Basic skills and suggestions to help you on your job-hunting journey
So you’re finding yourself in need of a job. Landing your first one can be difficult, especially with South Africa’s high unemployment rate, and as a job seeker, you’ll need to look for ways to stand out from the crowd. From learning about time management to upgrading your CV, you can discover a range of helpful strategies by reading our blog. Once you’re ready to start looking for employment, browse through the listings on Job Mail to find relevant vacancies.
Here are a few basic skills and suggestions that can help you on your way when you’re ready to start job hunting:
1. Find online courses to do in your free time and expand your set of skills
You can advance your job skills by completing online courses in your free time. Start by reviewing the vacancies that you plan to apply for with the aim of reviewing the skills companies are looking for. Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses, and once you’ve identified the areas you need to improve on, you can search for courses to improve your abilities in those areas. Skills that employers typically look for include problem solving, organisational and interpersonal capabilities.
2. Communication skills
Effective communication skills play a vital role in getting your first job. Composing a compelling CV requires written communication skills while highlighting your strengths in an interview uses verbal communication. Once you’re hired, communication is a vital part of succeeding in your role. Listening skills are another part of effective communication, and the ability to work as part of a team is a requirement for most jobs.
3. Get to know your PC or laptop well, you’ll be spending a lot of time on it
With the rapid growth of technology, computer skills are vital for most jobs. If you want to increase your chances of getting hired, you’ll need to develop your computer skills. Not only will knowing how to work a computer benefit you once you are hired, it will also give you access to online job postings. Skills in Outlook, Excel and Microsoft Word will are very beneficial.
4. Don’t shy away from part-time jobs or internships that will help you gain experience
As a first-time job seeker, an internship or part-time work can be an excellent opportunity to gain entrance into the job market. Work experience helps you to develop your skills as well as to demonstrate what you are capable of. A good reference goes a long way to helping your find full-time employment.
5. Time management
Time management forms part of the basic job skills that prospective employers are looking for. Showing up to your job interview on time and well prepared is an excellent way to show your prospective employer that you are reliable.
6. Make sure you’ve updated your CV and your LinkedIn account
Having an up-to-date CV that highlights relevant job skills is very important. Your CV is an opportunity to make a good first impression and to showcase your skills and work experience. You can find plenty of useful CV tips on Job Mail. Once you know what to include on your CV, you can upload an online CV to Job Mail. It’s also advantageous to maintain an up-to-date profile on LinkedIn.
7. Social media knowledge will always be beneficial, so brush up
Social media plays a significant role in most industries these days and it is, therefore, beneficial to have skills in this area. Social media abilities can set you apart from your competition and boost your chances of getting hired. Knowing how to utilise social media can also help you network and connect with employment opportunities.
With the right basic job skills and some determination, you will be well on your way to getting your first job. Searching for employment can be challenging, so it’s important to keep yourself motivated by completing online courses and cultivating a positive attitude. Once you’ve finished preparing, you can find vacancies on Job Mail.
