CareerSeeker 1st Edition by CareerJunction

Your guide to a great career

2012 SALARY REVIEW

June 2012

1st Edition

A SUMMARY OF SALARY OFFERINGS

WHAT’S YOUR INDUSTRY DOING? THE CAREERJUNCTION INDEX – YOUR GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE JOB MARKET

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

CLIMB YOUR WAY UP THE CORPORATE LADDER WITH SHORT COURSES

Workwear by

FOSCHINI

This winter’s latest fashion trends

GEAR UP FOR AN AWESOME CAREER

VIDEO INTERVIEWING

THE LATEST TREND

GET BACK IN THE GAME RESUMES THAT WORK

SPY MOB WORKING AT JUNCTION OUR FAMILY-OUR CULTURE-OUR VISION. WATCH VIDEO INSIDE.

CONTENTS Featured Career

featured articles

what’s inside... 6 Sure-Fire Ways To Be Unhappy

From The Horse’s Mouth

Networking

Your Future: Fab or Flop?

Salary Trends

Language Skills

Featured Career

Career Corner

CareerSeek

This Winter’s Latest Fashion Trends

Work It - by FOSCHINI

My Brilliant Career

What’s Your Industry Doing?

0 1

1 The CareerJunction Index - your guide to understanding the job market.

Navigating Your Career

Gear Up for an Awesome Career

Put on your work shoes and take a walk with the experts. - with Career coach Kerry Dawkins.

Introduction

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

clientservices@careerjunction.co.za Tel: +27 21 818 8607 General Information: info@careerjunction.co.za Tel: 086 000 2020

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

All information provided in our online Magazine is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute a legal contract between CareerJunction nor its parent company AVUSA Media Limited and any person or entity unless otherwise specified. Information, pricing and conditions in iRecruiter magazine are subject to change without prior notice. Although every effort is made to ensure that the information contained within this online magazine is accurate and up to date, neither our Magazine nor its parent company AVUSA Media Limited is to be held liable for inaccuracies in information, prices and conditions products and services being advertised in this magazine. The information in this online Magazine is subject to human error in the input of data concerning our products and services and as such cannot be used as a valid source of information. If there is any doubt concerning the accuracy of the information contained within this online Magazine, please contact marketing@careerjunction.co.za so a representative can help you. If you notice an inaccuracy, please contact us on marketing@ careerjunction.co.za and we will update the online Magazine as quickly as possible.

Video Interviewing

The latest trend.

Train Your Brain

Spy Mob

Working at Junction.

Get Back In The Game

Resumes that work.

2012 Salary Review

2 34

3 Great ways to climb your way up the corporate ladder with College Campus.

4 26 30

2 A summary of salary offerings by The CareerJunction Index.

Featured Career DISCLAIMER

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Featured Career

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Featured Career

Welcome to our very first edition of CareerSeek, your guide to a great career. We aim to point you in the right direction when making important career moves or when simply looking for a new and refreshing job. Changing jobs will always be a constant in your life, up until the time you retire, so you might as well gear up and be ready for when the perfect opportunity presents itself. The job market can be a scary place and the competition for jobs might seem tough at times, but all it takes to land that dream job is a little creativity. This magazine was created to motivate and inspire you to take the right steps when making a career move. In it, top recruitment agency Quest gives great tips on how to make your CV shine and write a brilliant cover letter. Career specialist Kerry Dawkins also advices on how to navigate your career and shares Phillip’s success story with us, after she helped him with his career dilemma. Check out what your industry is doing with the latest industry and salary trends by the CareerJunction Index. Examine different career paths and catch a glimpse of what it’s like to work at Junction.

Happy reading! The CareerJunction Team

What do you think about CareerSeek? We’d like to hear from you, email us with your suggestions or your story.

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R A E G K

erry Dawkins is a specialist in career navigation in the new world of work.

Kerry faced a career dilemma early in her career and struggled to find guidance and support to overcome it. Kerry, who holds a BComm(Hons) MBA, researched and experimented with career navigation and development methodologies to successfully navigate her own career. Through her roles in business, being the Careers Expert for

AWE N A R FO

CAR S OM E rry b y Ke

EER

D aw k

SA Careers Focus and Career Advisor for Career Junction, she has had experience in a wide range of career obstacles and has successfully guided many other career navigators to overcome their career obstacles. Using her research and experience, she has co-authored a book “Navigating your Career – 5 steps to success in the new world of work” (about to be launched) and created an online toolkit to assist the many career navigators who lack skills and knowledge to overcome their career obstacles and effectively navigate their careers. The book was co-authored by Dr Graeme Codrington, a researcher, futurist, speaker, board advisor and expert on the new world of work. He speaks to over 100,000 people in more than 20 countries every year, and operates from bases in London and Johannesburg. He is the co-founder and international partner of TomorrowToday, a company providing strategic insights into the future of work for organisations of all types around the world. Kerry is also 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

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and on Twitter @KerryDawkins.

ins

Featured Career

per x e e h ith t w k l a eaw k a t d s an e o h s r wo r k u o y Put on

ts.

Philip’s Story by Kerry Dawkins

Philip was a 40-year-old financial manager in a large corporate company when he was passed over for a promotion. Looking tired and deflated when we met him, he said, ‘They just don’t get it. They have employed a new guy to take the role I should have been given. I think they will head into serious problems if they promote people with such little experience. My health is suffering, as I have been working late every night and I just don’t think I can do this anymore. I applied to a recruitment agency but they never responded. Do you think you can find me another job?’ Philip continued by saying that his current job was his third job in five years and then said, ‘I have just had such bad luck with the companies I choose. I have been chatting to a friend of mine, who has been very successful in business, and he suggested that I try to get a job at this amazing new start-up company that has done so well in the UK.’ Philip went through the Navigate your Career process with Potential At Work during which time we assisted him to adopt a new mindset to career navigation. He identified his talents as “developing others” and “patiently explaining how things work to those around him”. Using his IT financial knowledge, he decided to volunteer for training and development projects in his division. He loved the projects and the interaction with all his colleagues. He noticed that he was having a positive impact on everyone in his training. Through a combination of skills development and deliberate practice he became skilled at improving the IT skills and knowledge of those around him. Five years later, he secured the job of “Head of training and development” in a large IT company and can say that he loves what he does and he is making a real difference in the lives of others.

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Featured Career

by Career Specialist, Kerry Dawkins.

“There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there’s only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.”

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Featured Career “There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there’s only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.” Do you believe this statement by Wayne Dyer, an author and motivational speaker? Maybe you are thinking to yourself “opportunity doesn’t seem to come my way” or “opportunity only comes to the lucky ones” or “there are no opportunities in these tough economic times”. The good news is that opportunity does exist, even in tough times and it comes to everyone who is looking and welcomes it in. Many people just don’t see it or are too busy judging it or seeing the downsides rather than giving it a fair chance. Below are three tips for finding an opportunity.

where your industry is currently growing, new technologies, where the company is experiencing problems with suppliers or providers. You may be uniquely placed to meet a need or add value to a company and by identifying this you can go about creating a role or making an opportunity for yourself. You may need to acquire some additional skill or knowledge to be able to step into the opportunity but don’t let that put you off. Where there is a will, there is a way!

Open your eyes and ears and start to see the opportunity that surrounds you. You never know what doors might open for you when you start looking!

1. Open your Eyes and Ears Opportunities are all around you, all of the time. Get into the habit of looking and writing down ideas and opportunities every day. Use your smartphone to save ideas or carry a little book. Start to see the opportunities and not problems. Write down as many possible opportunities as you can – you can trim your list back to the most relevant opportunities later. 2. Uncover “Hidden” Opportunities Opportunities may be hiding just out of sight. You may need to take action to uncover them. In your current employer Keep an eye on current internal or upcoming vacancies, and on any plans for the organisation to expand. Also, consider what paths are available to you and what new projects are being planned. Network You’ll also want to network with other people within your organisation, and people within your industry, to keep on top of the latest news and events. If any of your friends, colleagues, or connections are working for a department or organisation that you’re interested in, ask if they’ll make an introduction to other influential people on your behalf. Arrange an informational interview. Social networking services like Twitter and LinkedIn are also useful for identifying trends and opportunities, and for networking with influential, well-informed people. 3. Uncover Your Value Take a long look at your strengths and weaknesses and find what value you have to offer a company. What need could you meet that would assist the company or industry.

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Spot the problems You want to explore your current environment and the problems currently being faced by your employer and the industry. Many opportunities lie in the current problems. Consider where there are current labour shortages,

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Featured Career

What Is Your

Industry Doing?

CareerJunction Index Your guide to understanding the job market.

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Featured Career

A job is a job is a job. Or is it really? Let’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 that’s a lot of working! To add to this, after entering the job market, most of us

The CJI goes to great lengths to decode all of this

spend approximately 40 to 50 years working within our

information, providing you with up-to-date information

chosen industries. It makes fiscal sense to understand

on the availability of jobs in your field as well as in your

the conditions which accompany a chosen title or

province; salaries offered by skill level/province and

industry, just as one would study a country before

much more.

travelling there or a recipe before making a meal. The CJI is an easy to understand and step-by-step Demographics are important because they provide us

analysis of labour market trends and is there to help you

with general information about a population at any

make sense of the job market.

given moment in time. Through long-term trend analysis we can use this information in market research as well as in economics to give vital statistics. The CareerJunction Index (CJI) is your guide to understanding the job market and more specifically, your industry. With a sample size of over 2 million (both job ad and job seeker numbers), CareerJunction analyses and summarises the latest trends in supply and demand.

JOB REPORTS.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. The CJI publishes a free monthly Executive Summary. This gets published on the 15th of each month. It is free of charge and covers the latest developments and labour market trends for each industry.

The CJI publishes quarterly CJI Job Reports. These are sector-specific and provide an in-depth insight into various trends experienced per occupation. CJI Job Reports are available at a fee. CJI Job Reports are available for the top ten leading industry sectors:

• • • • • • • • • •

Information Technology Finance Telecommunication Engineering FMCG, Retail & Wholesale Building & Construction Mining Motor Human Resources & Recruitment Manufacturing, Production & Trades

Purchase Job Reports.

Download a free copy of the latest Executive Summary.

click here

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MY BRILLIANT

CAREER

Carving Timeless Artworks

am Devine is a carpenter who makes custom-made furniture that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. He spoke to Margaret Harris about how, when working with wood, it is important to take into account that it continues to expand and contract... Author: Margaret Harris Article Source: Times Live

What do you do? I create custom-made furniture for private clients and functional art pieces of furniture for private sale.

How did you find yourself doing this kind of work? My dad used to make everything around our house on the small farm we owned in Wagga Wagga, Australia. I was always roped in to helping him and I suppose it got into my pores. I started being a paid carpenter when I was in London in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

What training and qualifications do you have and how do they help you do the work you do? I was never involved in a formal apprenticeship. I learnt on the job from my dad and fourth-generation carpenters from Sheffield in the UK.

What are the tools of your trade? Panel saw, random orbital sander, folding ruler, cordless drills, biscuit joiner, thicknesser/plainer, clamps, square, digital angle finder, pencils and sharpener. 12

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I really love my most recent piece “The Grumpy Waiter”. It’s very unique, eye-catching and, hopefully, timeless.

What is your favourite piece of furniture that you did not make? There was a hand-carved table at the Milan furniture fair. It looked like it was being peeled apart. It was amazing but I haven’t been able to find it since. I also love Japanese traditional furniture and furnituremaking styles.

What do you most love about your work? Making solid, beautiful pieces of furniture that clients fall in love with and can share with their families for generations.

What do you find most challenging about your work? It’s difficult getting staff who are passionate about what they do, instead of just turning up for the cash. If you don’t love what you do, you won’t be happy and neither will I.

Image By: Kevin Sutherland

What is your favourite piece of furniture that you’ve made?

The way in which they don’t use screws or brackets just handmade joints and fixings - and the way they leave the timber in its raw state.

What would people find most surprising about your job? You never stop learning. Someone always knows more than you about all aspects of wood and woodworking. Every week I research and learn about a better way of doing something or a way to resolve a problem with the wood we are using. Wood is always living, even though it is not a growing tree, it still moves, contracts and expands, and you need to allow for that in the construction of the piece you are making. Some guys are experts on the cellulose structure of the wood, others in wood glues, others hand tools.

What inspires you to create your work? I love to create something no one else has done before. But the pieces need to be functional. When I make a table I love the fact that families will be spending so much quality time around it for generations.

Do you create your work for particular buyers or simply what you want to make? Ninety percent of my work is commissioned pieces for private clients. I then make one or two pieces a year that I design for no one in mind, but put them on show and then sell them privately.

Sam Devine in his workshop in Sophiatown, Johannesburg

What advice would you give to someone interested in doing the same work as you? Don’t start on another job if it is going to compromise the quality of the work at hand. It’s better to tell a client your piece will be ready in eight weeks and give them exactly what they want than tell them it will be ready in three weeks and give them sub-standard work or actually going over the three weeks promised and then disappointing them. People get excited about receiving these items and if they are not ready when you said they would, they become disappointed and that affects their reaction to the piece when it finally does arrive. It will also probably stop your “word of mouth” advertising from that client.

What is your favourite time of day? At 5pm when I go home and see my family and have a cold beer. For more brilliant careers click here.

What did you want to be when you were a child? A fighter pilot.

What was your first paying job? What did you earn? I was a ball boy for our local rugby league team. I was paid Australian $5, plus a can of Coke and a pie. CareerSeek

Featured Career

6 Sure-fire Ways to Be Unhappy in Life.

ARE YOU AS

HAPPY AS YOU CAN BE?

Ask yourself – are you guilty of the belowmentioned behaviours? Some of these behaviours are so deeply entrenched within us that we are barely conscious of them. Self-awareness is the first step to living a happier life! Become conscious of your habitual behaviours which are not serving you in your life and begin replacing these negative or limiting behaviours/thoughts/feelings with constructive, positive ones to ensure success.

Author: Celestine Chua

1. Complain (Harp on bad things that happen)! Do you often complain when things don’t go according to plan? “Why does this always happen to me?” What kind of person are you? Are you someone who looks for the goodness in every situation and makes the best out of it? Or are you someone who fixates on negative things that happen, even the smallest little things, and harp on them the whole day long? How to tackle this: • Be conscious of times when you complain. • Understand the source of negativity. Why do you complain about this particular thing/person/situation? Is there a hidden grievance waiting for you to address?

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• Fix the offending issue. Less talk, more action! • Focus on positive, not negative, things. What you give attention to will create more of the same thing - like seeds that sprout into seedlings.

2. Avoid your problems Have something you can’t handle? Hide from it! Eat your heart out! Distract yourself with other activities! Sleep it away! Work! Jump into the next relationship! Put it off to a later date! Whatever you do, don’t deal with the problem! Avoiding your problems doesn’t make you happier because it doesn’t solve anything. It only perpetuates the problem. Start by taking baby steps. One step, however small, is progress when made in the right direction.

Featured Career

3. Compare with others Do you have a habit of comparing yourself with others? Rather than feel discouraged by the things others have that you don’t, think about the life you want to have. Use others as inspiration for your vision. Once your vision is created, it’s about taking the necessary steps to realize it.

4. Let your problems overwhelm you So you have problems – Who doesn’t? Everyone faces problems. How to handle problems: • Grow. Problems overwhelm you because they appear to be bigger than you – currently. By growing, you will become bigger than the problem! • Seek help. You’re not alone in your frustration. There are always people out there who can support you. Reach out and ask for help. You will be surprised at how ready they are to help you. • Learn from people who overcame similar problems before. A simple google search will bring up relevant results. • One problem at a time. It can be intimidating if you’re faced with 3-4 big problems at one go. However, if you tackle them one at a time, it becomes a lot more manageable. • Break it down. Break it down into little parts. Address them one by one. Soon, you’ll be making great progress without even realizing it.

5. Do things you don’t love You would think it’s obvious that if you want to happy, you should just do things that you love. But a lot of people don’t do that. They do things they don’t enjoy. They hang out with people they don’t like. They put up with situations they hate. Naturally, they become unhappy! You are the CEO of your life, so you call the shots on what you should and should not do. No one person, object or situation has power over you unless you give him/her/it the power in the first place.

6. Try to change other people This is a sure-fire way to be unhappy. You can never change anyone. Doing things with the expectation that others will change sets you up for unhappiness. Your desire to change others stems from an improvement you wish to see in yourself, in your life. So rather than change others, ask yourself: “What is the change I want to see in myself, in my life?” Then, work on that! You will find that as you work through the changes, the things that used to bother you about others will no longer be an issue.

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Since the day you entered the workforce you’ve been climbing the corporate ladder. But what happens when you run out of rungs? An increasing number of people are finding themselves in the predicament where there are no more opportunities for career advancement – a phenomenon known as plateauing.

FROM THE

Where to Go When You Hit a Career Plateau Written by Quest Staffing Solutions

The reasons for this are varied and include organisational downsizing, fewer positions available at higher levels of the organisational structure and employees lacking the skills necessary to progress. With one of the most powerful incentives, the promise of advancement, no longer being an option, employees become bored, angry, frustrated and demotivated – all of which affect their performance and in turn that of the organisation for which they work. Kay Vittee, CEO of Quest Staffing Solutions - one of South Africa’s leading recruitment companies, says, “A career plateau can actually be positive for individuals, both in a personal and a professional sense.”

“They have two choices – remain in their current situation or change jobs,” explains Vittee. “Some people would rather not give up the pay and benefits that they presently enjoy and use the plateau to pursue alternative avenues for growth and development. With no longer having to compete for higherlevel positions, coupled with the relative stability that a plateau provides, these employees can acquire new skills. Through enhancing their skill set they can then make a lateral move to another department within the company which can give them a new outlook on the job.” For those who would prefer to take up the challenge of changing jobs, Vittee suggests the following: • Get goal orientated: If you don’t know where you are going you won’t know how you are going to get there. Goals give you focus and direction and allow you to put in place strategies towards achieving them. To identify your goals, look at your needs, values, interests, talents and expectations and see which careers are best suited.

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For more information, please visit www.quest.co.za

• Assess yourself: What were some of the things that initially drew you to your current position - opportunities for growth, money, security or a combination of factors? Have your original priorities changed? Based on your goals, what do you think would motivate you today? • Face your fears: While most people naturally remain in the same industry because it is where they consider their marketability to be the strongest, don’t be afraid to explore new professional pursuits. • Define your passion: If you want to go in a different direction but aren’t sure which path to choose, try drawing up a list of activities that you love. Do any of your hobbies and passions relate to careers? You’ll probably find many of them do. We spend much of our time at work so it makes sense to have a career that you’re passionate about. • Be a job sleuth: Read adverts for jobs that you’d be interested in and make a list of their requirements. Highlight the skills and prerequisites that you would need to acquire and look for ways to gain them within your current job, even if it means taking on extra work. If you need more qualifications, why not study further through a nationally recognised college either via correspondence or part-time. Another option could be a learnership programme, which a number of recruitment companies offer. The combination of formal and workplace learning enable a candidate to attain nationally recognised qualifications and earn while they learn. Remember to also add the skills you have already gained in your career so far to your CV. Once you have the skills for your dream job there’s only one thing to do… start applying!

“Career plateaus happen to virtually everyone but it’s what you decide to do about it that counts,” concludes Vittee.

NETWORKING

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he world is changing. The saying ‘Things have changed over the years’ has evolved to ‘Things have changed over the weeks’! That’s right, things are literally changing THAT fast. Welcome to the technology age. If you have not yet familiarised yourself with the latest trends in technology, social media in particular, now is the time to do it.

We simply cannot afford to fall behind with the trends as it plays a crucial role in our everyday lives. The way in which we interact with others, do business, look for work, shop, socialise and go about our everyday lives is very much dependant on technology.

In 2011, something very interesting happened; the sales of Smartphones exceeded those of PC’s sold. What this means is that people are constantly networking with others, whether it be working or socialising from their phones. Exciting times are ahead of us as we now have the ability to share our thoughts with the world, communicate with the big players directly in real-time and more importantly get advice on literally anything from professionals or people with first-hand experience, globally, all for FREE. Social media technologies take on many different forms including, Internet forums, weblogs, social

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Featured Career blogs, microblogging, podcasts, social bookmarking and more. With platforms such as Pinterest, Digg, Google +, Flickr and Delicious. Having a Twitter and Facebook account simply isn’t enough to fully participate in the technology age. Take Junction.co.za for example. It is a new professional and user generated content and social network specifically around the topics of jobs, cars and property. It is positioned right between Facebook and LinkedIn as it brings together the social and business aspects of engagement. For today’s career seeker, this is a great place to share thoughts, get advice and meet with like minded individuals to discuss the South African job market. Discussions range from “What do Software Developers earn?” to “Do other Beauticians out there also struggle to find a job as much as I do?”. Recruiters even use the platform sometimes to find candidates. This in turn leads to real-time discussions between the recruiter and candidate! Today conversing with a potential employer or business associate via social media is not unusual. In fact more and more companies use video interviewing to screen candidates (refer to page 35). Junction.co.za utilises social media elements such as Feed, Follow and Share features. Users can create profiles; receive targeted feeds; join existing conversations; add comments; ask questions and share ideas or links with the Junction community. What’s more, everyone can upload his or her Resume.

Come on & join the conversation!

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What do you see when you picture your future? Do you live in a massive mansion or in your childhood bedroom? Are you wearing the hottest designer garments or the same old, holey clothes you’ve had for the past 10 years? Do you have a different sports car for every day of the week or do taxi drivers know you by name? Unfortunately to get the future you want you need to win the lottery, return a million cold drink bottles to the store you bought it at to get R1 back for each, or get a job.

Your future:

FAB or FLOP? Because spending your mom’s money while you hold out for the billion to one chance of winning the lotto or digging through dustbins to make your quota of bottles, isn’t exactly going to get you to where you want to be, finding a job is your best option. While looking for a job may seem quite daunting, Kay Vittee, CEO of Quest Staffing Solutions, has some tips on how to make it easier.

She shares, “Your first port of call is writing your CV and cover letter as these will help you to get your foot in the door to your dream job.” Here are some sure-fire ways for writing a winning cover letter and CV: • Keep it simple: When typing up your cover letter and CV, use a legible black font on a plain white page. Avoid swirly artistic fonts, pictures, and themed backgrounds, as these can be difficult to read. • Un-Cover yourself: Your cover letter, which is usually an email, allows you to introduce yourself to prospective employers and explains why you are submitting your CV to them. This is your opportunity to sell yourself by giving information about your skills and potential contribution to the company. You should also state why you are interested in the job, as well as why this person should meet with you. End the letter by saying something like ‘I hope to hear from you soon’ or ‘I look forward to your response’, that way you express a subtle interest for further dialogue.

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• The 411: Start your CV by listing important information a potential employer would be looking for, such as salary expectation range, highest level of education achieved and your notice period. Also, include a sentence or two that sums up your professional skills and experience. If you are a first time job seeker, fresh out of school or university, you can include some of the services for which you have been paid or rewarded to do, such as baby sitting, dog walking, house sitting and gardening. Candidates often forget to list vacation employment – this is very important as it shows that you applied yourself to the world of work and gained valuable experience. You could also include projects and roles in your educational career that have taught you valuable life-lessons. • Divide and conquer: Divide your CV into sections such as personal details, work experience, education, skills and references, and include relevant information for each. The work experience section should contain a record of your employment in chronological order, starting with the most recent position held, as well as the name of the company, industry type, job title, monthly salary earned, dates of employment, your duties and responsibilities as well as your reason for leaving. List your qualifications, institutions where you studied, subjects and year of completion in chronological order under the education component. Be sure to include any additional courses that you may have done as well as the computer programmes you are familiar with in the skills section.

Featured Career • The Refs: Prospective employers will need to contact people with or for whom you have worked to verify the information on your CV and get insight into your work ethic, behaviour, and performance so include the names, contact numbers, and email addresses of at least two references to back you up. • Check, check and check again: Your completed CV should be between two and four pages long and you must check this for spelling and grammatical errors. If possible, ask someone that you trust to read it and look for mistakes. “Once you are completely satisfied with your CV and cover letter you can start applying for jobs,” says Vittee. “Don’t be disheartened if you get a few no’s, persistence eventually pays off and you’ll be asked to come for an interview”. Everyone gets the jitters before a job interview but there are some dos and don’ts to help you ace it and get the job you want. • Do your research: By reading the company’s website you can get a better understanding of their business. • Do draw up some questions based on your research: The interview is an opportunity to learn all that you can about the company and to decide whether or not you would like to work there. • Don’t go to bed late the night before the interview: You’ll need a good night’s sleep so that you’re alert the next day. • Don’t be late: plan the route and the time it will take to get to the interview and make sure that you leave on time, if not earlier than you need to. • Don’t fidget or slouch in your chair during the interview: By sitting up straight and keeping your hands on your lap or resting on the table in front of you, you will appear confident and attentive. • Do remember to smile and be polite.

“Good luck! Go out there, get your dream job and make your future fabulous”, conludes Vittee.

For more information, please visit www.quest.co.za.

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2012

SALARY TRENDS

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

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Featured Career

We’ve all been there; searching and

By having an online Resume, recruiters

Here are a few need-to-know facts around

applying for a job. Whilst one is always

can actually find you.

having an online Resume that works:

candidate, the reality is that one quarter

Did you know that CareerJunction serves

- Ensure that your online Resume is

of the SA population is unemployed. This

over 800 subscribing advertisers, both

is destined to have an effect on every job

recruitment

seeker, as it’s clear that competition for

employers, none of whom can find you on

jobs is often tough.

our website unless you physically apply

hopeful

that

you’ll

the

chosen

agencies

and

corporate

complete. - Set your online Resume as searchable. - Get your quality rating as high as possible.

for a job through them or have an online

The higher you rank, the higher you will

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Featured Career

Getting by on just English is a thing of the past in business...

Language Skills

Speak Volumes

Author: René Vollgraaff Article Source: Times Live

Sandra Burmeister, CEO of the Landelahni Recruitment Group, said globalisation had brought about increasing mobility between companies and countries. That had led to businesses investing in language learning for their employees, to become more competitive. “In the UK, many companies have recognised the need for multilingualism and have signed up for courses for popular European languages like French, Spanish, Italian and

German- as well as Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Japanese,” Burmeister said. “For young people, language learning opens the way to creating more connections, be it with friends, co-students or colleagues around the world. Language skills and cultural competencies look good on their CVs.” While English is still the international business language, Portuguese and French competency are in demand in sub-Saharan Africa, and, further afield, Spanish and Mandarin are becoming more widely used, she said.

How To Acquire Another Tongue Most South African universities offer a variety of local and foreign languages as subjects. If you are working full time, there are several other options in the bigger cities. • The Wits Language School offers part-time courses in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Zulu and South African Sign Language in various locations around the country. Part-time courses in languages such as German, Mandarin, Arabic, Tswana or Italian are offered according to demand. The school also offers English as a foreign language. Phone 011 717 4208 or visit www.witslanguageschool.com, • Alliance Française SA offers French courses at 14 locations around the country. At some locations it also offers Zulu courses. Visit www.alliance.org.za, • The Goethe-Institut offers German courses in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Phone 011 442 3232 or visit www.goethe.de/johannesburg, • The Bay Language Institute in Port Elizabeth offers courses in German, Spanish, Xhosa, Afrikaans and Japanese, depending on demand. Phone 041 583 6113 or visit www.baylanguage.com

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But when working in a country such as South Africa, with 11 official languages, it might pay to first learn more local languages before branching out to international options. According to 2001 census data from Stats SA, the latest available census data, the most frequently spoken first home language in South Africa isZulu, with 23.8% of the population saying Zulu is their home language. Xhosa was reported as the first home language of 17.6% of the population and Afrikaans was third, being spoken by 13.3% of South Africans at home. Pedi was fourth at 9.4% and English, fifth at 8.2%, tied with Tswana. Burmeister said the benefits of competency in any additional language in the workplace depended on the requirements of the job in question and whether a second language was regarded as a core competency or a “nice-to-have”.

Leon de Stadler, director of the Language Centre at Stellenbosch University, said from an employment perspective most people will be confronted with people speaking various languages. “In South Africa that is even more true,” he said. “Someone who can use two languages, but preferably more, is simply in a much stronger position”. “Looking at the world as a whole, multilingualism is more common in individuals than monolingualism. “Most people, especially in the developed world, are confronted by more than one language and know more than one language. “In this context, to think one can get through life with only one language is not such a good idea.” De Stadler said when preparing for employment in South Africa it is essential to understand you will be confronted with an environment where people do not speak only one language.

“But while it is true that many people of all nationalities speak English, people who speak one or more additional languages often have the advantage, for example if they are with a group of colleagues or clients who are speaking another language among themselves,” she said.

“People tend to think they will be fine if they can speak English. While English is essential, you must remember that you will most likely work with people who know more than one language.”

Being multilingual is an advantage to each individual, said Nhlanhla Thwala, director of the Wits Language School.

Mastering more than one language at an early age does not only give you an advantage on your CV, it could also mean you are better at multi-tasking than monolinguals.

“It simply expands the scope of the number of people you can interact with generally.

According to a study conducted by researchers at York University in Toronto and published in the journal Child Development, children who grow up learning to speak more than one language are better at switching between tasks, indicating the ability to multi-task.

“Someone who can use two languages, but preferably more, is simply in a much stronger position”

Multilinguals better multi-taskers

Peggy McCardle, chief of the Child Development and Behaviour Branch at the US National Institute of Health’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development said: “Bilinguals have two sets of language rules in mind and their brains apparently are wired to toggle back and forth between them depending on the circumstances.”

“Some people learn additional languages for leisure and to expand the scope of people they can relate to. “Others do it for professional purposes to gain advantages in terms of promotion or relocation to other areas or countries to advance their careers.”

CareerSeek 29

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Video interviewing is becoming more

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Here’s what you need to know about the interviewing process: • A video interview is essentially the same as an in-person interview and you will be asked similar questions.

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• The objective of a video interview is the same as inperson interview; to screen candidates for employment. • The perk of having a video interview is that everyone is new at this which already establishes a connection between you and the interviewer.

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BEING EXCEP PERSON EXECUTI ASSISTA

PA’s and Executive Assistants are the cornerstone of every organisation. As the Manager’s / CEO / Director’s right-hand, you are responsible for managing his time effectively to free him to tackle important tasks in line with achieving the organisation’s strategic objectives.

Author: Kim Bester Interpersonal skills are crucial (mutually beneficial, respectful relationships with everyone including the office tea lady, messenger and courier etc. will prove indispensable, especially when you are tasked with carrying out urgent tasks with little notice-this extends to management and employees alike). Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written); always communicate in a professional manner making use of appropriate business English. Networking: A strong network within and outside the company will enable you to execute your tasks quickly and efficiently (a pool of resources at your disposal). *Always be respectful and professional in your dealings. Strive to thrive! Make sure that you understand the core functions of your manager’s role and of each manager reporting to him/her, and even those individuals in the workplace who may need to assist your manager with deliverables on occasion. Having a sound understanding of who does what is vital to ensure that you are able to delegate work successfully in your manager’s absence. Being IT savvy (going beyond the typical computer literacy skills); learn the tricks of MS Outlook, dabble in Photoshop/ Coral Draw/Publisher – you never know when you may need to be creative in designing an event invite. If something stops working on your manager’s PC, don’t just call in the I.T. techie on every occasion – if it is small and not too complex, ask him to show you how he fixed it, so that you may do the same in future (this will seriously impress your manager!!). Speed + accuracy = management delight (ALWAYS proofread your work), irrespective of time constraints. Spell-check is your friend!! Confidentiality is a non-negotiable and discretion should be exercised at all times. Do not involve yourself in office politics or gossip; your office is the gateway to your executive and it needs to be treated as sacred ground. Tactfulness and diplomacy is key – whilst maintaining an air of professionalism when dealing with fellow employee’s, always uphold a friendly and amiable demeanour (projecting a sense of separateness or superiority will not bode well with others). Ability to prioritise work and manage time effectively. Do the little tasks first to get them out of the way. This will free your time to focus on tasks that are more complex. People are typically more productive in the morning, rather than scanning through personal emails or promotional mailers, tackle all the tasks on your to-do list early on – while your brain is fresh and your mind is sharp! *Always use a to-do list.

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Never show stress, irritation or a bad attitude. Having a can-do attitude, an engaging personality and a willingness to go the extra mile is what will differentiate you from the average PA. If you are feeling stressed or aggravated, take a 5-10 minute break from your desk, walk outside and breathe in the fresh air, and by all means do not vent out your frustration to fellow colleagues. Refine your message taking abilities by asking the correct questions to avoid unnecessary calls and/or meetings for your manager (often a direct report is in the position to assist on your manager’s behalf, which will free up your manager’s time to deal with more important issues needing his immediate attention). *Your questions should clarify: “who”, “what”, “why”, “where” and “when” to enable you to act accordingly.

BEING AN G AN EXCEPTIONAL PTIONA / L A L N O S R E P NAL E V I T U C E X E IVE / TANT S I S S A ANT

Featured Career

TIP 1: Increase your typing speed by using online aids. This is especially useful before taking minutes for a board meeting or when dictation is required. (http://www.typingtest.com/).

TIP 2: Remember any task you have ever been asked to do has been done somewhere by someone before you. No need to reinvent the wheel! If you are in doubt, be resourceful and ask those who have displayed similar skills in the past. Example: If you are not familiar with creating graphs, ask the Finance Manager or statistician for a quick tutorial (take notes; practice, practice, practice and thank him/her for their time). *Google is your friend.

TIP 3: Join PA Associations and attend PA networking events which will enable knowledge sharing with other PAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

Refer links below for PA Associations: http://www.saspa.co.za/ http://www.opsa.org.za/index.html http://www.siyanqoba.co.za/ For additional online tips, refer to the following urlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: www.personal-assistant-tips.com http://tiptophowtips.blogspot.com/2011/06/personalassistant-how-to-be-good.html http://executivesecretary.com/about/ Training institutions for skills refinement include: http://www.cbmtraining.co.za/ http://www.stratexec.co.za/ http://www.dealtraining.co.za/

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Wannabe A model/actor/character

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