Wits Graduate Recruitment Programme

Career Development Services Newsletter

IN THIS EDITION Wits Career Services & COVID-19 Career Tips & Advice Startup Movement at Wits 2020 #wakeupwits Tips on how to prepare for a video interview Meet Asive Mahlamvu, Wits alumnus 1

CONTENTS CCDU adapting to the challenges of COVID-19 – Raj Naran...................................4 What’s new @ CDS.................................................................................................6 Campus presence – what we got up to before lockdown.......................................6 Wits Graduate Exit survey.......................................................................................8 Employability & COVID-19 – What employers have to say......................................9 Wits GRP has your back – Graduate Career Paths and Graduate Recruitment Industries affected by COVID-19.........................................10 How not to put your CV together – Candy Eaton....................................................13 Negotiation skills – Yolenda Jawe.........................................................................14 Staying motivated during COVID-19 - Preleena Ramlall.........................................15 Meet Asive Mahlamvu...........................................................................................17 My Wits careers fair experience – Esethu Boti......................................................18 How to master a video interview..........................................................................20 What not to do in a job interview..........................................................................21 Journey to employability programme....................................................................23 USE.......................................................................................................................24 Competition Corner – Pick your brain.....................................................................25 Startup Movement at Wits 2020 #wakeupwits........................................28 Proud GRP Ambassadors/Student Assistants.........................................................30 Universum Report – Wits Students Feedback.........................................................31 CCDU Services.........................................................................................................32 GRP Office – contact details....................................................................................32

2

Un iv ers um C aree rTe st

Un iv er s u m C a re er Tes t

2019 RESULTS

2020 RESULTS

5160

WITS Stud

45 556

54 162

ents

Students

4398

WITS Stud

ents

Students

EXPECTED ANNUAL SALARY

EXPECTED ANNUAL SALARY

(ZAR)

348 759

(ZAR)

365 117

316 017

311 387

TOP 3 UNIVERSITY ATTRIBUTES

TOP 3 UNIVERSITY ATTRIBUTES

ASSOCIATED WITH WITS 1. High rank within its field 2. Good reference for future career and/or education 3. Tradition of academic excellence

STRENGTHS

ASSOCIATED WITH WITS 1. Educational excellence 2. High quality of programs 3. Good reference for future career and/or education

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

WEAKNESSES

1. Problem solving

1. Time management

1. Problem solving

1. Time management

2. Responsibility

2. Communication

2. Work ethic

2. Communication

3. Work ethic

3. Team work

3. Responsibility

3. Team work

TOP 3 MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES

TOP 3 MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES

FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT

FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT

1. High future earnings 2. Leadership opportunities 3. Ethical standards

1. Professional training and development 2. Leadership opportunities 3. High future earnings

MOST USED CAREER SERVICES

MOST USED CAREER SERVICES

1. Employer presentations 2. Career job/internship fairs 3. Guidance to understand my career planning and options

1. Career counselling 2. Career job/internship fairs 3. Employer presentations

EMPLOYERS WITH THE MOST

EMPLOYERS WITH THE MOST

1. Sasol 2. Google 3. Discovery

1. Google 2. Discovery 3. Sasol

IMPRESSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

IMPRESSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE 4. Deloitte 5. Nedbank 6. Investec

4. Coca-Cola South Africa 5. Nike 6. KPMG Questions? Email ask@career-test.com

Questions? Email ask@career-test.com

3

CCDU ADAPTING TO THE CHALLENGES OF COVID-19 – Raj Naran, Career Practitioner, CCDU

The year has certainly taken all of us on a trajectory that few could possibly have anticipated. Students had to leave campus and vacate residences and staff were asked to work from home and, overnight, had to become familiar with conducting meetings and communication solely via electronic platforms. The Counselling & Careers Development Unit [CCDU], while mindful of its responsibility as a support service for students, was also called upon to make some very radical adjustments to the way we conduct our work. The obvious route to take was to make as much of our services available via online platforms as was possible. This did not resolve all of our problems as a number of students were faced with challenges regarding data and connectivity to the internet.

Our message to students was that in order to respect the call for social distancing, we would deal with student queries or concerns via email first and then, if necessary and depending on the student’s concern, we would conduct online personal counselling, career counselling or life-coaching sessions via one of the electronic platforms available. Many students were able to take up this offering. However, some did experience difficulty connecting to the internet because of their locations.

In addition to adjusting to these electronic platforms of communication, both students and staff were in constant discussion on how to cope with the mode of working in counselling or teaching/learning situations without having physical, face-to-face contact with each other. Physical distancing is new for all of us and we are still learning and adapting. Added to these concerns is the isolation of learning in an e-environment that calls on us to be more proactive in how we reach out to fellow students, lecturers and support staff in the University (Wits).

At this stage it is not clear when all students will be returning to campus, and for a while, it is important that we open our minds to being as flexible, productive and resilient as possible under the current circumstances. The University and our various academic and support departments are aware of the challenges students are facing and are actively working on supporting students through a successful academic year, while at the same time minimising the risks related to COVID-19.

For now, try to make online learning your friend. You can do so by:

Utilising the online resources to their fullest: This includes the library resources and online e-learning platforms such as SAKAI, MOODLE and CANVAS. Should you have any queries in this regard, contact e-Wits by visiting their website at https://wits-e.wits.ac.za/ or email ithelp@wits.ac.za.

• Looking for silver linings in the situation: Online learning might be challenging, but it does offer you the opportunity to try out new technologies and through that, develop new skills.

• Reminding yourself that you are not alone: Be proactive in staying connected with lecturers, tutors and class mates. Join discussion forums related to your academic programmes and attend all online teaching/learning sessions. Always think of one question to ask during each lesson, and think of one concept to explain to someone else after the lecture.

• Keeping abreast of your studies by reading all announcements on your e-learning platforms [SAKAI, MOODLE, CANVAS].

• Allowing yourself to grieve, when the adjustment seems overwhelming: Our familiar ways of learning make us feel comfortable and competent. It’s ok to mourn those when you can’t use them.

• Remembering that all the same rules to working and studying still apply: Stay motivated; keep your goals in mind; practice good time management to help stay on top of your deadlines. Consider information on studying at: www.wits.ac.za/ccdu/study-skills/

Keep your career goals in mind and continue to develop yourself for the world of work:

• Try to develop your sense of self-awareness. Think about how you would explain your preferences, values, interests, talents and strengths to someone else • Develop your job search toolkit i.e. your cover letter, CV and interview skills • Think of how you would like to use your social media profiles to enhance your brand as a desirable employee • Try to test yourself in a real job search

4

Journey to Employability:

The Journey to Employability [JEm] programme has been disrupted by the events surrounding COVID-19. However, the presentations on The Cover Letter and Compiling a CV have been made available on the university’s e-learning platform SAKAI. These presentation videos as well as templates and other resources can be accessed by joining the “Journey to Employability” project site through the following steps: 1.

Go to: https://wits-e.wits.ac.za 2. Enter your user ID and password [All students and staff should have access] 3. Click on “Home” on the top left of the screen 4.

Click on membership on the left of the screen 5. On the top right of the screen is a search box, type “journey to employability” and enter/search. It should

give you an option to join the site at this point.

Graduate Recruitment Programme: • Job Postings: The CCDU Graduate Recruitment profiles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram remain active and postings for fulltime or part-time/casual job opportunities will continue to be posted on our Facebook page.

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/witsgrp/

Facebook :

https://www.facebook.com/witsgraduaterecruitmentprogramme/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Wits_GRP?s=09

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wits-graduate-recruitment-programme-539627174

• Career Fairs: As it is no longer possible to host career fairs in the traditional format, CCDU has partnered with South African Graduate Employers Association [SAGEA] and will be participating in the SAGEA Virtual Careers Fair. This would be an alternative to the face- to-face career fairs that we have been accustomed to. On each day, the virtual careers fair will have three sections: o GENERAL - All degrees o Accounting o STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] These virtual careers fairs will take place on: 21 & 29 July, and 13 August.

To register for the virtual fairs follow this link https://virtualgradexpo.easyvirtualfair.com/ Students can register for the Virtual Careers Fairs at https://virtualgradexpo.easyvirtualfair.com/DEMO/#!home

For the safety of all and in compliance with the social distancing protocol, students wishing to access CCDU services during COVID-19 are requested to send an email indicating your concern to:

Info.ccdu@wits.ac.za A relevant staff member will then respond during regular office hours. Should students require emergency counselling, please contact the

Wits Student Crisis Line on 0800 111 331 This line is available 24/7/365 toll free for Wits Students Students are also encouraged to explore resources on the CCDU Webpages.

www.wits.ac.za/ccdu/

5

WHAT IS NEW @ CDS The Careers Development Services (CDS) and Voice of Wits (VOW) FM drive time collaboration.

Bringing you career development related matters. Tune in every Tuesday from 16:00 to 16:30.

Check out the Wits GRP YouTube channel for more career development related content.

Your Journey to employability starts here. Put your degree to work and give your career a lift!

Topics to include: Exude Professionalism Be aware of your competition Preferred Industries, Men Vs Women Employability Soft Skills How to deal with professional disappointment at work How the youth suffer from lack of skills and not unemployment Entrepreneurship

CAMPUS PRESENCE What we got up to before lockdown

6

DO YOU ENJOY SOLVING CHALLENGING PROBLEMS? Here at Ab Initio, we are always on the lookout for brilliant minds and logical thinkers to join our dynamic team. Grab your crayons, have a look at this puzzle and see how you fare.

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF COLOURS YOU NEED TO USE? Find a way of colouring the vertices of a graph such that no two adjacent vertices have the same colour.

Answer:

Answer:

3

IF YOU ARE YOU LOOKING TO: Continuously learn and develop your skills Work on advanced data processing systems Join a relaxed and collaborative company environment Have regular opportunities to travel Be supplied with your own crayons

GET IN TOUCH ….

SAcareers@abinitio.com

7

WITS GRADUTE EXIT SURVEY 97% Wits graduates find employment within six months of completing their studies.

– 2018 Wits Graduates Exit Survey

According to the Wits Graduates Exit Survey results published at the end of December 2018: • 52% of graduates were employed; and • 29% were furthering their studies.

Of those employed, 97% secured employment within six months of completing their qualification at Wits.

- 67% found employment during their studies or prior to completion – 26% within three months and 4% within six months - 60% of respondents said that they are in professions directly related to their field of study, while 17% said that they are in somewhat related fields.

The survey results show that the private sector was the biggest employer of Wits graduates (51%), followed by government (18%).

The top 10 employers of Wits graduates include the ‘big four auditors‘ (KPMG, Deloitte, EY & PWC) as well as banks such as FNB and ABSA. Note: The survey targeted students who were capped at graduation ceremonies between March 2017 and July 2018. Nearly 14,000 attended graduation during this period of which around 6,000 responded to the survey.

8

EMPLOYABILITY & COVID-19 – WHAT EMPLOYERS HAVE TO SAY! We asked employers and recruiters to answer and address your covid-19 career related questions and concerns.

1. Is your organisation still recruiting during covid-19?

Hatch: Yes we are.

2. How is covid-19 affecting the graduate job market?

Hatch: Not much has changed from Hatch’s perspective. We’re still experiencing similar levels of interaction with graduates compared to last year.

3. How will covid-19 affect the 2021 graduate recruitment cycle?

Hatch: Our cycle has not changed, besides our marketing activities that have been updated to respond to the current times.

4. How can I get experience/develop career skills while I am (learning virtually) at home?

Hatch: Online courses and resources are a great tool for students and graduates to further develop their career skills. A good example would be online courses for people learning how to be effective in online video meetings and engagements. There are other online courses for engineers looking to upskill on their Excel and learn how to create simulation models in Excel that can be beneficial to their career.

5. How do I prepare/what should I do if I’m preparing for a virtual/telephone interview?

Hatch: Similar preparations as you would have for a face-to-face interview. However, ensure that there is good network and internet connection at that time. Some employers will record the telephonic or video interview for future reference, so it is critical candidates are well prepared for their interviews.

6. I was planning to get some work experience while studying on campus, what can I do instead?

Hatch: Online courses. There are loads of free online courses that students can register for to upskill themselves on particular skillsets, for example, the Online Excel courses that are important for engineers.

7. How can I make most of my time during lockdown? I.e. using this time to build employability skills.

Hatch: Same answer as above 8. How can I use this time to plan my career?

Hatch: Research the industries you are interested in, learn about the companies that are prominent in those industries and the types of personnel they usually hire.

9. My vac-work/internship was cancelled; how do I make up for the gap on my CV? Hatch: Given the current pandemic and regulations, there aren’t many options for graduates seeking internship or vac work. However, this is totally dependent on how companies approach this. So at Hatch, we’re not yet looking to cancel vac work, rather if need be, have a combination of remote vac work and some that is done in-office. We are already looking into this for vac work this June and July.

10. What is the best way to reach out to an employer regarding my job/internship application status?

Hatch: Graduate roles normally get thousands of applications, so the timing of following up for feedback is critical. Before reaching out to employers regarding your application, It’s important that you confirm that you have submitted whatever documents are required by the employer and that you have allowed appropriate time for screening.

9

11. What are some career development tips and things to consider during covid-19?

Hatch: Most, if not all, companies are now conducting online interviews, so it is absolutely critical that candidates make provision for the data costs that are involved. However, in some instances, we have conducted telephonic interviews, so it’s also important for candidates to communicate any shortcomings they may have so that we, as employers, can assist them appropriately.

WITS GRADUATE RECRUITMENT PROGRAMME – WE HAVE YOUR BACK Graduate Career paths and Graduate Recruitment Industries affected by covid-19.

The Covid-19 disruptions have caused a significant downturn in economic and social activities as lockdown related restrictions were imposed, limiting social movement, business operations and the move from office based work to home based work. The student and graduate job seekers market has been affected as employer organisations of all sizes adapt to the new normal. However, many graduate recruiters and employers continue to hire as they prepare for business to return to normality.

We consider industries whose graduate recruitment, apprenticeships as well as interns and student placements will be affected by covid-19. Companies in the transport and hospitality (hotels, travel and tourism) industries have been most severely impacted by this pandemic as social movement and leisure (non-essentials) activities have been banned under lockdown restrictions. The likes of BCG, Deloitte, PWC, KPMG and other consistent graduate recruiter partners, have not reported any hiring impact so far, and continue to post graduate recruitment and internship opportunities targeted at Wits students in the auditing, CA, banking and advisory programmes.

Most employers of Wits Gradutes have not reported hiring freezes related to Covid-19. According to Hatch SA’s talent acquisition associate for Africa, Rudzani Molaudzi, the company is still doing graduate recruitment for its engineering internships during Covid-19 and “not yet looking to cancel vac work.” If necessary, they will have a combination of remote vac work and some office based work. The Wits Graduate Recruitment Programme thus continues to assist recruiters in interacting with students from all faculties, including the Engineering & Built Environment (EBE) degrees.

Other industries ranging from food and beverage to manufacturing and financial services sectors have remained operational during the lockdown. These include major grocery retailers and brands, especially those with online delivery services. Online learning companies are developing capacity as millions of pupils and students are out-of school and have migrated to online learning. Hiring of tutors and teachers is also becoming a rising trend. ICT companies such as Microsoft, Vodacom, MTN, and others will also benefit from the rise in remote meetings, connectivity and mobile data use for virtual platforms, connectivity capacity & online teaching and learning.

We also encourage students to think outside the box during these trying times and to allow the entrepreneur in you to emerge. Whilst there is so much negativity and anxiety during this pandemic, it also opens up opportunities to do and think differently - the Wits Graduate Recruitment Programme invites you to do exactly that. Most successful entrepreneurs are those that come up with a solution to the problem. Current, aspiring and future entrepreneurs, this is your chance!

Wits GRP, together with other higher education career services units will be participating in the country’s first virtual career fairs in partnership with the South African Graduate Employers Association (SAGEA) as an alternative to the traditional recruitment events typically offered on campuses. The three day fair (21 & 29 July and 13 August) will host recruiters targeting all degrees. Be sure to register on time and prepare well to interact with your favourite prospective employer on the live chat.

Look out for Wits GRP communication on further details regarding this event and many others planned.

To mitigate new recruitment reality changes as well as the potential job hunt slowdown in industries affected by Covid-19, we advise our students and graduates to also research and explore career alternatives outside of the regular employing industries.

10

Available and free online courses and resources that students can complete to develop their skills and employability during Covid-19 include: -www.open.edu.com -LinkedInLearning -www.futurelearn.com Some employers are offering free webinars in areas such as marketing, personal branding, engineering and networking. Schneider Electric’s (SE) Energy University is a free platform from SE that allows anyone to take courses and lessons for energy education. This is a great tool with over 200 courses in over 13 languages, ideal for students that want to enhance their careers. https://www.schneideruniversities.com/ . Amazon is also hosting a series of virtual career events during Covid-19 lockdown. Some of the sessions already covered include: • • • •

How to prepare for a great interview Remote studying tips for studying virtually Tech Talk: How is data stored in the cloud?

Tech Talk: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

To find future sessions, visit the company’s events homepage through the following: https://amazonvirtualeventseries.splashthat.com/

11

MAKE A LASTING

IMPACT -YOUR WAY

Kickstart your career at IQbusiness, the leading independent management consulting firm in South Africa.

Not only do we help our clients overcome their toughest business challenges, we’re part of a community of over 2500 companies worldwide committed to using business as a force for good, to grow people, grow business and grow Africa.

We offer you the opportunity to make a lasting impact, your way. Join us and together, let’s reimagine what we can do as a business and as a nation.

The IQbusiness Internship Programme provides inspired, passionate and motivated graduates like you with the opportunity to gain practical experience in a consulting environment.

Apply Today graduaterecruitment.simplify.hr 12

HOW NOT TO PUT YOUR CV TOGETHER – Candice Eaton-Gaul, Head of HR, RSM South Africa

I recently wrote an article on “How not to get an increase”, which surprisingly went down pretty well. I decided to continue the theme and suggest a few things that should never, ever, be found on a CV. If you want to avoid getting a regret letter, keep reading…

So on behalf of HR professionals everywhere: 1. Send your CV yourself. From your work appropriate email address. The same email address that’s in the contact section inside your CV. Please, do not let your mom, or anyone else, send it from their email address. Replying to the initial email of a candidate to request more information, and in response receiving a reference from their mistress, going into way too much detail, is awkward.

2. Curicuulim Vita. Curruclum Vetae. Coriculem Vite. If you send in a CV with spelling mistakes all over it, don’t expect a call. Putting “Attention to detail” as a skill, but misspelling “management”, gets a CV straight to the nope zone. Similarly, don’t claim to have “Advanced Microsoft Word” skills and then have alignment and formatting errors that make the document look like your pet parrot sat on the tab key.

3. For all accountants, no other human beings use Microsoft Excel for documents with more letters than numbers.

Do not send your CV in Microsoft Excel.

4. If you want to save time by copying and pasting your cover letter, please just take the 3 minutes to double check that you have not addressed it to the wrong company. Nothing like getting a cover letter addressed to a competitor to cheer us HR people up!

5. A full body photo is always appropriate….if you are applying to be a model. If you are not applying to be a model, we do not want to see you in your bikini. In fact, most of the time we don’t really even want to see your face, as lovely as it is. Do your skills and experience match the actual job criteria? Because that is all we really need to see.

6. If you use a CV template, please, and I ask politely again, please, remove parts of the template you have not populated.

7. Excessive use of CAPS makes us picture you sitting with your left index finger smashed into the shift key while typing with one solitary finger on your right hand. It also makes us feel like you are yelling your experience at us.

8. Celebrate your achievements. If you are a graduate with no work experience, include notable achievements from school. If you are an experienced hire, unless your school achievements are truly remarkable, as well as understandable, please don’t include them. Nothing detracts from a professional CV like someone advertising their certificate of accomplishment in the Chesstastics Championships of 2006.

9. Know your audience. If your CV is going to a company where innovation and technology is prized, you can showcase your leadership skills as the Raid Leader of a Raiding Guild in the World of Warcraft. Personally I would take this in a positive light, but in different industries and different contexts it may not always be well received.

10. If you created your email account at the peak of living your best life at university, and it’s no longer a work appropriate kind of an email address, create another one. Nobody wants to hire scotty.too.hotty, babealicious or holdmybeer_imgoingin as their financial director.

Your CV is your professional fashion statement. So, read your CV. Properly read it as if it’s the first time you have ever seen it. Your CV is the first chance you have of selling yourself, so take the time and effort to make sure that it showcases your brilliance and is clear in terms of your skills set and experience. To remember that your CV is your professional fashion statement and what you look like to recruiters, I’ll leave you with this quote from Miucca Prada, “What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.”

13

NEGOTIATION SKILLS

– Siphokazi Cele on Yolenda Jawe My name is Siphokazi Cele, a 3rd year BSc Urban and Regional Planning student. I am from Port Shepstone, a small town on the lower south coast of KwaZulu-Natal. I have love and passion for Christ Jesus and people; and I’m excited that I will have an impact in many lives through making informed decisions on shaping spaces and the built environment.

On the 5th of April ’19, I was fortunate to attend the Negotiation Skills workshop hosted by the CCDU, led by Yolenda Jawe (affectionately known as Yolz to her YouTube subscribers and social media followers). I found out about the workshop through the CCDU email (yes, the ones students hardly open). Although Yolz is a full-time YouTuber/ influencer, she has a BCom Finance and Investments degree from the University of the Western Cape, and has work experience in corporate as a Capital Markets Analyst. She has had to negotiate her way up the corporate ladder, and thus had an immense amount of information to share – whether negotiating for a promotion, during an interview or business partnership. Briefly, these are some pointers I took: * *

* * *

* *

*

*

* * *

* *

When a day for you to negotiate comes: Prepare! Know yourself and your value proposition.

Build emotional equity and do your research well so as to establish relationships and trust with relevant parties.

Understand that negotiation is for the benefit of all parties.

Determine what sets you apart from the crowd.

Be willing to walk away when you are undervalued or disrespected. Know your worth, be well informed of market values for graduates. These may be found in career books such as Career Junction.

Understand that people skills are valuable, money is not the end.

Remember that your gifts will make room for you. Know your personal SWOT, determine what opportunities can be open from your strengths i.e. public speaking.

All parties need to leave feeling ‘screwed’. In some cases, you will need to lose something, there are often trade-offs but believe your story.

Your body language is just as important as your speech. Don’t look timid. Look them in the eye. You have something to offer.

Always sell your weaknesses in a good way, if you are stubborn, rather say you’re ‘strong-headed’.

Don’t settle with, nor make the first offer.

Negotiate holistically - include leave days, working hours, relocation costs. Work-life balance is vital – ask yourself what you have to lose/what will it cost you?

80/20 rule. Speak less than you talk Always print the emails!

What advice would I give people who’ve never gone to workshops?

Stop sleeping on the CCDU, really. In addition to the individual and group counselling sessions from professionals, there are many more programmes for students at our disposal. They help build our confidence in job searching, CV writing, interview skills – all things career development and ensuring an easier transition from being a student, a graduate to a thriving young professional.

Connect with Yolenda on: YouTube & Facebook: Yolz Channel | Instagram & Twitter: @yolzchannel | Linkedin: Yolenda Yolz Jawe

14

STAYING MOTIVATED DURING COVID-19 – Preleena Ramlall, Careers Practitioner, CCDU

At a time like we currently experiencing, when we are faced with so much of uncertainty, life can sometimes seem meaningless if you are not MOTIVATED! Motivation does not guarantee you success but it definitely is where you start your journey. Here are some suggestions on how you could stay motivated: - To get somewhere you first need to realise that you don’t want to be where you are right now.

- Consider this time as a pit stop along your journey, a time to refuel, reflect and refocus!

- Know where you going but also why you going there.

- Revisit your goals – the purpose of having goals are to inspire and motivate you…..are your goals doing this? If not, maybe this is an opportunity to rethink your goals.

- Are your goals S.M.A.R.T (Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound)?

- Goals are concrete steps towards something you want, and now do everything to bring this to life.

- Visualise achieving your goals…….see it!.......and now feel it!

- Use affirmations – these are powerful…..if you believe you will fail or succeed, you’re right!

- Lastly, remember the world is as we see it….perspective is everything…..what you do have control over in these uncertain times is how you perceive it!

- Stay safe, stay motivated!

15

RBB Economics offers career opportunities for entry level economists Who are we?

Our clients

RBB Economics is an independent economics consultancy specialising in competition policy. We are one of the largest competition economics practices in the world, with offices in London, Brussels, The Hague, Johannesburg, Melbourne, Madrid, Stockholm, Paris, DĂźsseldorf and Hong Kong. Our work concerns the behaviour of firms with market power, and covers issues such as mergers, vertical agreements, joint ventures, price setting and the abuse of dominant positions.

RBB have built up strong relationships with clients from all areas of industry and commerce as well as with all of the major law firms specialising in competition law. Over the years we have been involved in hundreds of the most high-profile competition cases around the world.

Our expertise is wide ranging, from industries such as energy, mining and steel, to the manufacturing of sophisticated medical equipment, financial services and sports rights.

We work in dedicated, multi-national teams which combine the experience and expertise relevant to each case. This enables us to respond to our clients’ needs in a focused and flexible manner. We offer a hands-on service, supporting and working in partnership with our clients and their legal advisers.

Our requirements We’re looking for exceptional, highly motivated economists to join our multi-national team.

If you have outstanding academic credentials and flourish in the face of complex, intellectually challenging issues then we would love to hear from you.

Our working environment The work at RBB is stimulating, challenging, demanding and rewarding. We give our staff the opportunities they need to flourish professionally, including early responsibility for our work product and to engage directly with clients and their legal advisors as well as with competition authorities.

Qualifications are usually to postgraduate level, preferably with an interest in industrial organisation. We are looking for consultants with a range of quantitative and analytical skills, and the ability to communicate complex economic concepts in a clear concise style.

However, we always offer our staff support, guidance and career progression advice from more experienced team members.

To apply, please send your CV with a covering letter explaining why you would like to join RBB Economics and your transcripts to vacancies@rbbecon.com

RBB is meritocratic, not hierarchical and offers a supportive and highly sociable working environment that adds greatly to the enjoyment of working here.

www.rbbecon.com

16

MEET ASIVE MAHLAMVU

Asive Mahlamvu is an advanced analytics data analyst in the financial industry, speaker, a writer and blogger. She has a website called Healing Africa which can be found at asi-ve.com. She started the website and blog as a way of educating and sharing insights and useful mental health tools in her journey towards personal development and self-mastery.

In the future, Asive hopes to continue sharing her journey in educating Africa about mental wellness through writing her own books and becoming a bestselling author. She hopes to be an effective game-changing philanthropist, speaker and active life coach to African women and men who need education mental and emotional healing.

Born: 10 July 1994 (25 years old) Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape South Africa Residence: Johannesburg Education: Wits University Alma Mater: Wits University Occupation: Advanced Analytics Data analyst•writer•blogger•speaker Website: asi-ve.com

17

MY WITS CAREERS FAIR EXPERIENCE

My name is Esethu Boti, I am a Wits BCom Accounting graduate, one of the many things I am proud to say!

My journey at Wits was nothing short of amazing, mainly because I got to really tap in to who I am and where I would like to see myself. There were challenges along the way but those challenges only made me stronger and reminded me that nothing comes easy.

The Accounting Career Fair: The career fair was in our building (School of Accountancy), so on our way to classes, my class mates and I decided to explore the many Accounting and Auditing firms(including the big 4) that were present. Initially, as students, we were thinking freebies, but the more we read the brochures being given out, the more we realised that it’s really not wise to limit ourselves because there is so much out there. There were so many interesting companies, some that are black owned and some that I had never heard of were also there. That was really interesting! It was great to know that one should not limit themselves in terms of which career path they wish to take! The great thing about the career fair was the diversity of the companies present and how friendly the people were. The bad thing is the fact that some of the companies do not follow up after you have put down your details for whatever reason.

18

MAKE YOUR MARK, MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO ALL CTA AND PGDA STUDENTS LOOKING FOR A SAICA TRAINING CONTRACT If you are a dynamic individual with a strong vision for your future and a desire to make a positive impact through your career, you are just what we are looking for.

Visit us at tuffiassandberg.co.za/careers Tuffias Sandberg is an audit firm committed to service excellence, innovation and integrity with direct access to a global industry network and passionate about developing graduates into confident and competent professionals.

+27 11 524 9700 I recruitment@tsza.co.za

19

HOW TO MASTER A VIDEO INTERVIEW

– Marita Cloete Manager: Audit Staff & Resourcing, RSM South Africa COVID19 has brought numerous changes to the workplace. The way we conduct interviews is one of them. Gone are the days where you arrive at the doorstep of a potential employer with sweaty hands. You will now be interviewed in the comfort of your own safe environment. Video interviews are new to most of us and, like any other interview, can still be nerve wrecking.

Here are a few tips to help you master a video interview.

• Make sure you have a stable internet connection to avoid poor sound and picture quality.

• Conduct a mock interview with a friend beforehand to test your connection, sound, picture quality and give

you a feel for what to expect.

• Avoid a distracting background. Frame yourself in the best light and select a background that conveys an

image of professionalism. If this is not possible, a plain wall will also work. Make sure that no one will walk

past behind you during the interview.

• Turn off applications on your laptop. Make sure message alerts do not pop up and distract you during the

interview • Switch your cell phone off before the start of the interview and give your full attention to the interviewer.

• Minimise background noise. Make sure you sit somewhere where you will not be disturbed as background

noise can interfere with your concentration and distract your interviewer. Life happens, but let your parents,

friends, children, siblings and dogs know that you do not want to be disturbed.

• Look the part. This is not the time for your T-shirt and tracksuit pants. Dress professionally.

• Be ready to introduce yourself at the beginning of the interview.

• Make eye contact. Ensure that you look directly into the camera when you speak, rather than at the picture

of yourself or interviewer. This can feel unnatural, but practice makes perfect.

• Watch your body language. Avoid crossing your arms, hunching your shoulders or resting your head in your

hand. Adapt a posture that is relaxed and remember to smile.

• Ask some relevant questions when afforded an opportunity at the end of the interview. It’s important to

show your interest in the company and show the employer that you want this job.

• Be yourself, take part in the interview and remember it may also be a new experience for the interviewer.

Good luck!

20

WHAT NOT TO DO IN A JOB INTERVIEW – Candice Eaton-Gaul, Head of HR, Johannesburg

Once your CV catches the eye of a recruiter, all you are really left with is to test that there is mutual compatibility. The problem with interviews, aside from being an inherently flawed way of selecting talent, is that it’s easy to get nervous, and it’s even easier to turn it into a complete social disaster.

So, in 10 easy steps, this is what not to do in an interview: 1. Don’t forget to research the company.

Do your homework, know the organisation’s name at the very least! Going for an interview at RSM and explaining how you would fit in at RMS for an hour is nails down a chalkboard for interviewers!

2. Don’t speak about yourself in third-person.

“Tell me a bit about yourself?” Candidate, “Mimi is a hardworking and energetic person. Mimi loves a challenge…” And the interviewer immediately thinks about their biggest challenge for today is listening to a candidate speak about themselves in the third person. It is so weird. Rule of thumb on this, don’t say your own name in an interview after the introductions.

3. Boss bashing is a no-no.

Don’t speak badly of your ex-employer or boss, even if it is tempting and you think they really deserve it.

4. Don’t be smelly.

If you are nervous about an interview, and if it’s a job you really want then you probably will be, you will sweat more than usual. Please put some deodorant on. However, in the same theme, don’t go overboard on the perfume or cologne.

5. Don’t. Be. Late.

6. Dress appropriately, professionally.

While your CV might be your professional fashion statement, generally a job interview isn’t the time to rock a couture outfit that needs taming to fit into a chair or standard size door frame. If there is a need for double sided tape to stop a wardrobe malfunction, it’s not the right top for a job interview. It’s important to look like you are going to fit into the business and be presentable in that environment.

7. Don’t lie about academics or duties and responsibilities in a previous role.

If it’s not immediately obvious in the interview, it will become obvious soon after you start working.

8. Don’t focus on your phone.

Put your phone on silent and don’t look at it. A candidate’s phone vibrating across the table the entire way through an interview is a quick way to irritate the interviewer. Basic manners and etiquette is a simple way to make sure you’re not in the nope zone before you’re even out the door.

9. Know your CV. Nothing like asking a candidate about something they put on their CV and they stare at you as if you’ve asked them to explain the concept of certain uncertainty.

10. Don’t fib about your hobbies.

What are your hobbies? Horse riding maybe, or mountain biking? The answer is neither if you have only ridden one horse and you don’t actually own a bicycle. Interviewers like to ask this kind of question as it opens up the conversation and puts the candidate at ease, most of the time asking about hobbies is just something we want candidates to talk about to give them an opportunity to relax and show us a bit of their interests outside of works. Please don’t be the person that says “I play the French Horn” and you don’t, in fact you’ve never seen one but you watched a movie once where someone spoke of it. Also, while on the topic, watching TV and reading, are not usually notable hobbies. We all watch TV and read.

21

Going to an interview is like a first date, candidates often forget that it is an opportunity to explore mutual compatibility and the interview shouldn’t be one sided. Make sure the culture of the organization is suitable to you and the job is what you assume it to be. It’s awful to be unhappy in your work environment and often this could be avoided by getting the information before you commit and making an informed decision as to whether you want to be there at all. After all, most people spend more time at work than with their dog, so it’s best to be excited about where you spend your day.

22

JOURNEY TO EMPLOYABILITY ON SAKAI The Journey to Employability [JEm] programme has been disrupted by the events surrounding COVID-19. However, the presentations on The Cover Letter and Compiling a CV have been made available on the university’s e-learning platform SAKAI. These presentation videos as well as templates and other resources can be accessed by joining the “Journey to Employability” project site through the following steps: 1.

Go to: https://wits-e.wits.ac.za 2.

Enter your user ID and password [All students and staff should have access] 3.

Click on “Home” on the top left of the screen 4.

Click on membership on the left of the screen 5.

On the top right of the screen is a search box, type “journey to employability” and enter/search. It should give you an option to join the site at this point.

As soon as we are able to offer contact presentations and workshops again students will be informed accordingly.

23

24

COMPETITION CORNER

25

CAREER TIPS & ADVICE We all want to land that dream job and/or be successful in our careers. Therefore, we come to Wits to get that most sought after degree that “gives you the edge”. However, the degree is only the first step to making it in the competitive workplace environment that requires you set yourself apart from the job pool. Soft skills are the bridging the gap between your qualification and the workplace/career. It is therefore very important for every student/graduate to acquire adequate skills beyond academic or technical knowledge during their university time.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills refer to transferrable skills, personal or people skills outside of the technical skills that you need to make a great candidate/employee.

Why are soft skills important?

Today’s employers seek well-rounded graduates/applicants who have been discovering and developing their talents and career interests throughout their university stay. This goes beyond being just a member or leader of a club/ society at Wits; you should be able to explain in detail what it is you did, what you accomplished, and learned from the experiences. Your abilities and interests must be backed-up by real experience, and you gain experience through participation. So, being an involved student can positively influence your career and varsity student experience in a positive way. Writing a CV, a cover/motivational letter or participating in interviews also requires you to highlight soft skills you have acquired, most of which you are gained through getting real experience/participation. Furthermore, developing soft skills helps you to become a well-rounded graduate and can help you land a job, run a business, be team leader, generate sales and or even get a promotion. Therefore, soft skills can translate to your career growth.

You may ask, what are these soft skills and how do I develop them before graduating?

Some of the ways through which students can develop soft skills while still at university is on the job, through exposure and actual participation in activities. Below we have provided you with some of the valuable skills you need to succeed in the workplace or your career and how you can best attain them.

26

• A part-time job may provide a student with an opportunity to develop some of the most valued soft skills such as professionalism, being a team player, dealing with information and work ethic.

• Communication skills are also some of the highly valued soft skills that can be developed or strengthened through campus roles such as public speaking, and leadership roles in clubs and societies.

• Extracurricular activities such as volunteering or participating in campaigns and projects will allow students to work with others, achieve a goal, or even improve a situation or make a difference allowing students to develop teamwork and collaboration skills. It is also a great opportunity to meet new students, make connections and build relationships.

• Mentoring and participation in positions of responsibility such as residence or house committees and tutoring of students will provide an opportunity to develop leadership skills.

• Multitasking (doing well academically, while volunteering or freelancing) is also another skill most sought after by employers because it demonstrates your ability to manage your time efficiently.

27

Startup Movement at Wits 2020 #wakeupwits Startup movement at Wits 2020 #wakeupwits The Traveling Entrepreneur’s Hub is a business entity established at Wits campus in 2018. In Jan 2020, it was registered as a student cub (CSO).

The vision is to bring together the leaders of tomorrow in the University that have realised and are aware of the economic condition of the country on one single platform. The executive members of the entity are; Omar Pardesi (Chief Executive Officer), Nzapheza Mabalane (Chief Operations Officer), Arslan Hashmi (Managing Director), Sabica Pardesi (Creative Consultant) and Siphiwe Blom (Investment Analyst).

The mission is to influence a culture of “doing more, whilst studying.”

In order to fulfil this, there was a need for experimentation in our community. We are afraid to start doing, either because of fear of failure or lack of resources. So we came up with a unique student-run mobile hub selling something ordinary (R5 popcorn) but mediating a message that we are extraordinary. The cart was frugally self-funded but through its sales, eventually became a sustainable business. Having the daily costs covered, now we could start carrying out and recruiting students for other ambitious projects. So essentially the cart attracted students through the sale of R5 popcorn and in turn campaigned the message of anyone can start doing.

“You have to see failure as the beginning and the middle, but never entertain it as the end.” - Jessica Herrin As a start, in partnership with other societies and bodies on campus, the cart began exhibiting ventures and projects happening in and around campus, creating awareness, carrying out surveys, and lastly collecting a mass database for student groups.

28

For every student reading this newsletter, we would like to provide an opportunity to you this year; register for our club and get the following benefits from our programme: 1. Create an event as an individual or a group, and book venues on campus at no cost 2. Inform us of the event and the posters so we may publish your event on our platform for maximum attendance. (Sports clinics, tuitions and more, be creative) 3. Provide co-working spaces on and off campus so you may work virtually 4. Entrepreneur day every week, on campus, to bring your merchandise and services on offer 5. Get streamlined by completing your profile so we may direct internships and opportunities according to your other interests, skills and passion Provide an online, 24/7, platform which allows you as a member to connect to other entrepreneurs in South Africa. To share ideas, receive aid, business consulting and coaching.

29

PROUD GRP AMBASSADORS & STUDENT ASSISTANTS The true mark of a leader is the willingness to stick with a bold course of action — an unconventional business strategy, a unique product development roadmap, a controversial marketing campaign — even as the rest of the world wonders why you’re not marching in step with the status quo. In other words, real leaders are happy to zig while others zag. They understand that in an era of hyper-competition and nonstop disruption, the only way to stand out from the crowd is to stand for something special.“ NEED PICS NEED PICS NEED PICS -Bill Taylor, from article Wits Career Services within CCDU offers students the opportunity to volunteer and become part of various initiatives.

GRP student ambassadors & assistants forms part of the CCDU experience. To find out more on this opportunity visit CCDU or contact the GRP office.

30

UNIVERSUM REPORT – WITS STUDENTS FEEDBACK

University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) / Universum Students survey findings summary Universum is a global employer branding organisation that conducts research to understand talents’ career expectation and preferences across more than 40 markets, including South Africa. The Universum South African Student Survey takes place annually. The survey helps us gain an understanding of how talent feels about and evaluates employer brands and their attractiveness. The survey also gets into the great understanding of how students view their universities and themselves on how well equipped they are going into the workplace.

Thank you so much to every student that participates in the Universum survey each year. An awesome 4398 WITS students completed the survey for 2020 and shared their career expectations, ideal employers and university evaluations.

Countrywide, we surveyed over 54 000 students this year. Despite similarities in some of the career expectations, we discovered a lot of noticeable differences between WITS students and other university students across the country.

The feedback we get from the Universum Career Test helps both employers and universities understand where students are with regards to their readiness for the world of work. We delve deep into understanding how prepared students are for their professional lives. A contributing factor that employers look into when looking for the perfect fit in a candidate, is their soft skills. How prepared a candidate is to enter the work environment where working with different individuals in different situations counts just as much as how intellectually prepared they are. We found that WITS students identified their strongest skills as problem-solving, work ethic and responsibility. Noting their top 3 improvement areas as time management, communication and teamwork.

When asked what type of employer they would like to work for after graduation, 46% of WITS students mentioned that they would like to work for an international company/organisation. Similar to our 2019 findings, we notice that WITS students show a lower interest in working in the public sector compared to all students we have surveyed. We also notice another similarity to the 2019 findings; WITS students have a higher salary expectation compared to all students. This year, a noticeable gap of over R66000 on the students’ expected annual salary on their first job after graduation was revealed in the findings.

WITS students have however, a few similarities with all students as it pertains to ideal employers. Employers like Sasol, CSIR, Investec, Deloitte and Transnet show up on the top 3 ideal employers for both groups. Employers like Tesla, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) and Google stand out amongst the top 3 for WITS students. Most times, we see specific trends in the rise of ideal employers on the list, when there is a great engagement between the employers and students on campus. These types of engagements are usually guided through Career Fairs and Campus Employer Presentations as well as other initiatives which are usually organised by the Counselling and Careers Development Unit at the university. Career fairs and Employer presentations are amongst the top 3 most used career services by WITS students.

A higher usage percentage on interaction with alumni is reflected on the findings for WITS students compared to all students. The influence of University Rankings is also seen with a much higher percentage of influence on the students’ decision to study at the University of the Witwatersrand, with a noticeable 36% higher percentage compared to all students.

Look out for our next survey link later this year to complete the Career Test and to also get a full overview of your CAREER TYPE. If you have any further questions about the survey, you can contact the Counselling and Careers Development Unit on grp.ccdu@wits.ac.za or email ask@career-test.com

31

CCDU SERVICES 1. CAREER SERVICES: • Career Counselling • Employment Services • Journey to Employment • Life Coaching 2. HIV/AIDS & WELLNESS ADVOCACY: • Awareness campaigns • HIV/Aids education & Support • Healthy lifestyle advocacy • Peer Advocacy 3. PSYCHO-THERAPEUTIC SERVICES: • Individual short-term therapy • Groups / Workshops on personal development • Groups / Workshops on special issues, e.g. GBV, Bereavement, Trauma

GRP OFFICE – HOW TO REACH US

The Counselling & Careers Development Unit Address: CCDU Building, Braamfontein Campus West OPP Chamber of Mines building Tel: 011 717 9140/45/32 Web: https://www.wits.ac.za/ccdu Email: info.ccdu@wits.ac.za / grp.ccdu@wits.ac.za WITSGRP Wits Graduate Recruitment Programme Wits_GRP Wits Graduate Recruitment Programme Wits GRP

32