Education for your career

Career planning should begin once you enter high school. Here are things to do each year as you progress through high school and further studies.

• Extensive reading about potential careers is vital. You will discover details about careers that you were not aware of. It's important to collect vital information such as career descriptions, career outlooks, employment statistics, educational requirements, and potential earnings.

 

• Interviewing people in the field is a great way to learn about the various aspects of a career. Doing this may also provide good networking opportunities. Informational interviews often change a person's perspective about an occupation. You can also contact relevant professional associations and societies and visit appropriate social and professional networking sites online.

 

• Internships provide excellent opportunities for acquiring a realistic, clear picture about the daily duties and job satisfaction in a particular occupation. Also, internships provide valuable networking opportunities that may lead to a job. Companies often hire interns that perform well. Volunteering also provides many of the advantages of an internship.

 

• Find a mentor. Many colleges and employers have a formal mentoring program. It's a great way to learn about a career, and a mentor can provide valuable networking opportunities.

 

• Many academic institutes have career centers that provide free individual and group career counseling. Career counselors can provide assistance with the self-evaluation process, career selection process, and the job search process.

 

• Explore the advancement opportunities of each potential occupation. Does advancement require additional education? Will additional education and certification provide you with a significant advantage over the competition? Are supervisory and management opportunities available?

Also visit www.career-advice.co.za for more information.

Finding a job

There are many ways to look for a job, especially now that there is the added advantage of connecting to employers on-line. Here are ways to find a job that suits you.

• Go to career fairs. Attending career fairs is a great investment of time and effort during the job search because you can directly approach a great number of employers in a day. You can send out resumes to hiring staff, instead of having to complete applications one by one. Hiring managers also attend these fairs, so you could personally meet the one responsible for hiring you. If you still live close to your alma mater, you may be able to go to career fairs sponsored by your academic institute. Contact their career centre and they may be able to help locate jobs for both current students and graduates.

 

 

 

• Research employment websites on-line. More and more employers are posting employment opportunities on-line, so be sure to visit sites like www.careerjunction.co.za and www.pnet.co.za to find a job. If you already have a company in mind, most companies provide on-line job applications or contact information on their websites.

 

• Believe in the power of networking. Tell your friends and family that you are looking for a job. They may know of some openings at their workplaces, or can partner you with someone they know who is looking to hire an employee with your skills.

 

• Own your own domain name and create a Web page to showcase your work. Keep updated profiles on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com), LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com) and other social networking sites. Monitor your online presence so potential employers won't find anything derogatory about you.

Utilise your resources. Be resourceful during the job search. The Internet makes it easier to contact employers, but you also have other resources such as newspapers and magazines. Look for jobs the traditional way, perusing classified ads printed in the newspapers. There are career magazines that post ads from employers looking to hire. Look for opportunities everywhere.