Sweat at Kigali job fair

Create own path to a job

Nuwagira urges fresh graduates to enroll for unpaid internship to hone their skills and gain experience, arguing that exposure and experience are priceless.

She advises job-seekers not to put making money ahead of skills acquisition because the right exposure and experience makes one more competitive in the job market.

Mogazi encourages job-seekers to know their career objectives and also identify skills and competencies that make them stand out from the crowd.

“Look more at what you like to do rather than what you were trained to do because companies are increasingly looking out for all-round people with excellent people skills,” he explains. He adds that one’s behaviour and preferences now play a big part staff recruitment.

Cecile Mbashimishe, the communications and events officer at Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Rwanda, advises job-seekers to network, saying this enables them to meet potential employers and market themselves. This way, you can easily land your dream job.

When entrepreneurship is the answer

When finally the direction to a great job appeared to be clearing, the Minister of Public Service and Labour, Fanfan Rwanyindo Kayirangwa, who was the main speaker at the fair, added another twist. “Create your own jobs,” she told the young people.

According to her, entrepreneurship is great because it has a multiplier effect – creates jobs for business owners and other Rwandans as well. The minister was presiding KSEC Job Net fair on May 3.

Deputy City of Kigali Mayor (In charge of social services), Patricia Muhongerwa, rubbed it in harder. “Start own businesses instead of chasing after the few jobs in government and private sector,” she said. In fact, she told the youth, form cooperatives.

DOT’s Mbashimishe said things should not be difficult if one is creative. “You have graduated; you have an excellent CV, what next? What you should be thinking about now is how to provide solutions to community challenges not looking for posh office jobs,” she urges.

“Go to your communities and provide solutions to the challenges they face; those are your jobs,” she said. Those suggestions appear to have worked for Sunday Rogers, the marketing manager of Cycle Investment Cooperative (CIC), a microfinance institution.

He said self-employment is currently the best option for fresh graduates and youth generally. “Working for others is old mentality that youth must discard,” he said. He advised youth to start with whatever little money one has. “The biggest problem is the misconception among young people that one needs a lot of money to start a business,” he said.

John Katabarwa, a student of business and information technology, was not convinced. He insisted that getting even small startup capital is a big problem preventing the youth from becoming entrepreneurs.
It is not surprising that many attendees still had their eyes on that posh office job, its frustrations notwithstanding.

Patrick Iradukunda, a job-seeker and tourism and hospitality management graduate, kept wondering how recruiters expect young graduates to have experience. “This is a big challenge unemployed people face in the job market,” he said.

Dieudonne Mushimiyimana, a jobless graduate, offered even more pain. “Some firms have no transparency,” he said, “They advertise jobs that have already been filled!”