In the country we are living in, finding a dream job is very challenging because of the number of mismatched prospects and talents that exists between the job seekers and employers says Yusuf Reja, Founder and Executive Director of Ethiojobs & Zebrajobs.  Yusuf clearly identified these challenges and changed it to a business opportunity with the aim to fill the gap.  It’s been 15 years since he started his business and he is running it successfully by providing the highest solutions of all times.  His company Infomind solutions (IMS) provides professional search service to over 500 organizations locally & internationally. Likewise it provides career counselling service for both job seekers and employers through online recruitment service: ethiojobs.net and zebrajobs.com. Even though his company has achieved a lot, the challenges still remain. On February 4, Yusuf Reja revealed the secrets of finding the right job from the recruiter’s point of view at the AWiB monthly networking event.

The secret

Finding a job is a science not an art. It is a science because we have to understand and follow all the procedures like a medical doctor. If we miss one of the elements from all the processes, it’s for sure that the dream job is not going to happen. What makes finding the dream job so difficult is simply “competition”. For every 1000 applicants for a junior level position, 100 may be considered. As we go up the ladder, the competition would get even tougher. Yusuf stresses that we need to keep the fierce competition in mind and work hard to beat it.

The Processes:

1. Search and manage
2. Good(Killer)CV
3. How to get all answers on the Interview

By following these scientific and basic fundamentals and by understanding the mind of the recruiters anyone can get the job that he/she wants.  People usually say there aren’t enough job opportunities.  “Yes it is true, says Yusuf but he also stressed that if you are the right candidate everyone will create a position for you”. All one has to do is to use the processes as above carefully and properly. So, he said with lots of preparation and doing the homework, there is always an opportunity for everyone to be hireable especially in a developing country such as Ethiopia where graduates are ill prepared for the job market…

How to use the tools:

1.  Search and Manage: How to search the right job begins from knowing how to hunt it. To instigate we have to clearly identify what we want, where we want to work and the position we fit in.  This comes by evaluating oneself authentically (since the answer comes from within). We need to evaluate our background, qualification, interest and capability. KSA is a method which stands for knowledge, Skill and attitude. Understanding our self-including our strength, how to overcome our weakness and our attitude are also very essential. Then the search begins by asking where are the jobs and where can we track them? In this case the sources are: talent search jobsites, newspapers, employment agencies, media, vacancies, and our networks like family members, friends, neighbours, Idir etc….. Yusuf critically highlighted the importance of networking platforms such as AWiB as 60% of the job is found through the people we know and that is even before the vacancy is posted to public.Referral has a high mark which can only be found through networking and it is important to have people who vouch for us. In fact most companies pay for the people who present the right candidate to them.  But luckily LinkedIn also created that networking opportunity even though few use this useful social medium.  
2. The killer CV– They say don’t judge the book by its cover. Nonetheless it is true that the cover has to be appealing in order to get to the body.  It is a fact that the recruiter would not go through all the 1000 CVs presented. It may not be fair but it is what it is. This is not to say the recruiters don’t value the information on the CV rather how you put the information and the words you use so the CV could be a winner. Most people undermine the influence of CV to get to the interview stage. Therefore, it is crucial to know what information to include based on our background before we submit.

The two types of CVs 

Chronological CV- It’s a type of CV which shows the progress you made throughout your career.

Functional CV – It’s a type of CV which shows the experiences, the different positions, projects and job shifts you carried out. 

Since the recruiter only takes 30 seconds to review your CV, it is utmost importance to state clearly what you want them to do.

After choosing the type of CV that best fits your background, you must include:

• Customising the CV based on the job description
• Putting the right address, the organization and where to submit exactly and if possible to add for whom to submit
•  A powerful cover letter– the tool to address the job that you are qualified for and your experience with the strength and weakness that you identified

1. Getting all the answers on the interview stage– if you are fortunate enough to be invited to the interview, the job is yours and it is up to you to convince them you are the right person. You have to understand what the employer needs to know is not the information you already put on the CV, but how you did what you put on the CV.

Competency is not what you do, it is all about how you do it. How do you make that decision, how you motivate your teams, how you manage the stressful work environment, how you meet deadlines, how you utilize the networking you have. Employers know the ability of success come from your capacity to lead and communicate.

Questions on the interview and how to respond:

1. Tell me about yourself?

In the recruiters mind what they want to hear is the value you can add to the organization and your capability, not about your personal history or what you mentioned on your CV. 

2. Where do you live?

In the recruiters mind what they want to hear is simply about your time management skills and if you can get to work on time.

3. Why did you leave your previous job?

In the recruiters mind what they want to hear is if you can do your job or not? Avoid answers like, to have a better salary or because you couldn’t fit in the work environment and can’t perform.

4. What are your achievements?

In the recruiters mind what they want to hear is you know what an achievement is. Keep in mind that doing the job you are hired to do is not an achievement. But what you did beyond the job description is what they want to here.

5. How much do you want to get paid?

In the recruiters mind what they want to hear isfor you to negotiate very well. But first you have to know your worth. You need to understand if you want to get paid 10,000 Birr, you shouldn’t get below or above because that is your capacity and your worth. But for example if they offer 20,000 Birr, you have to know that your responsibilities will double and triple. Then you have to question your capacity.

Conclusion

In order to get the dream job you desire, you need to ask also what you can do for the organization; not only what the organization can do for you. Finally, Yusuf concluded by sharing a conversation with a very positive individual that he had met. When he asked her if she was happy with her job in which she responded, “yemetwedewn sera esketageng; yemetserwen sera weded”!  Unless you find the job you like, you’d be better off liking the job you have!

Q & A Time

Q – Why do some vacancies state women applicants are preferable?

A -There are some organizations that are gender conscious and would like to give equal opportunity as men. But in Ethiopia’s case such companies do not exist much.

Q – How is it possible to find a job without any experience?

A -To begin with there is a difference between a job and an experience.

A job is a collection of skills required for the position you’re hired.  On the other hand, experience can bewhat you did starting from college –activities that you have undertaken such as being a member of different clubs and the roles you played, volunteerism, internship, communication skills you developed throughout, teamwork, decision making ability, leadership, time management etc…

Q – How can we negotiate salary especially in the face of pay inequality between a man and a woman?

A -The first thing that has to be done is to know your worth. Evaluate your capacity from the job description then make a research the payment scale of other organizations through your connections and networks.

Q – How is it helpful to tell your weakness to the recruiters?

A – Telling your weakness is being self-aware. You have to know what the job requires. You can simply say my weakness is this and I need to learn the skill to overcome my weakness. The interview is not a place for you to be humble rather it is a place where you have to sell yourself.

Q – How to handle the Sexual Harassment at work?

A – Keep Calm and be professional as much as possible.

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