How do you find a job in South Africa? | Lifereset with Boni

Summary

In this video, Bonnie shares her job-hunting journey, offering insights into platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Peanuts. After spending two years homeschooling, she began her search and landed her current job as a Digital Marketing Officer. She discusses the importance of a clean and professional LinkedIn profile, highlights the transparency of Indeed's app, and shares her limited experience with Peanuts. Bonnie also provides helpful tips for job seekers, including the importance of a professional email, voicemail greeting, and cleaning up social media. With her new job starting soon, Bonnie encourages viewers to stay tuned for more updates.

Takeaways

• 😀 Bonnie shares her career journey, discussing her job search process after being at home for two years, homeschooling her daughter.
• 😀 Despite having qualifications, Bonnie faced challenges in finding a job in the past due to hidden barriers like language fluency, which affected her job prospects.
• 😀 Bonnie used three main platforms in her job search: LinkedIn, Indeed, and Peanuts.
• 😀 On LinkedIn, Bonnie focused on cleaning up her profile, highlighting marketing-related skills and experiences, without posting content actively.
• 😀 While using LinkedIn, Bonnie was shortlisted for a few roles but faced challenges like salary constraints and relocation requirements.
• 😀 Indeed proved to be more active, with Bonnie applying for 18 jobs, getting shortlisted for five, and having one interview offer she declined.
• 😀 Peanuts, a South African job platform, had limited features but led to a recruiter reaching out directly about her profile, even though Bonnie hadn’t applied.
• 😀 Bonnie recommends job seekers clean up their social media, ensuring it reflects professionalism and aligns with the career they are pursuing.
• 😀 She advises job seekers to have a professional email address and voicemail greeting, without color tones or informal content.
• 😀 Patience and persistence are key in the job search process, as opportunities may take time to materialize, as seen with Bonnie’s journey.
• 😀 Bonnie is excited to start her new role as a Digital Marketing Officer and encourages others to keep sharing their experiences during their job search.

Q & A

What platforms did Bonnie use during her job hunt?

Bonnie used LinkedIn, Indeed, and Peanuts to search for job opportunities.

How many jobs did Bonnie apply for on LinkedIn, and what was the outcome?

Bonnie applied for 15 jobs on LinkedIn, was shortlisted for 3, and successfully secured a digital marketing officer role.

Why did Bonnie's previous job search in the travel consultancy field fail?

Bonnie's fluency in English and her pronunciation, especially over the phone, were key barriers that prevented her from securing a job in travel consultancy.

What hidden barriers does Bonnie suggest might affect job seekers?

Bonnie suggests that factors like needing a car or speaking a specific language (e.g., Afrikaans) could be hidden barriers affecting job seekers, even if they have the right qualifications.

What tips does Bonnie offer for improving your LinkedIn profile?

Bonnie advises cleaning up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting your skills, removing irrelevant work experience, and ensuring your profile is attractive to recruiters. She also mentions the importance of endorsements from reputable individuals.

How did Bonnie feel about posting content on LinkedIn, and why?

Bonnie does not post content on LinkedIn, as she has never felt that it is the right platform for her to create content, given her background as a business person rather than a career-focused individual.

What was Bonnie's experience with Indeed during her job search?

Bonnie applied for 18 jobs on Indeed, was shortlisted for 5, and was offered an interview for one job, which she declined after accepting another job offer.

What is the unique feature of Indeed that Bonnie appreciates?

Bonnie appreciates Indeed's feature that shows if a recruiter has viewed or downloaded your CV, allowing job seekers to track the status of their applications.

What are the challenges Bonnie faced when using Peanuts for job applications?

Bonnie had little activity on Peanuts initially and did not receive responses to most job applications. However, she later received a call from a recruiter who found her profile on the platform.

What bonus tips does Bonnie provide for job seekers?

Bonnie recommends having a professional email address, a proper voicemail greeting without color tones, and cleaning up your social media profiles, including what you comment on, as recruiters may check your online presence.