The challenges faced by people entering and re-entering today’s workforce are infinitely more complex than even a decade or two ago.
That’s why we at ORT SA are going to give you a quick overview of everything you need to start building a “Work Readiness Toolkit” and land that perfect job.
What To Include in Your CV
Where do we start? Well, you’re going to need a CV.
Professional proofreader Kim Hatchuel suggests formatting your CV as follows:
Begin with all your relevant personal details like your name, contact details and if you have a car.
Follow up with a brief statement about yourself, highlighting your recent experience and the skills you gained during it.
Next list off your education, past work experience and skills.
Finish off with a list of contactable references.
Our Top CV Writing Tips
Kim also suggests taking extra care with your spelling, grammar and punctuation, keeping it to less than 3 pages, avoiding slang and above all being honest!
She says you shouldn’t talk about your interests, hobbies or religion. Don’t list any inappropriate personal details like your sexuality, health status or criminal background, either.
If you were recently retrenched, and want to reenter the market, the same advice applies but you also want to focus on going the extra mile and really standing out from the crowd.
Post your CV on all of the job sites, and make sure you have a strong LinkedIn profile supporting it.
Our Top LinkedIn Profile Tips
How do you do that, you ask?
Matthew Gray, Regional Manager of Africa at LinkedIn, has this to say about getting the most from the platform:
Be sure to add your full name, a photo and record how your name is pronounced if it’s tricky.
Next, add your specific industry and show you’re “Open to Work” in the settings.
Create a great personal summary and highlight any amazing content you’ve created.
Lastly, detail any work and volunteer experience, add all your skills (and get them endorsed) and request recommendations from past employers or co-workers on the platform.
Conclusion
Do all that, and you should have a solid head-start on building your “Work Readiness Toolkit”.
These tips were all taken from talks given during the ORT SA Career hub, a great resource for further expanding your knowledge.
Sign up for future talks on the ORT SA website, or check the JET FLIX by ORT JET YouTube channel to view past the past talks in full.
