Did you Know...

Did you know that the word salary comes from the word 'salarium' which is Latin for salt?

During the time of the Roman Empire it is believed that Roman Soldiers were paid partly in salt.

Salt was a precious and expensive commodity because of it's ability to preserve food. (There were no fridges in those days).  Because food could now be preserved using salt it meant that people no longer just had to rely on seasonal foods..  It also meant that food could be transported over longer distances.

Trading in salt made traders rich.  Roman and Chinese rulers levied taxes on salt.  When they needed to go to war they increased the taxes on salt to raise funds.  Venice fought and won a war with Genoa over salt.

Understanding the value of salt during this era helps us to understand what it meant to His disciples when Jesus said to them 'You are the salt of the earth' Mathew 5:13.  They were valuable and were to preserve the world around them from moral decay.

Today salt is universally available and relatively cheap and often iodized.

So are you worth your salt?

*Information source: Wikipedia


Have a merry Christmas and a very  happy new year!

Compliance Officer

Are you a Lawyer with a minimum of three years experience in corporate legal work?  A vacancy has arisen that will take you to the next level in your career.

The successful candidate must have a good working knowledge of the prevailing legal regulations and be able to act as a contact person between the company and regulators.

If you believe that this is the job for you please forward your C.V.

Chief Financial Officer

Our client is looking for someone who has had at least 10 years experience in a similar role. The suitable candidate must be a chartered Accountant or at least have a Masters degree in Accounting, Finance or business.
Duties will also include company secretarial assignments.

If you are interested in this vacancy please email your CV.  Also view some of the other vacancies we have had in the last few months by scrolling below.

Fall inlove with your job!

I have noticed over the years as a careers consultant that people have a tendency to never be happy in their jobs.  Almost everyone I ask about how their job is will give me a long story about everything that is wrong with their company.  Very rarely (although there have been a few), will someone say I love my job and I love this company.

It makes me wonder where the real problem lies. Could it be that almost every company in Zim is failing to create a harmonious, encouraging and uplifting work environment or is it that over the years we have just gotten accustomed to complaining an never being satisfied?

It amazes me when I look at C.V.'s and I see that someone has had a different job every year of their working life.  Being classified as a job hopper is a real disadvantage.  When a prospective employer skims through your C.V. one of the things they want to see is how long your stayed in your previous jobs.  They want to know if they will get value from you in terms of years or if you will just use them as a training ground or a springboard to something else.

There are some employees who make it their personal responsibility to give new employees an unofficial induction.  What I mean is that new employees are told just how rotten the company is and how they will never last.  I always say new recruits should ask that person what they are still doing there.

We forget many times that these are the companies that put food on our tables, enable us to send our children to school and enjoy some of the luxuries that we become accustomed to.

Here are just a few tips that may help you to change your attitude and really start loving your job.

• There is a blessing in serving someone else s vision.

Think about someone that you admire.  Someone who has made it in the corporate world or has just been really succesful.  You look at that person and you would love to be just like them, to achieve the level of succes that they have.  More often than not that person that you admire started by working for somebody else.  Even Oprah Winfrey was an employee once upon a time.

Every company has a vision. Infact every company was started because someone had a vision of something they wanted to achieve.  You may say surely it was because they wanted to make money!  Of course people are in business to make money but more often than not the vision is a greater motivating factor.  Vision is what
keeps the company going and its what makes the company succeed.

So do you know what your company's vision is?  Get to know it and work as hard as you can to achieve that vision.

• Speak Well of your organisation.

This is a big one.  Many employees think of the organisation as the company brand but what actually makes up the organisation  are the people who work there.  So when you bad mouth your company you are actually bad mouthing yourself. Your words will create your reality so don't go out washing your dirty linen in public.

If you go for an interview and they ask you why you want to leave your current company and all your answer contains is how mean your current employers are I assure you that you will not get the job because the interviewer knows that if they employ you, you will be saying the same thing about them a few months down the line.

• Handle Challenges Positively

Get up in the morning and say "Today i am going to have a great day at work" even if you know that there will be some challenges.  Sometimes you may have a boss who seems to pick on you everyday.  I had a boss like that once.  I was working for an international company managing one of their divisions.  This boss was new and no matter what I did my work was never good enough.  he would find fault with everything I did.

I would go home many days miserable and dread coming to work the next morning.  One evening I just decided I had had enough and that I was going to talk to him.  The next day I asked him to come to the boardroom for a meeting with me.  I was able to explain to him exactly how I was feeling and how miserable he was making me. I was terrified as I spoke to him but surprisingly he listened and later explained that he thought that I was actually very competent and he was trying to push me to a higher level.  Thankfully his management style changed and we were able to work together.  If I had not spoken up i would have probably left the organisation and missed an opportunity of promotion which came to me the following year and also missed the opportunity to travel to exotic places like Hongkong & Seychelles.

Working for other people was thus a great platform for me and many times now as an entrepreneur I look back to those lessons both good and bad and they have really made me a better person.

• Make yourself indispensable to your company

If you were to resign from your job today would your employer beg you to stay or would he simply accept your letter and call the Career Consultant for a replacement.  It's important that you make yourself indispensable to your employer.  How do you do that?

- By carrying out your duties perfectly with little or no errors.
-By going the extra mile.  Your hard work will bring money into the company and ultimately into your pocket.
-By handling customers exceptionally well that they cant help commenting on your service and here I am talking about both external and internal customers.
- Be innovative.  What new ideas can you come up with that will enhance/improve working systems and thus enhance profits.

If you become an excellent employee, the minute you say to your boss "I am thinking of leaving" they will sit down with you and see how they can keep you, what incentives they can offer you because you have become an asset to the organisation.  In the end you may just decide to stay.  Basically what they are saying to you is "It will be very hard to replace you.  Please Stay!"

• What to do when you feel it's time to move on. 

Well there does come a time in everyone's life when they feel that they have reached the ceiling where they are and that they need new challenges. perhaps in a new organisation.  This however, should not be an overnight decision.  You should have a well thought out plan about what direction you want your career to take, what courses and seminars you will have to attend to achieve your goals.  Perhaps you want to start a business, what skills will you need to ensure that you are well equipped.

Talk about all the above with your superior.  Your superior is not just there to make sure you do your job well but also needs to be there to help you achieve your dreams.  It's not just about the company it's about you too. And many company's are proud to be able to say this young man or woman worked for us once and look at what they have now achieved.  That is a real testimony and truly a great sign of success.

When you do the above your superiors won't be shocked when you tell them about your plans to leave.  Also never just leave a resignation letter on your bosses desk.  Talk to your boss about your intention to resign and only hand them the letter after you have spoken to them.  And always be prepared to give them time to find a replacement, don't just leave them in the lurch.

So be happy at work, speak well of your organisation, handle challenges positively, and make yourself indispensable to the company.  Fall in love with your job and you will see yourself climb the corporate ladder faster than you ever thought possible.

New Job openings

•  RECEPTIONIST (Filled)

Diploma and excellent O' level results.  Minimum 2 years experience and good communication skills.

• LAB SCIENTIST (Filled)

 For a leading medical concern. The candidate who will be suitable for the job must be HBMLS qualified and have had practical experience in a similar position.

• HUMAN RESOURCES EXECUTIVE (Filled)

Based in the Manufacturing Industry this position requires a seasoned practitioner with a minimum of five years at senior level. An MBA or equivalent qualification is a must.

• HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER
  

Degree/ Diploma in Human Resources. Business Administration or equivalent. Hands on experience with recruitment and selection as well as monthly payroll is a must. Strong administration skills are necessary as this is a busy position. The successful candidate will have strong people and communication skills.

• SERVICE & SALES CONSULTANT
  

If you love working with people, are really good at customer care and are a pro in sales then this is the job for you. This is a chance to work with the leading ICT and Telecoms organization. You have to have really good O' & A' Level results. Remember to list your subjects and your results on your CV. A diploma in Sales & Marketing or ICT or Telecoms and a minimum of two years experience will clinch the job for you. At least one year working experience in ICT or telecoms will be an added advantage.

• MARKETING EXECUTIVE

This is an exciting position that requires an individual who has strong experience in Marketing and Brand Management. The successful candidate must be able to develop marketing strategies that will encourage customer loyalty while at the same time championing internal marketing activities.

Qualifications: Good O' & A' level results, please remember to list subjects & results on your CV. Degree in Marketing or equivalent. An MBA will be a distinct advantage as will be an engineering qualification.

Experience: Five years experience and at least three years in corporate strategy planning.

ACCOUNT MANAGERS
We are still looking for Account Managers. Check the requirements on previous posts below.

WAREHOUSE MANAGER - This is an executive position. we are looking for someone with a degree who has had experience managing a large warehouse.

Winning C.V's for Sales People

I have been receiving many C.V's for people who work in Sales and Marketing, Account managers and the like. Many of the C.V's surprisingly lack any real marketing edge.

Your Curriculum Vitae or C.V. as it is more commonly known is a record of your life( that's the meaning of the Latin words). More specifically it is a record of your working career. It is your marketing tool. Your C.V will reach the employer before you do and when it reaches the employer, based on what you have presented you will either be called for an interview or your CV will be filed away.

I have a few tips that will help you come up with a winning CV and help you clinch that job you have been eying.

• ACHIEVEMENTS

When you compose your CV it is important to clearly outline what your achievements have been throughout your working career. Remember you are marketing yourself and a potential employer wants to know what you have achieved. They want to know that they are bringing in an individual who has a proven sales track record. The employer wants to know that you will make a difference to the bottom line. Be specific, eg:

- Grew total sales by 80%
-Achieved a customer retention rate of 75%
-Created and marketed a new product and gained 50% of market share.

• EXPERIENCE

Start with your current or Last Employer and work backwards. If you start with the very first job you ever did it may not be relevant to the job you are applying for.

Write the dates of employment for each company you worked for. An employer wants to ascertain if he will get value from you in terms of years. Some people change jobs every six months.

When you write the name of the company give a brief description of what the company is involved in. Do not assume that the person reading your CV knows the company you worked for. Eg:

Career Human Resources Consultants - 2004 to Date
This company is involved in recruitment, training and human resources consultancy.

You can list the duties in point form. Do not write essays, nobody will read them.

• EDUCATION

O' & A' Level results- List the subjects and results. Depending on what level you are in your career this can be a great marketing tool, especially if you had impressive results. If you have a masters or a PHD this is not necessary.

Diploma's & Degrees - List the name of the diploma or degree, where you did it and the year as well as your result. Unless you are looking for a graduate trainee position do not list every subject and result you obtined throughout your three years of study.

• HOBBIES

This helps the employer have an idea of what you enjoy and your social skills. One of the good sports for Sales people is golf. As is commonly said business is done not in the boardroom but on the golf course. So if you are in sales and marketing it may be a good idea to start learning golf if you have not already done so.

• REFERENCES

It is important to list at least three references. Make sure that these people know that you have put them down as referees. Also make sure that their email, telephone and mobile contacts are correct and current.

I hope this helps and hope we will be seeing more winning sales CV's. If you have any questions or comments please make a comment on this site and I will reply.

Remember you can also view some of the jobs we have on offer by looking at our August posts.

ACCOUNT MANAGER

ACCOUNT MANGER VACANCY

Are you an expert in sales and have an excellent track record? Our client is looking for astute Account Managers. The successful candidate must have a minimum of five years experience at supervisory level and be in possession of a degree or diploma in either Marketing, Engineering, Computer Science or equivalent.

Please view our post titled 'Vacancies currently on offer' to view other vacancies.

Vacancies currently on offer

• CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Reporting to the CEO this is a versatile position that requires a candidate who has had a minimum of 10 years experience in the ICT sector. Possession of a first Degree and an MBA are essential. Hands on experience in marketing is also a must.

• CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER ( filled)

Are you an Executive in the ICT / Telecoms industry who is looking for a new challenge? This is a senior position reporting to the CEO and requires the individual to manage the Network Operations Centre amongst other responsibilities. The succesful candidate should have a degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science as well as anMBA. A minimum of five years experience at senior level is also a requirement.

• PROJECT MANAGER

Degree preferably in Project Management. 3 years experience in technical project management in the telecomms industry.

• SALES REPS

Candidates must have a Marketing Diploma with exceptional O' Level results. (Remember to list your subjects and results on your CV.) Must be articulate, presentable and possess strong customer care skills. A minimum of 1 year working experience is required.

• DATA NETWORK ENGINEER (Filled)

Minimum of three years experience in telecoms environment. GSM, CDMA or ISP communications. Minimum educational qualification is a first degree.

• LAN TECHNICIAN (Filled)

HND and a minimum of 4 years experience required. (Remember to also list your O' & A' level subjects and results on your CV.

• CREDIT CONTROLLER (Filled)

Based in Bulawayo this position requires a candidate who has a minimum of three years experience in a similar role.

• PURCHASING OFFICER (Filled)

Purchasing diploma. Working knowledge of imports and exports.

• WAREHOUSE CLERK (Filled)

Purchasing Diploma and experience in bonded warehousing essensial. Good O' level results. Remember to list your O' level results and subjects on your CV.