Some days ago, I talked with a girl, a final-year student from the University of Dar es Salaam. She was curious to know how she could find a job after graduation. She asked me-
How did you cope with the situation after graduation? Did you immediately find your dream job? What’s your story? She wanted to know my journey.
This took me back to the last quarter of 2020 when I was done with my studies and waiting for graduation. I planned to look for an internship and, see if I was lucky to secure my first job.
Until graduation time, I didn’t have any. I was tired of being idle at home with no direction or help.
I said to her, don’t be a graduate who only sends CVs and resumes and waits to be interviewed, to get employed. Be a modern graduate by
Improving your skills.
Don’t limit yourself to permanent employment that aligns with your degree; be flexible to adopt various kinds of jobs that are available depending on your other skills. Henry Bukuru, the founder of Bukuru Tech, used his skills to design websites for different companies and NGOs. He wasn’t employed but used his skills to find a job for himself before and after graduation.
Spending Time Wisely.
After sending applications, don’t spend the entire time waiting to be called for an interview. Instead of watching TV, and movies, and scrolling aimlessly on different social media platforms. Consider attending different graduate training courses where you can learn and get different ideas on how to navigate street life.
Learning Online Digital Marketing Skills.
Digital marketing jobs are the top 10 most demanded skills worldwide. Use that time to learn a skill from YouTube, Coursera, or Google Digital Skills and work as a freelancer as you wait to secure your dream job. David Mollel took a social media management course on Coursera after graduating in 2021. His first role has been working as a social media manager with different NGOs and companies.
Become an affiliate marketer.
Since you don’t have the capital to start your own business, you may become an affiliate marketer. Where you will be helping businesses reach their targeted clients and get paid for a commission.
How will you get clients?
Leverage the power of social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, where you can connect to people directly, market a product, and find clients.
Build a personal brand.
As a result of building my brand on LinkedIn, I was offered the opportunity to work as a freelancer atTanzlite Digital. You have a chance to build a brand for yourself by sharing your skills with the world and connecting with different professionals in and outside your career. I would recommend starting with LinkedIn and expanding to other platforms.
Lastly, I told her to open her mind, be ready to adapt to the different opportunities available, and not limit herself to employment. There are options for finding your first role, which may not necessarily be your professional role.
Are you a web designer and want to be the person people think of when they need a website? Or an Author? Do you provide sound advice on freelancing?
How can you make yourself known for what you’re good at and secure a corner of the digital economy?
The answer is building a personal brand on social media.
In a digital world where social media is part of our lives, successful personal branding is a result of how you present yourself to others, showcasing your skills, expertise, uniqueness, and knowledge in certain areas.
Let’s see the five roles played by social media in successfully building your personal brand.
Amplifying visibility and reach
Social media gives you an audience of 4.9 billion people ready to see what you have. That’s what made it easy for Killy Paul to be seen by Indians and get recognized for his talent. Think about Shilole, who owns Shishi food. Social media has broken the gap in how and where people can see your skills, talents, and expertise.
Content Creation and Curation
Social media gives you the power to create content and present it to your targeted audience. Each social media platform may have preferred content formats, and that requires you to understand which types of content formats work best on each platform.
Sharing Authenticity and Personal Storytelling
We have a lot of experiences in our daily lives that are good to share with others to relate to and learn from each other. Social media allows people to witness your progress from one step to another, thereby connecting and building trust with your audience. Think of Millard Ayo’s story on successful personal branding in the media industry.
Unlock Networking and Connection Opportunities.
Looking to have a chat with like-minded people like your fellow engineers, doctors, or artists? Social media allows you to connect and interact with these people more easily than ever before. This opens a door to different opportunities, as Getrude Mligo proves on Instagram.
Simplifies Engagement and Content Analytics.
How would you feel to have an engagement with a person you admire or look up to as a role model through social media? It makes you feel valued and connected, and it may be the start of building a meaningful relationship. These will help you gain a better understanding of your audience and make some informed decisions while making a content strategy that will help you build a successful personal brand.
It’s the same way you should successfully build your personal brand through your uniqueness, values, and specialty that can’t be found in someone else. That makes you memorable and recognizable for who you are. Don’t be left behind; you have everything it takes to build your own.
Have you just graduated from UDSM and don’t know what to do next? Still at SAUT or any college and feel like the future of employment is uncertain? Don’t sit with your skills; get started with freelancing.
Online freelancing may be a mere story because it’s not a common way of working in Tanzania. But the story of Baraka Mafole, a successful freelance digital marketer, may be an example of this new way of employment.
Here are steps to get you started:
1. Choose one monetizable skill
There are many high-value skills that will get you paid in 2023 and beyond. According to Upwork’s In-Demand Skills 2023, the top skills businesses seek from skilled freelancers are found in Technology, Marketing, Customer Service, Accounting & Consulting, and Design & Creative skills. See the infographic below 👇🏼
To start your freelancer career, pick any of the skills you’re interested in, study about it online and start charging for it as a service.
No one wants to hire a freelancer without knowing what to expect; a mock portfolio will speak volumes about the quality of your work, more so than a CV. Have a sample of your personal work that you did to showcase your abilities and qualities to prospective clients.
3. Create your offer
Consider the service you provide to your client and make an offer on how much you will charge for that particular service. Make sure your offer meets the quality of work a client expects from you.
4. Plan your pricing
To get a base for what to charge per project, look at the pricing of freelancers who offer similar services to yours. Don’t undercharge or overcharge; charge according to the value of the work you are putting in.
5. Set Work Terms
Determine how you are going to provide your service in terms of payment model, delivery time, reviews, and other important requirements. All of this should be written into a contract to establish a clear working environment and understand the boundaries of both parties.
6. Reach out to 10 people every day
Who are the people that you’re looking for to use your freelancing service? Where can you find them? Most are found on social media, where you can send them personalized emails, DMs, or a direct call and ask for a chance to pitch your offer.
An example of a reach-out message with your offer:
Hello Shukuru, I came across Tanzlite Digital on Instagram and noticed that you guys haven’t posted for months. I’m reaching out to see if you may need a hand on keeping your page updated with engaging educational, humorous, and even entertaining posts around your industry.
I am just starting my freelancing journey and here is my mock portfolio.
If the idea of keeping your page updated sounds great to you, I can do that for you for an entry fee of Tsh XXXXX per month. Let me know what you think.
7. Follow-Up and Book Calls
After reaching out, make sure to follow up and create a connection. Ask them for a response to know where they stand regarding your offer. Don’t get tired of checking them out.
8. Repeat the process
It won’t take more than 10 days of constant dedication to steps 6 and 7 before you find your potential client. Keep revising other steps whenever necessary to upgrade your profile after getting your first client.
In Conclusion
The job market in Tanzania has become intensely competitive. Everyone is a graduate these days. You have two choices; find a normal job in a company (if you’re lucky), or put yourself in the open market (the internet) where there are millions of people willing to pay for your services.
Above all, you need determination, consistency, and a commitment to continuous learning.
Thank you for reading. I am Geraldina Komba, I write about the digital economy, freelancing and personal branding.
