Job Mail’s Angelique Robbertse on Radio Sonder Grense

Last week our Online Product & Marketing Manager (Angelique Robbertse) appeared on an Afrikaans radio station: Radio Sonder Grense to talk about Job Mail’s mobile product offering and job hunting via your cell phone. She spoke to Haidee Muller on the BeFonk program (which is aimed at younger listeners). This is an English transcript of the segment on the program.

Tell me more about Job Mail’s new mobile platform and how it works

Job Seekers have been able to search for jobs on Job Mail on their mobile phones since 2006, but we have made changes to the platform over the years. In April 2012 we introduced mobile Job Seeker registration and in December 2012 we introduced a feature that allows you to upload your CV via your mobile phone.

How easy is it to apply for jobs on your mobile phone?

It’s very easy. You register as a job seeker, search for a position and apply. Registration on our mobile platform takes less than 3 minutes and it takes less than 1 minute to apply for a position.

Do you need a smartphone to make use of Job Mail’s mobile platform?

No, you don’t need a smartphone. If you have a phone with internet access you can use our platform, even if you have a Blackberry or a Nokia phone.

Why do you think Job Seekers should use their mobile phones to look for jobs? What are the benefits?

It’s not a must, but it’s definitely convenient. You can do it in any place or at any time. In this day and age your mobile phone is your shadow – you don’t carry around your PC or laptop everywhere in your pocket or handbag.

You believe that job seekers should think before they post content on their social media profiles. Do recruiters check job sites like Facebook and how could what you post have a negative impact on your job search?

Social media is a public forum. Everything you made known on networks like mXIT, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin is public knowledge – even if you’ve set up strict security or privacy features on your profiles.

72% of recruiters will Google your name and find information. Have you ever Googled your own name? It’s frightening what you can find. Your social media profiles are no longer your own personal playground – what you do online stays online forever.

Recruiters check your social habits, comments that you leave, Tweets that you send and how you respond to people and to situations. Even photos that you’re tagged on are not safe. An useful social media guideline to use if you’re job hunting: If you’re post content on your social media profiles, make sure that it’s something that your grandmother would not object to.

Do you have any tips for job seekers to improve their chances to find a job?

Keep your CV up to date and make sure that you check for spelling mistakes on your CV. If you add someone as a reference on your CV, make sure that the person will give you a positive reference. Don’t apply for a position where you don’t conform to the criteria. Do research about the company that might be your next employer. Subscribe to the Job Mail blog so that you receive regular updates from us in your E-mail inbox. Ensure that you create a CV in English – it’s the language of business in SA.

Where can Job Seekers go to apply for positions on Job Mail?

Visit Job Mail via www.jobmail.co.za – your cell phone will automatically redirect your to our mobile site where you can register and apply for jobs.

Afrikaans readers can listen to Angelique’s segment by clicking on the “Play” button below:

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We trust that you have found this information useful. If you have any further questions, please comment on this article or e-mail us so we can assist you. Feedback is appreciated and welcome at Job Mail.

Watch this space for regular updates for Job Seekers on the Job Mail blog.