Discussion Request: From an Unemployed Graduate
Update:
It is with happiness to tell you that Khams has found a job. Here is message relaying the good news.
Guys,
I get a lot of feedback from you but this one really touches on issues that, I think, affect many people out there. Especially the young. I don’t agree or disagree with it but, and in agreement with the sender, I decided to post it here to find out what others think or have to say.
Here is the message (I have edited it, slightly, for readability):
Dear Corporate South Africa
I’m deeply shocked at the state of unemployment in South Africa. Government and private companies are in partnership with a golden lie. I have been, since last year, unemployed whilst the government, whatever that means, continues with this fallacy that the world, and more so South Africa, needs Scientist and Engineers.
I’m here to tell you that this puff and pass site is unnecessary because we are unemployed, and at the shebeen and taverns, and in fact we are registered in all their websites.
Were simply tired of buying newspapers, data bundles for internet, airtime, faxing R5 per page by the way, posting, making copies, filling in Z83 forms and every other temple these companies have.
Last but not least paying with our unemployed grandparent’s pension’s money to attend these pretentious interviews. Whilst they know that already have someone in mind. It is sad that in South Africa or as some might say poor Africa getting funding in the form of loans to study is easy but getting a job can kill your empty pocket and hopeful dreams while uneducated illiterate people continue to steal oxygen in all our so called skills lacking companies.
Yours drank at the shebeen after applying yet again at the post office today: Scientist/ Engineer: Graduate.
Khams
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I decided to post it online because I don’t have all the answers and also that I may not know how deep a problem it is to try to find a job. What do you have to say? #Use the comments section below for your feedback#
One more thing: All comments with SMS/Mixit or shorthand writing style will be deleted.
UPDATE: just so that we don’t turn this discussion into a political party cheerleading contest, all comments about political party A is better than political party B will be deleted. Talking about the government is fine but campaigning is something else….
517 Comments
When I was still in high school, about some 18 odd years ago, we used to have a guidance class (public school). We would go about finding information about what courses were out there, how much they paid and so forth. It was a good excercise as we also got to learn about what industries had shortages and so forth. Most of the people I was in high school with are now nurses, maths teachers, engineers, business people and this to me, says the guidance class worked.
I wonder how our children choose the courses they do when getting to varsity. I see most public schools do not have educational Psychologists to do psychometrics with learners and this puts most public learners at a disadvantage.
It would be very irresponsible of me not to include this, the government alone cannot do everything for us. Let us drive the initiative ti have people start businesses and emply people. Each one empower one should be our motto here.
Good luck to all the unemployed graduates. May you have the strength to find what you are so patiently waiting for and the wisdom to do something different should the situation call for it.
whoooaaaao… I just read all the above and I am in such fear. I am a student who is currently doing my last semester before I graduate, it just gets me too to study this hard and yet there are many people who graduated before me still complaining about employment. it leaves me with a question of where will I be next year and what will I be doing….? please please really cant our government do something about this? I so wish to stop being my parent’s responsibility now and want to be my own responsibility…. ITS SAD
Okay!!! If I’m getting this right, the person feels like its best to sit in taverns and drink? Yet complaining about paying R5 per page to fax cv’s to various agencies or companies? If we take a moment and think about it how much does he/she spend on a beer -+R11 and maybe drinks 4 to 5 beers per day? Doesn’t the person think its wise to use the money she/he drink to do what it takes to get a job? And blaming the puffandpass site for not getting employed is unreasonable for the person, I myself can vow to that, that this side is advertising job post/internships/learnership/bursaries, that you won’t ever get to find in the newspapers, although I graduated 2010 and still unemployed I feel like the site is giving me hope of finding something that I’ll never find in newspapers or on the search engines, I want to tell everyone who is unemployed to never give up, keep faxing, emailing, mailing up until someone calls you up, its better so than to sit home and do non, and yet complain that the government ain’t giving you a job.
I think us job seeker its understanding why we don’t get learnership and internship,I have been struggling to have a diploma I’m sitting home with N6 h r certificates sometimes I feel like I’m useless sometime I just give up because I don’t have anyone to blame. I really need a learnership or internship to continue with my studies even when its unpayed with me I’m fine.I have 3 years sitting home.
This is very true I can relate to that massege I for one am a 2010 graduate who did her inservice training at a government department and I know that when newspapers advertise posts they already have people to fill those particular posts. Inteviews are really pretentious just to have that formal protocol, I’m scared if I’ll ever work or if I just went to varsity for nothing. The youth of South Africa is suffering yet things are expensive, how do they expect us to survive??
The fact that public services advertise posts knowing very well they have their people already is not on. Getting a job is a job on its on n requires money to do it. Its frustrating , even getting a learnership is impossible coz you may have all the requirements and they still turn you down.
There is no fairness , to get a job you have to know someone what about your skills and qualifications.
I will advice you to update your CV and submit to department of Labour.
im not saying to discourage others but the DOL,,,remember they always call us to submit almost every year esp engineers ,ohoo they just bring hopes for nothing,i have submited 2 times, 2 years back but u wont even get a message confirming that they have received ur application,,i am even done with my in-service. Aluta continues.
PUFF AND PASS is really helpful indeed.one dont need to register with them in order to apply but instate direct u straight to the employers registry for the particular post/s. although i prefer emails or submitting myself.
This is so true hey, what pisses me the most I did IT and people will say your course is in demand especially around gauteng and capetown but look I’m sitting at my flat sending I don’t knw how many cvs a day but nothing not even an interview. Now it takes me to ask my self why we going to universities to study though we not getting any jobs. What about those who still persuing their studies back at school while we have 3,4,2 years graduated but we don’t have any jobs in our hands… This is pissing me off because we end up going for wrong things simple because we tired of asking our unemployed parents money. Like really do we have to suffer like this though we saying we living in a free country!
I can relate to the writter of this email. I graduated in 2010 with a LLB degree I’ve been to so many interviews but to no success,I’ve been applying each week I see something on the paper or internet but I doubt my applications even reach their destination,its is frustrating to wake up every day and have nothing to do. My younger sibling don’t see the point of furthering their education cause really they don’t see the point and I don’t blame them.
i totally understand your frustrations, it reaaly is hard to get a job especially these day witha lot of qualified youngsters,
im also very disappointed in your stament” while uneducated illiterate people continue to steal oxygen in all our so called skills lacking companies.” at this age with no formal experience it is hard, and you need to stop acting like a spoilt brat, who drowns his sorrows in booze, and start believing that your time is not Gods time, you will get your job, just don’t take it out on everyone and everything eg puff and puff.
Unfortunately this is a sad case, I myself am I graduate that studied Public Relations and it is difficult to get a job let alone an internship. We send our cvs,we go online and post for jobs,we buy newspapers,we fax and email and it all seems like a lost cause,our unemployment rate is increasing,the government has yet again disappointed us with empty promises,we studied for a better future not to sit at home wondering what to do with our lives,we need a break to prove what we can do as students or rather as graduates,minimum experience is 3 years we fresh out of school we need a chance to get that experience,our government needs to work for its people
Hey. Try this little trick – next time you see a post within an area you can physically reach, dress neatly, don your best personality and try hand-delivering your application. Unfortunately, it is to a certain extent about who you know – so the practical thing to do is try to get to know people.
Also, try not to only wait for applications – ask, in person, about opportunities even where they are not explicitly offered.
Sadly, the above advice is more likely to work with private companies than govt dept.s, hey.
Job hunting is quiet a strain, I just finished my degree in Bcom Human Resource Management last semester..I have taken my cv at labour department and for the past 4 months, out of 13 companies I’ve applied for only 1 has responded. So now I have decided to go study teaching next year not because I love it but because there is a shortage and better opportunities in it than my choice of career..so guys let’s not lose hope. Let’s keep applying eventually something will come up.
I’m in the same boat as you. I graduated with a Bcom Economics degree in March 2012. I’ve only been to one interview so far. I’ve probably applied for over 50 jobs. I’m also going to do teaching next year, because it seems that’s the only way for an educated person to find work. It’s sad really..
Hustling is what we ….. grew up from.
We have managed to grow up from strugle, we have managed to pass the most difficult subjects in high school (Mathematics and Physical Science) and hence managed to finish grade 12 in which others were unfortune. Others have graduated, lets think and use our brain all these years studying waking up early in the morning to go school and now we give up. No thats not the way keep trying on applying at the end you will get what you want.
Other thing is,you know your career path therefore you probable know the companies that offer that career (if you dont know the companies use google to search the companies).By the way lets not wait for the jobs to be advertised in order to apply.Apply to all the companies lets use internet not just for social networking lets use it also to find the companies and aplly via e-mail.
I will be graduating next year in Ellectrical Engineering field I am now doing in-service Training and I got this company by first researching about the companies then I applied to almost all of the South African campanies,so guys lets not be defeated.
GOOD LUCK.
I think us(unemployed graduates) should form some kind of a union where we can atleast get a platform to air our views and maybe revolt cos dats de only language our gov seems to understand. I am a criminal justice law graduate from univen
Wow, I can’t agree or disagree with anything that has been said but what I do know is that job hunting us not easy I feel you brother. For the people that are employed within government and the private sector you are blessed as your cv has not been going to the dirt pile for the last eight years. I am a mother of two young kids, recently widowed also a degree. However I am not unemployed because I take what ever job that comes my way mostly temp. Also I am not willing to pay someone to get me a job within government or the private sector if it does happen that someday, someone sees my worth on paper then it just has to happen. You know what is the most saddest thing when you are an unemployed graduate or even an employed graduate working for three thousand five hundred a month. Is the fact that your siblings tell you that they don’t want to waste there time continuing with there studies because at the end of the day they will be were you are with nothing. What a waste they would say. I know that is not true but they don’t know that. Hey like it’s said what ever does not kill you makes you stronger, so boet don’t give up. Keep on trieng as we all are, apply for anything you can get your hands on I use gumtree and out of ten applications a week I would get three responses. Well the job I am in at the moment is through gumtree even though it’s temp. I have picked up more experience in this job than the last. Happy hunting and keep your head up unemployed graduate.
…I feel the pain myself, though I recently graduated, what you saying is exactly what I am going through and how all this makes me feel! I cannot offer any platitudes or pontifocate about anything or anyone you arraign. But I want you to tell you this, as long as you live never give up on life. Never lose hope, pessimism is an emotion not a philosophy but success is psychological!Atitude!
i guess you are right cause seems like without connections this days you wont get the job,i completed my diploma in electrical engineering 2009 june i only got my inservice training this year april atleast our goverment is doing something cause im in their program a SAGDA that provide development skills to unemployed graduate so im advicing you to submit your CV at department of labour.
Its funny haw peole who claim starting small businesses are the one working,if u can gadge while your in the office is best to keep quiet.as for the complaint fellow job hunter your not alone atleast you studied engeneering then you know your direction,i studied BA Economics and Public Gorvenance and have been told by other Departments that they want Bcom Economics not BA.I ask my self ‘where will i go if government officials say, that course i studied believing that i’m studying for economics in gorvenment?’ we are all trying hard.dont dispair…have hope and keep on knocking the best door for you will open.i think considering my duration in job hunting and yours we are in the same boat.dont wory our time will come and financial freedom will be ours two.
Reading this, not only made me upset but also made me realise that we are a long way from financial freedom as a country. I am also a 2011 graduate and I have never been employed in the field I have a qualification for. The rest of my friends i graduated with, continue everyday buying newspapers, faxing R5 a page and spend countless hours at internet cafes but still no light at the end of the tunnel.
We can either continue complaining everyday of our lives or as u say, drink at tarvens, but we will not get opportunities there. We can though, as I have, create our own opportunities. Many say” but there is no funding”. What happened to starting small. You own a blackberry but you complain about “no funding”. We can’t keep blaming the next person because we think we are entitled to jobs. Nobody is entitled to anything. Starting something small will not only make you some money, it will help you network,harness a handful of skills and therefore creating your very own luck.
Let’s stop complaining and blaming the nearest person. Create your opportunity, work harder then most. It is your life and nobody is responsible for it other than u. Stand up and be a man you claim you are and use your brains.
So if i understand what you saying it is that u have had a science degree/diploma since a year ago but you still cant find employment and that its the government and private sectors fault.
I understand where you come from but i think that the issue could be more complex than that especially considering that for example we dont know how you faired in these interviews and more importantly what kind of a person you are.
Having a college degree is very important make no mistake about that but that alone (unless you know some inside people) will only get you so far.
Our government is not the most perfect by a long long shot but if what you are saying was true then none of us (graduates) would be employed and i think that the same can be said of the private sectors in the country
i guess what i am trying to say is that you have come a long way to get where you are and that wasting whats left of your grandmas pension money in the tarvens drinking castle light is hardly the solution. Why not accept that our government sucks and then try to work your way around that?