Former graduate Floyd Ndhlovu who works as farm manager shares some valuable tips about the job market, what employers are looking for in candidates and how graduates can use grab the opportunities presented to them.
Q: How did you get your breakthrough?
After I graduated at the University of Mpumalanga for the Advanced Diploma in Agriculture in 2017, I started applying for jobs while working as a student assistant at UMP during the registration period. Then I was awarded another opportunity to do assert verifications and also data capturing. My big break came when the university partnered with Ehlanzeni District. I was one of the two students selected to go and assist as consultants in their adopted farms. That's when I entered the agricultural field as an employee.
Q: How did you find the job market?
It's not easy. You have to prove yourself as employers are looking for hard working people, who are creative but can also follow the rules and processes. They are looking for someone who knows what they are doing: a person who can think out of the box and come up with new innovative ways of doing things.
Q: What are employers looking for in candidates?
Most of the time they are looking for experienced people, so going through an internship programme is very important. It can help you gain the necessary experience required and you have the opportunity to mingle with field veterans. It is also important that while there you add your input and mostly try to prove yourself in terms of your capabilities even though you are not a permanent employee.
Q: How can you prepare for your future career?
In order to prepare for your future career, you need to familiarise your self with latest job trends within your field of study, be willing to learn from others, worker hard and lastly: love what you do.
Q: What are the job related challenges?
Most challenges we face, is that, some companies need years and years of experience and graduates find themselves unemployed because of such reason. So experience is a stumbling block for most graduates in terms of not getting employment.
Q: How was it like moving from student to employee?
Migrating from student to a working professional can be a bit of a challenge, as we are used to being told what to do, and now in the workplace you are being put on the spotlight.
But again, the little experience we receive from internships and working hand in hand with seniors within the field, made it a bit easier to transcend. In the workplace you are expected to execute tasks and report back. I guess internship is also vital as it can prepare you for the workplace. Whereas the first five years were largely about pioneering and establishing the foundations of our institution, the next five years will be characterised by adaptability, growth, development, consolidation and innovation.
Q: What was your biggest challenge?
Having to adapt to the day-to-day demands of the workplace. The challenge is that you enter into a job being comfortable and relaxed, only to find that, there's no one (lecturer) there to assist you as everyone else have their own job to do.
You find yourself under a lot of pressure and stress to perform. At some point I felt like giving up, but then through proper planning, drafting my own working schedule, I was able to plan, execute and evaluate myself on task completed, and that’s when I realised that I was no longer a student. I had to adapt, be independent and do my thing.
Q: Any advice to graduates?
I mingled a lot especially with my former superiors, I volunteered for tasks, and I did my best to deliver. I was given the benefit of the doubt and I got a chance to actually prove my self.
@ Story by Cleopatra Makhaga. Pictures Supplied.