The importance of the cover letter
|
16 Mar 2009 |
|
That tired old saying ‘first impressions last’ has never been more accurate than when it is applied to the use of a cover letter when applying for a position. In this day and age – given the fact that most communications happen over the internet via e-mail – lots of job seekers tend to think that the cover letter has become redundant. |
|
|
The new way to play office politics – everybody wins
|
10 Dec 2008 |
|
It’s all fine and dandy to say that you are above office politics; that you prefer to keep your head down and your hands clean. But what happens when that dream job opens up in the firm, and you learn about it too late, because you didn’t have an ear on the ground? |
|
|
Power up your use of language
|
02 Dec 2008 |
|
Does it sometimes feel like you never get the chance to say your piece at work? Are you constantly being interrupted? Do you find that people tend to nod off or look bored when it’s your turn to report back, or to present your findings? |
|
|
The do’s and don’ts of e-mail etiquette
|
05 Nov 2008 |
|
These days, it’s hard to remember how the workplace operated before the introduction of e-mail. Interestingly, many people aren’t so sure about the rules that govern the use of e-mail in the workplace. |
|
|
Present like a Pro
|
03 Sep 2008 |
|
So, you’ve got an important presentation coming up, and your hands are already sweating? We’ve taken a look at some of the tricks of the trade to give you a hand in learning how to knock them dead with your powerful presenting skills. |
|
|
Personal branding – the new competitive edge for job seekers
|
27 Aug 2008 |
|
“What . . . makes one job-seeker much more sought after than others? The answer is marketing, but more specifically it is the power of branding. And branding isn’t just for products anymore.” – Dr. Randall S. Hansen, founder of Quintessential Careers. |
|
|
Common CV mistakes
|
01 Jul 2008 |
Most people think that they have got CV-writing down to an art form, and yet research has shown that the same mistakes crop up again and again.
So, before you send in your CV for that dream job, take a look at the following to ensure that you avoid some of these popular CV blunders. |
|
|
Use constructive criticism to your advantage
|
19 Mar 2008 |
Being criticised is never easy. Most of us automatically turn our backs on someone who criticises what we do. There is, however, one kind of criticism in the workplace that you should not ignore, but rather take into strong consideration – constructive critique.
|
|
|
How to improve your interview IQ
|
17 Sep 2008 |
|
Let’s be honest: most of us have sat through a job interview that did not proceed as smoothly as we would have liked. With this in mind, we’ve taken a look at a few do’s and don’ts that you may not have thought of before. |
|
|
R.E.S.P.E.C.T…
|
06 Nov 2007 |
|
…should mean a lot to you, because it can make or break your career. Here's how to gain respect in the workplace. |
|
|
The concept of career pathing
|
25 Sep 2007 |
|
Career pathing is one of the many ways by which a company can utilise the pratice of succession planning. Simplified, it can be defined as a visual map of the advancement possibilities for the employees of a company. |
|
|
Go Sell – Yourself!
|
17 Sep 2007 |
|
I often receive phone calls or e-mails saying: “I’m looking for a job”. The implication normally is: “Can you get me a job?” And then I have to explain: “No, unfortunately I cannot get you a job; as a career advisor I can only give you advice on how you should go about finding the right job for you.” |
|
|
Coming up trumps
|
28 May 2007 |
|
Is someone else trying to climb your career ladder? Here's how to use your competition to your advantage. |
|
|
|
|
|
How to use your persuasive skills to negotiate a better salary
|
27 Mar 2007 |
It’s that time of year again – managers will soon start to schedule performance reviews, which will form the basis from which to determine salary increases.
In the modern workplace, this should no longer be a one-way discussion, with the employer telling the employee what he does right or wrong, and how this will affect his raise. In contrast, the employee should view it as an opportunity to persuade the employer that he is a valuable asset to the company, and argue for a good increase. |
|
|
Boardroom basics
|
19 Feb 2007 |
|
The boardroom can be one of the scariest places for a new employee. Here's how to assert yourself and get what you want from those long meetings. |
|
|
The Top Ten Questions to Ask Yourself about Your Communication
|
24 Jan 2007 |
|
It's fascinating that the activity which occupies approximately 70% of our waking hours is what we have difficulty with most. The fact is, most of us were never taught how to communicate in a way that produces desired results, so we continue to experience frustration, resistance, conflicts, or breakdowns. Take a look at some of the obstacles that may prevent you from reaching certain objectives during the communication process. |
|
|
Reading between the lines – deciphering body language
|
22 Jan 2007 |
We’ve all heard of the term body language, but seldom pause to think of how a basic knowledge of non-verbal communication can aid us in translating unspoken messages in the workplace.
Studies have shown that, when faced with a choice between the verbal and non-verbal parts of a message, the receiver will choose to interpret the non-verbal aspects of the message. |
|
|
Job interview? Do a SWOT analysis
|
27 Nov 2006 |
Yes, you did it – you managed to secure an interview for the job of your dreams. But now you can’t just sit back, relax and hope for the best. You must do as much preparation as possible in the limited time available.
Apart from formulating possible questions and answers, and doing thorough research on the company that is offering the position, you need to get to know yourself better – and fast. You don’t want them to bowl you over with their questions, right? |
|
|
Building your own Brand
|
20 Nov 2006 |
Organisations need skills, expertise, knowledge, wisdom to be effective and competitive.
These are the things that they go out of their way to hire. And they want the very best of these that they can afford.
But they want more! |
|
|
Change is here to stay
|
17 Nov 2006 |
Managers need to communicate effectively
Change, change, change. There seems to be so many change programmes, change initiatives, strategic transformations, rightsizings, administrative reforms, reengineerings and reorganisations these days. You would be forgiven for thinking this was done to death and that there is no way of coping anymore. |
|
|
Enhancing the knowledge - key to temporary monopoly
|
23 Nov 2006 |
One of the key objectives in any field of human endeavour is to create a temporary monopoly: A moment in history where you, or your team, are the champion, the best, the standard, the benchmark. Even if it is a teeny weenie success. For a moment you actualise our talents and you feel good about yourself. Your self-esteem improves, your self-confidence grows and you set your sights a little higher.
|
|
|
Do counter-offers really sweeten the deal?
|
23 Oct 2006 |
|
Over the years, Sue had felt more and more unhappy at work. It was possible for her employer to improve things by spreading the workload and increasing her salary. She had discussed this with her on several occasions, without any success. |
|
|
Office Romance
|
17 Oct 2006 |
Work + pleasure = a good mix?
You've been eyeing him since your first day at work. He is super-cute: the way he dresses, how he asserts himself in meetings, even the way he tilts his head when he laughs or concentrates while working. You think of every possible excuse to talk to him or to email him. When he gets up to make coffee, you even suddenly develop an irresistible craving for caffeine. |
|
|
How to assert yourself in the boardroom
|
26 Sep 2006 |
|
Ever felt that you have a really worthwhile contribution to make at a meeting, but remain silent and let the chance go by? Or do you find that time and again, you find yourself being overpowered by others and thus back down, even when you feel really strongly about a certain issue? It might be time to learn tips on how to assert yourself in the boardroom. |
|
|
Salary Negotiation Skills
|
25 Aug 2006 |
Asking for and getting the salary you want
Knowing what you're worth in the marketplace is key to effective salary negotiation. There are a couple of factors that determine your worth in the marketplace. These factors mainly centre on your particular skills set, its weight in the marketplace, your desire to work at the particular company or in the position you’re being interviewed for. So how do you determine your weight in gold? |
|
|
Grievance Procedure - The cost of complaining
|
25 Aug 2006 |
Bullied by your boss? A victim of discrimination? Fed up with your dismal work conditions? Or harassed by a sexually charged colleague?
You have every right to be unhappy – and to complain about it.
But before you react too quickly, take note of the fact that starting a grievance procedure is very much a double-edged sword. It can have both pros and cons. |
|
|
Technicians Enticed with Money
|
06 Jun 2006 |
The salaries in technical occupations must be adjusted by at least 20% in order to entice more young people to these occupations.
Mr. Flip Buys, acting Head of Solidarity, says that the terrible salaries in these occupations contribute to the skills crises in SA. |
|
|
How to Market Your Skills
|
05 May 2006 |
Your curriculum vitae (CV) is your marketing tool in the employment market, your passport, your introduction. As such, it needs to impress.
When trying to sell your CV to a prospective employer, the right covering letter accompanying it can be instrumental in the company’s decision to invite you for an interview or not, says Ms Estelle Zawatsky, a specialist in the creation of such documents. “Your CV is a static document, whilst the covering letter gives you the space to maneuver and to highlight that which you think will be of specific interest to the employer you are applying to.”
|
|
|
Setting Yourself Up for Success in the Interview Process
|
05 Apr 2006 |
|
Most people are familiar with the traditional interviewing advice and tips - make eye contact, arrive on time, give a firm handshake, etc. These cardinal rules of interviewing pervade job search information. While this advice is crucial, it is important to ask, is it really enough to get you a job in the current climate? Does arriving 10 minutes early really make you feel as though you have aced the interview? Does following these rules really set you apart from the rest of the candidates? Do they lower your overall anxiety and make you feel calm and confident? No, no, and no? Then, what are you to do? |
|
|
Salary Negotiation Skills
|
04 Jan 2006 |
|
Knowing what you're worth in the marketplace is key to effective salary negotiation. There are a couple of factors that determine your worth in the marketplace. These factors mainly centre on your particular skills set, its weight in the marketplace, your desire to work at the particular company or in the position you’re being interviewed for. So how do you determine your weight in gold? |
|
|
Career Management as Personal Marketing and Business Development
|
09 Nov 2005 |
|
What's the best overall career advice I can give you? You need to think like a marketing person. Whether we are working as design engineers, group leaders, functional managers, project managers, or consultants, we are the product or service someone else is employing. Given the rise of outsourcing of work to consultants and contractors and the increasingly-acceptable mobility of engineers from company to company, we have to understand what our customers and "users" are looking for, make sure we can deliver, and make sure we even get a chance at the opportunity. Are you the most desirable person to hire? What attitudes and skills will make you the most "sellable" and ultimately successful throughout your career? How do you make sure you have access to all the available opportunities? |
|
|
Marketing Yourself
|
03 Jan 2007 |
|
The whole concept of a job for life that defined our parents and grandparents' time in the work force for has changed dramatically. Typically, time spent in a job is getting shorter and shorter, an increasing number of companies are contracting employees or outsourcing certain tasks, and more and more of people define themselves as 'self-employed'. |
|
|
Creating a Professional CV
|
30 Jun 2005 |
|
The Internet literally abounds with tips for creating the perfect CV, many of them contradictory. So Careers24 approached professional South African human resource specialists - the people responsible for reading CVs in large organisations, and asked them for their top tips for creating a professional CV.
This is what they had to say: |
|
|
|
