CareerSeek 2nd Edition

Your guide to a great career

October 2012

2nd Edition

TOP 12 PROMISING CAREER PATHS BECOME A FULL-TIME PHOTOGRAPHER

DIGITAL CAREERS

WHY YOU NEED TO GET IN NOW

THAT JOB IS MINE!

THE UNSPOKEN TRUTH ABOUT FINDING A JOB

YOUTH OPTIMISTIC SURVEY

TURN YOUR RESUMÉ INTO AN INFO-GRAPHIC

INSIDE: AVUSA DIGITAL MD - I QUIT MY EXECUTIVE JOB TO DECLARE WAR ON UNHEALTHY LIVING

Featured Career

Featured Career

Welcome Work does consume us doesn’t it? We spend more time working than we do with friends and family. There are countless books written on the world of work, not to mention songs sung about it, movies filmed around the topic; and here you are reading CareerSeek.

Rest assured, this is no ordinary career magazine; CareerSeek is here to inspire and motivate you but more importantly give you the facts and the ammunition to be the best working professional you can possibly be.

We aim to point you in the right direction when making important career moves or when simply looking for a new and refreshing job. Changing jobs will always be a constant in your life, up until the time you retire, so you might as well gear up and be ready for when the perfect opportunity presents itself.

This October we find out from former Managing Director at Avusa Digital, Elan Lohmann, why he left his promising career in media. We also give you the inside scoop on how to land that dream job by reviewing Kerry Dawkins’ latest book “Navigate your Career”. Check out the top 12 promising career paths and the latest salary trends by the CareerJunction Index. What’s more, learn how to turn your Resumé into an info-graphic in one click.

Happy reading!

Thedo CareerJunction Team about What you think CareerSeek? We’d like to hear from you!

email us with your suggestions or your story.

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CONTENTS featured articles

How to Start Up a Business

12

Following a Childhood Dream

14

What is Your Industry Doing?

20

How to Make the Best of Your Office Job

24

6 Easy Steps to a Happy You

30

2012 Salary Trends

31

CareerJunction Launches Online Courses

32

Career Corner

34

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I Quit My Executive Job to Declare War

10

8

0 on unhealthy living.

I Hate My Job - Book Review: Navigate Your Career

Turn Your Resumé Into an Infographic

06

what’s inside...

Featured Career Use the keyword “CareerJunction” to find and LIKE our group on Facebook.

Contact Us

DISCLAIMER All information provided in our online Magazine is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute a legal contract between CareerJunction nor its parent company AVUSA Media Limited and any person or entity unless otherwise specified. Information, pricing and conditions in iRecruiter magazine are subject to change without prior notice.

Technical Support: clientservices@careerjunction.co.za Tel: +27 21 818 8607

Use the keyword “Career_Junction” to find and follow our tweets.

Although every effort is made to ensure that the information contained within this online magazine is accurate and up to date, neither our Magazine nor its parent company AVUSA Media Limited is to be held liable for inaccuracies in information, prices and conditions products and services being advertised in this magazine.

General Information: info@careerjunction.co.za

Use the keyword “CareerJunction” to find and follow our videos.

Tel: 086 000 2020

The information in this online Magazine is subject to human error in the input of data concerning our products and services and as such cannot be used as a valid source of information. If there is any doubt concerning the accuracy of the information contained within this online Magazine, please contact marketing@careerjunction.co.za so a representative can help you.

If you notice an inaccuracy, please contact us on marketing@ careerjunction.co.za and we will update the online Magazine as quickly as possible.

Digital Careers

That Job is Mine

The unspoken truth about finding a job.

Become a Full-Time Photographer

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2 Why you need to get in now.

8 22 26

1

Top 12 Promising Career Paths

Youth Otimistic Survey

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Featured Career

HOW TO TURN YOUR RESUMÉ INTO AN INFO-GRAPHIC While a professional and well put together CV is key to landing your dream job, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t have a summarised and visually appealing one.

I’m referring to an info graphic Resumé.

‘Info-graphic Resumés’ is a hot topic right now and worth exploring by every working and non-working professional.

So what exactly is an info graphic Resumé? As the name suggests, it’s your CV captured in graphs. It’s rather a summarised and glance of the eye rundown on who you are, what you do and what you are good at, through various graphs.

To give you an example, I decided to try out two popular Apps that convert data from your LinkedIn account into an info graphic Resumé:

Vizualize.me Comment: Although still in beta phase, I quite like this App and found it easy to use. It took me approximately 10 minutes to refine my Resumé after importing my LinkedIn data. The end result was a detailed and visually appealing Resumé.

Like most applications of this sort, you can share your Resumé via email, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, however Visualize.me takes sharing to another level, as it allows you to share your Resumé across sites like Reddit, StumbleUpon, Tumblr, Pinterest and many more. You can also embed an icon to add to your site.

Visualize.me is big on design and allows you to play around with various themes and styles. You can go as far as changing fonts as well as background and font colours.

Dislikes: Visualize.me limits you to showing 5 skills, for some people this may not matter, however for others this could be a big deal. You cannot print it yet, however it does indicate that this feature will be available soon. You also cannot upload a profile picture.

Likes: Visualize.me allows you to add a wide range of things to your Resumé; from interests, languages and awards to the more important job descriptions, recommendations, achievements and portfolio. You can choose what you want to add to or remove in your Resumé with the click of a button.

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Vizualize.me>>

Featured Career

Re.vu Comment: Re.vu seems more visually appealing compared to Visualize.me, and you can re-arrange as you please by moving things around. You get to change background colours, however you are limited to a few themes to choose from and no changing fonts, colours ect. This application is easy to use and also took me about 10 minutes to refine after importing my LinkedIn data.

Likes: Similar to Visualize.me, it allowed me to add a wide range of things including interests, languages, job descriptions, recommendations, achievements and portfolio. What’s more, you can add evolution graphs for your skills and interests. Like most applications of this sort, you can share your info graphic Resumé via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+ if you want.

What is cool about this app is that it allows you to track your Resumé views. You can also embed links and submit your Resumé url to various search engines to improve your ranking. Moreover, Re.vu provides you with a QR code for mobile scanning which you can put on your business card!

Further you can upload logos and a profile picture, which it conveniently resizes for you, and add some character to your Resumé by inserting random quotes and facts, e.g. 13 years experience.

Dislikes: Design is not up to scratch with some words overlapping, although the style is very appealing.

There are a few other apps on the market which offer this service, including Kinzaa, Brazen, Careerist, Facebook, App, CVgram.me; ResumUp and more.

Tell us what you think here.

RE.VU>>

Featured Career

“I recently set

myself a goal to inspire 100,000 South Africans to live a healthy lifestyle. If you can inspire 100, you can inspire 1000 and 10,000 and so on�

October 2011

September 2012

Featured Career

I QUIT MY EXECUTIVE JOB

TO DECLARE WAR ON

UNHEALTHY LIVING

What makes a guy at the top of his industry, earning good money, give it up and move to zero income?

Author: Odile Badenhorst, CareerSeek Editor

A

fter 13 rewarding years as a highflying executive at the top of the Digital world, Elan Lohmann (36) has left it all behind for a healthy lifestyle; not only for himself but 1000’s of other South Africans.

It all started as a bet between a group of friends and a pot of money. Today there are over a thousand Facebook followers and a community of members, known as SleekGeek, that together are fighting the war against unhealthy living.

“I recently set myself a goal to inspire 100,000 South Africans to live a healthy lifestyle. If you can inspire 100, you can inspire 1000 and 10,000 and so on ….” Says Elan who walks the talk and is in the best shape he’s ever been since he was 15.

At the age of 35 he realised he was living a very unhealthy lifestyle. He was overweight, he smoked too much and did no exercise.

After seeing and feeling the difference that the first challenge had made, Elan was so inspired that he quit smoking, joined CrossFit gym and went on an eating plan which ultimately led him to start the SleekGeek community a year later.

Joining the SleekGeek community involves going on an 8 week challenge. Elan says that the 8-week incentive challenge is just one aspect of what they are and that it is merely an activation to wake people up to the fact that life is more fun when you are healthy and mobile. He strongly believes that sticking to your plan is the secret to success.

“We are a beautiful community of people who do not judge and do not preach.

We are there to support those that want to change. Making these changes in your life can be a real challenge and requires support. I am here to tell you that you are not alone“, says Elan. continue reading >>

Video source: Health24

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z

Featured Career If your Mojo is not 100% and that is related to your health or fitness then Sleekgeek is for you.

“We recognise that everyone is different. This is why out of principle we will give guidance and direction but never advocate since every person is unique.

The social community’s job is to support each other’s goals. We practice social learning and the community shares its experiences and provides social proof.”

The real Sleekgeek magic happens in our closed Facebook group.This is where people share, learn and support one another.

E T A I H If you are reading this article, chances are you are not too happy at work. Is anyone really though? The answer is yes. Yes, there are people who love their jobs; who leave home happy and return happy. Yet most of us are happy to settle for the 2-hour drive to and from work, the colleague next to us who keeps typing holes through his keyboard or the one across the room who listens to Justin Bieber on repeat.

We find ourselves staring at our this anymore” yet a cup of coffee and a quick Facebook session never fails to follow the thought and soon it becomes a distant memory. Whatever happened to that little person who used to dream about being a grown-up?

Author: Odile Badenhorst, CareerSeek Editor

W

Use the keyword “SleekGeekSA” to find and join their group on Facebook or click here

www.sleekgeek.co.za

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hen Rachel Farrell, a researcher and writer at CareerBuilder set out to find people who love their jobs, she quotes, “The response was overwhelming!” It really is inspiring to read some of the stories with most people claiming that they cannot believe they get paid to do what they love. One person says: ““I get to come up with and create new candy ideas for my company. Some of my ideas include candy necklaces and giant gummy letters.”

Another says, “I’m a mystery shopper. I get paid to visit restaurants, theme parks, hotels, casinos, grocery stores, upscale retail stores and more by visiting the venues and reporting back on service and timings. I make my own hours and work for as many or few companies as I choose.”

Book Review: Navigate Your Career

MY J OB !

While all this seems a bit over the top, there are people with ‘average jobs’ who claim they love what they do. Without stating the obvious, your ability to enjoy your job very much depends on your personality type and of course your situation, i.e. family, lifestyle ect. Have you really given your career enough thought? More importantly, when is it too late to change direction?

In a newly released book by Kerry Dawkins and Graeme Codrington, Navigate Your Career, Tanya who is a cardiology RN at a prestigious Pennsylvania hospital, pulls a 180º and follows her passion for art.

Just like many of us, she felt unfulfilled in her job and felt that she had wasted years of her life, not to mention money.

She felt that it was too late to make a radical change and did not have the motivation to start something all over again.

However, with help and guidance from Kerry and Graeme, she created her happily ever after.

The book, ‘Navigate Your Career’, aims to help anyone thinking of making a career move, or in planning their career out over a period of years. It provides insights into the changing world of work, and aids to assist people in choosing the best career path based on a “Career Navigation Model” developed and tested by the author.

Kerry Dawkins and Graeme Codrington believe that it all starts with a radical mindset shift: that you should treat your career as a journey to be navigated and then follow’ their five steps for lifelong job satisfaction.

“This is not a quick-fix solution; it will require hard work and focus to become a successful career navigator”, says Kerry.

Click here to read more about this book.

Buy the book here.

Is it too late to change?

It is definitely not for the faint-hearted but rather for those who are serious about a career change. While it mostly covers the topic of work, it also provides you with a perspective on where you are and where you want to be, in your career as well as your life.

If you know what you’re looking for, and not sure how to position yourself in a competitive job market, there are ways for you to find your dream job – and not only for the short term: you can actually spend every day of your life doing something that you love.

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Featured Career Author: Adele Shevel Source: Business Live

E

ntrepreneurs are at the heart of any country’s ability to create jobs, and the products they create have the potential to change how we live. Adele Shevel spoke to four shining lights in the field of start up enterprises. They offer their insights into what works and what doesn’t

>> Herman Heunis, founder of mobile messaging and social media services provider Mxit.

What motivated you to start a business?

A few factors. The urge to be independent and captain of my own ship. To create something from virtually nothing, my own company and to live the passion I had for the information, communications and technology (ICT) industry, in particular software engineering.

What advice would you give someone starting a business?

Do as much research as you can on what you want to achieve.

There is so much available on the internet and in bookstores on how to start a business. Find out who your competitors are and work out a strategy on how to differentiate your product or service. Being cheaper is not always the only answer.

Work out a basic business plan with projections for revenue, costs and risks. How can you have full confidence in your new venture if you do not know exactly what your costs will be and how much profit (or even loss) you will generate?

Choose your partners and shareholders carefully and make sure you all have agreements in writing of who owns what and what happens when the venture succeeds or fails. Starting a new company can be very stressful. The last thing you want is a dispute.

What makes a good entrepreneur?

There are many different types of entrepreneurs, some more successful than others. Some traits are common to all: the ability to recognise a good business opportunity and to capitalise on it, the ability to “predict” user behaviour or future technology trends, or competitor behaviour and trends in the field in which you are operating.

It is the ability to assemble a good team of people and to motivate and reward them, the confidence in yourself, your team and your product, and the determination to succeed.

What are the three mistakes many entrepreneurs make?

Not doing basic homework or research. Having no strategy to outperform competitors or a plan B if something goes wrong, and getting bogged down in micro-management, instead of looking at the bigger picture.

>> Herman Mashaba, founder of Black Like Me and CEO and founder of Leswikeng Minerals, whose autobiography Black Like You was recently released.

What motivated you to start a business?

I went into business by accident. After abandoning my university studies due to political disturbances in 1980, with no real work experience to propel me to my envisaged economic freedom, I decided to go into a commission sales job in late 1982. I wanted my freedom.

Three pieces of advice you would give someone starting a business.

Go into a business about which you have a reasonable knowledge and experience, be prepared to work hard and find a way to stabilise your personal life. Business demands require some kind of personal stability.

What makes a good entrepreneur?

[Having] focus and working values.

The three mistakes many entrepreneurs make?

High expectation of overnight success, failure to attract the best people around and failure to manage cashflows.

HOW TO >> Willem Roos, joint founder of Outsurance What motivated you to start a business?

I was quite young when I decided to joint the team to start Outsurance, and the prospect just seemed so much more exciting compared to first gaining experience in a large corporate.

Three pieces of advice you would give someone starting a business?

Firstly, what are you going to do differently from the competition, to achieve success. And you should be able to explain your competitive advantage to your grandmother in less than three minutes.

Secondly, you need to clearly understand the financial dynamics of your planned business.

I fully agree that business plans are not always of great use, and your projections will turn out to be wrong. You do, however, need to understand what the big levers in your business are, and you need to be confident that you will be able to achieve them.

Thirdly, assemble a great team, particularly if you plan to build a larger business. It may be the ultimate cliche, but people make a business. If you can find like-minded, clever people who share your passion for the business idea, your chances of success rise dramatically.

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Featured Career

Adele Shevel speaks to four prominent entrepreneurs, who offer their insights into what works and what doesn’t when starting up your own business.

START UP A BUSINESS What makes a good entrepreneur?

This is a difficult question, as the entrepreneurs I have met have widely differing personality traits. However, I think some common aspects are: they are action oriented, they are not satisfied with the status quo and are driven to change it.

The fun of creating something concrete, with friends.

Strangely enough, I think they are generally risk averse, but they are prepared to take large calculated risks.

Start young, learn the industry thoroughly, avoid going where the crowd is rushing.

Accumulation of wealth would certainly drive some entrepreneurs, but for many it is secondary. I think most entrepreneurs are very passionate and deeply interested in their business and ideas.

What makes a good entrepreneur?

Three pieces of advice you would give someone starting a business?

It’s difficult to say, as good entrepreneurs have such divergent personalities: some are introverts, some extroverts; some build consensus, some slash and burn.

The three mistakes many entrepreneurs make?

I suppose not doing the things as I mentioned. I have also seen good business ideas not reaching their full potential because the entrepreneur has not put solid foundations in place to enable the business to scale. This is the main reason why you need to assemble a really good team of people, with a diversity of skills, to make it happen.

>> Koos Bekker, founder of M-Net and CEO of media group Naspers

Characteristics they share? Probably an irrational belief in themselves, a capacity to work enormously hard, emotional resilience and that curious combination of a propensity to take calculated risks while cautiously planning for the worst.

The three mistakes many entrepreneurs make?

Believing your own PR, drawing the wrong conclusions from a success or failure and listening to advice like this instead of trusting your gut.

What motivated you to start a business?

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Featured Career

Author: Margaret Harris Source: Business Live

K

aren Short is the founder and chairwoman of catering company By Word of Mouth. She told Margaret Harris that this was always her dream…

What training do you have and how does it relate to being a caterer?

I went to the University of Natal and completed a BA in industrial psychology, before going overseas and doing Prue Leith’s cookery course in London – but this was not what prepared me for catering.

I was brought up in the kitchen with a mom and dad who are, without a doubt, the best cooks I know. So I was always surrounded by great food.

My parents look for any excuse to celebrate and have a party, so special events and catering are in my blood.

Before starting By Word of Mouth, I worked for many other caterers and gained valuable experience. This was where I got my real training.

You do catering for any occasion – from small, intimate dinners to huge wedding feasts – what type of event do you most enjoy?

I really enjoy large corporate events where I can design the event, plan the entertainment and design a suitable menu that ties in with the theme. Large events can be stressful and demanding, but they allow my creativity to come out. Throughout the process I develop good relationships with my clients and this is my passion and always will be.

Weddings are more stressful and entail more tastings and table and floral mock ups, but I love them. I enjoy the challenge of trying to make every wedding unique. I love personalising a couple’s wedding from the flowers and décor, to the food, and I love being a wedding coordinator.

You now offer services other than food such as flowers and décor.

Which part of an event do you prefer the most – the food, the décor or the flowers?

My primary love will always be food. But more and more I love the event design and architecture, as they are all connected.

Since I do all the buying for our hiring and décor business, I always get overenthusiastic about using the items in events.

Following a Are there things you can offer small groups that you can’t offer big parties?

Yes, definitely. There are menu items that we cannot do for large numbers as they take too long to plate up with too many movements on the plate.

Also, with small numbers you can be in tune with every guest. But, with 500 people plated, we need to have simpler menus and everyone needs to have their fillet medium rare, for example. continue reading >>

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Childho Karen Short is the founder and chairwoman of catering company By Word of Mouth. She told Margaret Harris that this was always her dream…

My Brilliant Career

ood Dream CareerSeek

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continued from page 14 >> Featured Career Your role in the business must have changed substantially since you first started with only three people. How different is your job now and do you still do some cooking or do you play an executive/managerial role?

Another valuable addition is providing a convenient service where staff can order food to take home for a dinner party, or just for a family weekday meal.

Image: Katherine Muick-Mere

My role has certainly changed. My husband Adrian joined the business 10 years ago at a stage when we were growing really fast, and administration, salaries and finance consumed my time.

His joining was a godsend as he focused on putting in systems and structure and growing the business. We now have 150 fulltime staff members, we have a phenomenal IT programme that ensures consistency throughout the business. We have a 1800m² kitchen that is totally refrigerated and HACCAP (hazard analysis and critical control point) compliant.

I head the design team, which designs the menus and floral arrangements, and plans the event architecture.

I work closely with our chefs, taste all the food and implement all the new items and seasonal trends, and get to spend time with my clients – all the things I love.

I can do all this knowing confidently that Adrian is growing the business in every direction and is being a great CEO. He recently planned and coordinated the company’s move into our state-of-the-art kitchen and campus, and all I had to do was show up!

There must have been plenty of times when things have gone horribly wrong. Can you give some examples, and how did you sort them out?

I often get scared of the rapid growth in the business as any entrepreneur does, as I am not one to embrace change easily, but I do know you have to evolve and grow with the times. In catering, numerous crises arise but there is always a solution and most of the time the client doesn’t notice.

On one occasion, we had a dog take a bite out of the wedding cake, but this was nothing a few fresh flowers couldn’t cover up.

What is the most bizarre request you have received from a client?

We always have a good chuckle when we have to make bizarre garnishes for hens’ nights.

“Since the age of two, I always wanted to be a caterer – you can certainly say my dream has come true.”

You have recently moved into corporate canteens. What are some of the simple things companies can do to improve the quality of their staff eating areas?

Change their entire offering. Staff restaurants need to provide higher-quality, healthier options, which should include great coffee, exciting salads with interesting flavours, homely soups and more vegetarian options. There is the perception that staff restaurants must serve “slap” chips, but if the rest of the offering is exciting no one will eat the “slap” chips.

We try to be as green as possible, using locally sourced products, and we like to serve our food in biodegradable bamboo dishes.

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What is your favourite meal?

I just love crab because it reminds me of my childhood. It is a dish my father always cooks for us at the beach.

I think because of the huge effort it takes to clean and to eat crabs, it is not something we eat often, so when we do, we linger over every mouthful. No recipe beats my father’s crab recipe.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

Since the age of two, I always wanted to be a caterer – you can certainly say my dream has come true.

Featured Career Source: www.timeslive.co.za

Youth Optimistic Survey Many young South Africans feel the country will be a better place in 10 years’ time, a new survey has found.

H

owever, just under half felt the situation would worsen and were likely to emigrate, according to the study conducted among 18,262 young South Africans

by Pondering Panda via cellphone in July.

“When asked what their main worries were about the next 10 years, unemployment topped the list of concerns, mentioned by 23% of respondents,” said researchers.

“Crime was the next highest concern, mentioned by 19% of the sample.”

Optimism that things would improve was shown by 61% of the black youths polled, 44% of coloureds, 34% of whites, and 27% of Asians.

“There were also differences according to the age of respondents, with pessimism increasing with age,” researchers said.

“Teenagers under 18-years-old were most optimistic, with 58% of those aged 15 to 17 believing the future was positive.”

Only 46% of those aged 25 to 34 were positive.

About 60% of men felt South Africa would be a better place for them to live in 10 years’ time, compared to 48% of women.

Pondering Panda is a member of the World of Avatar group, which also owns Mxit.

Featured Career

Some people choose their career path by reason of their passion for a subject matter. Others choose high demand careers or ones where there are pretty pennies to be earned.

While all of the above are important, the one thing that most people neglect to consider when making this life-changing decision is employability within a chosen industry.

TOP 12 PROMISING CAREER PATHS

Author: Odile Badenhorst, CareerSeek Editor

T

he size of a workforce has a significant bearing on employability within a particular industry. In many cases supply outstrips demand, creating tough competition for jobs among job seekers. So even when there is a high demand for professionals of some sort, there could actually be many such professionals seeking employment.

The CareerJunction Index (CJI) takes a closer look at supply versus demand across industries in the South African job market.

When only considering high demand industries, the Finance; IT; Engineering; Retail and Manufacturing industries are at the top

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of the list. Since over 60% of employment takes place here, it would seem ideal to enter these industries. However, this does not ring true for some industries due to the size of their workforce. In the Manufacturing, Production & Trades industry for instance, the workforce is so large that as a job applicant, you are up against a minimum of 20 other applicants at any given time.

It is also important to take into account that each industry comprises many sub-sectors. In the IT industry for instance, it is safe to say that employment prospects are high. However, one has to be careful when choosing a field of speciality. Take the field of Database Administration for example, where demand is high but the workforce outstrips demand, therefore career seekers face tough competition for jobs.

Featured Career materials and products, transformation of raw materials to finished products, storage of materials and products and finally delivery of materials or products to consumers. A large number of persons or cross-functional teams are involved in the various stages of the Supply Chain. A well developed Supply Chain can greatly improve product quality, reduce spending and time as well as optimize flow of manufacturing processes.

4.

Software Development

This occupational field is a division within the professional field of IT. It depicts an occupational domain which mainly involves the structuring, controlling and planning of processes concerned with developing information systems. This occupational field comprises of programmers and developers; for various programming languages.

5.

Business Analysis

The role of a Business/Process Analyst mainly involves the analysis of business systems and processes for the purpose of solving identified business problems and needs.

6.

Assembling & Manufacturing

The motor vehicle is an intricate series of systems, subsystems, and components assembled into a final product. Today, optimally planned logistics are used to assemble a motor vehicle in the most efficient and time saving manner. An assembly line comprises various processes, some of which require physical work such as wrist and hand work as well as pushing/pulling, and bending/ twisting.

7.

HERE IS A LIST OF THE TOP 12 PROMISING

CAREER PATHS...

1.

Material Engineering

Material engineering technicians specialise in the properties and behaviours of different materials from raw materials to finished products. In the Building & Construction industry, Material Engineering technicians concentrate on building materials. Responsibilities lie in developing, testing, assessing and evaluating building materials while taking into consideration environmental factors to ensure international quality standards; advising on inspection, maintenance and repair procedures to save time, money and energy; and advising on the adaptability of a plant to new processes and materials.

2.

Civil & Structural Engineering

Civil Engineering comprises many skills e.g.

Environmental Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Municipal or

Urban Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Materials Engineering, Coastal Engineering, Surveying, and Construction Engineering. A job in Civil Engineering demands the designing, construction and maintaining of physical and naturally built environment. Structural Engineering is considered a specialist field within the occupational field of Civil Engineering; however it is also seen as a field within its own right as it involves analyzing structural performance of different geometries and materials.

3.

Procurement, Supply Chain & Logistics

Procurement and Logistics form a part of Supply Chain which is described as the movement of products from supplier to consumer through multifaceted procedures. The Supply Chain process involves the purchasing of

Electrical & Electronic Works

Electrical and Electronic Technicians who work within the Motor sector are required to test, repair, service, install and replace electrical and electronic systems in motor vehicles.

These often include electrical wiring, lighting, electronically controlled vehicle systems, batteries, generators, alternators and starter motors. Electrical and Electronic Technicians often work in vehicle dealerships or electrical repair and servicing workshops.

8.

Chartered Accounting

The main duties of Chartered Accountants are to provide advice on how to maximise the profitability of a business by means of analysing transaction data of the business or company. Their role can take the form/s of treasury management, procurement, financial management, reporting and more.

9.

Actuary

Actuaries are professionals who primarily assess uncertainties and risks in the insurance and finance fields.

This analysis is then used to design insurance and investment plans as well as to price plans. Professionals in this field possesses strong analytical and mathematical skills to assess and control risks and financial uncertainties. continue reading >>

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<< continuedCareer from page 17 Featured

10.

Risk Management

Risk Management is the calculation of possible financial risk factors and opportunities which a business is exposed to. By calculating these, businesses can prevent or minimise financial loss and maximise profit. Risks can come from uncertainty in financial markets, project failures, legal liabilities, credit risk, accidents, natural causes and disasters as well as deliberate attacks from an adversaryadvice on how to maximise the profitability of a business by means of analysing transaction data of the business or company.

Their role can take the form/s of treasury management, procurement, financial management, reporting and more.

11.

Cost Accounting

A Cost Accountant is responsible for establishing the budget and actual cost of operations, processes, departments or product and the analysis of variances, profitability or social use of funds. The objective of a Cost Accountant is to minimise the expenditure of a company and in doing so, maximise the profit of the business.

12.

Recruitment & Selection

The occupational field of Recruitment & Selection focuses on the administration of recruitment processes in terms of screening, interviewing, occasionally testing applicants as well as hiring and separating employees. Professionals in this field must be familiar with the organisational structures and objectives as well as human resource policies in order to negotiate wages, working conditions and benefits with prospective employees.

CareerJunction Index For more labour trends, visit www.cji.co.za or download your free CJI Executive Summary here.

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A job is a job is a job. Or is it really? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s think about this for a minute; the average person spends approximately 8 hours of his or her day at work. We work 5 days a week, 21 days a month, 12 months a year. Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of working!

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What Is Your

Industry Doing?

CareerJunction Index Your guide to understanding the job market.

To add to this, after entering the job market,

The CareerJunction Index (CJI) is your guide

most of us spend approximately 40 to 50 years

to understanding the job market and more

working within our chosen industries. It makes

specifically, your industry. With a sample

fiscal sense to understand the conditions which

size of over 2 million (both job ad and job

accompany a chosen title or industry, just as one

seeker numbers), CareerJunction analyses and

would study a country before travelling there or

summarises the latest trends in supply and

a recipe before making a meal.

demand.

Demographics are important because they

The CJI goes to great lengths to decode all of

provide us with general information about

this information, providing you with up-to-date

a population at any given moment in time.

information on the availability of jobs in your

Through long-term trend analysis we can use

field as well as in your province; salaries offered

this information in market research as well as in

by skill level/province and much more.

economics to give vital statistics.

The CJI is an easy to understand and step-bystep analysis of labour market trends and is there to help you make sense of the job market.

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FREE!

ERE TO

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Purchase Job Reports. Click here.

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Featured Career

BECOME A FULL-TIME PHOTOGRAPHER When asked what single item they would retrieve from a burning building, most people answer: “My photo album”.

People attach enormous emotional value to photographs, often considering them to be their most precious and irreplaceable possessions. As a photographer, you are tasked with making your client’s memories tangible – a monumentally important job.

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Featured Career

Source: www.getsmarter.co.za Author: Terri-Lee Adendorff

The Process

1. Find your niche. Decide on your strengths, weaknesses and interests as a photographer. If you love shooting landscapes, look into nature photography.

If you want a great deal of editorial control in your compositions, you might be better suited to the structure of fashion photography than the spontaneity of

So many moments in life are worth documenting.

As a photographer, you can take advantage of the many events and special occasions that people want to remember. Whether you choose to photograph weddings, new-borns, fashion models or athletes, you can count on a steady stream of clients waiting to be captured on film.

Opportunities in the field

weddings. This does not mean you have to limit your work to a single subject – but it will help you to find a way into a particular market.

2. Train. Attend workshops, courses or seminars on photography. Even if there are none in your area, online courses allow you to improve your skills no matter what your location or schedule.

3. Practice. In photography, your results are limited only by your creativity.

There are unlimited ways to capture any single image. Once you learn a new skill, practice it until you think you have exhausted all your options. Then practice some more.

4. Record. Put your best work into a portfolio to show to clients who are interested in your skills. Choose only the photographs that you think best display your style and strengths as a professional. In looking through your portfolio, a client can determine whether your style suits their tastes, and they could be convinced to procure your services.

5. Mingle. Talk to other photographers – their advice and knowledge might inspire you. You may even be able to answer another photographer’s questions!

are virtually boundless. All you have to do is follow a few simple steps to harness your creativity to produce beautiful photography.

6. Experiment. Never stagnate. If all of your photos look the same, your portfolio will become bland and mundane. Show your versatility by following techniques or styles that extend past your usual methods.

7. Edit. Even supermodels need a bit of help. Familiarity with editing suites like Photoshop will allow you to enhance your compositions and extend your creativity even further. Editing will allow you to bring your vision to fruition, without the limitations of reality.

For more information click here

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Featured Career The full-time employee spends more time at the office than she does at home: make sure you make the best of it, either by accepting and making the best of the circumstances, or make the change in career.

Not many can honestly say that every day at the office is exciting, rewarding and enjoyable.

HOW TO MAKE TH

YOUR OFFI

Instead, many people drag themselves to work on a daily basis, longing for weekends and the associated bliss of not having to face the office for two days.

In the long run, this approach may be detrimental not only to your soul, but to your physical health as well. A mind shift might be necessary to drag yourself out of the rut of telling yourself you are in a boring/unrewarding or stressful environment.

Author: Deirdre Watney Source: http://www.all4women.co.za

Ask yourself some critical questions about your work life: Do I have positive habits?

It is always good to be grateful for what you have: there are always people who are worse off than you. In today’s economic climate, holding on to a job is paramount.

Am I willing to learn from others?

You might have colleagues from different social, economic and political background who could enrich your life if you are willing to open yourself up for the experience.

Do I respect others?

This works both ways; to be respected; you need to respect others, thereby increasing your success in the long run.

Do little things upset me?

“Don’t sweat the small stuff” - allow them to disappear into thin air.

How do I handle criticism?

The most important aspect is to remain professional amidst the critique. Stay calm, don’t become emotional and don’t overreact.

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Remember that the criticism is aimed at your work, so don’t take it personally. Learn to listen to the criticism and decide for yourself if it’s valid. If it is, accept it, listen to suggestions to improve and make the necessary adjustments to improve situations.

Yet, if you feel you are right, motivate your viewpoint factually. Don’t get personal by insulting or criticizing your colleagues.

Do I maintain high standards or am I selling my soul for money?

You will have to decide if you really fit into the world you are in, be it corporate or otherwise. If you cannot live with yourself, it is not worthwhile pursuing success in this environment.

Featured Career

HE MOST OF

ICE JOB

“Not many can honestly say that every day at the office is exciting, rewarding and enjoyable.”

But what if you have mastered all the above and still get no job satisfaction? There comes a time when one has to make the decision to bid a situation farewell.

be utilised by your employer, consider other options.

You might get a better offer. If the offer is attractive and too good to resist, weigh up the options and consider a change.

If your job is so stressful that you have physical signs such as headaches, backache or you lie awake at night, you either need to find a solution for the stress, or make the decision to put your health first.

You might feel marginalized at work Responsibilities might be taken away from you, without consulting you. You might even be excluded from important meetings. In this case you need to determine what the problem is. If it does not improve, you might decide to make alternative plans.

Sometimes one outgrows one’s work You might have started off an inexperienced employee, who has grown into a fundi in your area. If your knowledge cannot

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b a h t u r t n e k o p s n u e Th

Author: Odile Badenhorst, CareerSeek Editor

You might be unemployed but there is really no such thing as ‘not having a job’. If you don’t have a paying job, your job is to look for a job. Believe or not, finding a job in the current state of the economy is harder than most jobs, it requires a lot of hard work, time and effort.

Be proactive Be proactive in your search for employment and adopt a ‘can do’ attitude. The job market is a completive place so if you want that job you have to fight for it. As much as we rely on the convenience of technology to search and apply for jobs, one shouldn’t ignore the power of word-of-mouth or conversation.

Put yourself out there, don’t shy away from the fact that you are unemployed. Tell people that you are available and what you are capable of. Use social media to sell yourself and open various channels of opportunity. If you hear about a position through the grape vine, get in contact with the relevant person.

Don’t wait for an opportunity to fall into your lap. Be the one who stands out from the rest.

Be clear and honest from the start Be honest to yourself as well as your recruiter and/or prospective employer from the start. Be clear about the type of work and work environment you are looking for. Since company fit is essential, they will appreciate this and will be much more likely to consider you for the position, should you be a good fit. Be honest about your skills and emphasise your willingness to learn.

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As a job seeker, you might want to consider the following..

At the end of the day put yourself in their position and ask yourself: would you want to hire you? Be the confident, motivated, friendly and enthusiastic individual you would say yes to.

Listen to your intuition As straight forward as job hunting might seem there is far more to it than sending your CV around. No matter how impressive your CV might be one cannot ignore the importance of the application process.

Your cover letter and first interaction with a recruiter is your chance to stand out from the rest. Once again put yourself in the recruiter/ employer’s shoes. Be professional in your approach but don’t forget to be real. Use your intuition to interact, particularly in an interview.

Interviews are two-way; it is a chance for both you and the recruiter to assess whether you are a good fit for the company.

Get the facts straight (knowledge is power) Do your research. Take the time to study the vacancy and company in question. Try and gain an

understanding of exactly what it is they do, why they require someone like you and more importantly, where you would fit in.

You will be able to use this knowledge throughout the application and interview process, from your cover letter straight through to your final interview with your prospective employer and possible signing of an employment contact.

The biggest mistake most people make is to copy paste a cover letter for use in multiple applications. Start by telling them why you like the company and what you have to add to the company. Lastly, ask questions and get as much information as you can so when a contract falls into your lap, you have enough knowledge to make an informed decision.

In conclusion, take the time and make the required effort to find the right job. Putting the necessary effort into finding the right job will prevent you from feeling unfulfilled which ultimately resorts to job hopping.

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Featured Career

NE!

/

. b o j a g n i d n fi out

b

You might be unemployed but there is really no such thing as ‘not having a job’.

If you don’t have a paying job, your job is to look for a job. Believe or not, finding a job in the current state of the economy is harder than most jobs, it requires a lot of hard work, time and effort.

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Featured Career

Digital Careers

why you need to get in now Many companies are making the move to online content and operations, which means that currently there are endless opportunities for marketers, project managers, copywriters, and social media experts to exploit the digital upsurge. However, as often happens when a new gap in the job market opens up, everyone has jumped on the proverbial bandwagon, and in a few years’ time the supply is likely to outweigh the demand. When this day arrives, the battle for positions will come down two things: skill and experience.

In order to have the competitive edge, you need to start preparing now.

Acquiring the relevant skills and getting as much experience in the field as possible will give you a chance at the next highly sought-after position. Here are some tips on what you need, and how to get it: Source: www.getsmarter.co.za

Digital know-how Before you even think about getting into a career in the digital sphere, you need to get to know your medium.

If you’re a technophobe, or only like to do things in the “traditional way”, you might need to consider some career alternatives. Start by building a solid foundation and learning about the different components of digital marketing. Once you have a good overview, you can start learning about specific components that interest you, such as email and social media marketing, SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and PPC (Pay per Click) advertising, and how to create a web page – just a sample of the kind of online expertise sought by employers. If you feel that you need a leg-up, sign up for a course. There are also advanced and specialised jobspecific programs that you should consider getting to know, depending on the particular field you want to work in. Some well-known examples include Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator, but do some research on what kind of programs you might be expected to use. The other thing to bear in mind is that technology is constantly being developed and updated. This means that in order to stay in the game, you need to be constantly on the lookout to keep your skills and knowledge up-to-date.

Creative thinking The Internet has allowed for international access to almost every corner of the earth, at the mere click of a button. This means that the market is already that much more aggressive, as competition is no longer necessarily limited by region.

Before, a business might only have had to compete with others in the same or neighbouring town. Now, there is often national – if not international – competition for clients.

This means that any company working in the digital sphere wants their product or service to stand out. “Good” doesn’t cut it anymore, and soon, you’ll have to be doing more than

pulling a rabbit out of the old hat to wow your audience.

Professionals who can “think outside the box”, to use a wellworn phrase, will be the ones at the front of the pack when it comes to the job race.

Specialised skills Because the digital space is so broad and advancing so rapidly, it is good to have a general background, but ultimately this is the one industry where it is near impossible to be a jackof-all-trades. Specialists are in high demand – think of online copywriters, social media community managers, PR Account Managers, and trafficking managers, to name a few. If you don’t already have a set of specialised skills, take steps towards obtaining them.

Experience, experience, experience It’s never too soon to start climbing the career ladder, and the earlier you get going the better your chances are of getting ahead. Start by looking for the right job with the right company. You may not get your dream position from the beginning, but look for a job that will help you get there. A company that does the kind of work you want to do is a good start; otherwise look for work that will give you the relevant experience and expand your skill set. If you are starting out your career, working for an established company will allow you to learn a lot. Make the most of any opportunity to learn from experienced professionals, as this is invaluable. Even if you obtained a degree in the field you are working in, your experience only truly starts once you start to work in the industry. Try not to jump around from job to job, as this may make you seem flighty, unreliable or difficult to work with.

Six months is widely considered to be the shortest time you should stay in one job; a year is far better.

Just remember, the view is always better from the top. And the sooner you start climbing, the more likely you are to get there.

For more information click here

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Featured Career

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Featured Career

STEPS 6 EASY to a New and Happy You Author: Odile Badenhorst, CareerSeek Editor

We all do it; mope about the office finding excuses not to attend to that current issue at work.

We get to the office feeling exhausted and irritable, drinking bucketfuls of coffee. Sometimes we are so absorbed in our work that we forget to eat. We spend a minimum of 8 hours of each day in this unhealthy and unsatisfying routine. It only makes sense that this will affect how we feel when we finally get home.

Have you ever given thought to the impact that this “I have to, I don’t want to” attitude has on your life, your health and your emotional well-being?

Take these small steps to give yourself a boost and create your own HAPPY PLACE...

Keep a glass of water on your desk While coffee has its health benefits, you do need a little more to stay hydrated and healthy. Keep a glass of water on your desk and take a sip every now and then. Chances are you’ll get at least 2 glasses down before the end of business day.

Take a walk You don’t need to run a marathon, but a little walk once or twice a

day will raise your heart rate and get your blood pumping, giving you much needed energy. Don’t sit by your desk lunchtime, take a walk.

If it’s a nice day, take the kids and/ or the dog for a walk when you get home. Morning walks are the best; aside from the fresh air, it provides much needed time to clear your head. If you are really dedicated to making a lifestyle change, go for a jog twice a day or join the gym.

Delete the snooze button You know very well that there is absolutely no purpose to the snooze button, well besides allowing you to snooze. If you have fooled yourself into thinking that an additional 30min of sleep, that is interrupted sleep, will do you any good you are wrong. It will undoubtedly make you feel groggy, resentful and most probably leave you feeling tired.

If the option of snoozing is there you will use it, so stop beating around the bush and deactivate it.

Spend the extra time with yourself or your family. You’ll be surprised what a difference 30 extra minutes to get ready can make to your day!

Laugh Take 10 minutes each morning to have a laugh. It has been proven that laughing is a form of

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therapy for physical and emotional healing. Join a funny blog or page to the funny section in the newspaper. This will instantly put you in a better place and give you motivation to tackle the day.

Socialise Well isn’t work the perfect excuse not to talk to people. Stop it! Make yourself a cup of coffee and have it at someone else’s desk for a change. Eat in the canteen, not at your desk. You’ll be surprised how little you know about your colleagues.

Put a plant on your desk Liven up your happy corner with a little nature. Just because you are stuck in the office does not mean you cannot bring a little of the outside to the inside. Research done by a Dr. Roger S. Ulrich and Dr. Virginia Lohr, plants significantly lower workplace stress and enhances productivity by 12%.

It also prevents employees from getting “Sick Building Syndrome”.

True greatness consists in being great in little things. ~ Charles Simmons

Featured Career

2012

SALARY TRENDS

Our CareerJunction Index recently launched trends of Salaries in South Africa. The findings are based on information analysed from CareerJunctionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sdatabase, and the online Job Ads you published in the last quarter of 2011.

Engineering

Finance

Mining

FMCG, Retail & Wholesale

Information Technology

Manufacturing, Production & Trades

Building & Construction

Motor

Telecommunication

Human Resources & Recruitment

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Featured Career

CareerJunction Launches Online Courses

About Siyandza Online Campus CareerJunction Online Campus is a new, all-inclusive, online training and learning centre, offering you the opportunity to further your knowledge,increase your skills, and improve your market value in the corporate world through one centralized e-learning platform. The CareerJunction Online Campus is brought to you in partnership with Siyandza Skills Development, a highly recognised South African on site and online SAQA accredited training provider.

Not only is CareerJunction Online Campus a cost and time effective alternative to classroom training, but it also provides you with all the benefits of online training you will need to study at your own pace in a place that you feel comfortable.

The campus boasts one of the widest collections of online courses available in South Africa, with a selection of internationally recognised training content as well as a variety of practical end-user courses.

Learning is the easiest and most effective way of learning new skills quickly and cost effectively.

Go ahead â&#x20AC;&#x201C; start learning a new skill today to improve your future!

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Wannabe A model/actor/character CareerSeek

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