghana
1. You will be ignored & rejected - You will receive various emails saying âI regret to inform you that your qualifications do not match our requirements at this timeâ. Do not let this get to you, continue to prep for individual jobs / interviews make sure you know your strong points and are selling them to each company in the appropriate manner
2. Experience matters - As much as you can, do not have too many gaps in your CV as this puts many employers off. Try as much as possible to list your experience and continue to reiterate it in interviews. Sometimes, experience trumps qualifications
3. Figure out your Unique Selling Point - Figure out what your strengths are and when you have been able to apply them during your career. Focus on these points during your interview. Try not to be a jack of all trades, pick a few skills you have and build on them
4. CV matters - Your CV is the first impression your potential employee has of you, make sure to wow them. Keep the CV short and simple, with bullet points and short, sharp quantifiable experience. I have a blog post about writing a CV here - you can also feel free to send me yours if you would like some input ([email protected])
5. You might start at the bottom - In Ghana, it is very difficult to start a job at the position you think reflects your qualification and experience. Be patient, give each challenge your all and you will be able to rise through the ranks quickly! It is especially important that you let your potential employer know that you are looking to be promoted within 6 months during the later stages of your interviews so they are aware that you are willing to work hard. Donât confuse starting at the bottom with starting with a completely different job in a different department. The best example I can give for this would be starting as an Account Executive at an agency when you should actually be an Account Manager
6. Patience & Humility - During the time of your hunt, you are going to need to be extremely patient with yourself, with your potential employers and even with your friends and family who may be pressurising you to look into other industries / other positions. Stick with your goals and continue to work towards what you think is best for you
7. Keep an open mind - This is related to points 5 & 6 - keep an open mind with regards to different positions you might enjoy, timelines for hiring and even salaries. You might need to be a bit flexible in the first few months to ensure you get a position you enjoy
8. Connections / networks are important - These are not necessarily personal connections but it is advisable to attend industry events in order to generate strong networks you can fall back on when it comes to time to look for a job
9. You will be pressurised - You will definitely start feeling pressurised by your family/friends and even by yourself especially if it is taking a while to get a job. Stand firm in your beliefs and continue to revaluate your choices
10. Qualifications donât always matter - Sometimes, your qualifications donât always matter. You will see people in your position or higher who donât have the same qualifications as you. That is fine as your education opens up your mind and allows you to think of solutions in different ways. These qualifications may not necessarily matter on paper but they open your mind up beyond what it would have been able to process before you got the degree
Downloadable version of the key lessons - http://bit.ly/jobhuntinglessons
My personal advice is to figure out what career path you would like to take based on your personality, your interests, your likes and dislikes and then find a position that is best suited for you. It may not be a perfect fit but if it ticks 8 out of 10 boxes, then its a good fit. Stand firm in your choices, do not get swayed by others who may not necessarily know what your end goal might be.
Resources to check out for job hunting
-African Bagg Recruitment
Until next time, feel free to email me any questions you might have - [email protected] - I am always happy to hear from you! Â If you need help with your CV feel free to email me as well - [email protected]
Please note that these lessons are from my personal experience, you may have a different perspective and so we would love to hear from you in the comments below!
As a reminder to myself, I will be doing a post on how to get ready for interviews, how to spruce up your Linkedin profile in order to get more views. If there is anything else you would like me to talk about let me know in the comments!
#corporatelife #corporateghana #workinginghana #jobsinghana #jobhuntinginghana #lifestyle
