Career guidance

On becoming employable: up your chances of landing a job

I don’t need to list our unemployment statistics. You know how few jobs are available in our country, and how many compete for them. Soon, my own children will join the ranks of those who need jobs, and of course, it makes the whole thing more intense. While I’m thankful that they grew up in a somewhat more aware and fair society than 30 years ago, the challenges are enormous. In this article, I explore the concept of employability – how to make oneself a preferred candidate for the job you apply for.

I don't have a dream! The surprising outcome of uncertainty.

“When did you know that you wanted your own practice?” someone asked me the other day. “How long did you dream about it before it happened for you?”

I rummaged through my grey matter files, going back to last year…five years ago…twenty years ago… Nope. Nothing. No such desires. No such dreams. What a shocking realisation: I’ve never had career dreams.

Wat is in 'n droom

Iemand vra my nou die dag: Wanneer het jy die eerste keer besef dat jy graag jou eie praktyk wil hê? Hoe lank het jy daaroor gedroom voordat dit ‘n werklikheid geraak het?

Ek het benoud begin terugdink...laasjaar, vyf jaar, 20 jaar terug. My skokkende slotsom: Ek het nog nooit gedroom van my eie praktyk nie. Die waarheid is: Ek het nooit gedroom nie.

Covid career shock and our teens

Career shock is a thing. It existed before Covid-19: Retrenchment, losing a beloved boss, an earthquake. Now, on a global scale, Corona is in the leading position for career shock of note. It hurts us, and it hurts our kids who are poised to enter the career arena. How do we deal with the anger, frustration and uncertainty of Covid Career Shock?

IT or CAT?

So your child is interested in computers. Your school offers Information Technology (IT) and Computer Application Technology (CAT). Which one to choose?

Contrary to popular belief, CAT is not a ‘similar but easier version of IT’. The common advice to start with IT and then drop to CAT if you don’t cope, might apply if you don’t really care what you do, as long as there’s a screen in front of you. But if your interest in computers is slightly more specific, it’s a good idea to understand what these two subjects offer.

Subject choice: To assess or not

It is that time of the year: The adorable little offspring who has turned into a not-always-so-adorable fully fledged teenager faces his first big decision: Which subjects to choose.

The mere thought can cause palpitations for any normal parent. Why? Because for us adults, subject choices are not as innocent as they seem. We pile on complex layers of implications and outcomes:

Hilde Hay Psychometrist