Business-focused social media platform LinkedIn has proved to be a life-changing tool for University of Pretoria (UP) graduate Nobesuthu Mahlangu, a talent coordinator at one of South Africa’s financial institutions. She used it not only to secure her “dream job” but to help a student fund his university debt.  

“LinkedIn provided a turning point in my career,” Mahlangu says. “It laid a solid foundation for my career, allowing me to network and build an incredible community. I have received countless job offers on the platform, all because I decided to document my journey. On top of that, I’ve received two recognitions for my contributions on LinkedIn. Moreover, the platform provided opportunities to earn extra income, which funded my additional two qualifications.”

In 2020, when Mahlangu completed her degree – a Bachelor of Social Science in Industrial Sociology and Labour Studies – she applied for internships, but to no avail, as many companies were shutting down or restructuring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“No one was willing to hire me,” she recalls. “I went from door to door, but had no luck. My turning point came when I visited Monte Casino and approached more than 10 restaurants, only to hear the same response: ‘We can’t take on more staff at the moment.’”

Once she’d discovered LinkedIn and saw people landing jobs, she knew it could be her breakthrough.

“With zero experience and only my qualification, establishing myself was tough,” she says. “I posted consistently for two years, and for the first six months, no one noticed my work. Eventually, I landed my first internship, received job recommendations and began working with brands. Now, I’m close to reaching a community of 80 000, and just recently, LinkedIn recognised me as a Top Community Voice in Content Marketing.”

The 24-year-old says it’s important that everyone, especially graduates, start building their personal brand and documenting their value.

“Today, a traditional CV is not enough,” Mahlangu says. “People want to see what you can do for them. My own experience showed this clearly; my initial content focused on human resources, and most of the opportunities I received were in that field. Documenting your value builds credibility and trust, making others more likely to want to connect with you.”

Her interest in labour relations led her to start a newsletter. She recalls noticing how her father and his friends were often unaware of their labour rights.

“I’d overhear their conversations, and never once did I hear my father say, ‘I’m taking leave this Friday.’ I wanted to fill that gap and ensure that people in my community have easy access to this information. I usually publish articles every Sunday at 10am, but due to time constraints, I haven’t been as consistent over the past two months.”

Lending a helping hand

Mahlangu recently took to LinkedIn and raised more than R34,970 in seven days to help a student from the  University of Witwatersrand to pay off his university debt.

“He now owes Wits just over R3 000, if not less,” she says. “Thanks to the strong trust and support I've built within my community, people are more willing to back my initiatives. I’ve had similar success with projects like the Social Monday Club, where we grew our profiles and connected with like-minded individuals.”

For Mahlangu, education has been the key to unlock her dreams.

“I am working for my dream company because of my UP qualifications. Education has allowed me to establish my career journey and start building a future for myself.”