Each opportunity has different requirements, so it is important to carefully read them carefully before applying. Here are some online sources of Learnerships and Internships.

www.puffandpass.co.za

https://salearnership.co.za www.top-learnerships.co.za

https://availablelearnerships.com

www.careerhelp.org.za/workexperience-opportunities

www.youthvillage.co.za/category/opportunities/internships

www.graduates24.com/internshipprogrammes

A: The first thing is to create a list of KEYWORDS to use in your search. 6 to 10 keywords should do it, but you can try different combinations as you learn

• The first word would be: South Africa, so that you don’t get jobs all over the world! (Unless you want them, of course!) Do not leave this one off your list.
• Then the opportunity you are seeking: Job, or Internship, or Apprenticeship, or Work Experience, or Learnership or Trainee, or a combination. You can also other words you find, like Matric, Vacancy or Choose which words suit you now. You can have three or four words in this category and change them around.
• Then the areas where you are prepared to travel to. You could add (for example) Johannesburg, or even Gauteng, but it is a good idea to choose suburbs or areas closer to home, to begin with. If you find you are not getting many useful results, then widen the search. If you can look at a map and find all the suburbs or districts, that you are prepared to travel to.
• Then add the Industry and/or department or job title you are looking for. Examples:
  * Engineering, Mechanical Fitter Apprentice,
  * Retail, Manager Trainee.
  * Health, Internship.
• As you start searching you will find certain websites are just not worth the time and data! Ignore them in future. But you will also find websites that collect all the jobs from various job websites including these (in 2020):
  • Indeed,
  • Glassdoor,
  • Google for Jobs,
  • CareerJet,
  • co.za,
  • Careers24,
  • JobMail,
  • co.za,
  • PNet

Some of these will ask you to register and/or ask if you want to be sent alerts for jobs (which match your keywords), come in. You can always unsubscribe.

Then there are websites which focus on specific industries or organisations for example:

• https://www.gov.za/about-government/government-vacancies

This website also gives you links to all government departments which advertise jobs.

• https://www.bizcommunity.com/JobsOffered/196/11.html

This website focuses on Marketing and Media jobs, but offers some others as well.

• Companies: If you want to work at a specific company, add the name of the company to your key words. You should find ‘Careers’ or ‘Vacancies’ ‘Join our Team’.
• Police, SANDF, the Navy and AirForce and Nurses all apply directly to their nearest base or online on a prescribed form.

How often to do a search? Every day or at least every 2-3 days.

Further help:

https://careerplanet.co.za/how-do-i-answer-a-job-advertisement/

More reading on this subject:

https://careerplanet.co.za/top-tips-for-online-job-hunting/

A: Most colleges have a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) department and it is important to get in touch with them as soon as possible. They may not be called WIL at your college, but inquire there.

If you are not successful consider working as a volunteer. You may not get paid, but you will gather experience. Ask at the WIL office.

BUT you are also expected to look for your own opportunities. Here are some articles which may be useful:

https://careerplanet.co.za/how-do-successful-job-hunters-find-their-jobs/

https://careerplanet.co.za/i-have-been-job-hunting-for-a-long-time-with-no-success-and-feel-depressed./

https://careerplanet.co.za/how-do-i-answer-a-job-advertisement/

https://careerplanet.co.za/how-do-i-approach-an-employer-for-work/

https://careerplanet.co.za/employment-advice-for-school-leavers/

There are more articles about CVs, Cover Letters, Interviews and so  on, in the WORK section here

https://careerplanet.co.za/faq/

Scroll down when you get there until you find WORK.

A: This is a good career choice for people who want to travel or work at home, online.

TESOL, which stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, is a general name for the field of teaching that includes both TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and TEFL (Teaching English to speakers of a Foreign Language)

Here is a link to the Job Description:

CLICK HERE FOR TESOL JOB DESCRIPTION

A: Please click on the following link:

https://careerplanet.co.za/sector-education-and-training-authorities-setas/

A: You will be surprised!

• 4% Looking for employers’ job postings on the Internet.
• 7% Posting, or e-mailing your CV to employers.
• 5-24% Answering local newspaper ads. Job hunters looking for low-level salary jobs find this method works 24% of the time; those looking for a high salary find it works only 5% of the time.
• 5-28% Going to private employment agencies or search firms for help. This method apparently works between 5%and 28% of the time.
• 22% Going to places where employers pick up workers. This works if you are in a trade or in construction. But the job may last just a few days.
• 33% Asking for job leads. With this method, you ask family members, friends and people you know in the community (or on LinkedIn) if they know of any place where someone with your talents and background is being sought. By asking for job leads, you have an almost five times better chance of finding a job than if you had just sent out your CV.
• 47% Knocking on the door of any employer, office or manufacturing plant. This method works 47% of the time and works best with small employers. Sometimes you can come to a place where a vacancy has just developed. By knocking on doors, you have an almost seven times better chance of finding a job than if you had just depended on your CV.
  Please check this article: https://careerplanet.co.za/how-do-i-approach-an-employer-for-work/

These statistics are from American author an American author Richard Bolles, who wrote the best-seller ‘What color is your Parachute?. He regularly updates what job hunting tactics work in in America. Although there are no statistics for South Africa, we can imagine they are roughly similar, except that we have fewer jobs available here.

Suggestion: Spend time on all the methods but more time on the methods which have better chance of success!

For more information about job hunting please go here:

https://careerplanet.co.za/category/bridging-course-faqs/faq-work

A: Here are some pointers:

1. Slow down and take the time to do it properly.
2. Have the right mindset: your response needs to meet the needs of the employer, not your own. Don’t waste time talking about what you want or need.
3. Make a note of every single word and phrase in the ad.
4. Try to assess what the important parts are: you need to meet those requirements 100%. Do not apply when you are clearly under qualified. Tip: The most important requirements are usually listed first.
5. Try to assess what the less important parts are: you need to meet 80% of those. But show how you are preparing to meet those requirements.
6. Use the words in the advertisement in your cover letter and CV.
7. Find evidence in your experience to prove that you have the skills, experience and personal qualities asked for. Here is a list of transferable skills for you to identify the skills you can claim.
   https://careerplanet.co.za/transferable-skills-your-personal-advantage/
   (Scroll down in this document, until you find them.)
8. Do some more research about the company and even the person if there is a name.
9. Attach all the documents asked for and in the right format.
10. Double check your grammar and spelling, that you have the right address or email address, that you have attached the documents.

A: Here are some ideas to keep your spirits up

• Think of job hunting as being your job. It is a job because you are employed by yourself! J. Start at 9 every morning as though you were at work and end at 5 in the afternoon. That action alone will make you feel better.
• Create a daily and weekly and monthly schedule of things to do.
• There is nothing more positive than identifying all your Transferable skills. You will find that this task can give you an appreciation of your many skills.

https://careerplanet.co.za/transferable-skills-your-personal-advantage/

• Create a job-hunter’s club. Find others in the same situation and meet once or twice a week to share the load. But make it a rule that you have to be positive!
• Remember that libraries are places where you can get free time on a computer online to search.
• Volunteer at a place that needs you. You will have something to do and gain new skills. Who knows, it may turn into a job.
• Remember jobs are got via people. Make sure you are constantly letting new people know you are looking.
• Here are some more links to explore
  • https://careerplanet.co.za/how-do-successful-job-hunters-find-their-jobs/
  • https://careerplanet.co.za/can-you-give-me-some-job-hunting-tips/
  • https://careerplanet.co.za/top-tips-for-online-job-hunting/

A: Most employers will spend ONLY one minute on your CV, so how you present yourself on paper is very important.

It is one time where LESS IS MORE! Employers and Human Resource Managers are busy people. For every job advertised they can receive hundreds of CVs and they go through them rapidly to see whether you match their requirements.

To make their jobs easier do this:

• No cover page with just your name on it. It wastes time scrolling down. If you prove worthy of further attention, the CV would be printed and this cover page is a waste of paper and ink.
• If you are just leaving school or have up to 3 work experiences, you only need 1 page.
• When you have 4-10 work experiences, you only need 2 pages!
• Most applicants think more is more, but there are ways to make an impact while using the least amount of space.

Here is how:

• Use bullet points instead of complete sentences: eg instead of I was a school prefect in Grade 12
  • School prefect.

• Read the advertisement carefully and take out every bit which does not contribute to answering the question: Are you the right person for the job?
• Reference details are not needed. Just say ‘References letters available.’
• Copies of certificates and ID’s are not needed unless requested. Just say copies of certificate and ID available.

BUT you do need a COVER LETTER!  

Click here

A:  This is what the Department of Labour (which registers private recruitment agencies) says about charging of fees by private employment agencies:

‘No person may charge a fee to any work seeker for providing employment services to that work seeker.’

(Act No. 4 of 2014: Employment Services Act, 2014)

We have seen recruitment agency advertise juicy jobs, only when you phone they say ‘That one is taken, but if you pay R200 (or R500) we can put you on the the list for another job.’

Job seekers who pay never get the promised job!

So if a recruitment agency tries to charge you for anything, run as fast as you can!