Each month I will interview an exceptional individual that is creating their career success – you will learn about their life, business & work and gain invaluable insights from their experience.

YM:  Congratulations on your appointment as the Manager of the IPlex, Cape Town. How has the first 100 days been?

TC: Thank you.  It’s been exciting and challenging at the same time.  I love supporting the existing clients in-house, and meeting new clients from all different types of businesses.

YM: You have extensive experience in the film industry, as a production manager.  What does a production manager do, it sounds glamourous?

TC: Production Manager basically makes sure that everyone has everything they need, working hand in hand with the line producer. We make sure the film comes in on budget, but at the same time, making sure that each and every department, from catering to the director, get what they need to make it a success.  So you need great organizational skills, and work well under pressure.

YM:  What motivated you to change careers, after ten years in the film industry?

TC:  The main thing is job stability, in film we are 99% freelance. That, and maintaining a personal life within working 14 to 16 hours, no matter the day.  Those are the main reasons, as I still love the film industry.

YM: A career change is simultaneously exciting and scary. How do you manage it?

TC: All it takes is a leap of faith, and literally, that’s what it is. A leap takes 2 minutes, and then you’re in.  After that, the best part is learning new things and taking on the challenges.

YM:  How important is team work in your current role?

TC: Team work is very important, without it, we can’t function here. We’re all an integral part of the daily functioning of the iPlex.

YM: What makes the IPlex, the “place to be” for the start up or seasoned entrepreneur?

TC: The supportive environment, and enthusiasm we have for something that is not even ours.  Just watching it grow and be successful, we provide a base and support system so that the work environment becomes 2nd nature to the overall project.

YM: The #1 secret project that you are currently working on is…

TC: Secret incubator for several SME’s

Connect with Tina

Visit IPlex

Linkedin Profile

Read More Career Interviews

Graduates

In a previous article, I discussed Graduates and their First Job

Assuming that you are one of the fortunate graduates to have survived the job hunting jungle, what happens thereafter?   Well the employer has selected YOU (can you believe it?), over 98 other graduates for the position of (insert title).  It doesn’t matter that other graduates where smarter, good looking, talented or competent.  The employer rejected them and chose YOU.

The Offer

But then you get the offer. And your initial enthusiasm for the position evaporates before you’ve walked out of the building.  You wonder whether you can really get ahead on a net pay of Rxxx per month. You are unconcerned about the other items before net pay.  You realise that your dream of buying a BMW will have to wait. Unless you settle for the 1982 model.  Maybe the other graduates knew something that you didn’t.  You are rethinking whether you should accept the offer. Or go back into the job stampede with other graduates.

Graduates & Pay Negotiation

Unfortunately there is not that much room for graduates to negotiate with employers.  The reason is due to market supply/demand factors, employer job grades and remuneration bands.  While pay is always negotiable, the employer is unlikely to view your package in this way.

A graduate that does not have adequate work experience, is not in a strong position to negotiate higher pay compared to those who have already worked before.  Unfortunately, graduates that expect higher pay solely on account of having a degree or diploma, won’t win this round. The minimum required for the job offering Rxxx was the degree or diploma. It was not the maximum requirement.

Graduates & Field of Study

Generally, graduates from the science and commerce fields,  command higher pay compared to those from humanities and arts.  Until the market changes this position, don’t expect the pay gap between graduates with Accounting 3 versus English 3 to close.  Bear in mind that many graduates from humanities & arts struggle to land jobs, before they can even consider negotiating pay.

You versus Other Graduates

So you are special?  You are not in the same league as other graduates?   Well it may help in the negotiation process to know your potential and demonstrating to the employer why you are special.  In the course of an interview, it will come down to the how much you will be getting.  If you have clearly shown that you stand above other graduates applying for the job,  you could try to negotiate. You do not need to automatically accept what is given and reply “ok” ending it there.  You could discuss the pay with the employer when an offer has been made.  Graduates should discuss pay in the context of job responsibilities and their potential contribution. Remember we are assuming that you are special, not in the same league as other graduates.

In the end,  getting a job is not only about the pay.  There are other graduates that would jump on board for the position that you’ve been offerred. You should investigate the package that the employer offers graduates – thoroughly checking out the opportunities, training, development, benefits, incentives and perks.  You may discover a lot more hidden value in the offer than what you expected.

Job Hunting

So you’ve been job hunting for months without positive results.  You have been actively job hunting – spreading the word that you are available in the market and looking (urgently) for another job. During your job hunt, you are likely to interact with a lot of people online and offline – family, friends, former employers, recruiters, HR consultants, professional bodies, forum members and more.

It is one thing to spread the word about your job hunt to others.  But it is not good to just sit and wait for referrals and opportunities to come pouring because you’ve done your part.  The real question is

Are you building relationships?

Or are you aimlessly dropping your information and hoping that somebody, somewhere, will connect you with some job in some company?

Excluding those that  know you and your work, unless you build relationships, others may get your information and ignore it. Or file it away Forever.

To accelerate your job hunt, build relationships with each person that you meet during the process. Notwithstanding whether you connect with them online or offline, you must get to know the individual and their world. And building a relationship, is more about them and less about yourself. Even though you really, really desperate for a job.

By expressing a sincere interest in their world, whether it is their business or even career, you will be building a bridge for that person to remember you, when an opportunity arises. Or even recommend you to the decision maker for the position.  If the person is the decision maker, they will keep you at “top of mind” not necessarily for the current job, but another job in future.  

Job + Skills

In today’s competitive job market, employers are inclined to find talent that can contribute to the growth of the company through their skills, rather than their qualifications.  While qualifications are required, employers are placing increased emphasis on skills.  When job hunting, you must factor in the skills that the employer is seeking for that job.

The following 5 skills stand out

1.   Research Skills

Job seekers should possess the ability to research not because they wanted to land a job in a research company but in order to do research in the course of their daily activity. If you pitch up at an interview with no/poor research of the employer, you can write this yourself off making it to the offer stage.

2. Thinking Skills

Many organisations have employees that can’t or won’t think. You should not be one of them. Employers need talent that can think under different situations and formulate solutions to their challenges. Of course, if you think too much, you may ask uncomfortable questions!

3. Technology

With the advent of information technology, the majority of job openings require people who are computer literate.  Employers do not necessarily need talent who are graduates from technology or IT.   Rather they need talent that understand technology in the context of their field of work and can use it to advance the organisation.

4. Communication skills

From a tea lady to a CEO, communication skills are a non-negotiable.  Talented as you are, you won’t go far without excellent verbal and written skills. Employers need talent that expresses their thoughts and are clearly understood by others. If you’ve ever attended a death-by-powerpoint-presentation, you will understand what happens when you don’t have this skill.

5.  People / Team Player Skills

The modern working environment consists of (dysfunctional) personalities,  that have to work together for the benefit of the organisation. To get your job done, working with others as a team player is part of the game.

Graduates

Are you joining the job stampede of graduates this year?

Fresh out of college or university, graduates are overjoyed and panicking about landing their first permanent job. One that brings moolah into your bank account. Graduates that have not built their career before they graduated, should expect a difficult time to secure permanent employment.

Graduates lack Experience

Notwithstanding that graduates have a diploma or degree, or even postgraduate qualification, the biggest obstacle to getting the first job is that graduates do not have work experience.  Graduates don’t appreciate that text book knowledge and piece of paper will only take you so far in the job market. Employers are seeking graduates that have relevant experience for the job or experience-ready.  Being experience-ready, means that you have some experience - part time job while studying,  trainee during a vacation programme,  volunteer at a NGO, university tutor, sports club co-ordinator and similar roles.  Staying at home with your folks and watching Isidingo does not count as experience.  And chilling with your friends on Friday evening won’t qualify either on your CV.

Graduates should start from scratch

Upfront, graduates are disappointed when they apply for job after job after job….without reply or endless, “I regret to info you” responses. It is incredibly difficult to secure permanent employment, in a junior, let alone a senior positon.  So cast aside your expectations of occupying a corner office as the general or senior manager, supervising the department.  If you are the one-in-a-million exception, that is great.

Starting from scratch, graduates should be willing to start from the bottom in an entry-level position then in time move to the top. Sure you may not be satisfied to be making tea and photocopies day after day. But in the early days, you have to soak up the experience and use the opportunities to advance your career.  (And yes, there are opportunities in making tean and photocopies, that is another story)

Graduates Everywhere

In the current economic environment, there are simply too many graduates competing for the same (dwindling) pool of jobs. Multiply that by a factor of 10 for entry-level jobs.  You are competing with:

1.  Graduates from your university or other institutions in the current year – for example, UCT and UKZN graduates competing with WITS and UJ graduates for the same jobs in Gauteng

2. Prior year graduates with/without experience – these graduates have been job hunting for more than a year. They are hungry for the position and have a lot more job hunting experience.

3. Retrenched employees that are willing to accept any job, even an entry level job to earn their livelihood in the short term.

Graduates - Reality Check

To succeed in a market where the cards are stacked, requires graduates to go back to the drawing board:

1. Why are you job hunting?  What are the alternatives? (e.g start a business)  Most graduates don’t investigate the alternatives.

2. What do you expect?  (e.g entry level or senior position)

3. What positions are you going after?   (e.g trainee accountant, finance clerk, financial manager)

4. How are you managing the job hunt.  (e.g strategy, networking, CV, interview)

Career

Another year of work is upon us. rolling past us.

Are you enthusiastic or depressed about returning to the same office, with the same people, to do the same work again?  How do you feel about the direction of your career?

From experience with graduates, employees and seasoned professionals, there is a recurring career theme: disappointment.  They are disappointed that they completed, what  they believed, was expected of them by others, but didn’t get the desired results – meaningful & financially rewarding work.

Let us consider the situation of graduates, employees and older professionals.

Graduates

Graduates, fresh out of university, apply for numerous jobs without success. Eventually they abandon their job search and pass their time at home. Career dead-end

Employees

In many organisations, employees feel trapped, clinging onto their job to pay the bills, and can’t find a way to pursue their dreams. They are disappointed with their work and remuneration package. They are scared about risking what they currently have, for what they really want in future. Career on hold

Older Professionals (45+)

Older professionals, especially those in the last decade before retirement, are disappointed with their career progress. While they have worked for a long time, their career journey has been a bumpy ride. Notwithstanding their expertise, they are worried about limited employment opportunities for older professionals.  (Career) stop.

Career  - Break out, Come Alive 

What can these talented individuals, each coming from their respective positions, do differently in 2012?  Well, my message is to break out from a mundane existence and come alive in your career. We spend the majority of our waking hours at work. If we don’t find the experience meaningful
and rewarding work; we exist, but don’t feel alive. We dread work, counting our days until the weekend or the next holiday.

The journey from existence to coming alive in your career is an on-going journey, not a once-off exercise.

To get you off the mark, three suggestions:  Firstly, whatever disappointments that you have experienced in the past, make a break this year.  No regrets about past career choices and missed opportunities. Rather focus on your current career choices and emerging opportunities for your talents.

To break out,  commit to managing your career differently, so that you don’t find yourself in the same place, a year from now.  Given the rapidly changing environment, invest in the latest career tools. For example, graduates and seasoned professionals alike should pay attention to how they brand, market and sell their value to employers online.

Finally, if you want come alive in your career, relook at your passion.

What do you really want to do for the rest of your working life?
What is holding you back?  

If you don’t know what you want to do, just by exploring, you will come away inspired about the career possibilities. Those employees that feel trapped, should take comfort from knowing that others have walked down the same path and succeeded.  By taking baby-steps, you can navigate the career-financial issues, without giving up on your dreams.

CV & Interviews

1.    CV & Target Position

When a recruiter looks at your CV, the position that an applicant is interested in should be naturally logical step in their career. It shows that an applicant is focused and building a powerful career.  However this will not always be the case – you may be changing your career, venturing into a related field of work or applying for a position that you are passionate about.  If the information in your CV does not show a logical step in your career, it should provide adequate information about the skills and competencies that will be useful for the position.

2. CV Powered Up 

Get the employers’ attention is by using powerful, descriptive words in your CV. It must denote the capabilities of the applicant.  For example, instead of writing, “assigned to be”, write instead “in-charge of,” indicating that the applicant has supervisory skills. This should be matched to the requirements of the position. Obviously, the CV must be a fair, truthful reflection of the applicant. Don’t play CV word games to inflate your prior role and responsibilities.

3.  CV Bullets

A bullet catches the eye of an employer in a second.  Use bullets in itemizing achievements, career highlights, recognition, qualifications, and skills and interests.  Bullets  also create more clear space in the CV, contributing to the overall presentation and disclosure of your career information.  While bulleted phrases “forces” the employer to read the information, don’t over bullet your CV.  Otherwise you run the risk of your CV getting the bullet and being dead in 60 seconds.

4. References on your CV

Choose credible references that can provide the employer with a candid account of your character, performance and X-factor.  A few solid references, from past employers, co-workers and peers can tip the scale in your favour.  For each reference, check that their contact information is valid and up to date.

Lastly, if your CV is not hitting the target, get expert CV help. Contact us to explore further.

Career & Dreams

Welcome to your working life (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) – a sizzling year of doing what you love, the freedom to decide how you want to work and the authority to set your pay. You are passionate about your contribution and the people affected by your outputs. You decide on the working hours, the location, the boss (or no boss) and the  methods for delivering results.  You crunch the numbers to achieve your targeted earnings and benefits.

For thousands of employees, this is fairytale thinking in their career and organisation. They gave up the prospect of a fulfilling career, several jobs ago.  They are micro managed to the point of exhaustion.  They run in pay circles with their organisation.

Against this reality, my challenge to you this year is to go big in your career – dust off those dreams, revive lost aspirations and embrace the callings in your life. Make a big deal about doing what you love or finding what you love, for the first time in your career. The rest of your working life will be spent there.

To quote the poet, Kahil Gibran, “work is love made visible”. Organisations are gradually moving towards greater workplace freedoms. Do not wait for HR. Be the champion of change this year. Engage line management, participate in forums and propose business solutions. Strive to align the value of your work and potential financial rewards (hopefully the latter is higher!). You may want to negotiate higher pay in the current job, explore other positions in the marketplace or unlock value by starting a business.

It is easy to read this article and do little or nothing, based on your past experience. Some individuals feel trapped in a corner or a rut and believe there is no point in trying to change the course of their career. In the process, they become serial whiners defending a mediocre existence. Don’t sell out on your talents and the opportunity for a richer life. I urge you to go big in your career this year. Make a commitment to building your career in 2012, one working day at a time.

(Originally in Star Workplace, as Dust of your Dreams and Go Big this year, January 2008)