1. Restructure Your CV:

   • Highlight Your Academic Achievements: In my experience, recruitment agencies in Zimbabwe are particular about academic performance. Detail your Degree in Marketing or Economics, ensuring you highlight your 2.1 pass or higher.
   • Revamp Your Skills Section: Make sure the listed core competencies are visible in your CV. For example, communicate your teamworking and interpersonal skills, adaptability and customer service skills.
   • Showcase Your Marketing Knowledge: Include projects, coursework, or certifications that highlight your understanding of marketing concepts and practices.
   • Emphasize Your Eagerness to Learn: List any relevant activities that show your ability to adapt and learn quickly.
   • Demonstrate attention to detail and Analytical Skills: Use examples of tasks or projects where you showed commercial awareness, attention to detail and analytical skills.

2. Key Areas to Note:

   • Application Deadline: The application closes by 8 December 2023. Do not wait till the last minute to submit your application.
   • Email Subject: When sending your application, label it as "GRADUATE TRAINEE". This could be the first filter for HR.
   • Email Address: Applications are to be sent to [email protected]. Be careful to get this right, misspelling could send your application to the wrong place.
   • Work Experience Limit: The requirement is that you should have less than one-year work experience. Trying to fit into this role with more experience might present you as overqualified.
   • Degree Specification: The job requires a degree in either Marketing or Economics. In my years of consultancy, I have noticed more flexible employers who accept related degrees. You could reach out to the HR for clarification if your degree is in a related course.

3. Stand Out In The Candidate Pool:

   • Go above and Beyond: Instead of just stating you have good communication skills or analytical skills in your CV, provide quantifiable achievements or projects relating to these skills.
   • Cover Letter Storytelling: Use your cover letter to share an interesting story about a time when you displayed quick learning and adaptability or increased commercial awareness in a previous role/project.
   • Follow Up: After the application, a follow up email can make you stand out. Be courteous and express your ongoing interest in the job offer in Zimbabwe.

4. Things Novice Applicants Might Miss:

   • Unrelated Job Experience: If you've done internships or part-time jobs that are unrelated to marketing and economics, look for transferable skills that you acquired and relate it with the listed core competencies.
   • The Intensity of the Program: A 24-month Graduate Trainee Program could be quite intensive. It means they want someone who is dedicated and ready to learn.
   • Core Competencies are crucial: Novice applicants often undermine the value of the listed core competencies. These are key employment opportunities in Zimbabwe that don't just want qualifications, but also well-rounded individuals.

For jobs in Zimbabwe, vacancies in zim, and all Zimbabwean jobs alike, following these guidelines may enhance your success in job search in Zimbabwe or anywhere you are.