CareerSeek 9th Edition by CareerJunction

June 2013

9th Edition

Your guide to a great career

PSSST! INTERVIEWERS HATE THIS

SA PUPILS SHINE BRIGHT AT GLOBAL SCIENCE FAIR

HAPPY CLICKER IN THE CAREER ZONE WITH PHOTOGRAPHER

Wesley Voster Thomas Backlund

homeless by choice

VASBYT

i swim with polar bears YOUR OWN PERSONALISED VIDEO OF WHERE YOU COULD BE IN A FEW YEARS!

Featured Career

9th Edition: A New You

Welcome We are halfway through the year and while most people go about their everyday business, you might be thinking about the year ahead. Now is the perfect time to get your ducks in a row and prepare to move up a step. This month’s CareerSeek, themed A New You, is filled with the tips and inspiration you need to move forward in your career; and of course a bit of random fun. If there is a particular area of work you would like to master, have a look at some part-time short courses from SA’s most trusted training institutions. If it’s a new job you’re after, neaten up your online presence a bit by updating your Online CV and mastering your cover letter and interview skills. Need some inspiration? Read all about homeless coder Thomas Backlund and why he gave up everything; or Lewis Pugh and his crazy super human adventures. Transform yourself into a New You!

Happy reading! The CareerJunction Team

Here’s what you have to look forward to: CareerSeek 10 th Edition “Finding Your Mojo”

email us with your suggestions or your story.

CareerSeek

CONTENTS featured articles

what’s inside... 06

Healthy Cooking: The South African Way

Salary Spy

Movie Night

5 Career Skills Every 20-Something Should Master

Meet SwissMiss

Job seekers should look to IT sector

Q&A With Career Coach Kerry Dawkins

Africa’s Best Young Entrepreneurs

Do You Really Deserve That Increase

The Islander Guide: Top 10 Islands

Career Corner

CareerSeek

SA Pupils Shine Bright at Global Science Fair

Bill Gates: Three Things I’ve Learned from Warren Buffett

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

DISCLAIMER

Technical Support: clientservices@careerjunction.co.za Tel: 086 000 2020

Search for @Career_Junction to find and follow our tweets.

General Information: info@careerjunction.co.za Tel: 086 000 2020

Click here to follow our YouTube channel.

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 Times Media Group and any person or entity unless otherwise specified. Information, pricing and conditions in CareerSeek online magazine are subject to change without prior notice. Although every effort is made to ensure that the information contained within this online magazine is accurate and up to date, neither our online magazine nor its parent company Times Media Group is to be held liable for inaccuracies in information, prices and conditions products and services being advertised in this magazine. 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.

Advertising: odile@junction.co.za

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

Tel: +27 21 818 8600

Must Read!

Homeless by Choice Thomas Backlund

Happy Clicker in The‘Career’ Zone with Wesley Voster

Vasbyt I swim with Polar Bears

PSSST! Interviewers Hate This

CareerSeek

Featured Career

BILL GATES THREE THINGS I’VE LEARNED

FROM WARREN BUFFETT Author: Bill Gates

Source: LinkedIn

Link: www.linkedin.com

I’m looking forward to sharing posts from time to time about thing I’ve learned in my career at Microsoft and the Gates Foundation. (I also post frequently on my blog.) Last month, I went to Omaha for the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting. It’s always a lot of fun, and not just because of the ping-pong matches and the newspaper-throwing contest i have with Warren Buffett. It’s also fun because I get to learn from warren and gain insight into how he thinks. 1. IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT INVESTING The first thing people learn from Warren, of course, is how to think about investing. That’s natural, given his amazing track record. Unfortunately, that’s where a lot of people stop, and they miss out on the fact that he has a whole framework for business thinking that is very powerful. For example, he talks about looking for a company’s moat—its competitive advantage—and whether the moat is shrinking or growing. He says a shareholder has to act as if he owns the entire business, looking at the future profit stream and deciding what it’s worth. And you have to be willing to ignore the market rather than follow it, because you want to take advantage of the market’s mistakes—the companies that have been underpriced. I have to admit, when I first met Warren, the fact that he had this framework was a real surprise to me. I met him at a dinner my mother had put together. On my way there, I thought, “Why would I want to meet this guy who picks stocks?” I thought he just used various market-related things—like volume, or how the price had changed over

CareerSeek

time—to make his decisions. But when we started talking that day, he didn’t ask me about any of those things. Instead he started asking big questions about the fundamentals of our business. “Why can’t IBM do what Microsoft does? Why has Microsoft been so profitable?” That’s when I realized he thought about business in a much more profound way than I’d given him credit for.

2. USE YOUR PLATFORM A lot of business leaders write letters to their shareholders, but Warren is justly famous for his. Partly that’s because his natural good humour shines through. Partly it’s because people think it will help them invest better (and they’re right). But it’s also because he’s been willing to speak frankly and criticize things like stock options and financial derivatives. He’s not afraid to take positions, like his stand on raising taxes on the rich, that run counter to his self-interest. Warren inspired me to start writing my own annual letter about the foundation’s work. I still have a ways to go before mine is as good as Warren’s, but it’s been helpful to sit down once a year and explain the results we’re seeing, both good and bad.

“No matter how much money you have, you can’t buy more time. There are only 24 hours in everyone’s day.“

3. KNOW HOW VALUABLE YOUR TIME IS No matter how much money you have, you can’t buy more time. There are only 24 hours in everyone’s day. Warren has a keen sense of this. He doesn’t let his calendar get filled up with useless meetings. On the other hand, he’s very generous with his time for the people he trusts. He gives his close advisers at Berkshire his phone number, and they can just call him up and he’ll answer the phone. Although Warren makes a point of meeting with dozens of university classes every year, not many people get to ask him for advice on a regular basis. I feel very lucky in that regard: The dialogue has been invaluable to me, and not only at Microsoft. When Melinda and I started our foundation, I turned to him for advice. We talked a lot about the idea that philanthropy could be just as impactful in its own way as software had been. It turns out that Warren’s brilliant way of looking at the world is just as useful in attacking poverty and disease as it is in building a business. He’s one of a kind.

CareerSeek

Featured Career

CareerSeek

Featured Career

Great local talent

SA PUPILS SHINE BRIGHT at global science fair

Most matric pupils are worried about merely passing their exams but there are others who are involved in science projects that would leave experienced scientists green with envy... Author: Schalk Mouton

Source: Times Live

Link: www.junction.co.za

Cape Town’s Danielle Jacobson, of Camps Bay High School, Ben Langer, of Herzlia High School, Philippe Lothaller, of Rondebosch Boys’ High School, Danielle Mallabone, of St Teresa’a High School, Johannesburg, and Retselisitsoe Monyake, of Harmony High School, Welkom, recently turned heads with their inventions at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, in Phoenix, Arizona, US.

times more than that currently possible but the result was better cost-effectiveness. “It was pretty cool to find that,” she said.

Jacobson and Lothaller not only won bursaries to study at universities in the US but walked away with prizes ranging from $500 to $7,500 in cash and grants for their projects. Jacobson, 16, won a $50,000 scholarship at West Virginia University for her work on how to use bacteria and nano-fibre electrodes to increase the electrical output of microbial fuel cells.

He won the New American University Provost Scholarship to study at the Arizona State University. He also won a once-off $2,500 award to do research at the Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development.

Her explanation of her research sounds like the start of a doctoral thesis. “It’s a post-grad level project,” she said. A microbial fuel cell is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy by the catalytic reaction of microorganisms. Jacobson found a way to make electrodes 2,600 times more efficient but her process was too expensive to be viable. Some alterations lowered the efficiency to 1,500

Langer found that, by adding small accelerants to rocket fuel, it was possible to increase the power-to-weight ratio of the rocket.

Lothaller, who has always been fascinated by aircraft, came up with a way to reduce wear and tear on the tyres of aircraft by attaching scoops to the aircraft’s wheels, reducing friction-induced wear on the tyres. For his efforts, he won a $7,500 cash prize from the United Airlines Foundation. The pupils were selected after doing well in the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair last year. Eskom Expo director Priscilla Moodley said South Africa had put on its best performance yet at the US fair this year. “South Africa’s researchers and scientists are ageing and we are trying to encourage young students in these fields to become the next generation of scientists to solve the issues of energy and the environment we are facing,” she said.

CareerSeek

Featured Career

HEALTHY COOKING

THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAY

Source: Cooking From the Heart Link: www.cookingfromtheheart.co.za

Check out some delicious recipes for the cold winter months ahead. What’s more, they are healthy, affordable and easy to make!

Baked Fish with Tomatoes If you often prepare fish with a creamy white sauce, rather try this healthy and tasty tomato and herb version. 2 slices brown or wholewheat bread juice and grated rind of 1 lemon ½ tsp (2,5 ml) salt black pepper to taste 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp (15 ml) dried or chopped fresh origanum 4 x 160 g firm white fish portions, thawed if frozen 3 tomatoes, sliced 1 tbsp (15 ml) sunflower oil ¼ cup (60 ml) water Preheat oven to 180 °C. Crumble bread with your fingertips to form small pieces. Mix breadcrumbs with lemon rind, salt, pepper, garlic and origanum. Place fish in an oven dish or baking tray and pack a few slices of tomato on top of each portion. Sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture and pour lemon juice and oil over the fish. Pour water into the dish to prevent fish from sticking and drying out. Bake for 20 minutes or until the fish is just cooked and the crumbs are golden brown. Don’t overcook the fish.

Serve immediately with salad or veggies and a baked potato.

CareerSeek

Butternut & Sweetcorn Bake

Featured Career

Butternut is a versatile veggie with a naturally sweet flavour. The creamy sweetcorn makes this a sweet and delicious side dish without the need for cream or butter. 400 g butternut, cut in cubes 400 g sweet potatoes with the skin, cut in cubes ½ onion, halved and sliced 1 tbsp (15 ml) sunflower oil ½ x 410 g tin cream style sweetcorn ½ tsp (2,5 ml) ground nutmeg black pepper to taste Preheat oven to 180 °C. Mix butternut, sweet potatoes, onion and oil together in an oven dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until the veggies are just cooked. Pour sweetcorn over veggies and season with nutmeg and pepper. Bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve as a side dish with meat or chicken or a braai.

Pharma Dynamics is SA’s leading generic supplier of cardiovascular medicines and has significantly increased the accessibility of many life-changing medicines to hundreds of thousands by making them more affordable. The reality, however, is that South Africa is facing a major health crisis with rates of heart disease reaching epidemic levels. In an attempt to proactively address the problem, Pharma Dynamics has partnered with the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA to bring Cooking from the heart to life. This recipe book is a heart-friendly, multi-cultural, budget cookbook by South Africans, for South Africans.

CareerSeek

Featured Career

Have a look at some salary indicators for the top 10 industry sectors in this year’s Salary Review by the CareerJunction Index.

salary spy

it’s time to check out what you’re worth on the job market!

engineering

admin, office & support

building & construction

manufacturing & assembly

mining

sales

information technology

marketing

telecommunication

finance

* The findings are based on salary information gathered from job ads posted on CareerJunction during the last quarter of 2012 and first quarter 2013. Learn even more about your industry. Download the CJI monthly Executive Summary

CareerSeek

www.cji.co.za

Featured Career

CareerSeek

Featured Career

ANIMATION / KIDS / FAMILY

DISPICABLE ME 2 More minions. More despicable. It may not be as inspired as its predecessor, but Despicable Me 2 offers plenty of eye-popping visual inventiveness and a number of big laughs. Family audiences have turned this sequel to 2010’s surprise animated hit into a certified smash. I’m not surprised. Three years have turned Despicable Me into a DVD babysitter with kids enjoying multiple viewings of the villainous huncbacked inventor Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) and his Minions, yellow munchkins born for mischief. So what if the followup comes up short in originality and surprise.

careerjunction is giving away... free movie tickets to 2 lucky winners each month. all you have to do is tell us what your favourite movie is of all time and why! 14

It’s still a first-class charm assault. Carell growls gleefully as he distracts his three adopted daughters with inventions so cool that we forget (almost) that he’s grown a squishy heart. Gru even gets a love interest in secret agent Lucy Wilde, voiced by Kristen Wiig with enough scene-stealing comic verve to make the Minions jealous. The plot, cooked up by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, involves a secret serum and is spindly enough to rival Gru’s legs. But codirectors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, who do Minion voices expertly, never let up on the laughs. A fart joke in 3-D may not be three times as wacky, but the high spirits of Despicable Me 2 are irresistible fun.

Cast: Steve Carell, Miranda Cosgrove, Al Pacino, Jason Segel, Moises Arias BOOK NOW / WATCH TRAILER

CareerSeek ENTER NOW!

Featured Career

ACTION / ADVENTURE / SCI-FI

WORLD WAR Z The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. What would popular entertainment be these days without zombies? The latest, and biggest, zombie-festation is “World War Z,” starring Brad Pitt as a former United Nations investigator of global “hot zones.” The action kicks in early as Pitt’s Gerry and his family are caught in urban gridlock that quickly morphs into zombielock. Pitt has fought to make this movie for more than six years, and presumably his passion has as much to do with zombies as metaphors for eco-disaster. (Some kind of viral infection apparently started the whole mess, wouldn’t you know). Trouble is, when you see a zombie rapidly advancing on you – and in this movie, they travel in hordes – it’s no time to be thinking metaphorically.

Starring Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz BOOK NOW / WATCH TRAILER

DRAMA

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES A motorcycle stunt rider (Ryan Gosling) discovers that the woman he loved and left a year earlier (Eva Mendes) has given birth to a son by him, and his half-baked decision to become a better father ends tragically. This naturalistic drama is ambitious to the point of being unwieldy, and after a while it begins trotting out familiar characters (Ray Liotta as a dirty cop) and situations (an execution in the woods, a la Miller’s Crossing). But once the story has advanced from one generation to the next and its thematic sweep has become apparent, these flaws seem much more tolerable.

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes BOOK NOW / WATCH TRAILER

CareerSeek

Featured Career

Picture this: You’re a job candidate up for a role in a coveted organization. You’ve got the experience and referrals, and you’ve even managed to land an interview.

INTERVIEWERS HATE THIS Author: Alan Carniol

Despite your interview skills or level of experience, many candidates find themselves in a job search black hole. Although it’s easy to blame interviewers — after all, they may receive more than 100 applications per opening — you may be inadvertently raising some red flags. When this happens, it’s time to take action. To help, we’ve compiled a list of everything interviewers want to say to unprepared interviewees — and how to prevent them from thinking that about you.

CareerSeek

Source: Mashable

So, come interview time, you’re pretty confident about your chances. Weeks later, you still haven’t heard from the interviewer or the company. What gives? Link: www.mashable.com

1. “Why didn’t you come prepared?” From failing to research the company to not being able to tell your interview story, inadequately preparing for a job interview is one of the biggest mistakes possible. For instance, not being able to relay industry information or not referring to a recent organizational change may show the interviewer you’re not serious about the job — or that you weren’t interested enough to do your homework. Before the interview, research like crazy. Find out what’s new with the company, the interviewer and your industry. In addition, tailor your answers to your findings. For instance, if the company recently added a new department, say something like, “I saw that you added a new department, which shows your commitment to growth and sustainability — both of which I admire in a company.”

Featured Career

2. “I’ve heard this response a million times.”

4. “That outfit is not appropriate.”

Some responses are generic for a reason; they’ve been used over and over to the point where an interviewer may be numb to them. For example, stating you’re a great candidate because of your stellar work ethic isn’t new or unique. Your interviewer wants to be wowed — so responding with a run-of-the-mill quality like good work ethic may not bode well for you.

Your physical appearance reflects who you are. If you show up dishevelled or inappropriately dressed, your interviewer may not think you’re professional enough for the job.

Show how your work led to accomplishments. If you created an advertisement that increased page views by 15%, make sure to say so. Results signify you achieve success, which is what most employers seek.

When in doubt, overdress. Suits, ties and collared shirts are all great options. But put some personality into your outfit, like a shirt with a pop of colour under your blazer or a piece of statement jewellery.

3. “These responses don’t reflect who you are online.” Employers are looking for you online. In fact, 65% of employers check out your online presence to see if you present yourself professionally. 65% of employers check out your online presence to see if you present yourself professionally. Although posting those party photos or bashing your old employer may have seemed like a fun idea at the time, your interviewer may think otherwise. Who you are online may eventually represent your future employer — and if the lines don’t align, the interviewer may question your authenticity. Clean up your online presence early. This means taking down any inappropriate content and enabling privacy settings. Next, start posting professional updates, such as industry news or your opinion on the company’s latest thread. This shows that your online and offline stories match.

In addition, not dressing well may seem like you don’t care about the organization or the job — certainly not the impression you want to convey.

5. “I’m bored.” Did you know 21% of candidates report their interviewers seemed bored during the interview? This may be because you’re not giving memorable responses. Look at it this way: Interviewers likely go through hundreds — if not, thousands — of applications and meet with many candidates. If you aren’t a shining star from the get-go, why should they pay attention? Create a game plan to stand out. This can range from bringing up a funny anecdote to producing a creative resume. Whatever you decide, make sure you do your best to nab the interviewer’s attention from the beginning. Then, the interviewer will be much more enthusiastic about your prospects at the company.

65% of employers check out your online presence to see if you present yourself professionally. Although posting those party photos or bashing your old employer may have seemed like a fun idea at the time, your interviewer may think otherwise.

Featured Career

VASBYT

I SWIM WITH POLAR BEARS Author: Andrea Nagel

Source: Times Live

Link: www.junction.co.za

Polar bears swim the icy waters of the North Pole all the time, but they have 10cm of blubber and thick fur to keep them insulated. Lewis Pugh has only a swimming cap, a Speedo and his superhuman determination. He has based his career on setting himself extraordinarily high-risk goals with a high pain factor for which you need a bionic body. Luckily, despite some people believing that many of his swimming expeditions, including the most northerly and southerly long-distance swims in the world, were impossible, Pugh has never lost so much as a digit. In his latest book, 21 Yaks and a Speedo: How to achieve your impossible, Pugh distils his experiences into bite-sized chapters, each with its own motivational message. Vasbyt is the message of one of these chapters.

“Whenever I thought of quitting, I would just ask myself a simple question: ‘Lewis, can you take just one more step?’ If the answer was ‘yes’, then I’d take it,” he writes. “In writing this book, I wanted to tell short, pithy

CareerSeek

stories that can be read in five minutes,” he says. “The idea was to take my experiences in some of the most remote parts of the world and to relate them to everyday situations which all of us face to illustrate the everyday concepts of team work, courage, hope and, of course, vasbyt.” One chapter tells the story of Pugh’s mission to swim across the Maldives archipelago to highlight the effect of global warming on the country. Halfway through the 13-day swim, the team boat breaks down and they are forced to make a plan or turn back. The thing that comes across clearly when reading the book, and talking with the man, is that Pugh is not a quitter. In the distance his team manager, Major

General Tim Toyne Sewell, sees a yacht he believes belongs to Chelsea soccer club owner Roman Abramovich. After a call by “The General” to the club’s former manager, Jose Mourinho, and much to the consternation of Pugh, the team find themselves on the yacht. Pugh is disappointed that he hadn’t believed that all it would take was asking for help to get it. The message of the chapter? “When we limit our beliefs about what is possible, we don’t ask for help. We’re not even out of the stable and we’ve already given up the race.” This kind of humility is uncharacteristic of Pugh, but then he is a man who has achieved remarkable things, and he consequently has plenty to teach us ordinary folk. When he’s not planning an expedition or not undertaking world-saving ecological projects, his time is taken up by motivational speaking.

One chapter tells the story of Pugh’s mission to swim across the Maldives archipelago to highlight the effect of global warming on the country.

The book is all pretty rah rah, blow your trumpet stuff, but it’s impossible not to get drawn in to the magnitude of Pugh’s achievements. Hemanages to achieve the telling of his stories and the morals that go with them with impressive aplomb, pretty much like everything he does. ’21 Yaks and a Speedo: How to achieve your impossible’ Jonathan Ball Publishers, R200

CareerSeek 19

Featured Career

5 CAREER SKILLS EVERY 20-SOMETHING SHOULD MASTER Author: Jessica Lawlor

Jessica Lawlor is a public relations professional, blogger and freelance writer in the Philadelphia area.

Brazen Life is a lifestyle and career blog for ambitious young professionals. Hosted by Brazen Careerist, we offer edgy and fun ideas for navigating the changing world of work. Be Brazen!

CareerSeek

Source: Brazen Life

Link: www.junction.co.za

Featured Career

As a young professional in the workplace, you’ll inevitably encounter certain situations in your career: bad bosses, catty colleagues, work-life balance issues, considering new job opportunities. Navigating the real world isn’t easy, but with more experience and a couple of stumbles and falls along the way, the lessons you learn begin to stick.

As you prepare to enter the next stage of your career, you should have certain skills mastered by now. Not quite there yet? We’ve got a list of the top five career-related tasks you should know how to do and quick tips to brush up on those skills:

1. WRITE A SOLID COVER LETTER Writing a good cover letter is an art. By the time you hit your mid-20s, you should be able to compose a strong cover letter that leads to an interview where you can really show off your stuff. Quick tips: • Address the cover letter properly. That means finding out the hiring manager’s name and personalizing your letter accordingly. • Cover letters are not just about presenting your skills; write about how you and your skills can directly benefit the company you are applying for.

in the afternoons, use that time for meetings or other, more social work tasks. When you figure out how you work best, you can make the most of your eight hours in the office. • Tackle the big items on your to-do list first. Leave the smaller, easy-to-check-off tasks for Friday afternoons or other quieter times in the office. • If you’re not sure what to work on next, ask your boss. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help; in fact, your boss will likely applaud you for being self-aware enough to check in.

4. STAND UP FOR YOURSELF AT WORK

• Show the hiring manager you’ve done your homework. Reference a recent campaign or news article about the company in your cover letter.

Feeling overworked or taken advantage of? Early in your career, it’s important to learn how to defend yourself and tackle workplace issues respectfully, but head-on.

2. INTERVIEW WELL

Quick tips:

Most people in their 20s have gone on several interviews, whether it be for an internship, a freelance project or a fulltime gig. While interviewing can be nerve-wracking, practice makes perfect, and the more you do it, the stronger an interviewee you’ll become.

• Before you say anything, make a list of all the issues you’re having at work. See if there are places where you can improve or solve the problem yourself. Once you’ve narrowed down the list, then it’s time to talk to your boss.

Quick tips: • Remember: you’re interviewing the company as much as they’re interviewing you. Ask specific questions to learn about the company’s culture to ensure you’ll be a good fit. • Bring something to show. For example, if you’re applying for a job that requires writing skills, bring examples of your writing. Physically showing something during an interview shows you’ve come prepared, and also allows you to relax for a moment as you flip through a portfolio and explain your samples.

• Schedule an in-person meeting with your boss. Don’t address serious issues over email. Face-to-face is best for these kinds of conversations. • Document your conversation with your boss and any action items or decisions that come out of that meeting. Use that information to ensure you’re both holding up your end of the bargain.

5. LEAVE A JOB GRACEFULLY

• Follow up within 24 hours of the interview. An emailed thank you note is fine, but a handwritten thank you note will make you even more memorable.

More than likely, sometime in your 20’s, you’ll leave a job for a new one. Giving notice to your boss can be scary, but during your last two weeks you can take action for a smooth transition. This will ensure your reputation with your former company stays intact and you leave on a high note.

3. PRIORITIZE

Quick tips:

Your to-do list is a mile long and you have no idea where to begin. In your 20s, you’ll learn that not every project carries the same weight. Figuring out which to complete first will help make you a productivity rockstar as you progress in your career.

• Share the news with your boss first. As much as you may want to tell a trusted colleague, to be respectful, your boss should know first. He can guide you on how you should share the news with the rest of the team.

Quick tips: • Figure out when you work best. If you’re most alert in the mornings, block out that time on your schedule for creative assignments that require laser-focus and clear thinking. If you have trouble concentrating on nitty-gritty assignments Copyright ©1997-2013 CareerJunction, all rights reserved.

• Wrap up as many projects as you can, and create a document that breaks down your individual duties and processes so that whoever will be taking over your workload has a solid “how-to” guide to your former job. • Thank those who helped you! Be sure to show your gratitude to the people who mentored you along the way with a thank you card or small gift.

CareerSeek

Featured Career

Author: Nadia Neophytou, New York Source: Memeburn Link: www.memeburn.com

MEET SWISSMISS New York’s Favourite Design Blogger & Someone’s Eccentric Aunt

Growing up in mountainous Switzerland, and being influenced by renowned Swiss design and “a lot of fresh air”, Eisenberg moved to New York and began establishing various businesses despite the uncertainty that surrounded the onset of her life in the Big Apple. Often referred to as “SwissMiss,” she now runs a popular design blog out of Brooklyn, New York, which has an audience of 1.3-million monthly unique readers from all over the world and was chosen to feature on The Times Top 50 design blogs. Eisenberg also runs a Brooklyn-based collaborative workspace called Studiomates, organises a monthly lecture series titled Creative Mornings (a breakfast talk given by a respected figure in the industry) and she also invented the to-do app called TeauxDeux. Added to that list, she also started a temporary tattoo shop called Tattly that has taken off to the point where celebrities love it. The core belief in Eisenberg’s life is: “taking your side projects seriously will lead to your success.” It’s one of the 11 values and rules by which she lives her life, and she imparted her passion and knowledge through her keynote address, outlining how they work in both her professional and personal life as a wife and mother of two (she has a great Tumblr dedicated to her son’s tantrums. 1. Invest your life in what you love Eisenberg has placed her time and energy into a number of various side projects that have turned out to be successful, and she’s done it on her own terms.

Featured Career

Among the cynicism and complaining that usually accompanies conferences of its size, SXSW manages to deliver a healthy dose of inspiration. Tina Roth Eisenberg gave a keynote address that quickly became one of this year’s highlights.

2. Embrace enthusiasm Eisenberg is known among her team for being super enthusiastic and isn’t afraid to show it, whether it’s through excited dances upon receiving good news or keeping an idea going until it’s fully realized. 3. Don’t complain, make things better This attitude is the reason that Eisenberg started her temporary tattoo company Tattly, after she became frustrated with the poor quality of the temporary tattoos her daughter was wearing. Rather than complain, she made her own solution. 4. Trust and empower Eisenberg has a team of people whose input she deeply values, and she calls them her “Swiss Army.” 5. Value experiences over money She says she chooses to make decisions on what she will get out of the experience rather than the money she will receive from it. “Money is not my driving force. By concentrating on being authentic it comes on its own. A labour of love always pays off.” 6. Surround yourself with like-minded people Eisenberg asked her team why they work for her rather than Google, and they essentially value meaning over money. “Real connections are not made from behind a computer screen.” 7. Collaborate with these like-minded valuable people Eisenberg’s Creative Mornings and StudioMates are both places where sharing and collaboration are encouraged. Creative Mornings take place now in nearly 50 cities around the world, and StudioMates started with four people and now hosts 40, many of whom she’s worked with on new ideas,

CareerSeek 23

Featured Career >> including the To-Do list app called Teaux-Deaux. 8. Ignore “haters” The Swiss Miss believes in not giving haters any time or energy. “There’s a line between those who create things and those who destroy them. You have to figure out which side you’re on” 9. Make time to think and breathe Eisenberg consciously schedules in time to take a time-out: “Wonderful things can happen when your brain is empty.” 10. If an opportunity scares you, take it Eisenberg is a big advocate of overcoming the fear. She was once in invited to talk on the same panel as one of her heroes but didn’t feel like she was ready for the opportunity, yet she threw herself in and ended up winning compliments from him and everyone else in the audience. 11. Be someone’s eccentric aunt Eisenberg believes in stroking the flames of craziness that set her apart from others, embracing her eccentricities and letting others tell stories about them.

Before ending, Eisenberg left the audience with one of the her favourite quotes as a summation of her life’s philosophy:

“Whatever you are, be a good one” – Abraham Lincoln.

Watch Video

CareerSeek

Featured Career

JOB SEEKERS SHOULD LOOK TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECTOR Author: Unknown

Source: Skills Portal

Link: www.skillsportal.co.za

Career experts recommend that young South Africans seek employment in growth sectors like technology, where the entire continent is currently experiencing a major skills shortage. “With current unemployment levels in the region of 25% the job market is incredibly competitive,” says corporate coach Godfrey Madanhire, “and job seekers need to be smart.” He advises recent graduates and those looking into new career paths to look into sectors where skills are in high demand. “There is such a shortage of IT professionals in South Africa, for example, that companies are outsourcing them from overseas. South Africans entering the job market need to look to careers in sectors like app development and e-learning in particular, where there are currently plenty of job openings and where future growth is expected.”

Hugh Page, an app developer at a leading digital agency, says that there is a major skills gap in the local mobile app development market, which is growing steadily. App development is a highly skilled field and many companies expect junior app developers to have a tertiary level qualification in computer science or IT. “The digital space changes constantly,” says Page, “so this is a field in which you never stop learning. Based on experience, the average salary for a junior app developer ranges from R8,000-R10,000 and most companies are dedicated to upskilling their staff by necessity, meaning salaries increase as over time as skills do.”

Another sector seeing dramatic growth in South Africa is e-learning development. The international e-learning industry is expected to be worth $107 billion globally by 2015 and South African organisations are increasingly investing in the technology, meaning employment opportunities are likely to continue to increase. The industry currently has the most demand for instructional designers, who need a wide range of skills. “Instructional designers, whose job it is to take learning material and make it fun, interactive and suitable for digital devices like computers and cellphones, need a number of skills, not least a background in education,” says Kirsty Chadwick, director of e-learning design and development company The Training Room Online. “As an employer I look for talented graduates who combine creativity with technical ability.” The e-learning industry also has positions for e-learning designers and e-learning developers. E-learning designers normally have qualifications in design and are involved in creating the “look” of e-learning courseware, while e-learning developers need to have computer programming skills. There is no specific degree or diploma you should work towards to get a job in e- learning. “What you study depends where your interests lie,” Chadwick says. “While most of our instructional designers have some kind of teaching background, many of our employees who work in production have completed filmmaking or animation courses.” Beginner salaries in the e-learning industry range from R8,000-R10,000. “No matter what career path you choose, job seekers need to learn all they can about the job before they start studying towards it,” Madanhire advises. “It’s a tough market out there so choosing a career in a growing sector is vital.” “Job seekers must also make sure they pick up as many skills as possible as soon as possible. It is never too early to start preparing.” Have a look at labour supply and demand trends in the latest CJI Executive Summary.

CareerSeek 25

Featured Career

CareerSeek

Q&A with Kerry Dawkins

Well, we’re already more than half way through the year! Judging by the letters that we have been receiving, many people are already thinking about next year, either entering the job market for the first time or wanting to make a change to something better. So this month, I’d like to share some thoughts on the type of skills that are in demand.

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 DawkinsPatwork and on Twitter @KerryDawkins.

The short answer is that everyone has to acquire new skills if they hope to be successful at work in a ‘VUCA’ world (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous). Your skill set has to be diverse enough to handle a broad range of challenges.

Have changes occurred in your organisation that affect your job or career? How are you preparing yourself for these changes? •

Do you feel to date with your skills, knowledge, and tools? If no, why not?

Work itself continues to change, and given the need to use technology for just about everything, you’ve got to have more brains than brawn! So many experts are predicting the need for ‘habits of mind’, specifically being innovative, creative, curious, having an open mind and being willing to learn new things. Skills everyone will need

•

Do you have short- and long-term goals? If yes, list them. If no, why not?

•

How have you planned for advancement (promotions) along your pathway?

•

If you’ve lost a job and need to change direction or make a shift in your career, how will you reinvent yourself? What’s your first step?

Learning agility i.e. the ability to learn something in situation A and apply it in situation B. It’s about maintaining your balance between what you know and what you must learn. Like crossing a stream on a series of rocks, you’ve got to stop, take your bearings, look ahead, apply what you learned from previous jumps, and jump!

•

Do you understand the importance of having a brand that projects an ideal professional image? If yes, can you describe yours? If not, what do you think is the impression people have of you?

•

Do you review your job and career satisfaction, status and progress? If yes, how often does the assessment occur? If reviews do not take place, why not?

•

Do you think your work/life balance is in good shape? If it tilts too much in one direction, which way does it tilt? What can you do to return to a more even keel?

•

What actions will you take in the next few months to improve your career management skills and practices?

Being comfortable with ambiguity. Even though information is so abundant and accessible in today’s workplace, you’ll typically be expected to respond quickly and make a decision before all the details are in. So the need is to be comfortable with ambiguity and still able to apply sound judgement to solve problems effectively. Being comfortable with technology. Besides basic computer literacy (being able to organise and manage information and databases), you’ve got to embrace social media as a business tool for communication, collaboration and networking, and as a powerful new way to learn. Career management. Yes, it’s true that organisations also have to learn better ways to find, develop and retain their people. But ultimately, you’re responsible for managing your career. So, as busy as your life may be, you’ve got to spend time ON your career, and make sure that you’re continually working on career and professional goals. Here are some questions to think about and include in a career strategy and action plan. (Some may be relevant now while others will apply to your future work).

We all know that work can be complex and intense, but you’re only likely to put in all the effort when you know it’s worthwhile, and part of what makes life good, for you! Unfortunately there are no easy solutions or gimmicks. Just persevere, and know that the skills that you’ll develop as you navigate your journey will also help you perform your dayto-day work.

CareerSeek 27

Featured Career

R E K C I L C Y HAPP WESLEY VOSTER

CareerSeek

Featured Career

Source: Junction

Link: www.junction.co.za

CHASING AFTER GOOD LIGHT AND CATCHING DAMN GOOD IMAGES IS ALL IN A DAY’S WORK FOR THIS CAPE TOWN-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER. CAREERJUNCTION RECENTLY CHATTED TO WESLEY VORSTER OF WESLEY VORSTER PHOTOGRAPHY ABOUT HIS JOB AND CAREER JOURNEY. Q: Which City/Town you live in (or call home). A: Cape Town. Q: Your official Job Title. A: Photographer. Q: What’s your company’s name and what services do you offer? A: Wesley Vorster Photography. I offer a range of photographic services ranging from weddings to fashion and even one-onone sessions where I teach photography in private tuition. Q: Describe a day in the life of a Photographer! A: Most of my time is spent editing! When I started out as a photographer I chose the profession because I didn’t want a desk job. I wanted to be out and about. Well… it couldn’t be further from the truth. I also have clients meetings and shoots, of course. Q: What characteristics should you possess in your line of work? A: You should be extremely outgoing! Your personality is your marketing tool! Don’t be shy of working hard and always remember to keep a sense of humour about things. Q: I seconds that! What qualifications do you need to become a Photographer? A: You don’t need any. All you need is natural talent and the drive to work hard! I am trained but it is not required. Q: Any fundamental differences between working for yourself and a big firm? A: Your time is your own. I get to go to the gym in the middle of the day. But this also means that I have to work all night to catch up work lost throughout the day. Q: What’s been your most memorable shoot? A: There are so many. The best moment I guess was watching two people declaring their love to each other and crying. This was not during the vows but rather later on when no one was watching. It is moments like these that I realize how lucky I am. I get to spend the best day of people lives with them. Every weekend.

Q: Wow, I never really thought of it like that. What was your dream job as a kid? A: To be a photographer. Q: If you could make a career change right now, what would it be? A: There is nothing I would rather do. Q: And on to my favourite question: What has been the most funny/embarrassing/scary thing that’s happened to you in your line of work? A: I once arrived at a wedding that was in the middle of nowhere. It was a destination wedding so I hadn’t met the couple yet. I kneeled down to get a shot of something that caught my eye and my trousers spilt from my pocket down to my leg. There were no shops around and I had to make do! I now keep a spare change of clothes in the car at all times. Q: LOL Wesley, I think I might have torn a muscle laughing. Any other photographers in SA you think are doing amazing work? A: Catherine Mac for weddings. Jacques Weyers for fashion. Q: Who/what inspires you to get up every morning and go to work? A: My clients. I have some of the nicest clients ever! Q: Lucky you! What is your favourite social media tool/ addiction? A: Facebook. Q: What are your feelings about Instagram and its popularity? A: LOVE Instagram! Q: If there was one thing you could change in SA today, what would that be? A: Poverty. Q: High five to that. Any words of wisdom for people out there that would like to do what you do? A: Work HARD. Never give up. And there is ALWAYS better light! Check out some great shots from Wesley Catch him on Social Media:

CareerSeek 29

Featured Career

Thomas Backlund currently lives in a forest, near Stockholm. Thomas’ story is quite inspirational and we hold thumbs that his business will become a great success! Here is his story: Some time ago I decided to quit my job and my apartment outside of Stockholm. I did this to be able to work on my start-up. My name is Thomas Backlund. Coding has always been my core interest. I took a M. Sc. in Biotechnology, but got back into IT again when my pet coding project got way out of hand and became more important. I believe my current project is very exciting. Everyone I talk to say they really love it, including investors although they say it’s too early to invest.

Update: Here is somewhat of an explanation of the project. It’s hard to have enough time without funding. The entrepreneur’s dilemma: I need funding to finish the first version the product. Finish the first version of the product then you can get funding. Anyway, what was within my power was my living costs, so I cut them; nearly all of them. And now I live a good life in a tent somewhere in a forest, powered by solar cells and mobile broadband. I recently quit my job and my apartment to live in the forest in a tent. Not only does that give me the time work on my start-up but it gives me peace of mind. I change my location about two times per week. Actually, tonight, I’m in a wind shelter by a still and beautiful lake, and in front of me there is a small fire; the sun is setting. And on my lap, my laptop. Computer, forest, batteries... unpractical? Maybe it would have been more rational to keep the apartment and just cut costs? Well, rational and right do not always align. I have no apartment, no job, no income. Still I’m exactly where I should be. I’m on my path. My gut feeling lets me know that. I’m not exiting to a normal life until my start-up has taken off.

CareerSeek

This is my big adventure and I’m not coming back emptyhanded.

How do I do this? I live in a comfortable Hilleberg tent. I power my laptop, phone and external battery with two portable Brunton 62 Watt solar panels. I cook nice food on my Primus OmniLite stove. I carry all 35 kilograms in a Norrona Recon back pack. There’s my life: 35 kilograms. It should not take more to slay the dragon, win the kingdom and divorce the princess. Well, I do also have a car. C’mon, a dragon-slayer without a horse? If you are in the start-up business, you know that raising capital is not easy. I speak to some seeders. They love my idea but say it’s too early to invest in without having actually seen the product. Maybe they’re right. Hard for me to decide; I’m a bit biased. I can’t really tell you what I’m doing, but yesterday I read this in an article by Adam Wiggins: “Software is eating the world. Everyone can and should be able to write software in order to have a stake in the future.” This is exactly what I’m doing; bringing software development to the masses. Quitting my apartment and my job at the same time was really hard to do; I had elevated adrenalin levels for days. To sooth the waves of anxiety that swept over me regularly, I had one picture that I kept looking at. It was a picture of the beautiful forest which I was to move to. That gave me strength to take the steps necessary to get on the trail. I really hope you’re on your path or taking calculated steps to get there. However big or small it may be. Some kisses and some hugs and remember to stay true. But you already knew that.

Follow Thomas’ Blog: http://thomasbacklund.com/

Featured Career

HOMELESS BY CHOICE Author: Thomas Backlund

Source: Thomasbacklund.com Link: www.thomasbacklund.com

“My name is Thomas Backlund. I’m a coder. I’ve quit my job and my apartment to live in the forest until my startup takes off. I love the forest, I love to code..”

CareerSeek

Jonathan Liebmann, South African

Africa’s Best Young Entrepreneurs Source: Forbes Link: www.forbes.com

Young entrepreneurs are changing the face of Africa. Forbes writer Mfonobong Nsehe set out to produce a list of Africans under 30 years old who are making the most dramatic impact across the continent. To do so, in November he enlisted an outside panel of 12 judges from across Africa to help identify this group of outstanding entrepreneurs and innovators under the age of 30. Cut across Real Estate, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Media, Tech, Green tech, Healthcare, Agriculture and Fashion, the young African entrepreneurs, disruptors and innovators featured on this list are impatient to change Africa. Together, they represent the entrepreneurial, innovative and intellectual best of their generation. They’re solving problems like healthcare and electricity shortages, proffering innovative solutions to waste management, building virtual and physical communities and creating lots of jobs. A few of them are manufacturing the foods we love, designing exquisite clothing for our women and some are developing some cool apps for mobile phones across Africa. Of course, this list is by no means official or exhaustive, but this is the closest you’ll get to a definitive list. A round of applause for Africa’s young entrepreneurs, today’s disruptors and tomorrow’s brightest stars:

* We have shortened the list from 30 to 10. Read the full article to see all 30.

CareerSeek

Real Estate developer, CEO of Propertuity Liebmann, 28, is the Managing Director of Propertuity, a South African Real Estate development company and the brains behind the construction of the Maboneng Precinct, a thriving cultural district in the east side of Johannesburg’s CBD. Once a neglected and deteriorating neighbourhood housing abandoned industrial complexes, Liebmann transformed Maboneng into a vibrant urban mixed-use community complete with Art galleries, artist studios, retail spaces, offices and artist studios. Read more about Jonathan Liebmann, Propertuity and Maboneng Precint here.

Lorna Rutto, Kenyan Green Tech Entrepreneur, Founder, EcoPost Lorna Rutto, 28 is the founder of EcoPost, a profitable social enterprise which manufactures aesthetic, durable and environmentally friendly fencing posts using plastic waste, a more environmentally friendly alternative to timber. EcoPost collects this plastic waste (such as polypropylene and polyethylene) and manufactures fencing posts from it. Rutto has earned international acclaim for her efforts in providing an alternative waste management solution to Kenya’s plastic menace. Read more about Lorna Rutto and Ecopost here.

Evans Wadongo, Kenyan Chairman, SDFA Kenya Wadongo, a 26 year-old Kenyan engineer designed a solar-powered LED lantern called MwangaBora (Swahili for “Good Light”), an invention which is fast replacing smoky kerosene lamps and firelight in rural Kenya. Wadongo has been distributing thousands of these lanterns throughout rural Kenya where there is little or no electricity. His organization, Sustainable Development For All (SDFA) sponsors an empowerment initiative that teaches poor Kenyans how to reproduce these solar lanterns and sell for profit. Read more about Evans Wadongo here.

Ludwick Phofane Marishane, South African Founder, Headboy Industries Marishane, 21, is the founder of Headboy Industries, a South African company which developed and owns the patent for Drybath, the world’s first germicidal bathsubstituting skin lotion/gel. Read more about Marishane and Headboy Industries here.

Cosmas Ochieng, Kenyan Founder, Ecofuels Kenya Cosmas Ochieng, a 26 year-old Kenyan entrepreneur runs Ecofuels Kenya, an East Africa firm which produces environmentally friendly, green biofuels and organic fertilizers from renewable indigenous sources such as the croton nut. Read more about Ecofuels here.

Featured Career

Joel Mwale, Kenyan Founder, Skydrop Enterprises Mwale who is 20 years old runs SkyDrop Enterprises, a rainwater filtration and bottling company which produces low-cost purified drinking water, milk and other dairy products in Kenya. Mwale founded Skydrop in December 2009 and the company now employs over 20 people. Read more about Joel Mwale and Skydrop here.

Ola Orekunrin, Nigerian Medical Doctor, Founder, Flying Doctors A Nigerian healthcare entrepreneur and medical doctor, Orekunrin, 25, is the founder of Flying Doctors Nigeria, West Africa’s first Air Ambulance Service. Flying Doctors Nigeria provides urgent helicopter, airplane ambulance and evacuation services in Nigeria and other countries across West Africa. Read more about Ola Orekunrin here.

Andrew Mupuya, Ugandan Founder, Youth Entrepreneurial Link Investments (YELI) In 2008 Andrew raised $18 from family and friends and started making paper bags on a small scale. In 2010 he registered his company, Youth Entrepreneurial Link Investments (YELI), which is now the first locally registered paper bag and Envelope-producing Company in Uganda. The company now employs about 15 Ugandans and YELI is a leading supplier of paper bags and envelopes to local hospitals, retail outlets, roadside sellers and local flour manufacturers. Between 2008 and now, YELI has produced more than half a million paper bags. Andrew Mupunya is 20. Read more about Andrew Mupuya here.

Mark Kaigwa, Kenyan Partner, Afrinnovator Mark Kaigwa, 25 is a multi-talented creative director, filmmaker, digital marketer and entrepreneur. Kaigwa is a co-founder and partner atAfrinnovator, a venture which aims to put Africa on the map by publishing exploits across African innovation, technology and start-ups. He is also Partner at African Digital Art – the web’s leading resource for creative inspiration in animation, illustration, photography and design from Africa. Read more about Mark Kaigwa here.

Arthur Zang, Cameroonian Inventor Last year, Arthur Zang, a 25 year-old Cameroonian engineer invented the Cardiopad, a touch screen medical tablet. With the Cardiopad, heart examinations such as the electrocardiogram (ECG) can be performed at remote, rural locations while the results of the test are transferred wirelessly to specialists who can interpret them. The device spares African patients living in remote areas the trouble of having to travel to urban centers to seek medical examinations. The Cardiopad is expected to become commercially available in 2013. Read more about Arthur Zang here.

“The only way you can command a higher salary is to make your employer more money than anyone else who could do your job. You make money for your employer by producing profitable goods that will be bought by his customers (who are also his employers). This is why your employer is not your employer, but your employer’s employers.”

DO YOU REALLY DESERVE THAT

INCREASE? Fred Kofman

Executive Coach Philosopher Author of Conscious Business

says it how it is... CareerSeek

Featured Career

Author: Fred Kofman Who’s Your Employer? As the saying goes in B2B (“business-to-business”) industries: “Your customer is not your customer but your customer’s customer.” To be successful in selling your products or services to your customer, you need to make your customer successful in selling his products or services to his customer. As the manager of “ME, Incorporated,” you are in the B2B space. Your customer is your employer. If he doesn’t buy your services, you are out of a job. Your employer’s employers are his customers. If they don’t buy his products, he is out of business... And so are you. Value Is In The Eye Of The Beholder. You buy a product if and only if you prefer it to any other use to which you could put your money. The seller sells her product if and only if she prefers the money to any other use to which she could put her product. For example, if you buy a computer for $1,000, then you must believe that you will derive a higher benefit from the computer than from the $1,000. Similarly, if I sell you a computer for $1,000, I must believe that I will derive a higher benefit from the $1,000 than from the computer. One of the greatest revolutions in economics was the discovery that “value” is not an attribute of things per se but, rather, an assessment made by the person for whom the thing appears to be valuable. Beginning with Aristotle, economists believed that “value” was an objective quality such as size, weight, or material composition. This thinking culminated with Karl Marx, who argued that “the labour incorporated in the good” was what made it valuable[CC1] . They were all wrong. A computer might be valuable to you because you don’t have one, but worthless to me because I have two. Neither of us is “wrong,” because the computer does not have an intrinsic value; it only has value for a particular person at a particular time under particular conditions. No matter how much effort the producer of the computer put into it, it’s still worthless to me. The next time someone pleads with you, “But I worked so hard on this!” remember that the labour theory of value is hogwash. If his product doesn’t help you achieve your goals, all his effort has been for naught. By the same logic, remember that your effort means nothing to your employer unless it helps him achieve his goals. What Makes You Valuable? You are selling your labour to your employer. (By “labour” I don’t just mean physical activity, but also everything else you do to contribute to your employer’s goals.) Your employer buys your labour if and only if he prefers it to anything else he could do with his money—and that includes the labour of any other potential employee.

CareerSeek

Source: LinkedIn

Link: www.linkedin.com

Your value to your employer depends solely on his ability to derive extra gains from your labour. (By “extra gains” I don’t just mean monetary profits but also everything else that matters to him and his organization.) Of course, he combines your labour with other factors of production, such as the labour of others, capital equipment, and natural resources, so it is not a simple matter to calculate your contribution to the mix. But even if it is only an approximation, your employer will be willing to pay you only up to the monetary value that your contribution has for him. A rational employer, one that wants to stay in business rather than overpay you and be undercut by more rational competitors who will bear lower costs, will never pay you more than this; and he will prefer to pay you less. How much less? Well, how much would you like to pay for a computer? I wouldn’t mind getting it for free; would you? Well, neither would your employer mind getting your labour for free. The less cost, the more profit! What Makes You Payable? The upshot of all of this is that being “valuable” does not mean you are “payable.” As I said in my last post, your ability to negotiate your compensation is not limited only by the value of your labour in terms of extra gains for your employer. It is also limited by your employer’s best alternative to a negotiated agreement with you (his BATNA). Your employer’s alternative is to hire the next most valuable person, where “value” is the difference between the extra gains he could make by hiring her minus her compensation. So for your employer to hire you and keep you employed, your compensation must be in line with that of anyone else who could do as good a job for him as you can. This is why the only way you can command a better salary is for you to be more valuable to your employer than anyone else who could do your job. And therefore, the only way to raise your salary is to make a higher contribution to your employer than you are making now. This means helping him serve his customers more profitably than he currently does.

In the market society the proprietors of [businesses, but also of labour] can enjoy their property only by employing it to the satisfaction of other people’s wants. They must serve the consumers in order to have any advantage […] Ownership is an asset only for those who know how to employ it in the best possible way for the benefit of the consumers.” - Ludwig Von Mises Fred Kofman, Ph.D. in Economics, is Professor of Leadership and Coaching at the Conscious Business Center of the University Francisco Marroquín anda faculty member of Lean In. He is the author of Conscious Business, How to Build Value Through Values (also available as an audio program). Follow Fred to stay up-to-date with his articles and updates.

Featured Career

CareerSeek 35

Featured Career

Author: Leslie Thomas

Source: National Geographic Book: The 10 Best of Everything

Link: www.nationalgeographic.com

THE ISLANDER GUIDE

TOP 10 ISLANDS

If you are sitting behind your desk and day-dreaming about your next travelling experience, you might want to consider exploring some islands.

You’ll be surprised what’s out there! Leslie Thomas is a successful writer in England who’s been in the business for more than 40 years. He has written more than 30 novels and several travel books, such as ‘Some Lovely Islands’, ‘My World of Islands’ and ‘The Hidden Places of Britain’. Given his interest in islands, we thought he was the natural source for naming the ten best islands. 36

CareerSeek

Travel

Without further a due, here they are! Nantucket, Massachusetts

Lord Howe Islands, Australia

Nantucket was once one of the richest places in America, built on the profits of the whale oil industry. Even today in the delectable old town there are fine brick houses with silver mailboxes. Old-time sailors used to call Nantucket “The Little Grey Lady of the Sea.” On the misty morning I first arrived there, I could understand why. A woman was riding a horse along the beach to the utter delight of her family aboard my ferry, and she bore a banner that said “Crazy Aunt Rides Again.” It is a unique place.

Lord Howe is way out in the middle of the Tasman Sea, a twoand-a-half-hour plane ride from Sydney. It takes days by boat. However you get there, the journey is worth it. Named after a British admiral, Lord Howe is the world’s most southerly coral island. About 350 people call it home, many descended from families who settled there in the 18th century.

Isles of Scilly, England These are the outriders of England, a clutch of tiny islands off Land’s End, Cornwall, awash in the Atlantic and in a world of their own. Five are sparsely inhabited, and hundreds more islets, skerries, and rocks stretch out to the Bishop Rock Lighthouse. The next stop is America. Balmy Atlantic air supports the spring flower industry. Part of the Duchy of Cornwall, the isles are owned by Prince Charles.

Saba, Netherlands West Indies During my years of island finding, I have been to most places in the Caribbean— Barbados, Antigua, Jamaica, and many islands much smaller. But the most unusual is Saba, east of the U.S. Virgin Islands, rising almost 873 meters (2,864 feet) above the sea. It is home to 1,500 inhabitants, many of whom have the same family name: Hassell.

Canary Islands, Spain Europeans flock to the Canary Islands in winter in search of a little sun. Temperatures range between 70°F and 75°F through January and February. On Tenerife stands one of Europe’s loftiest peaks, Mount Teide, snow-capped in winter against a deep blue sky. You can watch whales or sail over to Gomera, which was the final stop Columbus made before he set out and discovered America.

Fair Isle, Scotland Fair Isle is the most isolated inhabited island in Britain. It is home to only about 70 people, but hundreds of thousands of birds reside here as well. Most of the visitors to this wild and wonderful place are bird-watchers. Sheep placidly graze on the steeply angled meadows.

Capri, Italy Capri is the only island I have ever visited that is just as I imagined it would be. The lyrical songs are only too true. The town square itself takes some believing. It’s like a stage, and not much bigger either. There are coloured balconies all around and a lovely campanile, where the clock divertingly chimes not to mark the time but whenever it feels like it. From the highest point on the island, you can look across to the volcano of Vesuvius with the Italian coast stretched out over a shining sea.

Channel Islands, United States People rarely venture out to the Channel Islands from the California mainland, although it seems just a stone’s throw away. The most accessible, and famous, is Santa Catalina, which I reached in two hours by ferry from the port of Los Angeles. There I found a placid village called Avalon, a calm bay, and a famous prewar dance hall—round like a fortress— where the big bands once played.

Tahiti, French Polynesia These days, travellers will tell you that Tahiti is no longer a dream. True, it has an international airport, and smart hotels rise within sight of the coral reef. I have seen the changes over the years, yet the island is still beautiful and still rises suddenly green to the cloud-touched mountaintops. At least from the sea, before you come too close, you can still see Tahiti as Paul Gauguin saw it— in all its extravagance and romance—when he voyaged there from France to paint.

Islands of the Andaman Sea, Thailand The joy is to watch how these islands are transformed by changing distances, by sunlight, by clouds. On some, there is a sliver of beach, just enough from which to swim; others are edged with little villages built on boards, the houses tied together. All are tropical paradises: Koh Phi Phi, Koh He, Koh Racha, Koh Surin, Koh Dok Mai, to name some of the favourites. Koh Phuket serves as a good jumping-off point. After being devastated by the 2004 tsunami, these islands have made a comeback.

CareerSeek 37

Look Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hiring?

Search Jobs by Province, City & Industry

Wannabe A model/actor/character

Featured Career