Battling To Find Employment / Niche?

WORK SEARCH MADE EASY, Consider Taking Control Of Your Destiny!

This programme addresses issues and answers questions that every job seeker faces, in an easy step-by-step, practical way :

• Proactively Dealing with Your Changing Work Status

This deals with the emotional impact that retrenchment or job loss has on a person. It explains the cycle of loss and gives a deeper understanding of why we go through this emotional cycle and how to deal with it.

• Creating Your Personal Profile

In a very practical way, people are put through a process of identifying/reminding them of their knowledge, skills and aptitudes and the value of these in the job market. It gives them clear direction of the type of work they should be doing and the industries they should target.

• Planning and Organising a Work Search

This introduces the job seeker to proactive ways of targeting employers and finding work. Other effective work search skills like networking, interview techniques and compiling a relevant CV are also dealt with.

• Other Options

This briefly explores self employment, relocation, the importance of upgrading skills and financial planning during periods of unemployment.

Working through this programme and implementing the suggested work search techniques, empowers the job seeker to take action and be in control of their own destiny. This has the added benefit of greatly reducing the stress often associated with being unemployed.

TRAINING OPTIONS AVALIALBE TO EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES

Option 1 – Self help work book @ R120 per learner

• Work book completed independently

Option 2 - 2 hour presentation and self help work book @ R299 per learner

• Motivation and explanation of the creative work search process
• Work book completed independently

Option 3 - 6 hour training programme @ R 999 per learner, (minimum of 5 learners)

• exercises and activities started in the training environment, under the guidance of the facilitator, and completed independently

Option 4 – 12 hour training programme @ R1 999 per learner, (minimum of 5 learners)

• all exercises and activities done under the guidance of the facilitator

(Awesome Recruitment runs this programme through Training Management Support Services (TMSS), a registered training provider with the Services Seta; clients are therefore able to claim back up to 45% of training costs .)

Understanding Recruitment

Many job seekers fail to understand how recruitment agencies work, so we wish to take this opportunity to explain common error in thinking.
A job seeker often forwards a CV to a recruitment agency and is under the illusion that the agency will look for a suitable position for them. Unfortunately it does not work that way!
A recruitment agency may have 20 000 CV's in their data base. The agency is then approached by an employer seeking a candidate for a particular position. The agency then searches the data base for The Best Candidate for the employer! The agency has a responsibility to the employer to supply The Best Candidate.
What can you learn from this?

1) Be the best you can be!

2) Study and Qualify!

3) Spend time constructing a magic CV!

4) Get on your bicycle and peddle!

5) Visit the agency in person, looking like a million dollars, and hand in your CV after meeting the recruiter. Also Email your CV to the recruiter!

6) Stand out from the crowd!

To summarise... the recruitment agency is not there to find you a job. The agency is there to find a magic team player for the employer! Once a candidate understands this it makes it easier for the candidate to take responsibility and manage the process.

Durban Jobs / First Job Basics

Guest Author: Jay Pipes, The GrooveJob.com Team.

As a teenager, looking for your first part time job can seem like a daunting task. Let's face it, finding a job is hard to begin with. But when you haven't had any experience in a workplace, have never been through an interview, and don't know where to start in writing a resume, the task can seem impossible. Of course, your parents are probably no help; "it's simple", they say, "just go ask Joe at the corner market for a job; he'll give you one!" So, how do you go about getting your first job?

Preparing for the Job Hunt
The most important steps in going to get your first job take place before you even head out the front door. You need to prepare for what you're about to do.

Put together a simple resume
Many first time or part time job seekers don't believe they need a resume, or think that "well, I don't really have anything to put on a resume, so why bother?" Two reasons. First, having a resume to give to the prospective employer shows you've put some effort into finding a job (read: you will put some effort into the job you do for them…). Secondly, it allows you to showcase those things about you that you want the employer to remember. Having a printed resume sets you apart from the crowd. Even if you have no work experience, you can still give the employer an idea of who you are, and what your strengths are. If all you've done is baby-sit your kid brother, put it down in writing. Emphasize the skills you learned while baby-sitting, the challenges you overcame, and so on.

Appearance matters
Make sure when you head out the door, that you are well groomed and well dressed. You don't need to be in a suit, just make sure you look presentable. Make sure "your Grandma would approve…"

Get a list of places to apply
Of course, you can use sites that focus on part time jobs for teens like GrooveJob.com to find part time jobs in your area, but there are many other ways to find employers. You can get a list of places looking for people from a variety of sources. You can pick up a local newspaper, go to the library to look at help wanted listings, or walk through town looking for Help Wanted signs. But remember, not every business looking for an employee will have a Help Wanted sign in the front window. Put on your list of places anywhere that you think would be fun to work, and go get that job. Walking in and asking for a job isn't illegal, and it shows the manager that you are interested and ambitious if you ask for a job even when one isn't advertised.

Prepare for "No"
Before you go apply anywhere, you need to prepare yourself for rejection. That's right. Nobody, and I mean, nobody, gets accepted every single place they apply for a job. As a first time job seeker, you need to mentally prepare for someone to say, "No". There's nothing wrong with a store owner saying to you, "I'm sorry, we don't need anyone right now." However, there is a right and a wrong way to respond to a business owner or manager who says they have no need for you. If you get a "No, I'm sorry" (and everyone will!), respond by saying, "Well, if you do need someone in the future, please give me a call. I'll leave you a copy of my resume. Thanks for your time."

This shows the manager that you are serious about getting a job, and you have demonstrated the ability to follow up. Simply walking away from the store shows the manager that you weren't serious about the job to begin with. Stand up for yourself and demonstrate maturity. It goes a long way in presenting yourself.

Stand up straight and be mature
Not to sound like your parents, or anything, but…
Go to each of the employers on your list, walk in the door, and ask for that job. Keep you head up, maintain eye contact, have a firm handshake, and be confident. Employers look for certain qualities when a jobseeker walks in the door. Foremost of those qualities is the candidate's ability to communicate. If you are meek, shy, and unable to show the employer that you are serious about getting a job, you probably won't get one. When communicating to a manager, demonstrate that you are eager to get the job.

Follow Up
This is probably the most important part of getting a job. Employers look for candidates who have the ability to follow up with customers, because it shows a willingness to get involved and be responsible. Always make a follow up call or get in touch with the potential employer. Usually, it's best to wait about a week to make a call, and when you do, make sure to get on the phone with the person who will be hiring. Don't rely on someone else to leave the right message for you.

Durban Jobs / Job Hopping

Article: Kabelo Collis from True Love
The saying 'You really don't know what you'll like until you try it' is a popular one in the job-hopping world.
Take Fezi Khuzwayo, for instance. She's young, intelligent, ambitious and really wants to make a mark for herself in the business world.

As a qualified marketer and sports manager, there's no doubt she could have that high paying job she's dreamed about for years.

But for this 26-year-old Gauteng born job-hopper, it's not mainly about the money that comes with a big title but rather being valued as an employee.

"I want to wake up every morning and feel I have to go to work, not because I need the cash but because my abilities and expertise are valued by the company," she says.

"Once that happens, commitment to one job for at least a year will come naturally."

Fezi is one of many young career women who feel that a job is not all about getting the job done – but rather a win-win situation for both the employee and employer.

The job-hopping debate
"Many companies only have their employees best interests at heart. It's all about having a high production rate, and of course, the profit. It's never about Fezi at the bottom end of the company ladder.

"A lot of employees need to realise their worth in a company and stop settling for less." Fezi adds that her job-hopping syndrome is all about being seen as an important individual by her employers, but that there are also many other reasons, good or bad, for people to job-hop.

Media24 magazine division Human Resource practitioner Latoya Mokotto agrees with Fezi that people have different reasons for job-hopping, especially in the creative environment.

"The magazine world is full of young creatives who are always looking to expand their skills in the media world. The money factor is another aspect that makes these young professionals decide to jump ship," she explains.

As one of the top decision-makers at Media24 on who and how an employee is hired, Latoya admits that a job-hopping pattern in your career history might have a negative reflection on your CV.

"Reasons for leaving one employment for another should purely be based on career and personal advancement, nothing else.

"Money does, however, play an important role but as an HR practitioner I look at someone's commitment and from there I can make my decision on whether or not to employ her," she explains.

"When you enter that boardroom with a hope of employment, it's never about your abilities as an employee, but rather your integrity. This will be a winning factor for any job you apply for."

Brand expert Dr Nikolaus Eberl adds that a lot of people job-hop because of lack of growth within the organisation, as well as not finding what they do challenging and fulfilling.

"This results in people losing the edge for what they do and they opt to leave for what they think will be exciting and intriguing job shifts," he says.

Before you flip the career switch...
"You are a brand and your personal brand is reflected on your CV. But, in some cases HR departments look more at your ability to fit into the business culture more than anything.

The trick for people who want to job-hop is to first position themselves as specialists in a certain field. Only then will one have the perfect reason to jump ship."

Valerie Wolmarans, the managing member at Emakhosini Management, a highly ranked recruitment agency, stresses that job-hopping has become a serious issue in South Africa's job market.

"There is a great deal of skills shortage. Many young qualified people are quick to jump at the opportunity to relocate and work overseas for better packages.

"This creates a lot of headhunting within the recruitment industry, and candidates getting counter offers from potential employers, resulting in a seesaw in the job-hopping department," she says.

The package vs the responsibility
"In reality, people look more at the package that comes with the job rather than the responsibility. The passion for a particular job is mainly influenced by the salary bracket."

Valerie adds that equity issues also mean that many companies are searching even more for candidates, who've been in the job market for a lengthy period of time and as a result this puts other candidates at a disadvantage.

"As recruiters we find that candidates who move for better career prospects in terms of more responsibility rather than those who move prematurely, based on other reasons, tend to make it in their careers.

"Those who stick it out in the market for at least three years are the ones ready for new career challenges," she advises.

Dr Nikolaus agrees with Valerie's three year commitment period. "If you want to be a leader in a certain organisation you need at least three years of experience in that company's cultural environment.

"However,in today's world of ever changing trends and markets, people find themselves launching into different careers replacing job-hopping with what can be called career-hopping, as a ripple-like effect to be part of the new professional age," he explains.

"It's all about clever job-hopping," says Valerie. "That's deciding to grow within one's identified industry, academically investing in yourself and sticking to a position or company for three years."

When the job-hopping bug bites, duration plays an important role. If you're an excessive job-hopper then this, says Dr Nikolaus, will hamper your chances of being one of the top leaders at certain companies.

However, he adds that staying in one position for a long period of time might put you at a disadvantage when the time for change arises.

"We no longer live in the stone age where you studied towards a teaching diploma and were a teacher until retirement.

"Our world is a fast one, with fast lives and it is advisable to change careers at least twice or three times in your life to avoid being seen as stagnant," Dr Nikolaus says.

Fezi's desire to be seen as a valuable employee is one that fascinates Dr Nikolaus and one that he thinks should play an important role when that job-hopping opportunity arises.

When is the right time to switch careers?
"It's all about emotional satisfaction. Does your job and company make you feel significant and valued? If it doesn't, change is good – your emotional stability is what enhances your ultimate personal and professional branding."

Fezi agrees with the experts that job-hopping is not always the answer to one's problems. "It's become an addiction to many people and the obsession to constantly try out new opportunities may give you a bad image," she adds.

"Passion for a job and being valued as an employee doesn't come from crystal balls. To find what's emotionally fulfilling for me I need to explore. I haven't and I believe that job-hopping will get me there."

Whichever way you look at it job-hopping today is all about personal advancement, whether it be financial or career development. No-one wants to be labelled apathetic, and at the same time no one wants to be seen as having commitment phobia.

"It's all about what you gain emotionally and professionally in your move. Considerate thinking and weighing up the pros and cons are a must.

So whatever seems likely to work for you, stick to your guns and hopefully you will be able to reap the benefits," concludes Dr Nikolaus

Durban Jobs / References

Your References: An Important Part of the Job Search Process
by Ellen Heffernan, Partner, SJG-The Spelman and Johnson Group

Having another professional speak on your behalf as a reference is an important and critical part of a job search and should be managed with utmost care. All too often candidates simply submit a list of references and consider that aspect of the process complete. As a candidate, this laissez faire response to providing references will no longer serve you effectively in your job search process. Instead, you should think carefully about whom you ask to speak on your behalf, what a particular reference will be able to speak to in terms of your skills and experiences as a candidate, and if a potential reference can speak articulately to what makes you a strong candidate for the position.

Asking another professional to serve as a reference should be a deliberate, thoughtful, and strategic process on the part of a candidate. In considering whether someone can serve successfully as your reference consider in what context that person will know your work, responsibilities, and accomplishments. Consider a wide spectrum of references that may speak to different aspects of your skill set - for example, a faculty member that you have worked closely with, a colleague that you have done a project with from a national association, a person that has worked with you in a crisis situation, etc. Keep in touch with former supervisors as well as professionals that you have supervised. In the early stages of a job search process having the hiring institution speak with former supervisors and supervisees is perfectly acceptable, however, as a search progresses you will be asked to provide references from your current institution including your current supervisor.

Also consider your list of references in that aggregate - do you have balance in terms of current and prior professionals that can speak to the variety of your skills and experiences? Although all your references cannot be expected to speak to all of your strengths, can all of your references speak to at least two or three key leadership areas for you? Even though a person may have agreed to serve as a reference for you are you confident that they can speak thoughtfully about your work and not be flustered or rattled by the questions? Many times a person is willing to serve as a reference but is uncomfortable with the process and unintentionally does not serve you well.

As in all other aspects of your job search it is important to let your references know you are looking for a new position. Be certain to explain to your references what type of position you are seeking and update them on your current responsibilities and accomplishments. Send your references some background information on the position and the institution and, importantly, describe for them the reasons you are interested in the position and why you feel you are qualified. If you have already had interactions with the search committee it would be helpful to fill your reference in on what you think the committee is seeking in the successful person for the position. It is particularly important for your references to understand generally your job search process and the type of position that you are seeking, especially if that person is someone that you previously worked with and may not be current with regard to your career goals. The last thing a search committee wants to hear while they are conducting references on a candidate is that the reference has not had any recent contact with the candidate. Although the person serving as a reference is excited and willing to speak about the candidate, if he/she does not have any real context for the conversation it will not strengthen your position as a candidate.

When providing information about your references to the institution make sure you verify each of your references' contact information and do not hesitate to provide information as to the best way to reach your references. For example, are they willing to be called at home? Can they be contacted via e-mail? Would they mind being called on their cell phone? Are they leaving on vacation and not available for the next week? Also, double check phone numbers and addresses for accuracy and if your reference provides the number of his/her administrative assistant make sure that your reference has indicated to that person that they have agreed to serve as a reference on your behalf.

If you have a critical reference such as a former supervisor that is unwilling to speak on your behalf, or that you are not comfortable having this person speak on your behalf, you must be prepared to disclose this and speak candidly to the search committee about why this person may be a reluctant reference or, in fact, detrimental to your candidacy. It is critical that you get in front of such an issue and bring it clearly out into the open rather than try to cover it up or dodge it all together. Addressing the issue head on speaks strongly to your ability to address conflict and to your honesty. Be aware that any thorough vetting process will uncover these issues of concern. It is always better for you, the candidate, to be in the driver's seat. By being forthcoming, you will have the opportunity to frame the issue and put it in the most reasonable light.

It is also helpful to follow up with your references to see how the conversation went with the institutional representative. This is a key step as your reference will have a good sense of what the institution is focusing on with regard to your skills and experiences as a candidate for the position and, more importantly, where the institution might perceive weaknesses, or areas for growth, on your part. You might also seek feedback from your references concerning their impressions regarding the culture of the institution based on their recent conversation. Inquire about whether the caller was on time - or helpful when the reference struggled to understand the question? Did the caller have a good grasp of the responsibilities of the position and what the institution was seeking in the successful candidate? Was the caller a good ambassador for the institution and were they excited to be working there? All of this feedback will be helpful to you as the candidate!

Keep your references abreast of your job search status - especially when you land that terrific new position! Don't forget to send a note to your references to thank them for their help in the process. The reference process is an integral and critical step in the search process and more and more institutions are expanding their candidate vetting to also include a background check as part of the employment process. Having professionals willing to serve as references is vital to the process, their time is valuable, and you should ensure that your references have all the information that they need to speak well on your behalf.

Durban Jobs / Good Employers

The Best Qualities to Look For in an Employer

The best jobs are not necessarily the ones that pay the
most or that are the most prestigious right at this very
moment. You’ve got to look down the road a ways and see
what the future is like in that particular industry and job
role. Things are always changing, and the hot job of the
moment could dwindle in desirability a few months or years
from now. If you want stability and security, you should
think long and hard about what you ought to be looking for
in an ideal employer.

A great employer is one that looks like it is going to keep
growing in future, getting stronger and more fiscally
robust. You don’t want to get involved with a losing
proposition, so always consider the financial health of the
company you’re applying to. How can you learn more about
the finances of particular companies? You can start by
looking to magazines like Forbes and Fortune to see what
companies are “hot” and which are “cool,” who’s making
money and who’s losing it. There are also plenty of useful
resources on the web; just do some internet searching to
turn up relevant information.


A good employer is also one who gives you ample opportunity
for growth and development, both in your job role as well
as in high-level positions that are on the same career
track. Before you apply check to make sure that the company
you’re thinking of working at will give you the chance to
grow and improve as an employee. You probably don’t want to
be at the same level for the rest of your career, so look
at the company’s track record for promoting people in-house
and allowing people to rise up to high-level management
positions, etc.

You’ll also want to think about any significant perks that
may be offered by the company, such as benefits, sizeable
vacation packages, and so on. Companies that don’t offer
perks can still be all right for certain jobseekers, but
most of us need benefits packages that include health,
dental and insurance policies. Depending on your situation,
this may be something to think about prior to applying.

Finally, an ideal company for you is one that matches your
interests and that will utilize the best aspects of your
personality and skill set. Don’t apply to an employer whose
morals, integrity, character and culture are incredibly
different from your own, as you will be likelier to be
unhappy there. Rather, go for companies that seem well
suited to your sensibilities—this will go a long way
toward ensuring that you are happy in your job now as well
as many years into the future.

—————————————————-
Ken Anczerewicz is an author and publisher devoted to
providing time & money saving resources designed to help
career & job seekers of all ages achieve their financial
goals. You can check out his best recommendations for
creating your own income stream by clicking here now:

Durban Jobs / 7 Employee Qualities

Seven Important Qualities
In a major study of employer needs, seven factors stand out as vitally important in all hiring processes regardless of the kind of work.

A willing attitude was rated as the most important character trait.
The ability to communicate ranks second.
Willingness to gain on the job experience.
Willingness to take on responsibility.
A positive outlook on getting along with others.
Being open to suggestions and task performance (flexible).
Enthusiasm and job motivation.

Durban Jobs / Job Seeking Strategy

The daily news is filled with reports of company mergers, corporate downsizing and layoffs. Unemployment rates fluctuate constantly. Yet even in relatively stable times, when employment seems to be on an upswing, many suffer nagging fears of someday becoming jobless because of budget cutbacks or overseas outsourcing. Still others worry about being made redundant and forced to change careers.

Are you unemployed? If not, how secure is your job? Is there a chance you will—either voluntarily or involuntarily—change jobs in the near future?

Seven Steps to Finding a Job

Being out of work can be an extremely painful experience, both emotionally and economically.

When a person is first let go from a job, more often than not he or she becomes somewhat dazed and bewildered. It’s hard to cope with not having a job to report to each day—much less an income. But once the initial shock is gone, it’s easy to slip into a state of numbness and apathy.

Many jobless people dread waiting in long lines at employment offices and having to fill out stacks of applications. Still others become hopelessly discouraged about ever finding work again, especially if they are past a certain age. Some few even turn to drugs or alcohol to find solace.

If you find yourself jobless—or if you’re likely to lose your job in the future—you’ll want to take certain steps to become gainfully employed again as soon as possible. You’ll also want to ensure you don’t become depressed or hopeless about your situation.

What follows are seven steps you can take to help travel the road back to productivity and employment.

1. Assess your spending

If you’ve just lost your job, or if you see the end of your present job in sight (and by the way, in today’s tough labor market, don’t ever quit your job unless you already have another one lined up), you should stop and take stock of your financial situation immediately.

Depending on how much money (if any) you have in savings, you may have to sharply curtail your monthly expenses. Start right away on working out a new budget that is realistic. Get help from a public credit counseling service if you can’t work out a budget on your own.

Take a long, hard look at your spending habits. Don’t hesitate to drastically reduce your standard of living. You may need to get rid of some, or all, of your non-essential bills in order to survive. For example, you may need to cancel such things as your cable tv, gym membership and magazine subscriptions. You may also need to curb your discretionary spending (e.g. dining out, entertainment, etc.).

In some cases, it may be advisable to quickly pay down—or pay off—as many of your short-term debts as you can. You might also consider refinancing your home mortgage or auto loan to a lower interest rate in order to further reduce your monthly debt payments.

Also, when jobless, you should resist the temptation to use credit and dig yourself into a hole that you might not get out of for a long time (see “When the Debt Bomb Explodes”).

When it is time for you to go job-hunting, first figure out how much income you will need to earn in order to make ends meet. In his classic career guide, What Color Is Your Parachute?, author Richard N. Bolles lists the following expenses to consider when determining your “minimal survival salary”: housing; cleaning, maintenance, repairs; food; clothing; automobile/transportation; insurance; medical expenses; support for other family members; charity giving/tithes; school/learning; pet care; bills and debts; taxes; savings; retirement fund; amusement/discretionary spending.

2. Prepare for the long haul

Getting yourself back into the working sector requires a lot of confidence and enthusiasm. But don’t have unrealistic expectations of landing another job immediately, or your hopes may soon fade away. It could take some time. In fact, it might take six months to two years or more to find a job. “As of July 2001, the average number of weeks an unemployed person in the U.S. had been unemployed was 13 weeks, though at least 1,540,000 had been unemployed for 15 weeks or longer” (ibid.).

Because you might be without a regular paycheck for a number of months, it is vital to immediately assess your financial situation (step 1) and be prepared to curtail your spending. This is why it is also important to work diligently at reducing your debt load and getting into a good cash position when you are employed.

As we stated in the March-April 2000 issue of this magazine, it is wise to “have a minimum of debt and the maximum cash possible—six-months’ income in savings, if possible, because there is nothing like cash to help you weather a crisis” (“The Snare of Debt”).


3. Assess your skills

In order to find the right job or career for you, you may need to put yourself through a course of self-analysis to find where you really belong. In other words, you need to examine and evaluate yourself before you can know what position would fit you best.

The Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course states, “If you are uncertain in your own analysis, check into the vocational guidance tests available from many colleges, universities and private agencies. But on your own, think slowly and carefully over your entire life and write down a list of activities in which you have excelled in school, in handicraft activities, in hobbies and all other extra-curricular activities. Be sure to note any specialized vocational training you may have received in school, in the armed forces, or in any other way.

“Also make a list of the various jobs you have actually held, and note the ones in which you have excelled or were particularly interested. Make a similar list of your main interests in life—what you like to do best in both work and in recreation. Remember that you usually enjoy the most the activities in which you excel.

“As you make and study these various lists, you will probably begin to see a pattern. You will begin to see the type of job in which you can employ your talents and in which you can excel, and also the type of job in which you would simply be a miserable, unhappy ‘square peg in a round hole’” (Lesson 55).

Concerning self-assessment, Bolles says, “This involves sitting down and doing some inventory on what are called your functional or transferable skills. Your education and previous experience don’t lock you into only finding a job in a particular sector of the economy or in a particular job title.

“You have to take the blinders off and think, ‘I’m a person who’ and fill in the blank. Not, ‘I’m a human resources executive,’ for instance. Rather, think ‘I’m a person who’s good at analyzing things’ or ‘I’m a person who’s good at organizing things.’ Then you look for an organization that needs these skills and interests” (www.BusinessWeek.com, op. cit.).

In other words, perhaps your skills can be adapted to some job other than what you have previously done.

In addition to looking upon your jobless situation as time for self-analysis, you can view it as a time for education in new skills. There are many training courses and seminars offered by vendors, local schools and government-sponsored institutions. Or, if you’re Internet savvy, consider taking an online course or “webinar” to brush up on your skills.

You could also make good use of your time by reading up on the jobs or fields that are on the rise. Your public library and a local bookstore are good sources to check. Here are a few recently published titles you might find worth reading: Guide for Occupational Exploration (U.S. Department of Labor); The Pathfinder (Simon and Schuster); The UnCollege Alternative (HarperCollins Publishers); What Color Is Your Parachute? (Ten Speed Press).

But here’s a word of caution if you’re considering going back to school to get a degree in this or that “hot” field. Beware: A college degree will not guarantee you a job! While in some cases a college degree can help you find work, according to Danielle Wood’s book The UnCollege Alternative, the majority—about 70 percent—of all jobs in the United States only require alternative education and on-the-job training.

4. Make a job out of finding a job

We cannot emphasize this fourth step enough. Unhappily, too many tend to go about job-hunting halfheartedly. It’s no wonder so many can’t seem to find work or are living on public welfare today!

If you find yourself out of a job, determine to stay in your regular routine of leaving the house in the morning. Resist the temptation to sit around surfing the Internet aimlessly or watching tv for hours.

Being jobless is not a temporary extended holiday. If you want to be successful at finding a new job, you shouldn’t view your seemingly endless “free” time as time you can fritter away on hobbies or backyard projects.

Force yourself to get up and get going each day! Resolve to go about finding a job with zeal. Work at it 40 hours a week. Be resourceful and persistent.

“Don’t be a lazy job hunter. Get up early in the morning—consistently—and start out either arranging interviews, or pounding the pavement early every morning, and don’t quit until you’ve put in a full day’s work looking for work! Either plan to eat in a restaurant on the way, or take a sack lunch along with you, so you can keep at it throughout the entire eight or nine-hour ‘work day.’

“Don’t waste time! Don’t sit and brood at home and feel sorry for yourself! Get out and hustle!” (Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, op. cit.).

“Job researchers insist the job-hunter should be able to make nearly one application an hour, 40 a week for nonexecutive jobs. … Set a goal of a certain number of applications a day until you land your job” (Plain Truth, September/October 1982).

According to Bolles’s best-selling job-hunting manual, “The key to job-hunting success is hope, and perseverance. Many people who are out of work fail to find work simply because they give up too soon” (op. cit.).

Besides doing a traditional job search—by looking for employment opportunities listed in classified ads, trade journals, professional publications, or at employment agencies and the like—try networking.

Get out and talk with friends, neighbors, relatives and business acquaintances who may be able to help you get a job. Word-of-mouth referrals are often much more effective at gaining job interviews than merely answering want ads. In fact, some employment experts say that the majority of jobs available on any given date aren’t publicized. Bolles says that “80 percent of all vacancies that are filled are never advertised. They use their own grapevines within the company. … [N]etworking is the single most important way of going job hunting” (www.BusinessWeek.com, op. cit.).

With this in mind, you may also want to use the Yellow Pages to look up potential employers. Call them and ask if they are hiring for the kind of position you are interested in applying for. According to Bolles, this method has a 69 percent success rate (What Color Is Your Parachute?).

The Plain Truth advocated this same job-hunting technique: “Call up and ask to speak with the directors of the various company divisions, the lab directors or the shop foreman. If you have good qualifications, the lab director may hire you even if there is no opening at the moment. He must look ahead to future needs” (op. cit.).

Another method in trying to find a job is to post your resume on major Internet websites where employers go to look for potential employees. A few of the more well-known job sites that allow you to do this include hotjobs.yahoo.com, www.monster.com and www.spherion.com.

But think twice about relying on the Internet alone to search for a job as this approach has a low success rate. “The Internet has obviously increased the ability of people to locate jobs. But sending your resume out unsolicited and using the Internet doesn’t really work even during a good economy. These strategies are miserable failures when you have a sour economy. Forrester Research has found that 10 percent at best and 4 percent at worst find a job through the Internet” (www.BusinessWeek.com, op. cit.).

5. Knock on some doors

One of the best ways to try to find a job, says Bolles, is to “[knock] on the door of any employer, factory or office that interests you, whether they are known to have a vacancy or not” (What Color Is Your Parachute?). This may seem like an outmoded tactic; however, Bolles states this method has a 47 percent success rate.

Before you go knocking on doors, develop a plan. Avoid trudging up and down the streets at random, in hopes that some company out there will have a position available. “Don’t go out blindly hunting a job from door to door. You will save yourself many fruitless, heart-breaking hours if you first take the effort to find out the exact name and location of business concerns who hire people who have your abilities and skills” (Plain Truth, op. cit.).

After targeting a business or employer you are interested in working for, try to get in to see the hiring manager. If you can, avoid going through the Personnel Office—because their job is usually to screen out job-seekers. Strive to make a good first impression. Dress appropriately, be clean, and present yourself with poise and enthusiasm. Put your best foot forward. And, with each manager you meet, leave a neatly prepared resume and cover letter briefly detailing your education, work experience and personal information.

In big cities, and especially within big corporations, it may be difficult to get past security to talk to someone “in charge” without an appointment. Even so, Bolles says, “It’s uncanny how many people will say ‘Sure’ or ‘I’ll see if there’s someone who you can talk to ….’ It’s perfectly true that these monoliths that have 38 floors don’t pay off so well. But smaller companies are filled with people who are very interested in taking the time to talk to you” (www.BusinessWeek.com, op. cit.).

Bolles stated that, particularly in “a jobless recovery, normally it’s the small organizations with 50 or less employees … that you should concentrate on. When you approach companies like that—and when you know enough about interviewing—you often come as the answer to their prayers.”

6. Be flexible

Did you know the average person changes jobs at least eight times in a lifetime? Sometimes job changes involve career changes. Accept the possibility that you may need to switch careers.

This involves thinking outside the box: You may have to consider changing from a white collar job to a blue collar job—or vice versa. You may need to adjust to a lower pay scale. You may have to take a temporary or part-time job—or maybe two part-time jobs—in order to get by. In some cases, you might be required to commute long-distance or even relocate.

In any case, be adaptable. Don’t become overly anxious about the transitions you may have to go through along the way to becoming gainfully employed again. Excessive worry can be harmful to your health; besides, it is nonproductive and can even be counterproductive.

Be open-minded about seeking a new job or career. Ideally, though, you should try to find a job where you can use many of your abilities and talents.

7. Seek guidance

If you are unemployed or are thinking of changing jobs, be sure to seek advice and counsel (Proverbs 11:14; 12:15; 20:18).

Talk to a career counselor. Visits to job sites and personal interviews with experienced people in a variety of careers are excellent ways to obtain information about the fields you may contemplate entering. Especially ask for help from close friends and relatives—those who know you best—since they may be able to see your strengths and weaknesses more objectively than you can and thus aid you in considering a career path or job that is right for you.

Above all, don’t forget to seek counsel from above—heavenly guidance from God. Many turn to God only out of desperation as a last resort. But the power of prayer can work, and has worked miracles in the lives of many who have experienced unemployment woes in the past.

God knows your needs even before you ask. However, He won’t necessarily supply what you don’t ask for (Matthew 6:8; James 4:2). Be sure to seek His help diligently. Be persistent and wholehearted. James 5:16 states that “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” If you expect God to hear, you must pray fervently, earnestly, zealously and without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Pray, and then wait, with patient faith—and doing your part all the while—to see the amazing results! God will never fail you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5), so long as you put Him first in everything. Know that He can, most definitely, guide you to success in finding the job you need!

Adapted from “Help Wanted! Make a Job Out of Getting a Job,” Plain Truth, September 1983. •

Durban Jobs / How To Find A Job?

The first thing you will want to do before looking for job is to write up a good resume. If the job is very professional you will need both a resume and a curriculum vitae. You will also want to make sure you use a cover letter. Resumes should always be submitted for full-time jobs in specialized fields.

Most part-time jobs will not require you to fill out an application. If you are going for a professional position, it is important to realize that your resume is the most important factor in helping you get a job. Writing a resume with poor grammar or spelling errors will get you rejected. You want to make sure you use a nice cover letter. It is also important to make sure the document is printed out on a laser printer if possible. Dot matrix printers and older typewriters will not give your document a professional look.

It is crucial to make sure your cover letters are personalized. Employers receive lots of resumes on a daily basis, and will toss yours in the trash if they feel that it was "mass printed." Print the first and last name of the prospective employer on the cover letter, and make sure it is addressed to them. After you've done this, you will next want to sell yourself to prospective employers. What skills and qualities do you have that will make you a good candidate for the job? Remember, employers get a large number of resumes on a daily basis. It is crucial that you stand out from the crowd in a good way. If you don't give employers a good reason to consider you for a job, it is likely they won't.

Once you have created the perfect resume and cover letter, you will next want to look at the different methods you can use to look for a job. You could look in newspaper ads, magazines. or the internet. The internet is the newest form of media which allows you to look for a good job. In many ways, it is better than newspapers and magazines for a number of reasons. Newspapers and magazines only have so much space in which they can advertise positions. In other words, they are limited. The internet is just the opposite. It is the global information super highway. There are hundreds of websites where you can look through thousands of offers.

As you can see, using the internet to look for a job is a great idea. You will find a much larger selection of jobs, and this will give you more career choices. When an employee is interested in your resume, they will want to conduct an interview. Understanding how to properly give an interview can make the difference between you being hired or rejected. You will obviously want to wear the right clothing. If you are applying for a business job, you will want to wear a suit. After the interview is completed, you will want to make sure you follow up with the employer. It is best to wait about a week before doing this. This will give the potential employer time to think about whether or not they should hire you.

Durban Jobs / Interview Tips

Here are important tips to help your next interview lead to your next job:

Do your homework.
Research the company beforehand so that you can showcase that knowledge during the interview. This will boost your credibility with the interviewer and will help you to formulate intelligent questions to ask him or her.

Know where you’re going.
Make sure to find out where the office is and how to get there. Do you know how long the trip will take? Do you have the name and phone number of the person you’ll be meeting with? Do you know how easy it is to park? Save yourself time and unnecessary stress by knowign these things before heading to the interview.

Look the part.
Your clothing should be neat, pressed, and professional looking. As it can be difficult to know the culture of the office environment beforehand, err on the side of conservative. Even if everyone’s wearing jeans when you arrive, you’re still probably better off having shown up in a suit. However, don’t be afraid to inject some personality into your look, and don’t neglect the details. Make sure to have a fresh haircut and clean, manicured nails.

Rehearse beforehand.
Prior to your interview, prepare answers to common questions the interviewer is likely to ask, such as What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why do you want to work here? Why should we hire you? and the ever popular Tell me about yourself. Conduct a mock interview with a trusted friend as practice.

Secure your references.
Find at least three key people — former supervisors, colleagues, or instructors — who are willing to serve as your professional references. Be sure to secure their permission beforehand, and be certain that they will speak highly of you if contacted by a potential employer.

Arrive early.
Be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before the interview. Visit the restroom and check your appearance in the mirror. Announce yourself to the receptionist to let him or her know that you have arrived and that you have an appointment. Turn your cell phone off so it doesn’t ring during your meeting.

Bring necessary documentation.
Make a checklist of documents that you will need for the interview, and make sure that you have them in your briefcase before leaving home. These documents may include extra copies of your résumé, a passport, driver’s license, Social Security card, or portfolio of writing samples or other professional work. If you are a recent graduate, you should also bring along your college transcripts.Your hard work sending out all those cover letters and résumés has finally paid off — you’ve been called in for a face-to-face job interview. Congratulations! But now is
not the time to sit back and think about how you’re going to spend your new salary; you’ve got a lot of work to do. The better prepared you are beforehand, the better your chances are of walking out of the interview with a confident smile on your face that says, “I think I got the job!”

Keep in mind that in the competitive business world, there are sure to be dozens of other highly qualified candidates going after your job. It’s important to make yourself stand out as someone special. Now is the time to practice exactly how you will sell yourself to a prospective employer during that crucial first meeting.

Durban Jobs / How To Answer Difficult Questions?

How to Answer Difficult Job Interview Questions
Job interviews manage to instil the fear of ‘Custard the cowardly dog' in us. Why do we all feel the same anxiety, stress and panic during job interviews? After asking several Job Seekers what they fear most about job interviews, the results all point to one universal fear. How to answer difficult job interview questions?


An interviewer's task is to get a feel for you as a person.
Asking tricky questions during a job interview is a sure way to evaluate how well a candidate copes under pressure. High pressure questions and difficult interview questions are asked in an attempt to assess if a candidate is right for the available position or not. To eliminate fears about how to answer difficult job interview questions familiarise yourself with them. Ahead of your job interview, prepare answers to tricky job interview questions and don't get caught off guard. Check out the following tricky job interview questions and find easy was to answer them. Don't let fears of the unknown ruin your chances of landing a great job. Follow these simple job interview guidelines and answer difficult interview questions with ease.

1. What are your weaknesses and how do you remedy these?We all have character defects and areas of our jobs that are weaker than others. While this is true to every worker, no one likes to admit to their imperfections. When an interviewer asks this difficult question, there are specific ways to answer. Never admit to weaknesses that will hinder you from performing your core role. Rather try to specify a defect that is a weakness but almost favours or benefits the company directly, should they hire you. An example of such a weakness is being a perfectionist. While being a perfectionist suggests you pay attention to detail, if not managed appropriately, this can sometimes slow your productivity down. To counter such a weakness, you could express how important time management is to you and how you apply this to your daily responsibilities. As mentioned before, prepare for this difficult interview question ahead of time so as to avoid being put on the spot.

2. Name a challenge you have had to overcome in your career and how did you do so?The reason why interviewers ask this tricky job interview question is to directly assess how well you mange with adversity. By asking such a question, the interviewer is not so concerned with what the problem was, but more so how you managed to overcome this problem. To answer this difficult question, again hold back on getting too excited over your troubles. Highlight a situation that was challenging but not colossally damaging to your career. An example of an answer to this question would be; managing a difficult staff member and the innovative ways you implemented in order to remedy the situation. Again you don't want to confess that you make regular mistakes when facing challenges. Rather attempt to display your proactive stance in order to avoid such situations.

3. Why are you looking for a new job?
The most important thing to keep in mind when faced with this tricky interview question is never slate your previous employer. As tempting as this may be or as much as the job interviewer pry's, never ever bad mouth a previous employer. Although you may have valid reason to want to leave, it never looks professional when Job Seekers blame their employers for having to look for a new job. You are entitled to your opinion but remember to use tact and always be respectful. Try to answer this difficult job interview question with a positive statement such as seeking greater job satisfaction, career advancements or the desire to apply your skills to a new industry.

4. Yes or No questions.
Never answer a job interview question with only a yes or no answer. Closed ended answers are just as bad as the interviewer asking you a difficult, closed ended question. Always justify a yes or no answer with substantial back up. Give examples and display your comprehensive knowledge on the matter so as to ensure you are giving an impressionable answer.

5. Why should we hire you?
While no one likes to advertise where their weaknesses lie, society has also taught us to be modest and humble. When asked this difficult job interview question, the most important thing to remember is to sell yourself as best you can. When approached with such a question, this is your opportunity to blow your trumpet loud and clear. The pre job interview preparation will come in handy now, as you will need to be on your toes when answering such a tricky question. Highlight relevant accomplishments and abilities you possess that are specific to the interviewer's requirements. Be sure to assess the details of the job ad prior to your interview in order to answer this difficult question.

6. What salary expectations do you have?
Money matters are bound to come up during a job interview. One of the most difficult questions to answer during a job interview is what salary package you are looking to receive. Prior to your job interview research salary surveys so that you have a clear indication of what the industry standard is. Market related salaries are a good basis to motivate your salary requirements with. The more flexible you are and open to negotiations you are the better. Don't forget to take into account fringe benefits that may be offered to you. While fringe benefits may not be tangible funds, they do contribute significantly to your total cost to company.

The most common feature when looking for ways in which to address difficult job interview questions is to prepare before. The more research and preparation you put in before your job interview, the better your answers will be. Preparing ahead of time is always the best way to eliminate anxiety and job interview stress. Eventuate for these difficult job interview questions and answer them articulately and without any hesitation. Cedit to jobs.co.za

Durban Jobs / Resume / CV

WRITING A CV RESUME

If you are looking for a job, then it is very important that you understand how to offer yourself in the best way to an employer.
This is done by writing a 'CV' (curriculum vitae - Latin for 'life story'), called in some countries a 'resume'.

Different countries may have different requirements and styles for CV resumes. So you must follow the correct practice for your culture and country. However, we will try to give you important principles and advice.

WHAT IS A CV RESUME FOR?
A CV resume is quite simply an 'advert' to sell yourself to an employer. You should send a CV to an employer when they ask for one in a job advert, or when you are enquiring if any jobs are available. So the purpose of your CV is to make you attractive, interesting, worth considering to the company and so receive a job interview.

An employer may have several hundred enquiries about a single job, he or she will only choose a few people who appear suitable for interview.

Therefore, your CV must be as good as you can make it.

GENERAL ADVICE
If you are a student, there is probably a career advice office in your place of study. They are there to help. They may have fact-sheets of advice on how to prepare a CV. Make full use of them. However, employers do not want to see CVs which are all written in exactly the same way. Therefore, do not just copy standard CV samples! Your CV should be your own, personal, and a little bit different.

A CV should be constructed on a word-processor (or at least typed), well laid out and printed on a good quality printer. Do use bold and/or underline print for headings. Do not use lots of different font types and sizes. You are not designing a magazine cover! Do use plenty of white space, and a good border round the page. Do use the spell-check on your computer! (Or check that the spelling is correct in some way) Consider using 'bullets' to start sub-sections or lists.

Because you are using a computer or word-processor, you can easily 'customise' your CV if necessary, and change the layout and the way you write your CV for different employers.

Picture yourself to be a busy manager in the employer's office. He (or she) may have to read through 100 CVs in half an hour, and will have two piles - 'possibles' and 'waste-bin'.

So yours must be easy to read, short and attractive.
There are two communication principles to remember:


*'Keep it simple,.

*'If they didn't hear it, you didn't say it'.

So, when you have written a first attempt at your CV, get someone else to look at it, and tell you how to make it better.
Ask your friends, your tutors or teachers, your career office, family friends in business. What you have written may seem simple and obvious to you, but not to an employer! Go through it again and again with a red pen, making it shorter, more readable, more understandable!
Before you start
Sit down with a piece of paper. Look at the job(s) that you are applying for. Consider how your skills, education, and experience compare with the skills that the job requires. How much information do you have about the job description?
Sometimes employers do not give enough information. Ask for more detail if needed. Spend time researching detail about the job(s) that interest you and information about the employer - their structure, products, successes, and approach - from:
Their own publicity, reports and publications
A library (business reports, trade papers)
College career office
Newspaper reports
The Internet

WHAT TO INCLUDE

Personal details
Name, home address, college address, phone number, email address, date of birth.
Do you have your own web homepage? Include it (if it's good!).
If your name does not obviously show if you are male or female, include this!

Education
Give places of education where you have studied - most recent education first. Include subject options taken in each year of your course. Include any special project, thesis, or dissertation work.

Pre-college courses
Should then be included, including grades. Subjects taken and passed just before college will be of most interest. Earlier courses, taken at say age 15-16, may not need much detail.

Work experience
List your most recent experience first. Give the name of your employer, job title, and very important, what you actually did and achieved in that job. Part-time work should be included.

Interests
They will be particularly interested in activities where you have leadership or responsibility, or which involve you in relating to others in a team. A one-person interest, such as stamp-collecting, may be of less interest to them, unless it connects with the work you wish to do. Give only enough detail to explain. (If you were captain of a sports team, they do not want to know the exact date you started, how many games you played, and how many wins you had! They will ask at the interview, if they are interested.) If you have published any articles, jointly or by yourself, give details.

If you have been involved in any type of volunteer work, do give details.


SkillsAbility in other languages, computing experience, or possession of a driving licence should be included.

References
Usually give two names - one from your place of study, and one from any work situation you have had. Or if this does not apply, then an older family friend who has known you for some time. Make sure that referees are willing to give you a reference. Give their day and evening phone numbers if possible.
Length

Maybe all you need to say will fit onto one sheet of A4. But do not crowd it - you will probably need two sheets. Do not normally go longer than this. Put page numbers at the bottom of the pages - a little detail that may impress.

There are two main styles of CV, with variations within them.

Chronological
Information is included under general headings - education, work experience, etc., with the most recent events first.
Skills based
You think through the necessary skills needed for the job you are applying for. Then you list all your personal details under these skill headings. This is called 'targeting your CV', and is becoming more common, at least in UK.
But it is harder to do. So take advice on whether it is OK in your country and culture, and how to do it best.

Optional extras
It can be good to start with a Personal Profile/Objective statement. This is a two or three sentence overview of your skills, qualities, hopes, and plans. It should encourage the employer to read the rest.

You could add a photo of yourself - either scanned in by computer, or stuck on. But make sure it is a good one. Get a friend (or a working photographer) to take a good portrait. The pictures that come out from automatic photo-machines do not show you at your best!

PresentationYou may vary the style according to the type of job, and what is accepted in your country and culture. So a big company would normally expect a formal CV on white paper. But, just perhaps, a CV applying for a television production job, or graphic designer, could be less formal - coloured paper, unusual design, etc!
Consider using a two column table to list your educational qualifications and courses taken.

Covering letter
When sending in a CV or job application form, you must include a covering letter. The purpose of the letter is:

To make sure that the CV arrives on the desk of the correct person. Take the trouble to telephone, and find the name of the person who will be dealing with applications or CVs, and address your letter, and envelope, to that person by name. (In a small company, it may be the managing director. In a medium size company, it may be the head of section/department. Only in a large company will there be a Personnel or Human Resource Department.)

To persuade the person to read your CV. So it must be relevant to the company, interesting, and well produced.

To clearly say what job you are interested in. If you are sending in a 'speculative' CV hoping that they may have work for you, explain what sort of work you are interested in. Do not say, 'I would be interested in working for Widgets Ltd', but say 'I believe my skills equip me to work in the product development department/accounts office/whatever'. When sending a speculative CV, you may try telephoning later to push your enquiry further.

To say why you want that particular job with that particular employer

To draw attention to one or two key points in the CV which you feel make you suited to that particular job with that particular employer.

Start your letter with an underline heading giving the job title you are interested in. (If you saw the job advertised, say where you saw it.)

Use the style and pattern of a business letter suited to your culture and country. Ask for advice about this. Try to find sample business letters so that you can follow style and layout.

Your career office may have a sheet about this, or show you a sample. The letter should only be on one side of A4 paper. It must be polite and easy to read.

Also mention when you are available for an interview. Ending your letter with a request for specific extra information may give a positive response.
Application forms
To apply for some jobs, the employer will send you an application form. You should still use a covering letter, and send your CV also unless told not to. Application forms need as much care to write as CVs. Remember the lessons earlier on this page. Here are some short guidelines:

Plan everything you will say on a separate piece of paper. Or make a photocopy of the form, and practice completing it first.

Only complete the real form when you are exactly sure what is the best thing to say.


It must be very neat and clear, and in black pen so that it can be easily photocopied.

You should 'angle' your answers to the company, in the same way as explained for your CV.

Do not say in answer to any question - 'see my CV'. They do not want to try to read both at the same time.

Take a photocopy to keep, so that you can remember exactly what you said. If you are called to interview, take this copy with you into the interview.

Other points
Keep copies of all letters, applications forms, and CVs sent, and records of telephone calls and names of those you spoke to.

Durban Jobs / Great Passion

Stanford Report, June 14, 2005
'You've got to find what you love,'
This is the text of the Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005.

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

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