Tips for getting your first job in Botswana

The best way to get a job in Botswana is to use a network. For those who are new to Botswana, I suggest you start networking before you arrive. Use other social media and professional websites (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc) to try and establish contact with people from your industry, possibly set up meetings for when you arrive. If someone arranges to meet with you or suggests you call them, do so and do not delay, if you don't seize the moment you might lose an opportunity.

There are recruitment agencies and jobs advertised in newspapers but unless you are relocating with a company already established here, it will be difficult. My wife and I relocated to Botswana towards the end of 2013, my wife is Motswana and had been in the UK for over a decade. She applied for vacancies advertised in newspapers, signed up to numerous recruitment agencies but received no responses from either. She was literally offered a job towards the end of last month... nearly 18 months after we arrived. I started my own business and it took a while to gain exposure and things have only picked in the past few months. It took persistence and determination but we got there in the end.

Setting up a business is another option and internships seem to be popular but you'll be competing with locals for these positions. If you possess special skills in certain fields, then this might work in your favour. If you have the financial capital, there is a huge drive for the development of industry in Botswana, local production and creating jobs for Batswana. Farming is another area.

My advice comes from personal experience relating to living in the capital city, it may be easier to find employment in places outside of the capital because they have many tourists travelling through, so hotels, lodges and safari camps may be other options to explore. Just do what you can to start a professional network before you arrive and don't rely on individuals contacting you, contact them and keep pushing. Try to come with adequate funds to support you whilst you are searching. It's difficult but not impossible.