Advance Employability -Job Hunting

Introduction

South Africa has an incredibly high rate of unemployment. Job hunting within this environment can become very taxing for individuals, leading to frustration and sometimes low mood. Individuals could become despondent and lose focus on what they want. Practitioners can help guide the individual's attention back to where it needs to be with a job-searching strategy. Individuals will gain an additional skill in job-hunting strategies.

Case study

Candice is a young woman who has just finished a diploma through a TVET college. She finds herself in a desperate position, trying to secure work and trying in every possible way, with no luck. Four weeks ago, she emailed her CV to over 120 companies and did not even receive an acknowledgement of receipt. She felt as if this blind approach to applying to random companies might work if she emailed enough of them, and that someone would notice her. Despondent, she goes to the career development practitioner to seek information about recruitment agencies. Londiwe attends to her. Together, they work on a strategy, and Candice becomes aware of what she has been doing wrong. Applying endlessly to organisations that were not actively recruiting, sending emails to general email addresses, and not properly responding to adverts were at the top of the list. She had been wasting her time, resources and energy. Together with Londiwe, Candice was able to develop a strategy and direct her applications to the correct places. Within a matter of weeks, Candice received an offer for an internship, which she gladly accepted.

In order to be a focused job seeker, it is necessary to create a job-hunting strategy. Responding to an advert, submitting your CV, and waiting to hear from the organisation are all part of job searching, but there are additional steps an individual can take to stand out from the crowd.

Career development practitioners can assist clients using the following steps to create a strategy for job hunting.

Step 1 - Know what you want. This is the first step towards generating a strategy to figure out what type of job is desired. Clients can ask themselves whether they want full-time work, part-time work, remote work, or perhaps freelance work. Clients could also consider what type of organisation they would like to work for — a non-profit, a large industry player, a small company, or a specific industry. Does the client want to work from 08:00 to 16:00, or would they prefer to work shifts and weekends? This type of thinking helps the client narrow down their search options so applications can be directed to the correct places.

Step 2 - Build your portfolio. Create a portfolio of samples of your work. If you are a recent graduate, include aspects like project involvement and presentations that highlight your contribution to the field. If you are more experienced, you could include pictures, website links, videos and anything else that showcases your work. Your portfolio can appear as a webpage or even a dedicated section in your LinkedIn profile. By doing so, you are using personal branding.

Step 3 - Customise your CV and cover letter. CVs and cover letters must be customised. If you are merely changing the title and company name on a cover letter and sending it off, this is the incorrect approach. These days, many companies use platforms with applicant tracking software to filter out unqualified candidates from qualified ones. It is wise to include keywords that pertain to your field of work. Pay attention to the formatting instructions when completing an online application. Once you reach the interview round, interviewers will look for evidence that you have researched the company and are genuinely interested in the organisation. Substantiate your answers on why they should hire you, and let them know what they will gain from hiring you.

Step 4 - Ask for informational interviews. If you can, ask for an informational interview. This is often easier for graduates, as many companies participate in exhibitions or career fairs. Otherwise, connect with Human Resources staff at the organisation and ask if you could meet with them, or call to find out more about the company and their role. Informational interviews are meant to gather information, not to ask for a job - you are creating a network with industry leaders.

Step 5 - Improve your LinkedIn profile. There are a large number of recruiters on LinkedIn, and prospective employers are likely to view your profile. Start by filling in as many sections of your LinkedIn profile as possible. Use pictures without filters. Make sure your headline and profile summary contain keywords common to your field of work. Add in your employment history and skills.

Once your profile is live, it is necessary to keep updating it and to be an active participant on LinkedIn by sharing updates and articles. You could also comment and interact with others' posts, but be sure to refrain from making insulting or political statements about gender or race, which could reflect poorly on you. Make use of hashtags to help your posts stand out. One way to show interest in your field of work is to share articles related to your industry and consider joining groups of like-minded professionals.

Step 6 - Use the right job boards. A job board is a website where employers advertise their job vacancies to job seekers. Individuals can use job boards to search for new job opportunities in their area and profession. Making use of a job board is a great way of finding out what opportunities exist in your area. Some of the most popular job boards in South Africa are listed above, under Section 7.1. Focused job boards help limit your search and save you time — they are geared towards your industry or a specific type of job. Alternatively, you could look at specialised job boards that deal only with freelance or remote work.

Step 7 - Attend industry events, both face-to-face and virtual. Attending events related to your professional interests is a great way of networking. This is a chance for you to make real connections. The more you engage with industry leaders, the more leads you will receive. If you get the opportunity to meet them personally, take it; if not, be sure to check their website for any virtual conferences or seminar sessions they might be hosting. Join in, and be an active participant.

Job searching using traditional methods

There are two ways to search for a job: the traditional way and the modern way. Let us take a look at the traditional way of job hunting.

Traditional job search skills

Any job search should start with a traditional approach. This refers to those methods which existed before online platforms. This consists of the good old-fashioned way of looking at the newspaper, calling on companies, and physically visiting organisations to determine whether they have vacancies. Some may think that in the modern day, with quicker techniques, these traditional methods might not work. It would depend on the situation and the type of work — many part-time jobs still rely on walk-ins.

Let us explore traditional methods.

Scanning the newspapers. Looking through the newspaper classified section for employment is still a primary method for finding a job. Some companies prefer to advertise their jobs in print for transparency purposes; sometimes other companies may not be tech-savvy and prefer the old-fashioned way. Either way, you have nothing to lose by taking a look.

Employ a strategy when scanning newspapers.

- Scan the paper for things that are most relevant first. Use a pen and circle jobs that speak to your skill set.

- Do not overlook jobs that appear to be below your pay scale — do not waste any opportunity.

- Look at jobs that are above your pay scale too, as you might still land an interview.

- If there is a phone number, call it and build rapport with the company if you can. If they have an email address, you could ask questions and introduce yourself that way.

- Send your CV and cover letter, but remember to conduct additional research.

Cold calling. Nobody enjoys cold calling companies. It does, however, have a few benefits:

- It gives clarity to the application process.

- It might put you first in line if the company has just decided to hire new employees.

- It shows that you are interested and leaves a strong impression on the Human Resources team.

- After the call, if you came across as confident, the Human Resources team might keep you in mind for future applications if they were impressed by your call.

Walk-in visits. These days, many companies are guarded by security, and access to most companies is limited. Walk-ins might not always be possible. In some cases — especially retail stores — it could be easier to chat with the manager to find out when vacancies become available. This is particularly rewarding for students looking for casual work, as they can talk to management and find out what the environment is like. Management might also find the candidate suitable immediately. Do not dismiss an opportunity to walk in and ask.

Suggestions for walk-ins:

- Dress smart-casual to make a good impression.

- Carry copies of your CV and cover letter (this can be condensed to one page if you are looking for part-time work).

- Make sure you know something about the company before walking in.

- There is a good chance you will be interviewed on the spot by management (if they are not too busy), so make sure you adopt a tone of professionalism and enthusiasm, even for casual work.

Increase your network. It is not offensive to ask others whether there are vacancies within their organisation. There is a chance you could be referred to the manager, and you could find yourself in luck if you have the skills they require.

Drop some names. You could send out a letter of interest to companies you would like to work for. It would be impressive if you could mention people who referred you. This is commonly referred to as name dropping.

Modern job search skills

Modern-day job searches are an absolute necessity in a technologically advancing world. When we speak of modern methods, we are talking about the internet and computer-aided search tools. This means that candidates actively looking for work need to be computer literate and need to keep making changes to their computer skills and software knowledge to keep up with the needs and speed of technology.

Job search engines. Job search engines provide a huge collection of postings from around the country, as they source from other job postings. There are many search engines that practitioners can encourage clients to use — each one has its own benefits and drawbacks. It is wise to email the human resources division and follow up on your application. The following job search tools are among the most widely used:

- X (formerly known as Twitter). X can be tricky to use because there is so much content on the platform. If you use the search function to search for your profession or specialisation, you might come across adverts related to it.

- LinkedIn. A LinkedIn account is a necessity. LinkedIn presents your career in a tailored, well-worded format. You can place your CV on LinkedIn, and colleagues can endorse your skills and give letters of recommendation. More and more recruiters are making use of LinkedIn to recruit individuals, making it a popular modern-day tool.

Improve your skill set. If you feel that your job search is unsuccessful because you lack the necessary skills, it might be best to invest in courses that improve your skills. Several websites offer courses, some of them free, that will allow you to learn valuable new skills. Websites include:

1. Coursera

2. Khan Academy

3. Codecademy

4. Mozilla Open Badges

5. Employability.co.za

Conclusion

Clients should be taught how to improve their job-hunting skills. This is a skill that can be applied to just about any search that needs to be conducted. Helping a client improve their skills will make life easier for the client and save them time and resources.