Foretia Foundation Fortifies Job Seekers with Techniques for Finding Jobs

By Boris Esono Nwenfor & Sonita Ngunyi Nwohtazie

BUEA, June 16, 2023 – The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center, SBEC, of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation, has provided expert tips to job seekers in Buea, South West Region of Cameroon, on ways to find a job. The training on Thursday, June 15, saw the youths trained on job applications, interview strategies, CV and cover letter writing, experiential work-based learning opportunities and skills to improve overall work performance.

"When job announcements are done, thousands of people apply, and in this process, there is a need for shortlisting. Everybody cannot be called for an interview, and so, the companies have to shortlist,” Laye Mbunkur, Business/human resource expert said.

“What companies look for most times is your cover letter and your cv and the job seeker must be able to bring out what they (employers) are looking for in their CV and cover letters.

"We recommend that the job seekers should do a cover letter that is one page long, have a compelling profile of themselves and should include what the job seeker has achieved which makes him/her the best candidate for the job. The language and tone too are of utmost importance. The job seeker is selling and most strive to bring out his/her unique selling points,” Laye Mbunkur added.

The job preparedness boot camp organized by SBEC is under the project "Powering Prosperity and Economic Freedom for Women and Youths in Cameroon" and is funded by the John Templeton Foundation and the Rising Tide Foundation.

A follow mechanism has been instituted by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center to follow up the job seekers. Atam Sperry, SBEC Associate said: "We are going to build a network with them, already we have a platform where they will have to register and we will keep close contact with them. Many of them cannot grasp everything here, and I am sure many will come to us for further mentorship."

"We must do a follow-up because we too need the results. Our satisfaction will come when they have gotten the jobs, acquired the right skill set, and a good career plan for themselves. We have a structured plan for follow up and we are going to have them followed up."

Before this training on Thursday, the team from Foretia Foundation was at the Cameroon Opportunities Industrialization Center, OIC, Buea on Wednesday, June 14 where some 175 students were edified on techniques of job preparedness as well as strategies of entrepreneurship.

I have gathered a lot from this session, ranging from how to design a good CV and a cover which was a challenge to me before,” Comfort Keturam, a participant told Pan African Visions. “With the cover letter, the employer knows what you can do and what you can offer to their company. I should be able to look at myself in a positive light, be able to affirm and have that positive mindset of doing anything I put my mind to.”