HR Pulse

MILLENNIALS - THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU QUIT

With South Africa’s unemployment rate averaging at an excessively high 25.27% (from 2000 until 2015 - reported by Statistics South Africa), it is clear that opportunities in the country are limited. However, many employed South Africans may want to quit their job in hopes of climbing the corporate ladder. This is according to Quest Staffing Solutions CEO, Kay Vittee who notes that South Africa’s deteriorating economic prospects and increasingly strained job market are some of the massive hurdles currently facing the country and its over 50 million population.

With this in mind, she says that it is vital for South Africans to ensure that they have a position lined up before quitting their current job for career growth or higher pay. Alternatively, Vittee highlights that they may find themselves joining the unemployed population. 
She says, “More and more millennials – those aged between 18 and 33 – are entering and thriving in the workforce. While these young employees come with innovative ideas and impressive qualifications, their traits of ambition, job-hopping, entitlement and inflated self-esteem should not get the better of them when looking to grow their careers.”

“Due to the turbulent economy and weakening Rand, businesses are in distress. Not only is this likely to have a negative impact the already strained job market, but also means that organisations may not have the financial ability to promote or give increases to entry level staff at this time,” she explains.

While Vittee expresses an understanding that millennials may become frustrated when experiencing a perceived plateau in their careers, as many of them have already made their way into management positions, she emphasises that rational decisions should be the order of the day.

“If you are looking for growth, the worst thing you could do is leave your job without having another one. Consider that there are a number of qualified and experienced candidates out in the market, all competing for the same job you are after.”

The average number of people who apply for any given job can reach into the hundreds – sometimes thousands – with only a maximum of 20% getting to the interview stage.

“Ultimately,” says Vittee, “sticking it out to gain more experience and time – to find something new or to reach financial stability with your current employer – is the only way to go.”

“If you are certain that you want to move on to another company, make sure the job is yours before you lose the opportunity to gain valuable experience and maintain a steady income.”

“Partnering with a reputable staffing or recruitment company will give you a greater understanding of the opportunities in your industry, at your level, and with your existing qualifications and experience,” she advises.

Vittee concludes that South Africa is experiencing a profound demographic shift, with the majority of the population (68.3%) set to be at their working prime by 2045.

“While this working age population presents a great opportunity for the economy, it also poses a major challenge as the country is faced with the responsibility of ensuring that all these people are able to find work and that the country gets the necessary economic boost to sustain it in the long-run. We can’t expect this to happen over-night and therefore have to be mindful when making big career choices,” she says.