Good morning interpeople.
As a South African citizen, it causes great shame to know that our country has a 40% unemployment rate, one of the biggest youth bulges in the world and that we have graduates in all fields who are sitting around because they do not have jobs. On a regular basis I receive emails from people looking for work, whether it's a request to work for me or or any other company. It becomes worse when I advertise for a position at Mememe Joburg. My inbox is flooded with emails and CVs in response to the advert and I feel terrible that I can only choose one person. I do what I can and pass CVs on to people that might need people but then it carries on and every week there is a new CV to look through and another email that begins with the word ''Unfortunately''. I wish there was something I could do to help. While writing an ''unfortunately'' response last week, I had an idea that I thought might work.
I am a firm believer in starting something from nothing and not waiting around for things to happen no matter how little or no money you have. I arrived in Johannesburg in 2008 with no plan and R200 in a Sandton City shopping voucher (it was spent buying groceries at Checkers), R29 airtime that my sister bought me and about R150 in real cash. I was in love and didn't really consider how I would actually make it, but somehow things worked out. While I don't think mine is a story that should be repeated, I do believe there is value in not waiting for work to come, but finding a way to create an income if you are struggling. I did everything I could do and suffered then so that I would not have to suffer now (not that I'm swimming in gravy. No. Far from it but at least I'm not sheepishly calling my mom to wire me R100 with an extra R10 for bank charges) We are living in a time that can allow one to make money from anything, especially in South Africa. There are so many gaps here that if I could, I would clone myself and get on with it.
Back to the idea I had. Since this is a public platform of expression and a platform where many kinds of people return to on a daily or a weekly basis, I had the idea of using it. I wanted to get the blog redesigned first but this is not more important than getting the word out about these young qualified South Africans. I have decided I am going to connect job seekers with potential employers by posting their CV's on this blog every week. Not sure how it's going to work yet but so far, I reckon I can post the top three CV's every Friday and make it known on Twitter, Facebook and through word of mouth, with your help of course.
That way, potential employers can reach potential employees and this can grow into some sort of market place for young talent in all fields, not just fashion and design. I will start with the first three this Friday and I welcome people to send their CV's through and we can get the ball rolling. I will not publish people's names and personal details, just the qualifications and the basic info that employers need to know, and if they are interested they can contact me and I will put them in touch with the CV holders. Still thinking about a finder's fee for employers but not sure. I will gauge by the response. This thing will only work if you guys participate, whether you know someone that can potentially employ someone, whether you are an employer or whether you are someone who wants to get their CV out there. You can email your CV's to missmillib@gmail.com and we will take it from there. I already have three compelling CV's to post this week. I will also post a template of a CV or a CV tutorial because nobody wants to read a 4 page letter of a CV.
I am most open to ideas that might actually really give this thing legs, just post in the comments section or email me.
Phambili!
As a South African citizen, it causes great shame to know that our country has a 40% unemployment rate, one of the biggest youth bulges in the world and that we have graduates in all fields who are sitting around because they do not have jobs. On a regular basis I receive emails from people looking for work, whether it's a request to work for me or or any other company. It becomes worse when I advertise for a position at Mememe Joburg. My inbox is flooded with emails and CVs in response to the advert and I feel terrible that I can only choose one person. I do what I can and pass CVs on to people that might need people but then it carries on and every week there is a new CV to look through and another email that begins with the word ''Unfortunately''. I wish there was something I could do to help. While writing an ''unfortunately'' response last week, I had an idea that I thought might work.
I am a firm believer in starting something from nothing and not waiting around for things to happen no matter how little or no money you have. I arrived in Johannesburg in 2008 with no plan and R200 in a Sandton City shopping voucher (it was spent buying groceries at Checkers), R29 airtime that my sister bought me and about R150 in real cash. I was in love and didn't really consider how I would actually make it, but somehow things worked out. While I don't think mine is a story that should be repeated, I do believe there is value in not waiting for work to come, but finding a way to create an income if you are struggling. I did everything I could do and suffered then so that I would not have to suffer now (not that I'm swimming in gravy. No. Far from it but at least I'm not sheepishly calling my mom to wire me R100 with an extra R10 for bank charges) We are living in a time that can allow one to make money from anything, especially in South Africa. There are so many gaps here that if I could, I would clone myself and get on with it.
Back to the idea I had. Since this is a public platform of expression and a platform where many kinds of people return to on a daily or a weekly basis, I had the idea of using it. I wanted to get the blog redesigned first but this is not more important than getting the word out about these young qualified South Africans. I have decided I am going to connect job seekers with potential employers by posting their CV's on this blog every week. Not sure how it's going to work yet but so far, I reckon I can post the top three CV's every Friday and make it known on Twitter, Facebook and through word of mouth, with your help of course.
That way, potential employers can reach potential employees and this can grow into some sort of market place for young talent in all fields, not just fashion and design. I will start with the first three this Friday and I welcome people to send their CV's through and we can get the ball rolling. I will not publish people's names and personal details, just the qualifications and the basic info that employers need to know, and if they are interested they can contact me and I will put them in touch with the CV holders. Still thinking about a finder's fee for employers but not sure. I will gauge by the response. This thing will only work if you guys participate, whether you know someone that can potentially employ someone, whether you are an employer or whether you are someone who wants to get their CV out there. You can email your CV's to missmillib@gmail.com and we will take it from there. I already have three compelling CV's to post this week. I will also post a template of a CV or a CV tutorial because nobody wants to read a 4 page letter of a CV.
I am most open to ideas that might actually really give this thing legs, just post in the comments section or email me.
Phambili!
6 comments:
Good on you Mili! I always post jobs on facebook if I come across them, I used to feel naar when nobody shared the posts onto their own walls (it takes nothing from you) and decided to add a "media/marketing jobs" (that's field I see most often) page onto my blog but after a while I realised that nobody actually came to see and I stopped -- waiting for a brighter idea.
PS: your coming to Jo'burg story is brave!
This is an incredible idea my dear.
Will help wherever I can.
Hey Milli. It always feels good to help others get the jobs they want. This is a great idea!
Que magnifica idea! Y que loable compartir tu espacio, tu blog con personas que necesitan tu popularidad. Un abrazo inmenso desde Colombia y los mejores deseos de que tu iniciativa sea todo un exito. Gracias por compartir. Quiero invitarte esta vez a ver mi ultimo shooting, con Juliana Gonzalez, muévete a verlo. Besos y besos.
awesome stuff!sharing solutions not problems.
Thanks you guys, I have already received 4 CV's. That's a goos start.
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