Employ Africa

Category: Employ Africa News

  • The Oil And Gas Summit And How It Affects You

    The Oil And Gas Summit And How It Affects You

    The Oil And Gas Summit And How It Affects You

    Africa Oil Week

    I have literally lived out of my suitcase over the last month. I attended, exhibited and gave a presentation at the Middle East and Africa Oil & Gas conference in Abu Dhabi, thereafter not even 5 days later, I was in Cape town doing it all over again for the Africa Oil and Gas conference at the V& A waterfront.

    In between all of this there have been trips up to Mozambique and Johannesburg, meeting with clients and finalising agreements in order for us to supply them with all their required resources. As of today we are sitting with 68 vacancies ranging from contracts in Angola, to Mozambique, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. (Click here to view our current vacancies).

    In light of all of this, I can say things are really looking good. We have literally watched Africa jump out of the slump from a year ago, in terms of the job market. There are new projects commencing all over East and Southern Africa and this will increase substantially over the next 5 years. This is an exciting time for the Oil & Gas industry in Africa.

    My presentation, “The employment status in East and Southern Africa”, was well received across the board in both Abu Dhabi and Cape Town, where I discussed some of the biggest challenges that companies will face when working in Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa.

    One of the areas I addressed at the Oil and Gas conference was skills shortages specifically in the Oil & Gas arenas. I also addressed the issues of local to expat ratios, local training and development, and unions and strikes.

    Employ Africa is working hard to ensure we are fully entrenched in the East African Oil & Gas explosion. With our strong background and experience in the Oil & Gas industry, we are sure to succeed.

  • Your Online CV And How To Get It To The Top Of The Pile

    Your Online CV And How To Get It To The Top Of The Pile

    Your Online CV And How To Get It To The Top Of The Pile

    Applicants

    You may have the required skill set, qualifications and experience for an advertised vacancy, but does your CV successfully reflect your suitability? Here are a few tips to ensure your CV lands on the top of the pile next time you apply for a position:

    • Stay current. Make sure your online profile is complete. Provide as much information about yourself as possible so a potential new boss knows exactly who you are and what makes you tick. Check your CV is up to date, and do that regularly, topping it up with any new information on, say, public speaking, awards or new publications. If you have been shortlisted by an employer, they will be alerted every time you update your CV.
    • Link it all up. The joy of online job hunting is you can include plenty of web links in your CV such as your LinkedIn Profile, past company websites and online references.
    • Re-location re-location. The majority of the employers who are using our website are looking for people who might be willing to relocate. Have a good think about whether this applies to you, and if it might, tick that box!
    • Be specific. Remember that employers will be using the search tool to find the ideal candidate. Maximise your chances of getting to the top of the pile by selecting all the specialties that apply to you when filling out your profile, rather than using the ‘other’ box, as it’s unlikely employers will be searching for ‘other’ as a specialty.
    • Match up the keywords. Check the keywords you use in both your CV and your personal summary, as both of these are picked up when an employer searches. Check through the job advertisements and job descriptions of positions you are interested in, and make sure they match the words in your personal summary and CV.
    • Be visible. Make sure your CV is searchable by ticking the box on your profile page.  Of course, the option is there to make your CV invisible to employers in case you are worried about a current employer seeing your profile. Remember though – these days, it’s fairly customary to have an online employment profile, even if you are not actively seeking a new job.
  • 10 Things To Never Do In A Job Interview

    10 Things To Never Do In A Job Interview

    10 Things To Never Do In A Job Interview

    Interview

    1. NEVER be late

    Arriving late at an interview shows disrespect and inconsideration, and weakens the first impression you give. If you cannot arrive on time for an interview, how can your future employer trust you to arrive on time for work every day?

    2. NEVER under-dress

    Under-dressing for an interview undermines an Employer’s first impression of you.  It is always better to be over-dressed rather than under-dressed. Dressing smart but conservative is the safest bet.

    3. NEVER arrive unprepared

    Conducting research on your future employer as well as the responsibilities of the position you are interviewing for, will prove your genuine interest.  With Company websites, Google and LinkedIn, there is no excuse for arriving unprepared.

    4. NEVER badmouth your current or past employers

    Use tact and discretion when discussing bad experiences with current or past employers.  Be politically correct as you never know who the interviewer personally knows at your past company.

    5. NEVER underestimate your body language

    Always walk tall and give a firm handshake to your interviewer.  Ensure you are aware of your posture and movements during the interview as your body language can reveal your nervousness.  Relax and focus on the questions and issues presented by the interviewer.

    6. NEVER forget your manners

    Be polite, behave respectfully and use correct etiquette.  Remember to thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you during, as well as after the interview.

    7. NEVER forget your CV

    Do not assume the interviewer has a copy of your CV even if you were selected for an interview based on your CV.  Take two neatly printed copies as well as copies of your qualifications.

    8. NEVER bring a bad CV

    An out of date and badly set-out CV will work against you. Ensure your CV has enough detail but is not too long, is set out in an easy-to-read format, and is structured in a way that highlights your key skills and experience.

    9. NEVER forget to ask questions

    An interview is not a one-way inquisition.  The purpose of an interview is for both the employer and the candidate to determine if there is a good match between the job’s requirements and the candidate’s knowledge, skills and abilities.  Prepare questions in advance.

    10. NEVER use your cellphone

    Never answer a call or read a message during an interview.  Rather turn your cellphone off before your interview. Do no put it on silent or vibrate, turn it off completely.  This will ensure you are not distracted and that you do not interrupt the interviewer.

  • Can We Find You A Job

    Can We Find You A Job

    Can We Find You A Job? Employ Africa Is Seeking Specific Skills

    find a job

    Thank you for the tremendous response to our first E Zine. We want to take this opportunity to let you know that we are not the average recruitment agency. Employ Africa head hunts candidates with a specific skill set. Do you fit into that category?

    A Little Trade Secret To Get You In With The Right People

    The last statistics we reviewed stated that there are around 3000 Recruitment/Labour Broking Companies in South Africa. That is a lot of agencies and can prove to be a minefield for any job seeker.

    We often get asked by friends and family if we can find them a job. This is not what we do at Employ Africa.

    WE FIND OUR CLIENTS SKILLS, FOR THEIR PROJECT SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS. SPECIFICALLY IN THE OIL & GAS, PETROCHEMICAL, MINING, CONSTRUCTION AND POWER GENERATION SECTORS.

    However what we do pass on to our friends and family, and now to you, is our knowledge of the industry and how a person whose skill set does not fall into the above categories would apply for a job with a recruitment agency.  Our previous blog touched on 5 key points when submitting your CV. Now we will let you in on a little trade secret:

    You are looking for a Job and you Google Recruitment Companies. You are desperate and you do not know where to even begin! The best route is to go through the official recruitment industries governing body; APSO.

    Their website is www.apso.co.za, once logged onto their website, in the top banner you will see “Member Search”, click on it. If a recruitment company is registered with APSO, you can be rest assured that they are good, and will be your best bet in finding a job. Look into all of them and choose the recruitment companies that have vacancies in your field of expertise!

    If your skills do fit into the Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Mining, Construction and Power Generation sectors and you want to keep up to speed with our latest job offerings follow us on twitter @EmployAfri or on Facebook to keep up to speed.

    Let us know how it goes. Until next time, all the best with the job hunting!

  • EMPLOY AFRICA’S TOP 5 CV TIPS

    EMPLOY AFRICA’S TOP 5 CV TIPS

    EMPLOY AFRICA’S TOP 5 CV TIPS

    CV Application

    There are some key elements that you need to be aware of when putting together your CV.

    Its not as simple as it looks , and small things that you may not even notice, or you think are harmless, could well be jeopardising your chances of finding your ultimate job.

     

    1. How professional is your email address ?

    So just how professional is your email address. Remember to leave your private life at the door when applying for a job. Email addresses like partyrocker@gmail.com or honeybooboo@hotmail.com are not going to put you in a good light when your CV lands on the desk of the Hiring manager.

    Stick to yourname.surname89@gmail.com to ensure that you are not jeapordising your chances of success.

     

    2.  Stolen Identity?

    Putting your ID number on your CV can result in identity theft.  If you think about it, your entire life is on your CV, how easy would it be to steal your identity and use it inappropriately.

    This is why we highly recommended that you don’t put your ID number on your CV.  This is information that can be made available to the hiring manager on request later down the recruitment process.

     

    3.  Spell Check Spell Check Spell Check?

    What is a little Typo here and there? Who will notice right? WRONG!!

    Don’t ever assume that grammar and spelling don’t matter on your CV. Make sure you go through your CV with a fine tooth comb. Not bothering to check these types of mistakes may look like you don’t pay attention to detail. Someone who is sloppy with their CV may just as well be sloppy in the work environment, and no one likes a slack employee!

     

    4.  Start Back to Front?

    Hiring managers often have many CVs that they have to get through. Make sure that you put your most recent work experience first and work backwards from there. Don’t leave any gaps. Even if you were unemployed for a few months, add in that you were looking for work during that stage of your life.

     

    5.  Contact details on every page of your CV?

    Ensure that your contact details are on every page of your CV. The best way to ensure this is to put your name, telephone number and email address in the footer of your CV. This way, the front page of your CV ever get separated from the rest or goes missing, a hiring manager will still be able to get in touch with you.

    For more hot tips on finding your dream career subscribe to this e zine from Employ Africa.