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Why honesty on your CV is the best policy…
You’ve seen the advert on Job Mail. It’s the job you’ve always dreamed of having and you believe you are the right person for it. It’s in your grasp… So what if you tell a little “white” lie or hide some of the facts on your CV to increase your chances of getting the job? Who would know?
Stop, and consider for a moment what the consequences of being less than honest on your CV could be…
With a job-shortage, fierce competition in the workplace and high career-goals it can be so tempting to “fiddle” with your CV to make sure you get the job you desire.
But heed this advice today and spare yourself some trouble… Be honest on your CV!
Being less than forthcoming or exaggerating the facts on your CV can have a damaging effect on your reputation and career.
If caught, it can mean that you won’t get the job you desire, or if you get employed under false impressions, you could end up being exposed and fired from your job…
When compiling your CV, make sure that you are honest about the qualifications and experience you have. This does not mean you cannot tailor your CV to highlight the skills and qualifications you have that match the job you are applying for. Although, still ensure that all information you provide is true and correct and can be verified by a potential employer.
You might have some past misdemeanours, such as a criminal offense or being fired from a previous job that could reflect negatively on you as a potential employee. However, resist the temptation to omit this information from your CV or at the interview. An employer is more likely to be forgiving and consider giving you a “clean break” if they see you are honest and own up to your mistakes right from the get-go, than keeping you around if they catch you out at a later stage…
So go and have look at your CV, and if necessary make some adjustments so that it is a true reflection of you as a job seeker and your capabilities. By doing this you will avoid putting yourself in an awkward situation in the future and ensure that you work your way up the corporate ladder the honest and most rewarding way…
Small Business Series: Starting your first Website
In our competitive environment starting a small business may seem like a very daunting and brave onset. However, many people have conquered this and other seemingly impossible mountains and have been able to look back knowing all the hard work was worth the success.
Did you know that 80% of most Internet companies around the world started in either a garage or a dorm room? All these entrepreneurs were equipped with was a laptop and one big idea. So stop daydreaming and start achieving your small business success story today!
How you ask? Well, that is why we are here, to give you the step-by-step guide on how to get your small business online. We are going to help turn your big idea into an online marketing platform that works while you sleep.
So what is the very first thing you need as a small business started? You will need many things to get your small business up and running but let us start by setting you up with your very own website, so that you can get the ball rolling and take those first steps up the mountain.
Not many small business owners know that they can have a great looking website without paying huge amounts of money. Before you can build your own website, there are some basic things that you need to know.
Get ready to put your business planning into practice with the below easy to use website set-up guide:
1) Define Your Website Name
Your website name is very important. It will not only be your URL (that is the address you type into the top bar when going to a website), but it must convey what your business is and what it is you do. So choose wisely. Take your time with this one. For example if you sell bicycles, do not choose a name such as “CoolColours”, the user will have no idea what your business it about. Rather choose a name such as “cycleworld” or “sa-bikes”. Remember it must also be easy to read for users in the URL.
2) Check Your Domain Name
It is important to check if your Domain name (your URL) has not been taken by another company. One way of doing this, is by visiting the Hetzner.co.za to check that your domain name is still open and that you can use this URL for your business. Once you are on Hetzner’s home page, click on domain search tab. Change the tab to .co.za and type in your company name. Hetzner will tell you if your domain name is available. If your domain name is not available, Hetzner will give you suggested options on a new name. If Hetzner does not give you any options you will have to look at changing your name. This is why your business and website name is so important.
3) Finding a Hosting Company
Ok. So what the heck is hosting? Hosting is basically money that you pay each month to a company that “stores” your website for you. You need this in order to have a working website. Finding a good hosting company can be tricky. One way of doing this, is to host it with the person that designed your website. You can however, find your own hosting company, and luckily hosting is not too expensive.
It is important that you know from which country your hosting company comes from. Many companies are based in Germany and other foreign countries. If your website goes down for any reason, you need to know that you have their number at hand so that you can contact them to rectify the problem. If they do not have a landline find out if there is another way that you can be in immediate contact, such as via Skype, that way you can solve any emergencies instantly.
Here are the top five hosting companies based on market share:
a) Hetzner
b) WebAfrica
c) Afrihost
d) MWeb
From personal experience, Internet Solutions, are also an good local option to look at. For more hosting companies please click on this link http://randolf.jorberg.com/web-hosting-south-africa/ and find the hosting company that suits your budget.
So that’s all folks….for now… next time we will be teaching you how to build your website.
Article written by Esta Pretorius
6 Tips to attract top-tiered candidates
Finding that perfect candidate is like looking for gold in the Orange river. After many months of searching you are bound to find that treasured applicant. We at Job Mail know that you are looking for the best there is. With your needs in mind, we have a couple easy ways for you to attract the best employees in the South African job market.
The art of hiring is the ability to be a good match maker. You have to make sure that your job advert inspires the ideal job seeker to apply. Your job advert is the magnet that attracts the best job seekers to you. Once you have piqued their interest with your great job offer there are a couple things you can do to make sure they don’t drop off your radar.
Let us get down to business and go through some of the ways that you can use to attract the right job seekers to you.
It is time to turn strong candidates into applicants using the below steps:
Give Salary Information: A little transparency can go a long way. Most candidates are capable of self-screening based on salary. Providing the salary range upfront gives applicants a sense if a job is the right fit, and can motivate a passive candidate to take the time to applying, knowing that the job fits their requirements.
Give candidates ALL the requirements: Once you have placed your advert on Job Mail make sure that you specify what you are looking for from the word go. If you need a candidate that requires management skills, it is always a good idea to stipulate how many years of industry experience is required. Once a potential candidate realises they can’t meet your experience expectations, you should find that applicants that can meet your needs will apply for the job. It is also a good idea for you to tell the candidates your preferred mode of communication. If you state that you prefer email communication in the job advert this will assist you to screen and filter all the applications that you receive. Most job seekers understand that email is the best way to contact recruiters and employers. So make sure that your advert has the Hiring Manager or Recruiters email address on it.
Keep Your Job Mail Ads Fresh:How long has the job been open for? In the new economy, the mind-set among candidates is that there are a lot of qualified workers available, and jobs go fast. In cases where your job post has been vacant for a couple months it may be time for you to spruce up your advert to attract new qualified candidates. If your first advert didn’t grab the type of candidate you had expected, it is most definitely time for you to go back to the drawing board. Work out what your ideal organisational match is and make sure your job advert highlights what type of employee you are looking for.
Make it Easy:It may be convenient to have every single stat on every candidate, but to a passive candidate who isn’t really looking in the first place, a lengthy application process can be an immediate turn-off. Get the basics, but avoid asking for the nitty-gritty, like health status and family life. Save this investigation for round two.
Use the Skills Search to find your match:While you are likely to get a couple hundred CV’s from eager applicants it is always a good idea for you to set aside time to searching on Job Mail for your perfect candidate. Simply log-in to your employer account and do a search for the skill or qualification that you are looking for. The more advanced your search is, the better chance you have or narrowing down the right candidate.
Look to see if the candidate is on Linkedin for final screening:When you receive a CV you will be able to see if that candidate has a Linkedin profile on the new Job Mail CV. If so, it is definitely worth looking how active they are in trying to find a job, what industry related articles they are reading and what they are pushing out to their connections. You can work out from a couple minutes on their profile if they are serious about building their online brand. If you are looking for a manager that is the perfect brand ambassador for your business this little bit of profile research is a must.
We hope these helpful hints have helped you to think about how you are going to write your next Job Mail Ads to attract the right top-tiered candidates to your workforce.
When you need to hire in a hurry make sure that you choose Job Mail to find those top-tiered employees.
Didn’t Get Into University, Now What?
Whether it’s for financial or academic reasons, don’t worry, all is not lost… It is just a bit of a setback, but you still have a bright future ahead of you… What’s important now is that you don’t let this get you down, but rather be proactive and grab every possible opportunity to prepare yourself for the career you desire…
Here are a few steps you can take that will steer you in the right direction and towards your dream job:
1. What’s the vision?
Have a good talk with yourself… What is your dream? What do you see yourself doing in 5, 10, 20 years time? Write this down, and start believing it’s possible to achieve this dream
2. What will it take?
Determine what it will take to make your dream a reality. Do a bit of research about the specific job you aspire to have, and if possible interview someone who is already doing that job. Also ask yourself some important questions like:
- What will I need to study and for how long?
- What matric results do I need to get into university and study this course?
- Where will I need to study?
- What will it cost? How can I get my hands on financing for my studies?
- What kind of experience does the job I want require?
- What lifestyle changes or sacrifices will I need to make to make my dream a reality?
3. Take Action!
From the research you’ve conducted and questions you’ve asked, set yourself clear-cut goals with deadlines. Remember, if you set your mind to it, anything is possible, but still be realistic when setting these goals. Most successful individuals didn’t realise their dreams overnight, but with hard work, dedication, a good attitude and PATIENCE, got to where they are today…
These are some examples of goals you can set for yourself:
Academic:
Get better matric results to be accepted into the university and course you desire. You can do this by correspondence through institutions like Damelin, Intec College etc. which will allow you to still work while you are studying. Make sure you work hard in the subjects that are required to be accepted into the specific course you want to later study.
Do short practical training courses that will be relevant to your future career, and will already give you some practical experience and make you employable. For example, if it is your dream to become a Chartered Accountant one day, you can do short courses in basic Bookkeeping, Pastel, Payroll and Monthly SARS Returns through a training institution like CollegeSA. These short courses will look great on your CV and will strengthen your University application later. It might also land you a great junior job in the field of accounting to build your experience…
Re-apply to the University and the course of your choice in the new academic year, or as soon as you are sure that your matric results meet the entrance criteria. Universities generally have limited available space for students in specific courses, so apply as soon as possible and long before the closing deadline to increase your chances of being accepted.
Financial:
If you were unable to go to university due to financial reasons, apply for student financing once you’ve been accepted into university. There are various routes you can take here. You can apply for:
a) University financial aid – Bursaries or grants offered by the university you’ve applied to
b) National financial aid – A National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) study loan, funded by the Department of Education, to academically able but financially needy students. These loans can be converted into bursaries.
c) An external bursary – A lot of companies offer financing to promising students, with certain “pay-back” terms attached to it. For more information, visit the websites of companies that will likely employ someone who has the qualification you want to study towards.
d) A student loan – Most South African banks, as well as registered credit providers like Edu-loan and LoanFinder SA offer study loans.
Positioning yourself:
Start preparing yourself ready for the job you want by getting as much relevant work experience as possible. A lot of organisations offer work-experience programs for specific career paths, or apply for an entry level, junior role. Also explore becoming an entrepreneur and make some money that you can put towards your studies. All of this experience will look great on your CV and bring you even closer to your dream job. You can keep track of how much experience you are accumulating by creating your own Job Mail Online CV…
So with these steps, we’ve hopefully inspired and given you a nudge in the right direction… Now go grab a pen and paper, have a little “meeting” with yourself and start planning your future. You’ve got what it takes to make your dream a reality! The ball is now in your court…
What is your unique value proposition?
All of us have that one thing that separates us from the crowd. You know what we are talking about, that one skill or unique characteristic that makes you valuable. Come on, you know, that undeniably awe-inspiring trait that makes the people around you jealous. This distinctive force that defines you is what we like to call your Unique Value Proposition.
To beat your competition, you must outshine them in your CV. To do this, you need to present the value that you can offer your future boss – this is your Unique Value Proposition. Every business has a unique value proposition. It is that one service or product that their competitors don’t have that gives them the edge. So what is it that gives you the edge?
Think of yourself like a brand and market yourself in the same way. Your Value Proposition is your personal career ‘brand’ that you need to sell to prospective employers. Using this analogy, you are the ‘product’ and your potential employer is the ‘target market.’Your message must compel the target market to purchase the product. If you define your Value Proposition properly you should not have any problem successfully selling your product.
As a brand leader, you have a unique blend of credentials, skills, expertise, and accomplishments to offer a potential employer. Determine which distinct features you have that your competitors do not have. By providing your prospective employer with a clear idea of your distinguishing value, you take the competition out of the equation.
Now that you have an idea of what your Unique Value Proposition is, it is time for you to define it better to reach your job hiring success. Read the below steps and work out how to:
(1) Discover Your Hook: What is special about you? What skills and accomplishments set you apart from every other person in your industry? It’s not easy to determine what makes you special and unique, but it’s important to think about it if you’re going to market yourself. Think about your job. What do you accomplish better than anyone else?
If you don’t know what makes you stand out from the crowd, it will be difficult to convince anyone else why they should hire you.
(2) Research Your Target Audience: Once you begin to focus on what makes you special and unique, don’t forget to consider how you fit into your target employer.You will find out the employer’s needs via research, informational meetings and networking. Don’t forget to investigate industry conferences. Many post their speaker programs online, so even if it is not feasible for you to attend, it’s easy to learn your field’s major pain points. This will also help you to work out which of your skills would help in providing solutions and ultimately assist in bringing more money into the business.
If you are not prepared, it is like walking into an exam without the right knowledge. If you put in the hard work soon you will see the rewards!
(3) Deliver on your target audience’s needs: Think about it… if someone approaches you and starts talking about themselves and what they want, how closely do you listen? Statistics demonstrate that people don’t typically have very long attention span to listen to other people talk. It is important for you to work out what your company needs and show they how you will help them focuses on their needs.
If the company you want to work for requires a chef and you know you would be the perfect foodie for their gourmet kitchen. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your greatness by personally arriving with your delicious masterpieces to show off your skills and meet their culinary needs. It is all about being smart about how you deliver on your target’s needs.
(4) Identify your unique value proposition and make sure it’s not all about YOU! Big brands like Disney decide what they offer before they create and place their advertisements.When they want to advertise Disney World, they appeal to families and parents’ need for an affordable, yet magical vacation. Their brand is all about magic and family fun. Their television ads appear on shows with a high viewership of people Disney targets. If Disney didn’t consider what they offered, they would not be able to target their marketing. By defining themselves and what problem they solve, they can offer a hook (an affordable family vacation).
If you translate yourself as a business and market your brand to the right audience you should have many target employers interested in ‘Brand You’ because you are able to define and solve their current problems.
Now that you know the importance of defining your Unique Value Proposition, we hope that you already set aside a couple hours to write down your important skills and determine which of these skills are most needed by your target employer. Add your skills and Unique Value Proposition to Job Mail CV now!
While you are improving ‘Brand You’ it also makes sense to revise your career goals statement to a well-constructed mission statement to attract target employers to what you have to offer.
In the next upcoming weeks we plan to give you more useful tips on how to market ‘Brand You’ better. So make sure you read the Job Mail Blog regularly and be informed.
Don’t forget to read these other related helpful job hunting tips:
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