1. Introduction

2. Spruce up your CV

1st time job seeker

Recently graduated

Currently employed

3. Keep your "brand" professional

4. Networking

5. Applying for a job

How to apply for a job

Beware of scams

6. The Interview

Telephonic interview

Face to face interview

7. You got the job

The job offer

How to resign from your current job

The 1st week on the new job

8. Reasons why you may not be getting called for a 2nd interview

9. Things to do while job hunting

10.Stay motivated

Job Seekers guide to finding a job in South Africa. Published by Junk Mail Publishing. Compiled by Angelique Robbertse

INTRODUCTION 1

Welcome to Job Mail’s 1st edition of the job seekers guide. Our aim in this book is

to equip you with knowledge and confidence and assist you in finding a job in

South Africa. We have put this guide together to help you get started.

Always be clear on

your goals: When you

are looking for a job, before

anything else, you need to be clear

about what you are looking for and your

goals, so that it can become much easier for

you to find what you are looking for.

Qualifications and experience are the traits that you will need to

find your dream job. With the right qualifications and experience, you

can be more firm with your salary request (within limits of course).

Time and patience: Another thing about dream jobs is that, they

require time and patience to find. In order for you to have the right

experience and qualifications, you need to study. These days, a

degree isn’t enough. Try by all means to get more knowledgeable

about your career choice.

Experience: When you start out in your career, your mentality should

be set on acquiring as much experience and knowledge as possible. In

many career fields (like medical, legal and accounting), before you get

into the working environment you get the chance to practice in the

field. This is an amazing opportunity because you get the chance to

experience the career even before you can start earning a salary. This

prepares you for the future and when you go for your first official

interview you have enough experience to prove that you can really do

this job.

“Knowledge is power – arm yourself”

SPRUCE UP YOUR CV 2

Remember: Your CV is an introduction to who you are, what you are capable of and

why a potential employer / company should employ you - you should make your CV

personal (but also professional). It’s one of the best ways to make yourself heard,

promote yourself as a brand and to communicate what you have to offer potential

employers.

Professional branding is important for anyone who is job hunting or building their

career. It's important to create a personal brand that portrays you in a professional

light and which provides employers and contacts with a strong positive impression of

you as a high-caliber individual who would be an asset to their organization.

What is your career brand? It's a combination of your reputation as a worker

combined with a promise of your potential and impact on future employers. Your

career brand can start with a CV but goes far beyond traditional job-seeking methods

to include a multitude of tools.

Keep it clear and simple: Resist the temptation to make your CV longer than it

needs to be. Stick to two pages at the most and make sure the sections are clearly

labeled. Ensure that your formatting is consistent all the way through - nothing says

‘amateur’ like bullet points that change shape halfway down your CV!

Always be honest: You might be tempted to tell a few ‘white’ lies to

make your CV seem more impressive, but being less than

forthcoming or exaggerating facts can have a

damaging effect on your reputation and

career. If you get caught, you won’t get the

job. And if you get employed under false

impressions, you risk being exposed and

even fired.

Stay away from over-used buzzwords:

Avoid phrases like: ‘ go-getter’, ‘think outside

of the box’, ‘team player’, ‘strategic thinker’

and ‘detail-oriented’. These words are so

over-used they have lost their meaning.

Rather think about how you can include

words like: achieved, improved, trained,

influenced, and negotiated - words that

indicate action and results.

It is not

necessary to

put in every bit of

information you can think of.

Have a main CV and adjust it to

the relevant position you are

applying for.

Only send additional paperwork,

like ID document on request. This

is to safeguard you from identity

theft.

If you can, have a color copy

ready when going to an interview.

Share relevant extra-curricular achievements: Have you

been involved in any extra-curricular activities that show

off your leadership, communication or organizational skills? Including them will

show that you have initiative and give employers an idea of where

your strengths and interests are

Always include a cover letter: You aren’t alone if you hate writing cover letters,

but it is an essential part of the process. It’s a great place to introduce yourself

and show more of your personality than you can in your CV. A good cover letter

easily differentiates people with similar experience.

Your cover letter is important!

A cover letter is your introduction. An effective cover letter should be engaging,

position specific and well-written. It should describe why you are interested in the

position and what qualifications or experience make you a good fit. It should do

what your CV can’t do, which is: reflect your personality, motivations and attitude.

Avoid making any spelling mistakes. Mistakes suggest that you do sloppy

work and don’t pay attention to detail.

Express long-term interest: Hiring someone new is expensive. From an

employer’s perspective, there isn’t much value in hiring someone who will leave.

Paint a clear picture of your intended position: Don’t assume that raw

enthusiasm and a willingness to work is enough to get you in the door. It isn’t.

Your cover letter should make you sound determined to successfully enter into

the industry – not desperate to do so. Enthusiasm is very different than

desperation.

Emphasizing a lack of experience: Do not call attention to your weaknesses or

lack of experience in your cover letter. Focus on your skills, organizational and

industry knowledge and outline your previous achievements.

Emphasizing a lack of experience: Do not call attention to your weaknesses or

lack of experience in your cover letter. Focus on your skills, organizational and

industry knowledge and outline your previous achievements.

Misrepresentation: You should never misrepresent your experiences and skills in

either your cover letter or CV. When the company

discovers the misrepresentation – as they will –

they have grounds for immediate dismissal

and you could face a possible law suit.

Demanding statements: You should never

demand something from the employer in your

cover letter. It is a common mistake to state

“I am looking for a unique opportunity in which I

will be adequately challenged and compensated”

This insinuates that you expect the employer to

place you in a position that satisfies your needs

– not theirs.

Build your case to win and show them how

AWESOME you are: Think like a lawyer

building a case as to why you should be hired.

Make sure your case is a strong one. When

you’re seeking a rewarding long-term career,

understand and accept that lots of other people are looking for the same thing. It’s

a competitive situation, so you need to play to win. Being good isn’t enough. You

need to be the best among the other applicants for your position so highlight what

makes you different and unique.

Create a

few templates

based on the

positions you are applying for.

This way you have already

done the ground work and all

you need to do is personalize it.

Don’t make it too long, never

longer than 1 page but not

shorter than 500 words.

Remember to sign the cover

letter and supply your contact

details

First time job seeker

Matriculants: Very little can compare to the excitement of seeing your positive

matric results online or posted on the noticeboard at your school. Of course,

answering the question, “What’s next?” is perhaps as hard as passing those final

exams. Many graduates are eager to take a year off from studying to work locally

or abroad, when taking the gap year it’s important to note that it’s not about taking

a “holiday”, but about learning and preparing for your future career. Knowledge and

experience is worth gold when applying for a job.

Non Matriculants: Here is when job searching does become more difficult and not

as many doors are open to you at the moment. There is however some things you

can do to compensate for a lack of matric. Below are some hints to help you on

your way.

We know you think

the world is your

oyster, but the reality is,

you are now a small fish in a

big pond.

Keep your expectations realistic. Your goal here should

be to gain experience. So be prepared to start at the

bottom and work your way up.

Title’s and salary perks come later once you have

proven yourself. It might take years or months that

depend on each individual situation but also on how hard

you work.

Do volunteer work. It might not help with experience but

it will help you with idle time and it covers blank area’s in

your CV. You never know – you may excel in this area

and make this a career.

A hobby you enjoy may be marketable. You don’t need

major budgets to market yourself or your product. It’s

free and the audience is huge on social media.

You might not have the paperwork so make sure you

have the experience and knowledge.

Recently graduated

With less than 40% of graduates

successfully entering the

Workplace within their first year,

you can’t afford to remain idle.

Most graduates are not fortunate

enough to already start working

in their fields while they are

studying which makes it even

harder and trickier to find a job,

because they don’t have

experience in their respective

fields.

Spend this

time building

your professional

digital footprint.

Create a LinkedIn profile, network

on Twitter, start a blog or an

Instagram feed showcasing your

hobbies and crafts.

If you can’t find work, volunteer

your time for free or apply for

unpaid internships. Every bit of

experience will help propel you

forward.

CURRENTLY EMPLOYED

Regardless of where you are in the stage of your job hunting, the ideals are the

same. If you have empty gaps in your CV, the ability to sell yourself in terms of

“you are the best person for the job” does become more difficult.

Don’t quit before you have a genuine job offer. Often people let their emotions

get clouded and in a moment of “insanity” they walk out. That works in the movies

but in real life, it’s hard to find a job out there and unless you are really lucky /

talented/ sought after, you might have to cool your heels before doing anything

rash.

Beware of unclear job offers. At times we are so excited about getting a new job

we forget to read the fine print. 3 weeks later you get slapped in the face with

reality and it’s not what you thought it was.

Do not burn your bridges, more often than not you will need your current

employer, whether for a reference if things don’t work out or worse yet, you may

want your old job back.

Job seeking takes time and patience. Try to stay

positive throughout this journey.

Finding a job does not happen overnight, although the

effort you put in is what you will get out. Nobody but you

can make this journey successful.

The business world is smaller than you think and you

might run into your old employer again. Make sure you

can look him / her in the eyes.

Success consists of going from

failure to failure without loss of

enthusiasm.”–Winston Churchill

USING SOCIAL MEDIA 3

Social media can be your worst enemy or your best chance when job hunting. You

decide which one it will be. It’s all about cleaning up your digital footprint. It’s a well-

known fact that more than 75% of recruiters check what candidates have been up

to on their social media profiles.

What is a digital footprint? On the Internet a digital footprint is the word used to

describe the trail, traces or "footprints" that people leave online. This is information

transmitted online, such as forum registration, e-mails and attachments, uploading

videos or digital images and any other form of transmission of information — all of

which leaves traces of personal information about you and is openly available to

others online.

When using Facebook:

Facebook has 9,4 million active users in South Africa, up from 6,8 million users a

year ago.

Do not slander your current boss. He / she is probably a friend that you forgot

you accepted. If you have problems with your current employer do not air your dirty

laundry to the world.

Too many Drunk / intoxicated photos or videos of you will have a negative

impact and could be the reason that you don’t get that dream job.

Comments that reflect your political / religious views: If you’re a very

outspoken individual who likes to express your radical political or religious views on

Facebook, think twice about what you post on your profile while you are job

hunting.

Comments from friends that are distasteful: So, your friend thinks it’s a good

idea to post offensive things on your wall? This will not reflect well on your digital

footprint. Consider enabling the privacy settings that allows you to evaluate content

when someone posts on your wall. (or maybe start to re-evaluate your friends.)

Profile details / Comments that

contradict yourself:

Make sure that the info you give on

your CV, cover letter or e-mail and

Facebook profile are consistent.

When contradictions occur in dates,

the names of employers, contact

info and so on, recruiters begin to

wonder if they can trust your

information and if you are attentive

to detail.

An easy way

To manage your

photos is to set your

Facebook privacy settings

up so that only your friends can see

your photos and enable the setting

that allows you to approve photos

that are tagged of you before they

get published on Facebook.

Golden rule on Facebook: Only

post something if you would be

comfortable having your

grandmother see it.

When using TWITTER:

Twitter saw the highest percentage growth among the major social networks, from

2,4 million to 5,5 million showing 129% growth in 12 months. (source

worldwideworx)

Follow Job Mail on Twitter: Did you know that Job Mail tweets out jobs that have

been posted on our website on a regular basis? We also tweet out links to

interesting articles that we post on our blog.

Follow and interact with influential people in your industry: Find out who the

experts are in your industry and if they are on Twitter. A quick Google search should

bring up their Twitter profile details or if you can’t find it that way, remember that

most influential people will have a blog or website and a link to their Twitter profile

will definitely be there. Interact with them, ask them for advice, find out more about

the industry.

When using LINKEDIN:

Use Twitter’s Advanced Search

option to look for jobs and

more: Twitter has a very powerful

advanced search function and just like

Google, you can search for information

about almost anything under the sun. A

great way to see which jobs are

available is to type in ‘#Jobs’ into the

hash tag field and type ‘South Africa’ (or

your city / town name) in the “Near this

place” field and click the “Search”

button.

Twitter only

allows 140

characters. Keep

to the point! You can also upload

photo’s / attachments but this

takes away from your characters

limit.

When the “noise” becomes too

much and information is slipping

through, create lists. This is a

great way to keep your tweeters

organized.

Follow recruiters, job portals and other job sites: Every day more and more

recruitment agencies are using Twitter to find candidates. If you can’t find their

accounts by doing a Google search, check their websites for links.

Make sure to tweet often about relevant topics. It shows people you are

passionate about your industry and not afraid to say what you think.

Linkedin has been around since 2002 and there are more than 2, 2 million South

African’s on LinkedIn

Having a Linkedin profile is integral if you need a clean digital footprint. It

doesn’t matter if you are employed or not, you should be on LinkedIn!

It’s the perfect platform to network and interact with fellow job seekers /

professionals. It doesn’t matter if you’re a mechanic working on diesel trucks or a

orthodontist, chances are that you’ll find people in your profession. There are

thousands of groups on LinkedIn. Start your LinkedIn network by connecting with a

few friends and expand it gradually by connecting with industry gurus and

professionals. The more you are connected, the better than chance of being seen

by a potential employer.

LinkedIn provides you with a free professional online profile If you complete

all the required fields on your LinkedIn profile you will have a professional online

profile that will be visible to anyone that “Google’s” your name. It’s a nice way to

showcase your accomplishments and show-off your professional side to potential

employers. It’s a completely free service, so you don’t need to worry about forking

out some cash for this.

LinkedIn connections can brighten up your professional profile with the

recommendations and endorsements Chances are that if you’re good at what

you do, friends and other connections will endorse you for your skills. The more

endorsements you get from people for a certain skill the more people will

recognize for what you do. The same goes for recommendations on your

profile. This will increase your chances of being seen by a potential employer.

“Make it a priority to clean up your social

media profiles today so that you can show off

to potential employers.

Each social platform has it pro’s and con’s. Make

sure you know what platform suits your industry and

focus on that one.

Do not however neglect the other platforms, try to

have a balance.

Be active on these platforms in terms of sharing

relevant articles or posting relevant comments. Every

comment you make could take you a step further in

your job seeking journey.

NETWORKING 4

Love it or hate it, we live in a world driven by social interaction, whether it’s online

on social network sites, on chat apps on our mobile phones, or even in real life

situations.

In this technology driven age that we live in it has become essential to develop

networking skills if you’re thinking of finding a new job.

Networking helps you to find the right direction for your career. By listening to

what the experts say you can get a better insight into what it is that you want to do,

or cement what you already know about your chosen career path.

Networking gives you access to an unadvertised job market, more of the right

roles and fit for your unique offer to potential employers. It’s often not what you

know but who you know.

Networking gives you an opportunity to share information and learn in order

to advance your career. You might also hear what’s going on in the “grapevine”

Networking increases your business and customer awareness and enhances

success in your current role.

Some useful tips on how to engage with potential employers:

Don’t assume anything. I don’t think I need to remind you what the definition of

“assumptions” is.

Don’t make opinions without foundation. Make sure that you know your facts

before forming opinions. Remember: Google is your friend.

Never underestimate yourself. Remember that the word “impossible” still has the

“possible” phrase in it, so the sky is the limit.

Do not just connect to major players. Participate, engage and stand out.

Remember that one of the key elements of social media is two-way

communication. If you start sharing the knowledge you’ve gained you may become

someone that people see as an expert / guru / influencer in your field.

Give a good impression – be knowledgeable, thorough, enthusiastic and helpful

and keep it as professional as possible.

Never directly ask for a job or expect something when you are building a

relationship with your potential employer.

Ask questions, but try not to bombard your contacts. Avoid sending them too

much mail, phoning them constantly or asking them too much.

Be prepared. Do research to understand the potential employer’s needs, market

and products so you’ll be ready to answer questions that they may ask you.

It is OK to approach people and introduce yourself and show respect. Doing this

makes you stand out and you never know what valuable things may come from it

in the future. This shows potential contacts / employers that you mean business

and are not just a bloke meeting them for free coffee or snacks.

Never promise something that you can’t deliver. Know your limits. Remember

that failing to deliver something that you promised will not impress a potential

employer.

“Remember that everyone’s career path differs

and that all of us would be robots if that weren’t

true.”

Networking is not only limited to online. Use it in your

daily activities. Every opportunity is a networking

opportunity.

Note that if you are putting yourself out there, you might

get criticism. Take it, learn from it but never take it

personally.

There is such a thing as too much networking so find a

healthy balance before you find yourself “stalking”

someone.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A JOB 5

Read the job spec first: There is nothing worse than receiving an application and

you can see they did not read what was required. Many times the ad will ask for

something random to see if people can follow instructions. If not, your CV will end

up in “file 13, the trash”

Make your cover letter personal and relevant to each application.

Do not apply if you are unqualified. Applying for a job that you do not qualify for

is a waste of time and money and that you should only apply if you meet ALL the

qualification requirements specified, because they are there for a reason. If the job

requires that you have a diploma or degree for the job, don’t apply

if you only have matric, your CV will be

ignored.

Do not apply multiple times for the

same position. If you have applied, wait

the allotted time. If they are interested,

they will call you.

Apply within the given period.

Applying after the closing date, for “just in

case”, well you might as well have thrown

your CV in the trash.

Be clear on

what you are

applying for and why.

Try not to come across as

desperate. It shows.

Always use the reference if

provided and do exactly as

the advert says

BE AWARE OF SCAMS:

Finding a job can be tricky and time-consuming. Scammers and fraudsters are well

aware that there are thousands of desperate job-hunting South Africans out there

who will do almost anything to find a job and for this reason, many of them target

the unemployed with their elaborate schemes. It has become extremely important

to safeguard yourself against scams.

The first thing you should look at is the company. Instead of using the link

provided on the job advert, take the time to research the company online. Simply

type the name of the company on a search engine like Google and look at how the

company describes itself professionally.

Another thing that can help you, are social networking sites. Twitter and

Facebook have search options where you can search a term or hashtag (#) and

follow it through. Find out what people are saying about the company. Depending

on what you find, you will be able to tell how legitimate a company is; you might

find that people have been scammed by the company in the past.

“Remember the golden rule:

If something is too good to be true,

it’s most likely false.”

You should never have to pay someone to find you a

job. It is illegal to charge job seekers money for this

service.

Never send all your documentation like copy of your ID

or graduation certificates. It makes it easier for identity

theft. If an employer wants it they will ask for it.

Always google the company / telephone or fax number

first. Our motto is that if they do not have some sort of

digital footprint then be careful or better yet, stay away.

THE INTERVIEW 6

Be honest and truthful during your interview. Lying in an interview will have the

same result as lying on your CV – just like karma, it will always come back to haunt

you. There are usually between 2 and 3 stages in the interview process.

TELEPHONIC INTERVIEW

This is usually the initial contact, whether they

ask questions or just call to invite you for an

interview, treat it as an interview,

When doing a IM or video interview with a

potential employer, remember that it’s not about

being as sexy as you can be. Don’t lie on your

bed while you’re doing the interview. Dress neatly

and sit up straight. Be aware of the backdrop.

So guys, keep bikini poster against the wall out of

the potential employer’s sight.

When you get called for a telephonic interview,

move to a quiet area, so you can hear what they’re saying and you don’t need to

ask them to repeat themselves. Remember that the interviewer does not want to

compete with your radio.

Telephonic

interviews are

usually short and to the

point and serve as the

employer’s initial contact

with you.

Take advantage of this to

make a great first

impression.

FACE TO FACE INTERVIEW

Calm your nerves after the interview – not before. Refrain from smoking or

drinking alcohol before your interview to calm your nerves. Smelling of alcohol

while you’re being interviewed will not impress your potential employer.

Your handshake is your calling card, so be firm, shake your potential

employer’s hand and make eye contact before the interview. Keep the shaking,

rattling and rolling for when you’re listening to Elvis or attempting to do cross-fit.

There’s nothing wrong with having tattoos, but try to keep them covered during

an interview. Remember that not everyone has the same perception about tattoos

as you. Tattoos are part of who you are, but not necessarily part of the image that

the company wishes to project. You might know what the Chinese inscription on

your left arm means, but it may look like gibberish to your potential employer.

Dress according to company culture. Many companies don’t mind jeans if you

look neat in them, but make sure that you ask first, and never show up in an

interview wearing jeans. If you’re unsure what the company culture is, dress

professionally to be safe.

Use power statements / phrases or words to keep you top of mind and to spark

interest from your potential employer. Try not to be generic. Instead of saying

something like “I’m a loyal hard worker” say “I’ve put in long hours and dedication

and I’ve achieved amazing results”. Don’t bore the interviewer to death, keep it

professional and keep them interested in you.

Ask questions during job interviews, but you have to be careful when choosing

your questions. The key is finding the perfect balance between having a casual

conversation with, and projecting yourself as a professional to, the interviewer.

3 questions to ask in an interview

What is the company culture like?

Could you tell me about the way the job was done in

the past? And what improvements you’d like to see

happen?

If I get the job, what are the challenges I would face in

this position over the next three months?

You got the job! 7

Congratulations, you got the job (or so you think). Be very careful at this point as

one wrong move could let it all come-tumbling-down and then you’re in a pickle.

The job offer

Make 100% sure that you have the new job. Check that company you’re going to

work for is legit. Don’t hand in your resignation letter at your current employer until

you have gotten a solid offer from the new employer.

HOW TO RESIGN FROM YOUR CURRENT JOB.

If you have been with your current

employers for multiple years and have

proven to be a valuable asset to them,

they might not want to let you go and

could respond with a counter offer.

Whether or not you accept the offer is

completely up to you.

If it sounds worthwhile, reconsider

staying with them, if not, decline the

offer and hand in your resignation

letter.

Take note that most companies require

a one month notice period if you want

to resign. When you decide to resign

your current job, try to respect your

current

employer’s procedures and do your job

to the best of your ability before leaving

the company. Try not to burn bridges.

Keep in mind that jobs are scarce and

your new employment venture might

not work out – you could end up asking

for your old job back.

A counter

offer may

sound amazing

but always remember

the reasons you looked for a new

position in the first place. More

money may not make those

reasons go away.

Always resign in writing with the

date of your last working day

Ensure when you will receive your

last pay check. Many companies

hold back the last pay check for a

certain period. (This will be stated

in your contract)

THE FIRST WEEK ON THE JOB.

Don’t stress, they already like you and believe you can do the job.

Respect your fellow employees: Don’t act like you know everything, watch and

listen. If someone offers you advice, don’t ignore them , learn from it.

Make Notes: Write important things down. Your notes will help you to get

organized. Constantly forgetting things will give off the impression that you’re a

bad listener and frustrate the colleagues who have to repeat things constantly.

Focus on your work: Do what you were appointed to do and stay away from

social media, unless your line of work requires you to be active on it. Don’t play

around with your phone while you are at your desk. Switch your phone off.

Don’t change your appearance rapidly: Be the same person that you were in

the interview. Your boss may lose faith in his newly appointed employee.

Ask Questions: Don’t do a task the wrong way just because you’re afraid of

looking foolish. Ask Questions if you’re unsure.

Be On Time: Make sure that you’re at the office early. Go through your notes and

organize your day. When it comes to leaving the office at the end of the day, don’t

rush off, do a quick review of your work of the day and plan your next work day.

Avoid negative colleagues: Do not get caught up in negativity because it spreads

like wildfire. Rather take the time to find people who have a good attitude towards

the company. Surround yourself with positive people.

Be Humble: Don’t constantly talk about your experiences; some people may see

this as bragging.

It is not a popularity contest so you do not have to impress

everyone. Stay true to who you are, people will like you for

you.

Now is not the time to boast about your achievements.

Actions speak louder than words.

Working longer hours and shorter lunch breaks will go a

far way to show them you are a good investment.

NO CALL BACK? 8

If you’re getting rejected time after

time for jobs the problem is most

likely with you and how you are

presenting yourself.

Hiring managers and recruiters don’t

get paid to reject people. Their job is

to find qualified people to fill

vacancies.

Reality is

that you will probably

never know what happened.

If they filled the position with

someone else, perhaps that person

had advantages no one could

overcome.

People who are unable to motivate

themselves must be content with

mediocrity, no matter how impressive their

other talents.” –Andrew Carnegie

You’re not qualified for the position – Too many times people apply for jobs that

they are not qualified to do. A qualification is requested for a reason.

Bad mouthing previous employers – Regardless of how unfair they were or how

terrible they treated you, bad mouthing people shows lack of loyalty and negativity.

(Two things employers try to avoid at all costs)

Revealing your weaknesses will usually end your chances of getting a job offer if

done negatively. Recruiters will ask tough questions that you need to be prepared

to answer with positive solution based replies.

Your references didn’t support what you said. It’s important to have relevant

references on your CV and they should verify what you say in the interview.

Your job goals were unclear. Employers are not interested in hiring people who

don’t know what they want to do.

Reasons why you are possibly NOT getting a job offer:

If you feel comfortable doing so you may ask the employer

what the reasons where in a professional unchallenging

manner.

Try not to harp on this for too long but if it does happen

constantly then look at what you could be doing better.

Accept and move on. Stay focused on your goal and stay

positive

SPARE TIME? 9

Things YOU CAN do while job hunting.

Being unemployed can leave you with a lot of spare time on your hands; utilize this

time to stay active but also to have a backup plan.

Re-evaluate your priorities and long term plans. Question your goals, set new

goals. Dust off dreams you always thought were impractical they may be more

practical than you think. Ideas like going back to school can work if you change

your lifestyle.

Go back and study. Remember that employers look for skills and experience;

they regard unskilled, inexperienced jobseekers as a risky investment.

Freelance / Temp / Waitress. Part time work will, at a minimum, give you a pay

check and something to put on your CV, but it can also build connections that can

help you find job a job further down the road.

Start a blog. Discuss topics you have interest in. If your topics are factual and

relevant – you will start to gain followers who could help you in your job hunting

process in the future.

Do volunteer work. Not only is

volunteering likely to boost your CV and

give you some good references, but it is

also a very rewarding experience. It will

stop you from feeling bored or

disappointed because you will already

be working.

Lower the bar. Look at a different

position / salary/ title. Many people make

the mistake of not being prepared to

start at the bottom. There is no shame

in taking a lower paying job / lower title.

At least you can work your way up.

9Work from home / start your own business. Many people make their own jobs

by finding things to do that earn money. “Started business, then decided self-

employment “was not for me” does not look bad on a CV – it looks proactive.

“It is up to you whether you succeed or not.”

Never wait for someone to do it for you. You need to go

out and find those opportunities.

Yes financing is a huge part of your decision but do not

let it be your decision, find a way to make it work.

Dream big but start small and stay humble.

STAY MOTIVATED 10

Don’t be a lion, filled with arrogance and pride or the tiger where you use your

wit and smarts to trick people. Be a leopard who is a very gracious animal. It has

a sense of vision, wonder and patience. When he hunts, he hunts alone and at

night. It is at a time when you least expect it. He uses tactics and skills, which

always guarantee him his prey. He knows he cannot compete against the lion or

the tiger, so he focuses on doing things that will please him.

You need to be like that. Have a plan focused on getting the job despite who

might be better than you on paper.

It is not simple.

But you need to have courage if you expect to get far in your job hunting. Often

people are discouraged because they do not feel like they are smart or qualified

enough to get the job. But sometimes it is more than the qualifications and

experience that employers look for.

Employers often look for people who are open to learning and have future plans

to grow with the company.

So sometimes you might not

have the degree from one of

the top universities or an

internship experience from a big

company, what you have might

be priceless such as your

wisdom.

THANK YOU

We hope this information helps you on your journey to finding a job in South Africa.

If you are interested in reading more information:

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“Good luck in your job seeking journey!”