SNV Ghana has organised a Curriculum Vitae (CV) Review Clinic under the GrEEn project ahead of 2022 Green Job Fair in the Western Region at Takoradi.
Job seekers across the Western Region who attended the event had their CV’s edited to suit what employers are looking for, and were also prepared for the job market.
The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE), Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, and the Labour Department partnered SNV to edit the CV’s of the job seekers.
The upcoming 2022 GrEEn Regional Job Fair will be on the theme ‘Green and Circular Economy: A Sure Way to Creating Decent and Sustainable Employment and Jobs’.
The GrEEn Project is funded by the European Union in Ghana, and co-implemented by SNV Ghana and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
Gifty Afi Cudjoe, Skills Development Advisor at SNV, explained that the fair will connect potential employers with job seekers in the region.
“Since 2020, SNV has organised a total of 10 job fairs; eight at the district and two at the regional levels in partnership with local assemblies, with the aim of providing CV support, career guidance and counselling as well as connecting job seekers to green employers,” she said.
She added that in the Western Region, SNV has worked in the Ahanta West, Wassa Amenfi, Nzema East and the Jomoro Municipalities to organise job fairs and reached hundreds of job seekers.
Madam Elizabeth Acquah, Western Regional Labour Officer, noted that a lot of youths are eager to enter into the world of work.
“First of all, negotiating entry into the world of work is an issue, they roll out CV’s and they feel disappointed they cannot secure the jobs,” she said.
According to her, the labour market is very competitive, and the youth contents are many. A lot of youths are coming out from schools and there are more hands chasing the jobs which are available.
“The youths should first of all, have a proactive CV, a comprehensive CV, a CV that sells their strengths, the knowledge, and the certification of the job seeker. They should be good in terms of ICT and the usual degrees,” she advised.
Again, in terms of attitude, she said the youth should not over exceed their exuberance or expectations. Neither should they underplay the strengths and proactiveness. “Sometimes, there is a conflict of interests when the worker or the job seeker tells a likely employer that you are looking for an administrator. I am a degree holder, but I can work as a clerk for a start. In job matching, you match remuneration.” “So, the law on discrimination of remuneration is in the Labour Acts, which states equal work for equal pay. Therefore, if you work as an administrator, you earn as an administrator. If you work as a juniour clerk, you earn as a juniour clerk, irrespective of your Master’s degree because you accepted a far lower job,” she added.
Madam Acquah lauded SNV Ghana for such an initiative as it is going to sharpen the focus of the job seeker.
“When the focus of the job seeker is sharpened, he’s better positioned to match on CV, the requisite of the employer, his strengths, capabilities and knowledge base,” she said.
Shefif Ghali, CEO of Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneur (GCYE), encouraged the youth in the Western Region to take advantage of the job fair to be held in Takoradi for employment opportunities.
