𝗘𝗚𝗬𝗗 𝗣𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗜𝗣𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿

𝗡𝗜𝗣𝗔, 𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗔𝗞𝗔, 𝟭𝟰 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 —  It is one thing to plan for a crowd; it is quite another to find yourself in the midst of a quiet, determined movement. The organisers, the laudable team at Educating Girls and Young Women for Development (EGYD), had anticipated 300 attendees for their 2025 Career Fair this past Saturday. By 10:00 AM, the NIPA Conference Centre was playing host to more than double that number, a turnout that served as an unmistakable signal of the powerful ambition coursing through Zambia's youth.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆

The theme, "Building a career that matters in an evolving world," perfectly encapsulated the unspoken question on every face in the room. In the modern-day professional setup where job roles shift like desert sands, the event, deftly supported by household-name brands including UnkaGO, Yango, and Financial Insight, became much less of a career fair and more of a strategic summit for the nation's emerging talent.

The day was designed for quality engagement. It uniquely commenced with an offer of professional headshots for early attendees—a practical acknowledgment that a strong first impression now often begins online. After the official opening by guest of honour Mr. Alexander Lawrence, keynote speakers Madam Kabanda Chewe and Mr. Yangeni Chendela dispensed practical wisdom. Panel discussions provided deep and incisive analysis, dissecting the realities of a modern career, from personal branding to navigating the gig economy.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀

Yet, the most telling narrative unfolded in the spaces between the formal agenda. Fledgling connections were forged within the animated clusters of the networking icebreaker. The focused intensity of the CV and interview session showed where theory met the practical challenge of a one-page document. Ultimately, the most revealing story of all could be found in the queue.

Every exhibitor's booth saw traffic, but the length and sheer tenacity of the lines at certain stands told their own tale. They revealed the most immediate anxieties in the minds of these 600-plus students, graduates, and early-career professionals. At the Financial Insight Zambia  booth, this anxiety became startlingly clear. Our offer was simple: a free, no-holds-barred review of that critical document that serves as every candidate's paper-and-ink ambassador—the Curriculum Vitae.

The response was a revelation. A queue, impressively long and wonderfully patient, formed almost instantly. It was composed of bright, articulate individuals clutching A4 sheets that held their entire professional histories. What we witnessed was a microcosm of a national challenge: a stark disconnect between immense human potential and the language required to articulate it on paper.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲

Before any handshake or interview, a company first meets a candidate through their CV—a silent advocate often tragically unequipped for its monumental task. Common examples included the "Chronological Confession," an exhaustive list of duties that read like a job description for a role already left behind. Another frequent sight was the "Objective Mirage," a vague statement about seeking a ‘challenging role’ that could apply to anyone from an astronaut to an accountant.

At the helm of the Financial Insight booth, Clarence Chongo championed a single, simple idea: he wished for career-seekers to pivot from documenting "duties" to demonstrating "impact." They were coached to turn their language on its head. "Responsible for filing reports," added precision to became, "Streamlined reporting processes, reducing weekly administrative time by 15%." The passive phrase "Handled customer queries," was sharpened into, "Achieved a 95% positive feedback rating through effective client problem-solving."

The shift was palpable. A look of vague hope in their eyes would focus into a glint of genuine confidence. These individuals were not just job seekers; they were problem solvers, value creators, and revenue enhancers. They simply needed the vocabulary to prove it. It was, in the most cheerful sense, a form of professional therapy. The relief on a young graduate's face when shown how to quantify their internship experience was a return on investment no spreadsheet could ever capture.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹

It’s here that the vision of EGYD and the pragmatism of its partners converged. While keynote speeches inspire the mind, the hard work of editing a CV builds the bridge to an actual interview. What this day proved is that Zambia’s youth are already suited, booted, and eager for the race. They simply need a helping hand to acquire the precise tools for turning potent ambition into tangible success.

As dusk descended upon the central district of the Fairview Nipa area of the city and the day drew to a close, Financial Insight left the Conference Centre with a mountain of paper yet to be reviewed. But what we truly helped build was a small arsenal of sharper, more compelling ambassadors, now ready for the battle for page one. EGYD held up a mirror to the nation's youth and, in the reflection, we saw the future captains of industry—armed now with the words to match their worth.