A good degree or professional certification can help secure an interview for your dream job, but once you’re sitting in front of the recruiter or potential employer, you’ll need to show what you can offer in addition to your qualifications.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s top employers are looking for more than the right training and education. They are seeking employees who are well-rounded, adaptable, committed and a good fit for their organisational culture.<\/p>\n
Heidi Duvenage, Head at Sage Talent Solutions shares a few attributes that recruiters and potential employers look for:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mind-set<\/strong><\/p>\n Employers are looking for attitude as much as they\u2019re looking for aptitude when they hire. They\u2019d rather develop someone with the right outlook who needs some training than hire someone with great skills and low motivation.<\/p>\n Honesty, accountability, flexibility, curiosity and commitment are all as important to employers as your qualif ications. If you can show that you\u2019re motivated, upbeat, and eager to learn, that will give you an edge in the job market.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Interpersonal skills<\/strong><\/p>\n Today\u2019s workplace is diverse and collaborative, which means that most organisations are looking for people with high levels of emotional intelligence. Someone with good interpersonal skills is more likely to thrive than a superstar who lacks the tact and professionalism needed to play well with others. As good as your degree and experience might be, a recruiter or potential employer will also want to know that you can collaborate and lead.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Life experience<\/strong><\/p>\n Employers often like to see that their employees have interests outside work and that they can bring diverse life experiences to their job. A modern office is a multi-disciplinary environment. The leadership skills you learnt as a school rugby captain, the strategic thinking you developed playing competitive chess, the ability you developed to write clearly from your love of reading, your exposure to different cultures during a gap year of travelling \u2013 these can all be as valuable to an employer as your formal qualifications.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Work experience<\/strong><\/p>\n Young jobseekers often feel caught in a catch-22 situation \u2013 they can\u2019t get experience because no one will give them a job and they can\u2019t get a job because they have no experience. Against this backdrop, it\u2019s important to seek out experience to add to your CV.<\/p>\n You can volunteer at a charity (many non-profit organisations need help in disciplines like IT, finance or marketing), take vacation jobs, or start up a small business to sharpen your skills and get practical experience.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cultural fit<\/strong><\/p>\n The question of how you\u2019ll fit in will generally be top-of-mind for someone interviewing you for a job. Cultural fit is about how likely you will be able to adapt to the core values and collective behaviours that make up an organisation.<\/p>\n Having the right fit with a company means you\u2019ll be happier at work and that you\u2019ll be more likely to perform to the organisation\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n There are many factors that shape a corporate culture \u2013 corporate policies, geographic location, industry, si ze, the personalities of the founders and managers, values, and more \u2013 and the trick is to find a place to work that suits your personality and working style.<\/p>\n These are the most in-demand jobs skills in South Africa \u2013 and what they pay<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Top 50 most common job interview questions<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nMore on employment in SA<\/h3>\n