Our emergent oil and gas industry will inevitably alter the dynamics of the local economy, shifting measured economic progress from one indicator to another. Opportunities are opening in the agriculture, services and mining sectors, resulting in an improved job market for new graduates. This is the good news.
The not so good news is that job growth in Guyana has been slow for years. The limited statistical job data we have had access to confirm sobering figures for youth unemployment. Put differently, there is a lack of current openings and an abundant number of unemployed young people looking for work: the very definition of a loose labour market.
Last November, some 17,000 persons graduated from the University of Guyana and anecdotal evidence indicated that the majority were under the age of 35. The trends have been similar at annual ceremonies in prior years. Often it is the first-time jobseekers who struggle with getting an interview just after graduation simply because they lack experience. Indeed, experience is an important factor but does not necessarily trump theoretical knowledge acquired through formal education.
As an entry-level candidate, being aware of the challenges that you present to the persons who must decide whether or not you qualify for an interview gives you the ability to minimise these challenges.
Your Application
Like the research papers you have become familiar with in academia, accuracy in presentation is crucial and this includes grammar. Standard applications consist of a cover letter and detailed résumé outlining the following:
- Personal Data – your full name, age, address and contact information. Create a simple and professional email address if you do not have one.
- Education – schools attended and corresponding period, subjects passed, and grades awarded.
- Experience – any experience is better than no experience. Go ahead and include short-term work, placements, and volunteer projects.
- Skills – list what you are good at while resisting the need to exaggerate.
- Awards – highlight your achievements!
- References – list the names of three persons, at minimum, who would be willing to give honest character and work references for you.
From my own experience, I have found that it’s a regular habit of younger candidates to submit a résumé minus the cover letter and in most of the cases, the résumés are not detailed. If the cover letter seems to be too much work for a job you’re interested in, you’re likely not that serious about the job. Candidates often miss the opportunity to package themselves for the job when they decline to submit the cover letter.
Just recently, I read a cover letter from a candidate, who described himself as “imposing with a well-built structure” in his application for a handy-man job. He also stated that he was trustworthy and diligent, with experience in the forestry and bauxite sectors. Here’s a guy who was packaging himself for the position, and what was more noteworthy was that there was no vacancy notice to guide him with respect to the characteristics of the ideal candidate. It was an open application and he obviously gave some thought to the position for which he was applying.
Your Advantage
People analytics, or data driven Human Resources (HR), is helping businesses to make more informed decisions regarding recruitment and retention. While it’s unclear how many companies locally are using analytics, HR Professionals in the region are moving in this direction, even if a tad bit slowly. Caribbean HR Professionals are beginning to analyse data regarding the type of workers who stay with a business and who leave after the first year. For several entry-level positions, the data is showing that young people with little or no experience are the ones who are staying and growing with companies. Some companies in return are hiring young graduates out of school as opposed to University graduates.
The HR framework which I’m guided by supports hiring young people with little experience. Our current workforce is young and training opportunities are available in various areas for our employees to grow as the company develops and expands its operations locally.
One of our more recent programmes involves training female heavy duty machine operators who are interested in work opportunities in the mining sector. We recently completed an evaluation exercise for potential candidates and the design stage of the practical programme will flow from the assessment of this exercise.
This is an exciting time for the young women who have grasped the opportunity, literally with both hands, and we are very encouraged at the response. One young woman – a student of the Board of Industrial Training – called my office every week for a month hoping to earn a chance to be evaluated. Her tenacity got her into the evaluation room, and when the results were released just over two weeks ago, she had made the shortlist of persons who scored 70 percent and above!
She’s moving onto the next round of practical training and I look forward to working with her and the other candidates as they seek to fulfil their potential.
Managing Expectations
On average, a small to medium size business in Guyana receives around 50 applications monthly. I reviewed 71 applications between May and June this year and that was considered a slow period; we published one vacancy during the period. In April, for example, I reviewed a total of 150 applications.
The data for the period May – June indicated that our applicants were as follows: 18 to 25 (32.3%); 26 to 35 (28%); 36 to 45 (18.1%); and 46 and above (4%). Some applicants did not provide their age.
Prior to Guyana’s oil discovery, local graduates were mainly competing with fellow local graduates, but within the last year candidates from Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) and other Caribbean countries have entered the Guyana job market. There has been a strong surge from Trinidad and Tobago over the past few months with great interest in the extractive industries. This means the talent pool has widened and employers have increased options when recruiting.
When applying for a job, it’s important to consider potential competitors vying for openings and the possible chances of getting an interview. If 100 persons are applying for one position at a single company, 10 will likely make the shortlist for an interview and in the end, only one person is hired.
Therefore, it’s important that jobseekers manage their own expectations regarding the application process – from getting on a shortlist to eventually scoring an interview. It is important not to “lose faith” but to be patient and consistent. Take the time to work on improving your credentials.
Don’t just apply, align
Recruiters who survey hundreds of applications on a regular basis could easily spot the applications that are full of job seeking jargon, such as, “I’m the right fit for the role based on my qualifications and skills.” These are the generic application letters that speak to a thousand employers, not a single employer.
It is easy to identify the candidates who use the same template for every job. Some of them even forget to change the name of the company! I have received multiple applications addressed to other companies with a reference to my own tucked somewhere in the contents.
Serious jobseekers craft each application for the specific company being applied to and avoid having a one-size-fits-all generic application letter. If you are interested in working for a specific company, do the research and tailor your application to suit.
To reduce the risk of turnover, employers would hire candidates with little to no experience in a specific role once they embody the traits that align with their core competencies.
