Despite Africa being one of the richest continent in natural resources , the ratio of the rich to poor is appalling. A case in point is Cameroon, where the youth are in despair and despite being educated to higher educational levels, end up being hawkers, bike riders, scammers, and often times wonderers in the quarters.
What is Unemployment?
A fall in the numbers in full-time employment, and the the fact of someone not being paid to work for a company or organization (Cambridge Dictionary) .
This therefore means that if you are not doing some type of work , and are not actively searching for one either, you are simply not an unemployed individual.
According to Fig 1 Above, despite a progressive decrease in Cameroon’s unemployment rate between 2010 and 2018, there was an upsurge from 3.30 in 2019 to 3.60 in 2020, suggesting a double digit increase of people who are willing and able to work, but are unable to find work.
Having said that, the purpose of this article is to provide some useful information for those who are willing and able to gain employment.
More so, as per the World Bank , Cameroon is ranked 167 among 190 economies with difficulty to do business, and though the corruption levels have dropped over the years, it has however remained unchanged since 2018.
Debunking Some Myths about the Cameroon Job Market.
- You can only get work in Cameroon through connectivity: Whilst most employers would rather consider candidates who have been recommended ,especially for sensitive roles, a lot of other people including myself, have found work without being connected to anyone related to the management of the organisation.
- You must be a holder of a particular degree to gain employment in a given sector: It is true that most job offers come with eligibility criteria for a prospective candidate,however, it is important to note that your degree in most situations is the last element that secures you the Job. The most important thing you ought to enhance is your attitude. If you display enough passion, enthusiasm and curiosity about the role you are apply for, you cover letter should supersede your degree in most cases. All new jobs have an induction process for the simple fact that organisational cultures and processes often differ. If you left Diageo to Brasseries du Cameroun, you would be given an induction training.
- There are limited jobs in Cameroon: This particular alibi is so popular that, some young people have resolved to giving up before they even tried. You would be shocked at the number of roles that are advertised on a daily basis in the Country. The reason why most people are unaware of these opportunities is because they are not even looking. When i got my first job with a reputable multinational in Douala, i wasn’t even looking! .
After speaking to a few CEOs, these are their recommendations to young graduates and other individuals actively seeking employment.
- Make sure to have the right diploma that aligns with the industry you are seeking employment into. If applying into finance roles, you stand a better chance of being shortlisted if your degree is finance related i.e accounting,banking etc.
- Show that you are very enthusiastic in your body language, your physical appearance, be honest about your capabilities( it is the beginning of wisdom) . Be able to articulate your ambitions very clearly.
- Focus on and associate yourself with institutions and Bosses that are readily available to teach you with many opportunities to gain hands on experiences .
- Define exactly what you want out of a job and do some informative research about the industry and its related sectors, before deciding which way to go.
- Be mindful of the subjects you chose to study in school. In the case of Cameroon, students generally go in for easy going and less taxing educational parcours, in order to navigate through school with ease and be able to put on that graduation robe, for the sake of being a degree holder. Carry our research about lucrative and popularly available Jobs.
- Be passionate about what you want to do in life, this can usually be seen on your CV , based on what you have done in the past.
- Maintain a good track record . If you are a student, this is seen in your school results, the associations your belonged to, the internships that you have done.
- Change your attitude towards job search. Be more positive, optimistic and daring.
- Be ready for impromptu interviews. Employers nowadays suggest that people looking for work should be ready at all times as they sample a candidate from the time they answer the call. Be humble and willing to learn.
- Talk to people around you about your desire to get into a particular field of work and actively seek connections in the sectors you are interested in.Attend networking events and chose the company you keep. Nowadays , most job vacancies are often word of mouth.
- Put together a compelling and enticing CV
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