Getting your foot in the door as a newly qualified graduate can prove difficult. Here are some useful tips on how to get started. Getting into the world of work actually takes work. You cannot assume that simply because you are on track to pass your final exams, employers will be lining up outside your door to beg you to join their companies.

Job interviews are always nerve-wracking, especially when you’re going through them for the first time. Rebecca Kahn gives some advice on how to approach them.   The key to thriving – and not just surviving – an interview is to go in, make the best possible impression, and convince your future employers that they cannot survive without you.

Spending time on pulling this paperwork together in a professional way will be well worth the effort   Effective job-hunting starts with your CV and cover letter. Both have to make a good impression, without being over the top. Nikki Attwell, a career counselor and recruitment specialist at Abacus Consulting, explains the difference.

The job market has tightened, the economy is down and you've got to find a job, now. You have a job interview coming up and you need every possible advantage to win that job. What do you do? Recent studies have shown that employers will form an opinion of you within the first 10 minutes of the interview.

Anyone who's ever spent time in a job search has probably walked away from at least one interview knowing right away that he botched it. Quite often, people who do feel confident about their last interview know they still could have answered one or two questions much better than they did.

  Apple iPhone 3G For instant office cred at your first job pull out a real conversation piece.

Each year Student Village, South Africa’s leading youth marketing solutions provider, hosts an event aimed at unleashing the full potential of the top female students on campuses around the country.

  Buhle Dlamini, Young and Able Rarely does career success happen by accident! Those who succeed in their careers do so because they take calculated steps as well as land some lucky breaks along the way.

  Zuziwe Magi, Proctor and Gamble Your first job interview needn’t be a nerve-wracking experience. With enough preparation you can go in there cool, calm and collected.

  Theo Smit, Premier Personnel “You get one chance to impress an employer,” says Gayleen Baxter, chief operating officer at recruitment agency Kelly.

Choosing your career path is a massive decision, and one which will impact on your life more than anything else you have done up to this point, but the good news is that you will be moving into a workplace characterised by opportunity.

Break out of the pile with these simple tips: Get the basics right: Nobody cares how you did in Primary School, or the fact that you like to garden in your spare time. These things may become interesting points of discussion during your interview, but they have no place on your CV.

Very few businesses, whether local or global, large or small, fail to employ graduates these days, but perhaps the question that needs asking is what differentiates a graduate from their peers seeking the same job?

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (Pengiun Books) R133 at www.exclusivebooks.co.za Ever wondered what estate agents and the Klu Klux Klan have in common? Often? Well then, this book is definitely your cup of coffee.

Your CV is your sales pitch, there’s no other way to put it. Get it right and you’re sold, get it wrong and you may have missed a critical career-building opportunity. Your covering letter Of course, your CV won’t do you any justice if it doesn’t get any attention so make sure it comes with a compelling covering letter.

Marketing gurus will tell you to “sell the sizzle, not the steak”. When preparing for an interview, it is important to distinguish between simply presenting your skills and qualifications, and knowing how to sell the benefits of those skills to your potential employer.

Lounge in luxury A new era of funky furniture is here! Ambient Lounge has a range of luscious loungers and sofa’s ideal for any space in your place. Each is filled with millions of tiny foam beads, which offer up comfort with class.

Aloysias Maimane, TomorrowToday.biz If you’re already looking for a job after you graduate (and you should be by now) you’re probably spending quite a lot of time thinking about how you’re going to manage finding a new place to stay, how you’re going to manage your first salary and how you’re going to manage your time so you can still party.

Other options • Align yourself with the top students in your class and stay in touch after graduation. You never know when they might be able to give you some good leads • Join at least one sports / special interest group – again, finding a common interest is a great way to build a network • Chat to your lecturers - they usually have many contacts in specific industries Contacts are made in everyday life, which means portraying and maintaining an image is crucial.

The day has finally arrived, you have prepared for this since you graduated. You have your all-important qualifications in hand, you have sweated out and made it through five job interviews and now the time has come to start your first job. This is your first career-focused position.

Having a network of contacts can be invaluable to your career. But how do you build and maintain this network? Rebecca Kahn looks at the networks you already have and gives some pointers on how to expand them. Your network is the collection of people who know you, either in a personal or professional capacity, and who know what you’re good at.

Finding a job can be hard. But finding a work environment that you’re happy in can be even more difficult. Buhle Dlamini, managing member at Young and Able For our parents, a job was just something you did to make a living, for eight hours a day, five days a week.

Health hints: Get into an exercise routine – even it is it just 30 minutes a day Do something different every day to ward off boredom Take the stairs instead of the lift – walk around at work Stay away from energy drinks Watch what you eat and when you eat Good physical health is vital to performing well at work.

Born between 1980 and 2000 “Generation Me” is, in fact, you. And you are causing all sorts of problems for the recruiters and managers at the companies you want to work for. Taryn Sessel, resourcing manager at Unilever South Africa Not on purpose, of course.

Kathryn Sakalis began her career as a brand manager at Unilever after graduating from UCT with a Bachelor of Business Science (Honours) degree. She then worked as advertising manager at Sterns, and as marketing manager at Markhams before taking on her present position as marketing director at Foschini – a proud achievement for a woman of 35.

How to find a job: Make use of campus graduate recruitment facilities while you still can Always visit the Web site of every company you are interested in working for, both for research purposes and to see if you can apply online Newspapers are still a widely used method of advertising jobs Online recruitment sites are plentiful and very helpful Use your network of friends and family to help you job hunt Consider temping or part-time work as a means of exploring your options and gaining experience There are many ways for graduates to find a job.

Your first performance appraisal can be a daunting prospect. But performance appraisals are very important to your career development, and there’s no need to be nervous. Elaine Porter asked some human resources specialists how to prepare for, and make the most of, your first performance appraisal.

Pick up templates and more information here: careers.iafrica.com/cv/ www.yourcv.co.za Guidelines_for_preparing_CV.doc www.monash.ac.za/current/community/ Guidelines_for_preparing_CV.doc www.

Your covering letter is your chance to tell an employer why you want to work for them, and draw attention to some of the highlights in your CV. Elaine Porter asked some recruitment specialists what they want to see in a covering letter. Thembi Khuzwayo, recruiting lead, Accenture “Provide a short introduction of yourself, including general details like your name and academic background.

Sourcing the SETAs AGRISETA – Agriculture www.agriseta.co.za BANKSETA – Banking www.bankseta.org.za CETA – Construction www.ceta.org.za CHIETA – Chemical Industries www.chieta.org.za CTFL – Clothing, Textiles, Footwear and Leather www.

The modern work wardrobe should mirror modern life in its ability to multi-task and be versatile. So the clothes you invest in should be able to take you effortlessly through a variety of lifestyles. Must have items for women A black suit High quality dark wash jeans Pinstripe ANYTHING Crisp white collar shirt A structured handbag High heels in the season’s hottest look www.

Taking a gap year, either for work, or travel (or both) can be a major boost to your CV. So, you’re all grown up, graduated and wondering what to do next. Unless you’ve been living under a rock all your life, you’re probably aware of the fact that many graduates are choosing to take a gap year to travel and see the world before they settle down and get a job.

Of all the things you have to do to get a job, the interview is probably the most nerve wracking. But there are things you can do to make sure it goes smoothly. Interview tips Be prepared Research the company Think about your career options Know your strengths and weaknesses Have a goal Be honest The key to the perfect interview can be summed in one word – preparation.

SA employers are shifting to online recruitment. E-recruitment is a growing trend in South Africa, with some big corporates having already switched over to completely paperless systems.

SA employers are shifting to online recruitment. E-recruitment is a growing trend in South Africa, with some big corporates having already switched over to completely paperless systems.

Every year, new job market entrants work hard at planning their careers, but many will end up disappointed. Generally speaking, graduates have honed their interview and CV writing skills, and thrown themselves into preparing for job searches.

Every year, new job market entrants work hard at planning their careers, but many will end up disappointed. Generally speaking, graduates have honed their interview and CV writing skills, and thrown themselves into preparing for job searches.

Having spent weeks perfecting your CV, it’s neat, complete and bound to impress. Now there’s just one finishing touch to take care of: the cover letter. Your cover letter can be a powerful marketing tool and deserves just as much care as you’ve taken with your CV, says Anne Short, director of the career development programme at the University of Cape Town.

Having spent weeks perfecting your CV, it’s neat, complete and bound to impress. Now there’s just one finishing touch to take care of: the cover letter. Your cover letter can be a powerful marketing tool and deserves just as much care as you’ve taken with your CV, says Anne Short, director of the career development programme at the University of Cape Town.

Lisa Orleow- The Consultant Powerhouse As the end of matric exams approach, signalling a stop to the frenzy of stressful extra lessons, late night study sessions and post final paper depressions, matrics around the country, in addition to varsity graduates, are readying themselves for a far greater challenge- entering the world of work for the first time and getting to grips with its new realities.