Career Tips & Tools

1. It’s a good idea to have your CV prepared well in advance of seeing any job opportunities, and certainly well ahead of any closing date, so that you are not trying to updated it in a rush. This ensures that the basics will be there to build on, and you can tailor the CV for each specific opportunity without too much additional work.

2. This may seem like common sense, but  do make sure you check it through (better still, get someone else to check it through) for clarity, spelling and grammar. Mistakes will send your CV to the bottom of the pile, if not the rubbish bin.  If English is not your first language, you may like someone to help you with drafting your cover letter and CV but remember to keep the language authentic to who you are.

3. Given that your CV needs to be tailored for each job opportunity, double check it to make sure that you are have the right version for that particular company or organisation – the advert will highlight specific requirements for the position.  See how you can tailor your CV to show that you have that specific skill or type of experience they are looking for. Remember to be honest in your level of experience and what you can and cannot do .

4. Make your CV easy to read and interesting – employers will have many CV's to look at, so don’t make it difficult for them – instead, make it a pleasure; think about the font (and please don’t be tempted to go for a quirky choice), size of type and density of text; avoid colours other than black.

5. Short blocks of text work well, and bullet points are fine provided the list isn’t too long – again, use the ‘pleasure principle’ as your overarching guide.

6. Tables are also OK for small amounts of text, but don’t overdo it.

7. Use the selection criteria where possible to align the skills and experience on your CV with the job description – wherever you can, give examples of how you match the criteria (approach it like marking criteria – how high can you score?).

8. A profile (or personal statement) can work well, but only if you have some relevant points to make. This could be used to demonstrate your enthusiasm and creativity (to compensate for lack of experience perhaps) or to show your passion and commitment – but it is important to avoid clichés and buzzwords.

9. Don’t include a photo – unless it’s a modelling job you’re after.  People have different thoughts on this but if can lead to bias from the person screening the  CV's and they may focus more on what you look like vs your ability or skill to perform the job.

10. Aim for 2 -4 pages of A4 max, and remember you don’t have to detail every qualification and piece of work experience – if you have a degree or higher, the grades you got in Matric are probably not too important.  If, however, you are a recent Matriculant applying for your first job, you may want to include your Matric results plus any of your achievements or leadership positions you filled at school.

11. References at this stage aren’t essential and they will take up too much space – just say ‘references are available on request’.  Recruiters won’t be needing references at the CV filtering stage.  

12. Remember that life experience can be just as relevant as job experience when it comes to many key skills – project management, budgeting, communication skills, for example, can be demonstrated in different ways – so be creative.

13. Don’t forget to highlight professional qualifications and any relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD) – what training have you undergone recently that shows that your skills are up to date? This is particularly important if you have been unemployed for a while and the employer is concerned that you could be out of touch in a fast-moving industry.

14. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and colleagues what they think your strengths are – and if they have any other comments or advice on your CV.

15. Finally, don’t think of your CV as set in stone. If you progress to the next stage, ask for feedback on your CV – what worked, what jumped out, what was irrelevant to the potential employer – and hone your CV accordingly. And do share your experiences with others – blogs and websites are a great community resource; if you give to others, they will give back to you.

Remember, your CV is about bringing you and your experience to life, so give examples wherever possible, to help the potential employer quickly build a picture of you.

If you don't have a CV yet, there are a range of free downloadable templates available on MS Word. Canva also has some great creative options.

Research the company/school thoroughly: their website, recent articles on the company, their products, size of the company, department size, financial results, international connections, to which group or holding company they belong to, their market share, culture, mission statement and values.

1. Familiarise yourself with the job description and details of the position including responsibilities, reporting lines and key performance areas. Ensure that you prepare pertinent business questions.

2. Double check the date, time and location of the interview and be familiar with the name and title of the interviewer. Plan to arrive 10 – 15 minutes before the scheduled time.

3. Familiarise yourself with the journey to the location, to ensure you arrive in plenty of time. Anticipate delays, especially on unknown routes. Contact your interviewer swiftly if you are unavoidably delayed on the day. 

4. Remember that you start making an impression on your prospective employer the moment you arrive at Reception. Be courteous to the Receptionist and to any other staff you may meet prior to your interview. Their opinion of you is often sought and may even have some influence on the final selection.

5. First impressions last, so make it your best. Most employers believe that people who look as if they care about themselves are more likely to care about their job. Your goal should be to come across in the best possible light – professional in the way you dress, in your gestures, facial expressions and in your communication.

Think about the possible questions you’ll be asked and how you want to answer them. Format your own questions, making sure they are relevant. Practise, practise, practise!  Read through the advert to remind yourself of the  requirements of the position so that you can prepare examples of situations where you displayed specific skills (eg: project management).  Be totally familiar with your CV and prepared for questions that could arise from it. Say, for example, you’ve mentioned on your CV that you led a team in a previous job, the panel may want to know more about this.

Chapter  II o f the Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998  provided guidelines on prohibition of unfair discrimination .  The act states that: 

"No person may unfairly discriminate, directly or indirectly, against an employee in any employment policy or practice, on one or more grounds including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, family responsibility, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, HIV status, conscience, belief, political opinion, culture, language, birth or on any other arbitrary ground" 

This is the most important  guideline as to what can and cannot be asked in an interview to prevent any form of discrimination against a possible candidate.  The key focus is on your skills and experience and fit to the organisation and not whether or not you are a single parent, rely or public transport or live 30km away from your place of work.  There are times where there is an inherent requirement of the job that can allow for fair discrimination, e.g: a pilot cannot be colour blind,  some jobs may require you to speak a specific language in order to communicate effectively with customers.

You will probably be asked what attracted you specifically to the position you applied for and also the school or company.  The interview panel want to get a sense of if you will be a good fit for their organisation and show an affiliation for their brand and what they stand for.  There are times when you may go for an interview for what you think is a perfect job but the "vibe" you get during the interview or from observing people in the Reception area while waiting for your interview may make you think twice about whether that company or school is the right fit for you.  Go with you gut!  You spend more time at work than with your family so it is important to feel that it is an environment you would like to work in.

A word of advice from an HR person, don't ask about salary and benefits in the first interview.  Rather wait to the second round if you are shortlisted.  Also be honest about what you currently earn and the benefits you enjoy.  There are ways to confirm these details and honesty is an important value to have.