Team Roar
Finding a job is hard. Finding the right job is even harder. You may have all the qualifications in the world but if you don’t have any real world experience, an impressive CV or contacts that can hook you up with a halfway decent employer, you’re left with very few choices.
CareerMe.org is a first-of-its-kind non-profit initiative that aims to help recent graduates in Sri Lanka face this challenge head-on by helping them narrow their job search based on their background, skills, experience and career goals. If you’re between the ages of 21 and 25, have just completed your degree abroad or at a private institution in Sri Lanka, CareerMe offers you all the help you need to find a fulfilling career that’s just right for you.
Image courtesy, CareerMe
Speaking to Roar, founder Samantha Dias says CareerMe’s goal is to be the go-to organisation for career development and support in Sri Lanka. She stresses that it is not a job agency, but rather a team of professionals that will help you customize your job search strategy based on your strengths, capabilities and passions.
“CareerMe is not a gather-CVs-and-then-send-to-companies institution. We deal with each and every graduate on a very personal basis and aim to provide whatever services listed on our site and if possible, more, depending on their needs and their goals,” she says.
Image courtesy, CareerMe
Some of the graduates who got in touch with them, adds Samantha, have been desperately seeking jobs for months while others just wanted a CV revamped.
As a brand new non-profit with just a handful of volunteers working behind the scenes, CareerMe is forced to limit its services to graduates from private or international universities. However, the organisation appears to be well-equipped to deliver on its stated mission to “be there every step of the way” to its intended target audience of fresh graduates with less than three years of experience.
“Right now, we are focusing on the minority of undergrads who return home after studying abroad or go to private institutions like Royal Institute, ACBT, etc. to complete their undergrad studies. I know of many, many undergrads from both those segments who have struggled in their early career with finding a suitable job in Sri Lanka due to lack of knowledge, real world experience or a network. Also, given our current volunteer base and goals, our expertise is limited to career development for this audience. We hope to change this in the long-term,” she says.
The 21 to 25 age restriction is also likely to change, going forward.
Image courtesy, CareerMe
“What we offer is a career kick-start services for recent graduates who belong to this particular age group; however, we’ve realised that there could be a few who finish their degree when they’re 26 or so. We will probably remove the age limit and focus on the number of years of work experience following their graduation,” says Samantha.
Just as there is no perfect job, there is no perfect way to go about looking for a job. CareerMe, however, aims to come as close to perfect as it gets.
“For example, let’s assume you’re an Arts grad who just returned home to Sri Lanka. You majored in Art History, and you badly want to dedicate your career towards helping emerging artists market themselves. You’re not going to be spending time applying for jobs on job portals in Sri Lanka, unlike, say, a Business grad who might find plenty of business-related jobs online,” she says.
CareerMe is not just a place for job seekers. It is also a helpful resource for employers looking for that all-too-elusive crème of the crop, giving them access to a multitude of CVs and graduates of varying competency.
The organisation also partners with private higher education institutions, providing tailored career guidance for their students and ensuring quicker job placements, taking the time to evaluate each student’s strengths and weaknesses.
We can honestly say that CareerMe is a much-needed initiative that could potentially revolutionise recruitment of graduates in the country. However, as a fledgling organization with limited man power, it will need all the help it can get. If you would like to volunteer your services to this great cause, CareerMe is more than ready to hear from you.
To get in touch with Samantha and co., click here.
