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Digital careers - Beginner

Career Readiness: CVs, Cover Letters and Job Applications

A full application toolkit: understand the East African job market, avoid scams, write a strong CV, cover letter and…

About this course

Getting a job is a skill that can be learned. This course gives you a complete toolkit for finding real opportunities in Uganda and East Africa and applying for them well. It is written for fresh graduates, diploma holders, school leavers and anyone returning to the job market, including people whose experience so far is informal or unpaid.

You will learn how jobs are really found in the formal, NGO, government and private sectors, how to read an advert and match it honestly, and how to spot fake offers and pay-to-apply scams. You will write a CV from scratch, with full worked examples for a graduate, a diploma holder and a school leaver, then a cover letter and an application email, and you will practise online forms and tailoring each application.

The later modules cover proof of your work, a professional online presence, tests and assessments, a simple tracker for your search, following up, learning from rejection, and what to do when an offer arrives: contracts, probation, polite salary talks and your first 90 days. This course goes deeper than the short CV introduction in Job-Ready Digital Skills, so you can take both.

What you will learn

  • Describe the main kinds of work and entry routes in the East African job market
  • Find genuine vacancies and recognise pay-to-apply and fake-offer scams
  • Read a job advert and match your honest experience to its requirements
  • Write a clear CV with achievements, in a suitable format and length
  • Write a tailored cover letter and a professional application email
  • Complete online forms and portals accurately, with keywords that fit
  • Prepare references, certificates and a simple portfolio of proof
  • Prepare for aptitude tests and assessments and keep a job-search tracker
  • Follow up politely, learn from rejection, and handle an offer, probation and your first 90 days

Course content

6 modules · 18 lessons · 5 h 15 min · 7 quizzes

Module 1: The job market and finding real jobs3 lessons

Understand where work exists in East Africa, find genuine vacancies, avoid scams, and read adverts carefully.

  1. The East African job market: where the work is 15 min
  2. Finding genuine vacancies and spotting scams 20 min
  3. Reading a job advert and matching the requirements 15 min
  4. Quiz: 7 questions
Module 2: Building a strong CV3 lessons

Choose a format, write achievements with numbers, handle no-experience situations, and format the CV neatly for people and systems.

  1. CV structure and choosing the right format 20 min
  2. Achievements, numbers and CVs with little or no experience 20 min
  3. Formatting, length, photos, personal details and ATS keywords 20 min
  4. Quiz: 7 questions
Module 3: Cover letters, emails and application forms3 lessons

Write tailored cover letters and application emails, complete online forms carefully, and prepare references.

  1. The cover letter: weak and strong samples 20 min
  2. Application emails, online forms and portals 20 min
  3. Tailoring each application, references and recommendation letters 20 min
  4. Quiz: 7 questions
Module 4: Proof, online presence and assessments3 lessons

Gather certificates and proof of work, present yourself professionally online, and prepare for tests and assessments.

  1. Certificates, portfolios and proof of work 15 min
  2. A professional email address and online presence 15 min
  3. Assessments and aptitude tests: what to expect 20 min
  4. Quiz: 7 questions
Module 5: Organising your search and handling results3 lessons

Track applications, follow up politely, build your network and learn from rejection.

  1. Organising your job search with a tracker 15 min
  2. Following up and networking 15 min
  3. Rejection, feedback and learning from the search 15 min
  4. Quiz: 7 questions
Module 6: Offers, contracts and your first 90 days3 lessons

Understand job offers and contracts, probation and polite salary discussion, and plan a strong start at work.

  1. Job offers and contract basics 20 min
  2. Probation and negotiating salary politely 15 min
  3. Your first 90 days at work 15 min
  4. Quiz: 7 questions
Final exam

30 questions. Pass with 70% or more to earn your certificate.

What you need

  • A smartphone or computer with internet access
  • No experience needed; basic use of Word or Google Docs is helpful for the practice tasks

Further reading

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