9 tips to help you prepare for the workplace | news24

9 tips to help you prepare for the workplace | news24

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Your career choice should match your aims as well as your aspirations. People Images/Getty Images As the class of 2020 prepares to enter the workplace during a time like no other, it is important to be prepared. Finding the right career, the perfect job and crafting your CV to fit the job you're applying for are all equally important. Recruiters and employers also expect you to be prepared and know these things therefore it's important, more so if you want to make a good impression. READ MORE |5 common scams to look out for when job hunting We've compiled a list of 9 articles that you can refer to as you get ‘work-ready' and prepare to enter the workplace. FINDING THE PERFECT CAREER FOR YOU Struggling to find your dream job? You're not alone. It's a tough decision - and most people battle with the question of what they really want to do. If you're lucky, you might have a passion - but finding the right job is not just about doing what you love, it's also about finding the right fit for you. And that means finding out more about you - digging deep to ensure you know yourself even better than you think you do. READ |Need to find the perfect career? This is where you need to start FINDING THE RIGHT JOB You recently worked out your strengths and weakness and what skills you do and don't have. But you're still not absolutely sure if you're travelling in the right direction - that dream job is not yet crystal clear. There are two more things you can consider to help guide you towards the right career for you - your motivation and yours goals. READ |4 ways to figure out the perfect job for you BOOSTING YOUR CHANCES AT GETTING HIRED The outlook is not sunny - the economy is struggling, businesses are closing and people are losing their jobs. But instead of allowing anxiety to gnaw at your gut, try to shift your perspective. See job loss as an opportunity - to give your career a shot in the arm, to grow as a person, and to create a more fulfilling life for yourself. It's not as scary as it sounds. READ | Here's how to boost your chances of getting and keeping a job CRAFTING YOUR CV You have heard about a job that might just be perfect for you. Maybe you spotted the ad or someone from your network forwarded it to you. The next hurdle is how to sell yourself to the employer so they sit up and notice you. A tip-top CV is crucial ammunition when you're job hunting. It's not easy condensing your work experience into a page or three - yes it needs to be that concise - but it's worth spending the time to get it right. We ask the experts how it should be done. READ |We look at how to craft the best possible CV to help you stand out in the crowd when applying for a job IMPROVING COMMUNICATION SKILLS Communication is not only about relaying your message, it's also about actively listening to what the other person is saying. Active listening is not easy - it means really paying attention to the person, not multitasking or mentally preparing your response to what you think they are saying. Ask questions and get clarification so they know you are present and trying to understand their concerns correctly. READ | Talk the talk - tips to up your communication game INTERVIEW DO'S AND DON'TS Having the most impressive CV and cover letter is good enough to land you an interview. But the job will only be yours if you perform well during the interview. Most people mess things up in the interview. Even the most seasoned professionals can get flustered and spoil their chances by small mistakes they could have avoided. If you have been worried about not getting call backs after your interviews, you might be doing a couple of things wrong. READ |What you're doing wrong in an interview READ |10 tips to boost confidence before a job interview IMPROVING YOUR CURRENT SKILLS Upskilling - it's a word you'll hear as often as "loadshedding" or "corruption", and it's just as important. Both individuals and businesses need to be focussing on constant education or life-long learning. There's a subtle difference between three linked terms - skill, reskill and upskill. When we talk about skills, we are referring to the attitudes and practical knowledge we need to do our job. READ |Need a work promotion? Upskilling could be how you finally get it BUILDING A FOUNDATION THROUGH NETWORKING You've been doing your best filling out applications and sending CVs, but you're getting you nowhere. So, what's the problem? You might be missing one crucial stage in the job search - networking. So, what is networking? READ |Networking: Why who you know can be more important than what you know FOR CAREER GUIDANCE DRUM Careers wants to assist you with your job concerns and to celebrate your professional successes. This means we rely on you to guide us with what you want to read. Please send us your comments, questions, and suggestions - see contact details on our "Back Page". TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE | Drum's careers newsletter is here to help you with all your career needs

Your career choice should match your aims as well as your aspirations. People Images/Getty Images As the class of 2020 prepares to enter the workplace during a time like no other, it is


important to be prepared. Finding the right career, the perfect job and crafting your CV to fit the job you're applying for are all equally important. Recruiters and employers also


expect you to be prepared and know these things therefore it's important, more so if you want to make a good impression. READ MORE |5 common scams to look out for when job hunting


We've compiled a list of 9 articles that you can refer to as you get ‘work-ready' and prepare to enter the workplace. FINDING THE PERFECT CAREER FOR YOU Struggling to find your


dream job? You're not alone. It's a tough decision - and most people battle with the question of what they really want to do. If you're lucky, you might have a passion - but


finding the right job is not just about doing what you love, it's also about finding the right fit for you. And that means finding out more about you - digging deep to ensure you know


yourself even better than you think you do. READ |Need to find the perfect career? This is where you need to start FINDING THE RIGHT JOB You recently worked out your strengths and weakness


and what skills you do and don't have. But you're still not absolutely sure if you're travelling in the right direction - that dream job is not yet crystal clear. There are


two more things you can consider to help guide you towards the right career for you - your motivation and yours goals. READ |4 ways to figure out the perfect job for you BOOSTING YOUR


CHANCES AT GETTING HIRED The outlook is not sunny - the economy is struggling, businesses are closing and people are losing their jobs. But instead of allowing anxiety to gnaw at your gut,


try to shift your perspective. See job loss as an opportunity - to give your career a shot in the arm, to grow as a person, and to create a more fulfilling life for yourself. It's not


as scary as it sounds. READ | Here's how to boost your chances of getting and keeping a job CRAFTING YOUR CV You have heard about a job that might just be perfect for you. Maybe you


spotted the ad or someone from your network forwarded it to you. The next hurdle is how to sell yourself to the employer so they sit up and notice you. A tip-top CV is crucial ammunition


when you're job hunting. It's not easy condensing your work experience into a page or three - yes it needs to be that concise - but it's worth spending the time to get it


right. We ask the experts how it should be done. READ |We look at how to craft the best possible CV to help you stand out in the crowd when applying for a job IMPROVING COMMUNICATION SKILLS


Communication is not only about relaying your message, it's also about actively listening to what the other person is saying. Active listening is not easy - it means really paying


attention to the person, not multitasking or mentally preparing your response to what you think they are saying. Ask questions and get clarification so they know you are present and trying


to understand their concerns correctly. READ | Talk the talk - tips to up your communication game INTERVIEW DO'S AND DON'TS Having the most impressive CV and cover letter is good


enough to land you an interview. But the job will only be yours if you perform well during the interview. Most people mess things up in the interview. Even the most seasoned professionals


can get flustered and spoil their chances by small mistakes they could have avoided. If you have been worried about not getting call backs after your interviews, you might be doing a couple


of things wrong. READ |What you're doing wrong in an interview READ |10 tips to boost confidence before a job interview IMPROVING YOUR CURRENT SKILLS Upskilling - it's a word


you'll hear as often as "loadshedding" or "corruption", and it's just as important. Both individuals and businesses need to be focussing on constant education


or life-long learning. There's a subtle difference between three linked terms - skill, reskill and upskill. When we talk about skills, we are referring to the attitudes and practical


knowledge we need to do our job. READ |Need a work promotion? Upskilling could be how you finally get it BUILDING A FOUNDATION THROUGH NETWORKING You've been doing your best filling out


applications and sending CVs, but you're getting you nowhere. So, what's the problem? You might be missing one crucial stage in the job search - networking. So, what is


networking? READ |Networking: Why who you know can be more important than what you know FOR CAREER GUIDANCE DRUM Careers wants to assist you with your job concerns and to celebrate your


professional successes. This means we rely on you to guide us with what you want to read. Please send us your comments, questions, and suggestions - see contact details on our "Back


Page". TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE | Drum's careers newsletter is here to help you with all your career needs