CareerSeek 5th Edition by CareerJunction

Your guide to a great career February 2012

5th Edition

TAKING THE FRANCHISE ROUTE AS A CAREER CHANGE

BREATHE

NEW LIFE

INTO YOUR CAREER My Brilliant Career

PASSIONATE ABOUT PRIMATES

FUND YOUR STUDIES WISELY TO ENSURE THE BEST FUTURE

TO O K IDE C I V CL CH AT W

YOUR OWN PERSONALISED VIDEO OF WHERE YOU COULD BE IN A FEW YEARS!

Featured Career

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Featured Career

Welcome

5th Edition:

Spring Clean

The year has certainly kicked off in full force! There’s no better time to get your ducks in a row. Why not give your career a good spring clean? This edition of CareerSeek will show you how to breathe new life into your career, starting with your CV. Learn how to eliminate unnecessary clutter from your CV; recover from an interview disaster and manage the move from one job to the next. What’s more, browse through our Q&A section with career coach Kerry Dawkins and see what advice she has for other young professionals; and give your wardrobe a boost with the latest trendy corporate fashion from Edgars.

Happy spring cleaning! The CareerJunction Team

Here’s what you have to look forward to: CareerSeek 6th Edition “In Full Swing”

email us

with your suggestions or your story.

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CONTENTS Featured Career

featured articles

what’s inside... Things You Really Don’t Need to Mention in Your CV

How To Recover From An Interview Disaster

Workwear by Edgars

The Job Hunt

What’s Your Industry Doing?

Q&A With Career Coach Kerry Dawkins

Career Corner

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Featured Career Contact Us Click here to LIKE and Follow our FaceBook page.

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A Must Read

22 Breathe New Life Into Your Career

Fund Your Studies Wisely To Ensure The Best Future

4 1

Taking The Franchise Route As a Career Change

Passionate About Primates My Brilliant Career

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PASSIONATE ABOUT

PRIMATES Author: Margaret Harris Source: I-Net Bridge Link: www.junction.co.za

SIEGLINDE ‘ZIGGY’ RODE IS A BABOON RANGER WHOSE JOB INVOLVES KEEPING BABOONS AND PEOPLE SEPARATE. SHE TOLD MARGARET HARRIS THAT, IN ANY INTERACTION WITH THE PRIMATES, PEOPLE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE WILD, WHICH MAKES THEM DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE.

What does your job as a baboon ranger involve? At present, we keep baboons in the natural vegetation and out of residential areas by using paintball markers and bear bangers. The paintball markers have been highly successful since their inception in July 2012. The prevention of humanwildlife conflict is vital to ensure the conservation of our wildlife and the health and safety of people. We manage 11 troops of baboons across the Cape peninsula. To minimise the conflict, an integrated and holistic approach, using innovative and effective methods, must be used. The rangers start early in the morning and push the baboons to the mountain, where a line is held to prevent them from going into

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the residential area. Baboons are taught that they are safe in the mountain and that town should not be a refuge for them. During the Argus Cycle Tour, the main aim is to prevent interaction between humans and baboons. Baboon monitoring during the cycle tour ensures that baboons are kept off the roads and in the natural vegetation. The baboon rangers will, with the use of paintball markers, minimise the time spent on the road by baboons, because this will help to reduce conflict between cyclists and baboons. Rangers will also guard the refreshment sites and prevent baboons from raiding any of these points. Rangers will also report and collect evidence of any people feeding or abusing the

My Brilliant Career

animals and prevent any raiding incidents on cyclists and bystanders. It is necessary to have rangers at the race, because the baboons are wild animals and encounters between humans and baboons can be unpredictable and dangerous. Are baboons your only concern or do you have to monitor other animals? We currently manage only the baboons.

What would people be most surprised to hear about the work you do? A lot of people are unaware of the conflict that exists around baboon management. They would be surprised to know that I manage waste and bins for people, otherwise waste management doesn’t happen.

What training do you have to do your job? A basic understanding of animal behaviour and wildlife conflict management is needed.

What is the best part of your work as a baboon ranger? Watching the baboons interact with each other. I find baboons fascinating - one can learn so much from them.

A diploma in nature conservation or environmental management is a minimum requirement. Paintball marker training is also necessary.

What is the most challenging part of your work? Managing people who are involved with, or affected by the baboons.

What personality traits do you have that make you a good baboon ranger? Patience, endurance, a passion for wildlife and the environment and the ability to adapt your approach to management and stay calm under pressure.

What is the best career advice you have ever received and who gave it to you? Do not limit yourself too soon and try to gain as much experience as possible. Make your passion your career.

How would you advise people to react to the baboons if there is any contact? Do not threaten the animals and always offer them an escape route. Slowly move away from the animal. If the baboon is trying to grab a backpack or food from you, rather let them have it and do not attempt to get it back. What did you want to be when you were a child? I’ve always wanted to work with animals. Early on I wanted to be a veterinarian and later I wanted to be conservationist.

I followed this advice and gained priceless experiences. I’ve worked with birds, small mammals, baboons, elephants and predators and the knowledge I have gained is invaluable.

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I often help candidates by giving their CV’s a facelift, and I always notice the same thing: people feel they should list and mention every detail about themselves, most of which aren’t in any way relevant to their ability to do the job they are applying for. I thought it might be fun to mention some of my favourites! Author: Kobie Snyman

THINGS YOU REALLY

DON’T

NEED TO MENTION IN YOUR CV

Source: Awannabeemployee Link: www.junction.co.za

Age vs Birthday vs ID number Most CV’s I receive mention all three of these (taking up three separate lines on the page of course), while the one describes the other perfectly well. By mentioning all three, I always get the feeling that we are forgetting the intelligence of our recruiters and hiring managers. Surely a reasonably intelligent manager will be able to determine the candidate’s age and birthday from just looking at their ID number if he/she really wanted to (not that your age is really relevant to your application anyway). By drawing so much attention to your age, some hiring managers will give it too much weight in their shortlisting process, and you obviously don’t want to encourage them to discriminate against you in this way.

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How many kids you have (and their ages) I always smile at this because I’m sure the candidate is just extremely proud of his/her family. But even though I find it cute, the truth is that it doesn’t prove in any way that you are the right person for the job, and you are filling precious page lines with irrelevant personal information. The more professional and to-thepoint your CV, the better.

Religion I’m not at all sure when or where this started, but more than half of the CV’s I revamp mention the candidate’s religion. As you (should) know, employers are not allowed to discriminate based Copyright ©1997-2013 CareerJunction, all rights reserved.

Featured Career on things like marital status, sexual orientation, age, religion etc., which is why I find it strange that many people feel obligated to mention this in their CV’s. I guess most of them are proud of their faith (which is honourable of course), but once again – this is not in any way relevant to your ability to do the job, and potential employers may actually think twice about

hiring someone who doesn’t share their religious beliefs (even if they don’t tell you that’s why you weren’t shortlisted). The personal details an employer may require you to disclose are things like gender and ethnicity (for employment equity purposes).

Too much detail For more senior candidates, this is usually the biggest thing I would edit on their CV’s. If you are a senior manager with an MBA and 20 years of work experience, I would say it’s a good time to stop mentioning details like your high school subjects, and a ten-line description of your first Assistantposition back in the 80’s. The areas you need to showcase are your highest qualifications and most recent positions.

How amazing you are This is my favourite part of CV’s when I’m revamping them, but also the part I ignore completely when shortlisting candidates to fill a vacancy. Why? Because telling me in a paragraph that you are honest and reliable does not prove it to be so. Whether or not you really are a team player, it’s very easy to just write that in your “about me” paragraph. So yes, unfortunately that little paragraph uses up valuable page lines and carries zero weight when applying for a position. I would suggest leaving those attributes to be confirmed by your references and/or great track record. In the end, the purpose of your CV is to give a summary of your professional training and experience. You can easily distract potential employers with lists and pages of irrelevant data, while leaving your employment history vague and incomplete – not ideal. I do agree that there isn’t one perfect recipe for everyone to apply to their CV’s, but it always makes a good impression when your CV shows that you have put thought into the content, didn’t use six pages when you only needed two or three, and focused on what is important to know about your professional qualifications and experience.

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It’s easy to get rattled by a high-stakes job interview - and so, it’s also not uncommon to experience a certain head-smacking moment right after you walk out the door. So how can you recover when you think you’ve blown your chances of landing that new gig? Post-interview damage control is a tricky process you don’t want to destroy whatever polished, poised confidence you did manage to exude during the interview, or point out a flaw your interviewer just might have missed. If you think some post-interview damage control is in order, it’s important to plan carefully and really think it through before contacting your interviewer in a frenzy. But if you’re going to do it, follow these four steps to make sure you’re approaching your blunder with grace.

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HOW TO RECOVER FROM AN INTERVIEW DISASTER Author: Katie Douthwaite Source: The Daily Muse Link: www.junction.co.za

1. Don’t Over Analyze

Was it a Make-or-Break Mistake?

It’s perfectly normal to mentally rehash every detail of an interview immediately after that final handshake: Did you remember to smile? Ask questions at the end? Did you really convey that you’ve been working on your delegation skills, or did you come across as a total control freak?

Will your mistake (or lack of information) make a significant impact on the interviewer’s perception of you? Maybe you had a great answer planned out about how your past experience would make you a perfect fit for a business analyst position, but you forgot to mention you also have an interest in social media and would love to help expand the company’s online presence. Is this an essential piece of information that may affect the interviewer’s ultimate decision? Probably not.

As you think more and more about each question and answer, there’s a good chance you’ll start dwelling on small mistakes you think you made - like how your voice slightly wavered when you talked about your weaknesses, or that you were too vague about your five-year goals. In most cases, you can rest assured that these are slip-ups you don’t need to address because they’re much more obvious to you than to anyone else, and probably didn’t have a significant impact on your interviewer. Plus, they’re mistakes that will look much worse when highlighted to your interviewer the next day than if you just let them go. Of course, if you’re certain that you completely flubbed an answer, or left out some vital information about yourself, proceed to step two: Figure out if there’s anything you can do. 2. Determine Your Plan of Action Damage control can be risky. Some interviewers will appreciate the extra elaboration on a question you think you botched, but to others, it will simply draw more attention to your mistake. So, it’s important to pinpoint if the errors from your interview are important enough to bring up again — and if bringing them up is going to help you. To determine if it’s actually worth doing damage control, you should ask yourself a couple questions:

On the other hand, if you’re interviewing for a position in another state and completely forgot to mention that you’re OK with relocating, your interviewer was probably left questioning. The same would go for a situation where your level of experience is in question, and you failed to mention a relevant internship you completed. That could ultimately affect the interviewer’s decision, and damage control is probably worth the risk. Can You Recover By Sharing Additional (Concise) Info? One of the key elements of damage control is being able to recover in a concise manner. If you can convey additional information in a few sentences to clear things up—perfect! You’re good to go. If your explanation would require pages of writing or a lengthy phone call, your chances of success fall dramatically. continue >>

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Featured Career Also, if your recovery sounds mostly like an apology, rather than providing concrete new information (“I can’t believe I messed up the multiplication on that problem!”)—just skip it. If you aren’t giving your interviewer new information about you as a candidate, addressing the mistake isn’t likely to help you. If, after considering these questions, you determine you have a short—but absolutely essential—piece of information to share, move on to your plan of action.

to help you recover. As soon as you leave the interview, contact your references and give them an update. They should already be familiar with the position that you’re applying for, so you can simply encourage them to mention specific information. For example, if you think you didn’t emphasize your customer service experience enough, ask your former boss to point out specific examples of when you went above and beyond to make a client happy.

3. Fix it Gracefully

4. Learn From It

The smoothest way to approach an interview blunder is a short comment (not an apology) in your thank you note. Your follow-up email should only be a paragraph or two, so you don’t have much room to explain yourself. That’s why, as we determined above, that you should bring up only the most influential and important mistakes and omissions.

The most valuable damage control you can perform is to learn from your blunder and prepare well for your next interview. What was the core cause of your mistake? Did you get nervous and fumble over your answers? Consider enlisting a friend or career counsellor to conduct a few practice interviews with you. The more comfortable you become answering interview questions, the less nervous you’ll be when you’re in the real thing.

After you thank your interviewer for her time, transition into your additional information: “Since we were talking about my social media experience, I should also mention that as part of

“

I know - messing up an interview sucks. But before you start explaining yourself, realize it’s probably not as bad as you think. And, despite the blunders, if you’re the right fit for the position, the hiring manager will know.

my internship at Smith Media, I wrote weekly blog posts and initiated a campaign to boost the company’s Facebook followers to over 3,000. This experience, along with the rest of my background, would really allow me to shine as your new Social Media Specialist.” This casual note explains further details that you forgot to mention—but doesn’t outwardly admit to a mistake, as it would if you started with, “I’m so sorry, but I completely forgot to mention one of my internships!” Another good option is to recruit your references 12

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Maybe you just forgot to mention relevant experience or bring up a certain point that you wanted to bring up. These signs point to a lack of preparation, so before you head into the interview, try writing out a few bullet points of accomplishments and other specific points you want to address.

“

Keep these tucked in your notepad, so that before that final handshake, you can glance down and make sure you covered absolutely everything.

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Edgars fashion we love

Take your pick of these hot new items from Edgars This printed dress, R169,95 is great for any occasion.

High-low dress, R299,95.

You could also try this fab denim shirt, R249,95

Add some pizzazz to your wardrobe with these hot new items from Edgars. Chic and stylish, they’re sure to earn you extra fashion brownie points. Every now and then we all need to add a few new pieces to our closets, to ensure we stay in style and keep looking good.

Show off your shape in these sassy charcoal pants, R149,95 or these fab mint jeans, R160,95

Another hit is this adorable blouse with peter pan collar, R149,95 perfect for the office or with a pair of jeans.

So if it’s time for you to add a little something to your cupboard, head down to your nearest mall and check out these hot new items from Edgars. Edgars fashion is something with which many South African women are familiar with. With ranges to suit all ages, shapes, sizes and styles, Edgars has the right fashion for you. We took a look and chose our picks of the hottest fashion items from Edgars.

Give a boring look some oomph with this pink scarf, R99,99; these multi-coloured bangles, R79,95 or these beaded dream-catcher earrings, R39,95. Copyright ©1997-2013 CareerJunction, all rights reserved.

Author: Serisha Singh Source: All4Women Link: www.all4women.co.za

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TAKING THE FRANCHISE ROUTE AS A CAREER CHANGE

Would you like to start your own business but don’t want to start from scratch? Take charge and become your own boss of an already reputable product or service and market it using a trademark of an established business! Franchising gives you rights to do this.

Source: Junction Link: www.junction.co.za

Here are the benefits of owning a franchise “Trade Name”: No need to establish your own brand, product/service or trademark that has already been done, saving you time. “Known product or service”: You won’t need a long period of time to establish a product/service that meets needs of a target audience but rather one that has public acceptance and has a sound reputation “Training and Support”: If you don’t have the skills already, you will be trained on all the technology,

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financials, staff management etc. involved, whereas if you had your own independent business you’d have nobody to guide you. You will have full access to a procedure and operations manual and an occasional trouble shooting service saving you the extra buck on hiring consultants! “Proven Business”: It is much easier to run an already proven and successful business than having the responsibility of starting one up that might not even succeed.

Featured Career “Package”: Rather invest in a complete business than starting up something small that requires time to develop “Advertising”: National Advertising is NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! But local advertising is. Depending on what is set out for you in your agreement, you may not even have to pay for material. Put your semi-creative juices on hold, all the marketing guidelines are there for you. “Sourcing”: Benefit from bulk discount arrangements negotiated by the franchisor and save time on making small deals for smaller quantities.

will work best for the business and bring in the most traffic. “Ownership”: You own the business, although operation is subject to the clauses in the franchise agreement and the right to sell the business is likely to be limited. “Selling the Business”: The franchisor may wish to buy it from you or have a buyer lined up.

To find out more about franchising go to www.whichfranchise.co.za or www.franchisingplus.co.za

“Location”: The franchisor will give you support in choosing your ideal location as s/he knows what

here is lot of information out there about going for job interviews and the process of being recruited. however, there is a grey area between being employed and getting your next job. is one supposed to resign first? is that financially viable? how ethical is it to look for a job when you have a job? how do you cope with the split loyalties? how does one look for a job without being caught and made to feel a pariah?

! t n u H b The Jo

careerjunction.co.z

nction Link: www.

Source: CareerJu

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The harsh financial realities dictate that where possible one should look for a job while one is employed. This raises a number of issues. Concern: Do you let your current employer know you are looking elsewhere? Response: Absolutely not. Although employers recognise that staff turnover is a normal part of business, telling your boss could jeopardise your dayto-day relationship and your current position within the company. However, make 100% sure of your reasons for wanting to leave. If it’s purely financial, discuss the reasons with your employer before you look for another job. If you’re unhappy in your job due to other reasons, chances are that an increase in salary is only going to help for a short while. Also, think twice before accepting counter-offers when you get a new position. You need to question why a higher salary was only offered after you resign and that the company may only be talking you into staying until they find a suitable replacement since your commitment is now questionable. Concern: How ethical is it to look for a job while you have a job?

Concern: How do I manage my dwindling loyalty to my present company? Response: As long as you are an employee and are being paid for your time and work, you need to commit to the situation. In a more personal light, don’t see your current job as the closing of a door. In fact, it’s probably best to view your career – and all the jobs it has and will contain – as a continuum. Remember that your current employer’s opinion impacts on future work. And most hiring companies like to do a reference check on your previous employment. So Where Does One Look For A Job? Finding the perfect job means trawling along a number of available avenues. Online recruitment is becoming one of the best ways to find new positions but traditional recruitment methods should not be overlooked.

Response: One could debate the ethics around this but the truth is that it isn’t financially viable to quit before looking. You can, however, be responsible about the manner in which you look for a new position. Try not to do it on company time and, if you need to, work in over time. Do not slack off from you current workload while looking and where possible, do not use company resources to search. Don’t use your company email address; create a free one, such as Gmail.

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Featured Career Try the following: Check out an online recruitment service such as CareerJunction, Media – newspapers, as well as trade publications. A number of companies list their current vacancies on their own corporate Web site. Approach recruitment companies and leave your CV with them. Sending your CV to a company that you believe would need you – even if they are not hiring, you may get a foot in the door. Your contacts and spreading the word that you are looking around may assist. I’m happy with my job – why look around? Keeping yourself up to date with market trends – even if it is an occasional peak at available jobs – is a good way of making sure that your salary is within the right scale and that you are on target with the skills needed in your industry. Your career is not an engine that gets switched off at each stop – you need to keep it running to make sure you are ‘in the running’. If you wish to read other career-enhancing articles, make sure you go to www.junction.co.za

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Don’t start your first job under a dark cloud of debt.

Fund Your Studies Wisely to Ensure the Best Future Source: Sowetan Live Link: www.junction.co.za

Funding your tertiary studies may be the best way to improve your employability and earnings potential, but make sure you are able to do this without starting your first job under a dark cloud of debt. “With the economy sluggish and unemployment high, this is a scary time to be contemplating student debt,” says Credit Ombud, Manie van Schalkwyk. The typical South African university student spends up to R40,000 per year for tuition alone. Specialised or professional degrees, such as medicine and engineering, can cost even more. This means if you take out a loan to cover just your tuition fees for three years, you could graduate with debt of over R120,000. “This is money well spent when you consider that, in return, you receive a degree or diploma that improves your career prospects,” says Van Schalkwyk. “But very few students can fully fund their university studies without some financial assistance.” There are numerous ways to fund your university or tertiary studies, including applying for bursaries or financial aid, taking out a student loan, or studying part time while paying off your studies. “Make sure you have explored all avenues of funding before taking on debt,” he adds. As a first step, he explains that students should calculate the amount available from their family budget to pay for education. This should include all related costs, including accommodation, books, transport, living expenses as well as study aids such as computers and internet. “You can then determine the amount of funding needed before approaching banks or sponsors,” says Van Schalkwyk. If you have excelled in your previous studies or on the sports field you may be eligible for your university’s financial aid scheme – you can apply through your student aid office. Alternatively approach the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) which is a body funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training and provides study loans to academically-able, but financially-needy students. Much of a NSFAS loan can be converted into a bursary, which then does not need to be repaid, depending on your academic progress. 18

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“You can also find out about external bursaries offered by companies as well as provincial government departments,” says Van Schalkwyk. “You may be required to pay back the bursary by working at the company once you’ve completed your degree or to pay back some of the money to cover the costs.” But if you’re unable to access additional funding, student loans are available. Generally banks charge lower interest on student loans compared to other types of debt, such as credit cards and personal loans. The exact interest rate you are charged will depend on your risk profile. For illustration purposes, at an interest rate of 10%, this means if you take out a loan of R40,000 in your first year, the interest instalment will be about R334 a month. If you take a further R40,000 for your second and third years, the interest instalment per month will amount to approximately R1,000. You or your parents should ensure that someone will be able to repay this monthly amount. Another advantage of a student loan is that you only need to start repaying your bank loan once you’ve completed your studies – although you will need to keep up the interest payments throughout the term of the loan.

“Always read the fine print of the loan agreement and make sure you understand what you are signing as your future depends on it.” Tips for taking out a student loan Shop around: Compare interest rates between different credit providers. Banks may be willing to offer better deals to students in particular fields such as finance, engineering or medicine as well as to post-graduate students. Pay on time: Don’t fall behind on your repayments or you could be negatively listed at credit bureaus, which means you will find it difficult to borrow later on for a house or a car, for example. Falling behind on your repayments could also trigger a legal collections process which can end up costing a small fortune. It’s good practice to pay off more than the minimum amount of interest each month if you can. Take as short a pay-back term as possible: Once you graduate, the quicker you pay off the principal amount that you borrowed, the less interest you will pay each month. Most student loans are repaid over about six to eight years, but the sooner the better.

“When applying as a student, you will need to prove that you have been accepted into a tertiary institution accredited by the SA Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and make sure that someone will be responsible for the repayment of the interest on the loan while you are studying,” says Van Schalkwyk.

Get a part-time job: By working, you can earn an income and help finance your study costs.

After you graduate you’ll be expected to repay both the capital and a further interest amount. “Grace periods are usually available to students who first have to complete an internship, community service or articles,” he adds.

Keep in touch with your lender: If you are battling to make your repayments, tell your credit provider as soon as possible. You may be able to negotiate a lesser payment or a payment holiday.

But he warns that students should keep focused on passing: “Students who abandon their studies will be expected to start repaying both interest and capital immediately.”

Study part time: This can be cheaper than studying full time, although you will be expected to repay both the capital and interest portion from the moment you receive the loan.

Contact the Office of the Credit Ombud if you need help resolving complaints or disputes with a credit provider, debt counsellor or payment distribution agent.

He also cautions students against borrowing from unregulated credit providers. “You may be charged much more in interest and have little protection under the law if you are unable to make repayments,” says Van Schalkwyk. CareerSeek 19

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What Is Your Industry Doing ? 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!

To add to this, after entering the job market, most of us spend

The CareerJunction Index (CJI) is your guide to understanding

approximately 40 to 50 years working within our chosen

the job market and more specifically, your industry. With

industries. It makes fiscal sense to understand the conditions

a sample size of over 2 million (both job ad and job seeker

which accompany a chosen title or industry, just as one would

numbers), CareerJunction analyses and summarises the latest

study a country before travelling there or a recipe before

trends in supply and demand.

making a meal. The CJI goes to great lengths to decode all of this information, Demographics are important because they provide us with

providing you with up-to-date information on the availability

general information about a population at any given moment

of jobs in your field as well as in your province; salaries offered

in time. Through long-term trend analysis we can use this

by skill level/province and much more.

information in market research as well as in economics to give vital statistics.

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

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BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO YOUR CAREER Author: Kobie Snyman Source: Awannabeemployee

The new year has kicked off with a bang and business is back in full swing. For some of us the start of a new year has brought new jobs or projects, while many of us are taking on 2013 in the same position, company and/or neighbourhood as 2012. Nothing wrong with that of course, but sometimes this leaves you feeling like you’re just another cog in the wheel that keeps on turning and never really leads anywhere. If this is how you’re feeling right now, there’s no better time than the present to shake things up a little and breathe new life into your career. Let’s look at a few areas where you can do a bit of spring-cleaning...

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Featured Career 1. Your desk When you don’t know where to start organizing your professional life, detoxing your workspace is a great place to start. Not only is it hygienic, but therapeutic and empowering all at the same time. Throw out or file outdated paperwork, disinfect your work surfaces, clear up your inbox and take down the posters that have been hanging on your pin-up board for two years – do it all! Rearrange your office furniture if you can. Take control of your workspace and get rid of the clutter that is blocking your productivity. It won’t change the world, but you’re sure to feel the boost it gives you as soon as you start shredding away. 2. Your online profile Whether you are actively looking for a job or very content with your current position, it’s important to keep your online presence current and professional. You never know when a great company will come across your LinkedIn profile and approach you with a spectacular job offer. What will people find when they Google your name? Is your Facebook account open for the world (including potential employers) to stumble upon the evidence of your dodgy weekend escapades? When was the last time you updated your LinkedIn profile with a professional profile picture and an updated summary of your current skill set? Have you thought about using one platform (like Facebook) for personal use and another (like LinkedIn) for professional use only? It might be a good idea to separate the two if you want to protect your personal/ professional brand online. 3. Your wardrobe Giving your wardrobe a little boost is just as therapeutic and energising for guys as it is for girls. Nothing gives you an instant confidence boost like a brand new professional outfit, even if you’re the only one who knows that it’s new. Think about what your professional wardrobe says about you. It’s easy to spot someone at work who has become complacent in his/her career and is content with doing the same job until they retire - more often than not their office attire is sloppy and tired-looking. We all label people subconsciously based on how they dress, but we forget that others are doing the same when they look at us. An easy way to give your image a facelift is to identify professionals around you who look sharp and ambitious, and take a few hints from their style. If you want to go the whole nine yards, why not visit an image consultant to help you figure out what best suits your personality, figure and budget? You’ll feel confident and ready to take on the world when you know that you look sharp. 4. Your CV When updating our CVs, we often tend to add details to the document instead of refreshing it. Many job seekers wonder why their current CV’s aren’t opening any doors to interviews; meanwhile their CVs are still highlighting primary school achievements from 20 years ago. There are many ways to improve your CV and keep it fresh and current. The ultimate goal is to highlight your skills, experience and latest achievements without turning it into an essay of 8 pages. If you’re unsure, why not ask a recruiter to have a look at yours and give you some honest feedback. It’s better to receive constructive criticism than to go through your job search with an outdated and unappealing CV. It may be time to dust it off and give it a fresh coat of paint.

5. Your network Do you actively spend time and energy building your professional network? If you’ve never done so before, 2013 could be the year for you to get connected and expand your professional territory. If you’ve been slacking recently, it’s time to get yourself back into the game. Some of your connections will always be just that – connections. But networking holds so many advantages for your career and personal brand that you can’t afford not to do it. A few contacts could turn into mentors or advisors, while others could potentially think of you when a business opportunity arises. Spending time with professionals outside of your everyday job can inspire you to grow in your current role, or equip you to start your own business venture. You may just end up helping someone in your network with advice or a business opportunity, and consequently be recommended to others because of the difference you’ve made in his/her career. So while you’re updating your online profile, have a look at professionals you would like to connect with, and find a few networking events to attend in your industry or field of interest. 6. Your attitude None of us are fully motivated and energised all the time, and it’s perfectly OK to go through the ups and downs of your career like a normal human being. But many times we get stuck in our jobs and allow that feeling to translate into an attitude of helplessness and complacency. It’s easy to lose your drive for success or will to make an impact when you allow circumstances to dictate your outlook on life and the world of work. Unfortunately refreshing your attitude isn’t as simple as hitting a button, and you may need to backtrack a little to determine where you lost your motivation in the first place. If you feel bored and stuck in your career, why not try to revitalize some other areas in your life – making time for socializing, health/fitness activities and hobbies. Ensuring that you invest in all areas of your life could help you feel more fulfilled and motivated in general, and it won’t be long before that attitude rubs off on you at work. When you are relaxed and healthy, odds are you will have higher levels of concentration at work and come up with better ideas to pitch to your boss. Who knows what lies ahead!

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO HAVE A DUSTY CV, TIRED WARDROBE AND NEGATIVE ATTITUDE. WHILE SOME THINGS WILL ALWAYS BE BEYOND YOUR CONTROL, THE CHALLENGE IS TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL AND MAKE THE BEST OF WHAT’S AT YOUR DISPOSAL. WHETHER IT BE IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE OR CAREER, IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY OR TOO LATE TO MAKE A FRESH START FOR YOURSELF. Kobie Snyman is an HR Generalist by day and Career Blogger by night. She’s passionate about empowering young professionals to take charge of their careers and be fully engaged in their jobs. For more on this, you can check out her blog here.

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Career Q&A withFeatured Kerry Dawkins

Q&A with Kerry Dawkins Kerry is the founder of Potential At Work, a consultancy specialising in engagement and development solutions. As part of her role in the business, she has created and implemented a mentoring system that, on an ongoing basis, provides support and guidance to young South Africans. Current mentees include graduates as they enter the workforce in large South African corporates, key talent as they move upwards in a corporate, employment equity candidates and the benefactors of Foundations including the Oprah Winfrey Foundation and Shanduka Foundation.

You can follow her on Junction, Facebook – Kerry Dawkins- Patwork and on Twitter @KerryDawkins.

Would you employ you?

As I was reading your letters, I realised that I have a question for you: “Would you employ you?”

Grab a piece of paper and write down your answers to these questions (the first things that come to mind are fine): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

What I like about my job is … What I’m good at is … What I look for in a job is ... My best contribution would be in a job which … How I add value in my job is by …

And now for the hard part! Think about how you’re doing at work: when you arrive, leave, and what you do on Facebook or Whatsapp. Think about the quality of your work: are you concentrating, checking for errors, asking colleagues for advice before you start? Are you meeting your deadlines, and helping others when they need support? Do your clients or customers like working with you? What does your Manager or Team Leader see you doing? Now go back to your five answers. Are the things that you like about your job the things that you are good at? Is that where you are making a contribution and spending most of your time? If there’s a mismatch, then you’ll have some clues about why you may be unhappy or feel that you are not doing your best. Companies want people who add value. They’re looking for people who are willing to work hard, willing to learn

and have a ‘can-do’ attitude. And they look after people who bring their head, hearts and hands to work as well as loads of energy to go the extra mile because it makes them happy too! So back to my question. If you were to apply for your job, would you get it? If so, fantastic! Great performance is always noticed and attracts other opportunities. If not, you don’t need to resign! My advice is to find ways to be the best you can be, right where you are. For example, chat to your Manager to make sure that you understand what your job entails, what you should focus on, and how to do it well. Apply your mind and skills, or work with someone who can get you up to speed quickly. Here’s another idea. Find out about other projects in your area or what’s in the pipeline. Then find ways to get the knowledge or skill that’s required, or show that you already have them. Getting involved in the company’s social club, corporate social responsibility (CSR), or a Community of Practice (COP) if there is one, is a great way to learn, increase your visibility and expand your network. And all of that creates more options for you. It’s always possible to love what you do, to do what you love, but you have to make it happen. And every little thing that you do each and every day can get you closer to your dream.

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I am feeling stuck in my career and can’t move upwards. Please help. We get many letters from people who are desperate to get their careers moving, but can’t. Some feel that they’re not quite ready for a promotion, while others are frustrated by the lack of opportunities or the fact that someone else has just landed the job that they want!

Many of us think that to be successful, we have to get to the top of the career ladder. But if we change that picture to a career trellis (the wooden frames that plants grow along), we immediately give ourselves many more options. Here are some examples: Vertical: Moving up could be attractive because it means a higher salary, more status or power. But more responsibility and challenge could also mean more stress, longer hours and less time with your family. So, you could rethink your definition of success and accept that for you, moving up is not something that you want. And here’s the important point: that choice doesn’t make you any less valuable as an employee, or important as a friend. Lateral: Moving sideways is a way to explore other jobs in the same company, and does not mean that you’re being side-lined. You’d have similar responsibilities but would use new or different skills and abilities. The benefit is that you learn about other areas of the business, other products or services, and of course, get to meet other people (and grow your network!). The experience could help you make a better decision if you were thinking of changing jobs. It could also confirm your current choice, leaving you more confident that you’re already in the right kind of job for you. Downward: Moving down or back is a great way to ‘realign’ your life. Perhaps you’ve been through a difficult time and need to balance work with other priorities? What if you’re studying and find it tough to work full-time as well? Or perhaps you’ve realised that a managerial role is not for you and that you want a career in a totally different area and need to re-train? Again, the point is that you’d be happier but still productive and be more likely to stay. Grow where you are: This is a non-negotiable! Growing in place still gives you chance to learn and develop, without having to move. In an ‘enriched’ job, you take on more challenging tasks that build your competence, confidence and your reputation. This is a great way to prepare for a lateral or vertical move in the future. 26

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Q&A with Kerry Dawkins Hopefully, I’ve given you some ideas about looking after your career. Think about your goals, be clear on what’s in it for you and for the company, and then ask for a career conversation with your manager or HR. Talking honestly about options can be a great way of showing your company that you are flexible and agile (two skills that are in demand nowadays!).

Q I accepted a job for a higher salary about six months ago, but I’m not really happy. Did I make a mistake? This is a great question! The principle “actions speak louder than words” has been around forever and it should be applied more fully to job-hunting and interviewing. Remember it is difficult for an interviewer to judge the truthfulness and accuracy of what an interviewee says and their level of skills. Below are some tips to show the interviewer you have what it takes to do the job.

A job with a higher salary can be hard to resist! It’s great to have extra money to do more and buy more of what you wanted. But it’s not that nice when you find yourself in the same position a short while later – again, there’s more month than money. And that’s when you’re likely to feel that you’ve made a mistake: thing’s haven’t really changed. My advice to you is to ‘unpack’ your reasons for feeling unhappy and then see what you can learn from your situation. My guess is that it’s not about the money, but something about the tasks, or the people or the environment. Perhaps you have to work with very closely with a new team of people but you actually need a little quiet time to think. Perhaps you have to deal with a very challenging client and haven’t yet got the experience or product knowledge to handle the situation alone (but you know you can do it). Or perhaps you have to adjust to an open plan office when you quite like your own office. Whatever the details, what I’m trying to get you to do is identify what’s not working and then find ways to address that. Being happy at work is seldom just a matter of what you get paid. It’s much more about being able to make the most of your knowledge and skills and feel that you’re contributing in a positive way. That’s what will get you out of bed with a smile.

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