5 basics to consider for securing a job

On 21 January, at Chattogram Shilpakala Academy, over 5,000 students gathered to attend the Youth Career Expo. The event aimed to connect employers and jobseekers.

There were stalls from 26 employers, including Walton, Minister, Pran, Aarong, Genx, Infosys, Berger Paints, among others, that have previously hired and are looking to hire young graduates referred by Career Hub. 

We reviewed over 2,000 CVs and shared tips on making them more professional. In the end, around 400 young men and women were shortlisted and secured jobs — a big achievement for our first attempt.

I had the privilege to moderate the panel discussion with Foysal Wahid, head of HR, Walton Plaza; MD Jahidul Islam, manager, HR and Admin, Minister; Towsif Alam, area manager, Berger Paints Bangladesh, and Shuly Akter, senior manager, Lead HR (Retail), Aarong.

Here are five main points to take away from the panel discussion.

Continue to upskill yourself

I do not think this is only true for young graduates. Given that the world of work is changing quite rapidly; keeping oneself updated on latest technological shifts, understanding the trends of the sectors and in general upgrading effective employability skills remain ever relevant in this AI driven world. 

In order to do well in a career, one has to constantly 'upskill' themselves through various training and development courses and this is something Foysal focused on in his introductory remarks.

It is key to reflect on our improvement areas and develop those skills ourselves; rather than waiting for the employer to recommend it. 

Recently I have had the experience of working with my 'Gen Z' colleagues on a slide deck on Canva. While PowerPoint slides remain relevant, using Canva has alleviated my presentation excellence further, and it is much more intuitive and has easy-to-use templates.  

If there is a will, there is a way

There is nothing like your 'will' to succeed, and skills will be the means to an end, said Jahid from the Minister, a confident man, who started his career in sales and never looked back. 

Confidence comes from doing the job well, and knowing that one is able to reach the target he or she desires. The progress here has to be measured with self only; not to compete with others. The best way to achieve success is to have a vision board and work towards that every day. 

While six out of 10 jobs are in sales and marketing, career hub counselors find it hard to convince students to join sales jobs, mostly because of the reputation of these jobs being precarious. 

But if a young graduate gets into a sales job; they will learn people skills, negotiation and navigating complex situations that may help them land the jobs they desire. So, the point is to not wait for the dream job but to join work, learn from it, use it as a ladder to grow and continue to look for better work!  

Reach out to mentors

Tawsif from Berger Paints highlighted the importance of having mentors; they can be an older brother, or in his case, an older sister from your university who can guide you to prepare and apply for the jobs that would suit you. 

Even at top most private universities, would-be graduates need to learn how to search for specific jobs, prepare their CVs, learn about the organisation that they are applying for, and research on the roles they are applying for. 

"Often we interview candidates even at mid to higher levels, where we don't see the passion and dedication among them. An employer has to be convinced as to why you are perfect for the role; and learning that is possible from mentors, who are working in the similar field and landed these jobs," Tawsif said.

Therefore, he suggests it is important to join networking events, speak to alumni members and be active on social media platforms like Linkedin to ensure that you have these social connections to get the desired job. 

Be serious about the role

With 20 years in HR of Aarong, Shuly Akhtar highlights that 'Gen Z' are an intelligent and creative lot; but they lack seriousness. 

Often having patience, owning the work and the ability to take accountability for actions will go a long way further than talent! She mentions that Aarong provides transportation for female staff, which is a major concern for women not to join sales and marketing related jobs. 

Often long hours and insecurity on the roads become larger issues for families; where young female job seekers cannot win the negotiation battle with parents. In such circumstances, employers have a role to play and need to step up to ensure equity at workplaces. 

Another challenge that female colleagues face is that after maternity leave, many choose not to join work. This is mainly due to lack of proper caregiving facilities at work. Workplaces should also step up to create an enabling environment for mothers who can keep their children at work. These decisions at the higher level of company management will ensure more females at work. 

Extra-curricular activities is the key

Employers prefer young professionals who speak clearly, are flexible and agile in thinking. Participating in extra-curricular activity in school or colleges, volunteering for local organisations, signing up for an internship are more preferred than your GPA, especially at entry-level job openings, unless you are applying for a highly technical/academic position where your GPA matters more. 

All four employers agreed that they prefer fresh graduates who are honest in their CVs about these extra-curricular activities. CVs should be specific, honest and written by candidates themselves; as crafting a good CV isn't an easy skill to acquire. Also, remember that your CV should be updated every time you apply for a job. 

In this era of ChatGPT, using this tool effectively is important. If you can't explain your own 'objective' that AI has written, you're unlikely to get the job!