Job Search Questions
: When searching for a job and are asked to send the details [...]
: What is it that the job market have against people over 50 [...]
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Just smiles. Seriously – that’s what I’ve been noticing as I accompany my father through the SA healthcare system. Man, there are a lot of people who enjoy what they do – or at least they enjoy helping other people. And there are a couple of profound job interview lessons I learned that you’ll benefit from. Read more
A Malema Inspired Career Guidance Lesson
Career guidance is tough. Like, what are you born for? In last week’s Sunday Times the headline of a profile article on Julius Malema read something like “Born for Politics”. Ja, well some may agree, some not. That’s not the point.
Here’s the point: you – rightly – may wonder what career, job, life course you were ‘born’ for. Read more
Your Job Search and Social Networking [March 12 e-Column]
Social Networking is hot – but is it hot for you? Does it help you? Do you use it?
You check more than one of the below options.
Loading ...“Burning Question”
From “C” comes this:
Some background – “C” and her husband are South Africans working and living in West Africa.
Is there a mind set about where you are currently located geographically in the market with recruitment agencies?
Yes. That’s the quick answer. And although we’re living in a ‘global village’ and recruiting practices have moved with the times to some degree with recruiting done by ‘remote control’ – the logistical factors of someone in the UK recruiting for a company in India and getting a job applicant from, say, Ghana – well you can imagine. And that happens a lot.
There are all sorts of factors:
- Ease or challenge of communication
- Prejudice against a certain country (may be see as a ‘backwater’ – despite the fact that this may be an indicator that you’re actually exceptional at what you do – succeeding in the harshest environments
- Wanting to interview you one-to-one
- Time frames – they may want someone to start immediately or within a week or two
People hire people, so recruiters will naturally go for things they’re familiar with first. If things are too foreign or too far away they may delay in responding or not respond at all.
So here are two strategies to tilt the playing field in your favor:
- Persist – it’s the universal success law.
- Narrow down your search to a particular industry – use the ‘net to research companies who likely need what you’ve got – identify the decision makers and approach them directly, via phone or e-mail.
- Make your marketing message really powerful – aimed at delivering what employers really need; and really concise and to the point – “here’s what I do, and I’m fantastic at it – here’s why” – that should be your CV.
Hope this helps!
Welcome!
Hi - I'm Gerard le Roux - CV writer & guerrilla job search coach. You may have seen me quoted in newspapers or heard me on radio. I'm here to help job hunters. Enjoy your visit.