Launching Your Graduate into the Professional Sphere

As homeschooling parents, we spend years curating our children’s education, ensuring they have the academic rigour and critical thinking skills to succeed. We guide them to university or college, celebrating that acceptance letter as a major victory. But as graduation approaches, a new, often more daunting anxiety about graduate employment in SA sets in: Will they find work?

The statistics are sobering. Recent data reveals that South Africa’s youth unemployment rate remains stubbornly high, sitting at approximately 45.5% in the third quarter of 2024. However, there is a silver lining. Graduates generally face better prospects than the national average, provided they approach the job market with a strategy.

James Read, Senior Manager at the Independent Institute of Education’s Rosebank College, notes that while graduation is a triumph, the transition to the working world is a significant hurdle. “The transition from university to starting the job hunt and then landing your first role is daunting, but can be made a little less so if you prepare properly,” says Read.

Here is how you can support your young adult in securing graduate employment in SA.

The “Now” Factor: Starting Before Graduation

One of the biggest misconceptions students have is that career preparation begins after the final exam. Read advises that the time to start is actually during their studies.

Universities are often viewed solely as academic hubs, but they are also networking goldmines. Employers today look for well-rounded candidates who are ready to contribute from day one. As a parent, encourage your child not to view their tertiary years in isolation. Remind them that their peers who focus only on academics may leave university in a weaker position than those who have actively built a professional foundation.

Experience is Everything: The Value of Internships for Graduate Employment in SA

In the competitive landscape of graduate employment in SA, a degree is the baseline, not the differentiator. Practical experience is what turns a CV from “average” to “hired.”

• Internships and Part-Time Work: These provide hands-on experience that allows students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios.
• Skill Acquisition: Beyond the technical tasks, these roles teach essential workplace skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
• A Foot in the Door: Many South African companies use internship programmes as a recruitment funnel. A successful internship often leads directly to a full-time offer.

Read points out that even if a part-time job isn’t directly related to their field of study, waiting tables or retail work, it still teaches valuable transferrable skills and makes for an attractive entry on a CV.

Networking: It’s Not Just Who You Know

Homeschoolers are often excellent at communicating across age groups, a skill that serves them well in professional networking. However, they need to be intentional about it.

“Networking is a crucial aspect of career development and the sooner you start, the better,” advises Read.

Encourage your child to:

• Attend Industry Events: Career fairs and university events are low-pressure environments to meet industry professionals.
• Join Societies: Student organisations often have strong connections with companies and can provide access to mentorships.
• Go Digital: Platforms like LinkedIn are non-negotiable. Building a professional network online helps students get noticed by employers they might not meet in person.

Defining Their Personal Brand

In a sea of candidates, standing out is about personal branding for students. This concept might feel foreign to a young academic, but it is simply about how they present themselves to the world.

Ask your child: What sets you apart? What are your unique strengths and values?.

Once they identify these traits, they must ensure consistency. “How you communicate, both online and offline, should align with the image you want to project,” says Read. This includes everything from their LinkedIn profile picture to how they conduct themselves at a family braai where a potential employer might be present.

Soft Skills Development

While technical skills get you the interview, soft skills get you the job. Soft skills development, focusing on attributes like adaptability, teamwork, and emotional intelligence is often what sets candidates apart when seeking graduate employment in SA.

Many tertiary institutions offer career services that include training in professional etiquette and interview techniques. These are invaluable resources that are often free to students, make sure your child is using them.

Mastering the Graduate Employment in SA Search Mechanics

Landing your first job requires treating the search itself as a job. As graduation approaches, the strategy should shift from passive learning to active hunting.

1. Research: Look for companies that align with their values and offer growth.
2. The CV and Portfolio: This is the first impression an employer has. It must be professional, error-free, and tailored to the role.
3. Routine: Set aside weekly time specifically to search for openings and follow up on applications.
4. Practice: Mock interviews with friends or career centres can reduce anxiety and improve performance.
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