Career – Page 2 – Playground of Randomness

Category: Career

04
Oct
2023

5 Tips on How to Deal with the October Slump

categories: Career, General Career Advice, Reviews

October is crappy month. Most of us agree on this. But whenever I question the reasoning behind it, all I get is “it’s just that time of year”. So I consulted my trusty friend, Google who confirmed that there is something called “October Slump”. Google seems to associate this with teachers but I am stealing this term for this post. Here are 5 tips to help you deal if you’re suffering with the October Slump.

1. Be Gentle with Yourself and Others:

Remember that this time will pass. I know that every October I hate everyone and everything. And every year I have to remind myself to take it easy. Also, the one time I DIDN’T take it easy, I got severely burned out, severely ill and ended up leaving my job. It worked out in the end but what happens if that pattern repeats itself? That is why I am reminding myself this year to be gentle.

2. Make Time for the Things and People That Bring You Joy:

During the October slump I am careful to protect my energy and only share it with those who bring me joy. Whether it’s meeting a loved one for a meal or binge-watching an old show, these months are for me and me only. If someone drains you, this is the time to stay away from them for a bit. Trust me, you will feel so much better!

3. Be More Active:

Okay this is something that I absolutely detest but it’s necessary for my mental health. Make sure you’re finding time to exercise. Take up a new gym class or try a new workout routine. Your body will thank you for it.

4. Take Up a New Hobby:

As adults we can do whatever we want to. But we rarely do. Use this time to start a new hobby whether it’s painting or biking. Start something new and fun.

5. Plan for the New Year:

You’re in a slump because it’s been a long year. So why not look ahead to something exciting? Think about your future goals, plans and resolutions to help you get through this last stretch.

Do you have any tips for dealing with this icky part of the year? Let me know below!

04
Sep
2023

Debunking Myths about Working in a Call Center

categories: Career, Welcome to The Real World

“You work in the call center, right?”

I looked at the random aunty in surprise. This was during the period that I was hiding my new job from others and I was tired of lying. But at the same time I couldn’t face people if they found out I had left the call center and their reaction was relief.

“Um yeah, sorta. The company has a call center but I work in a different department.”

Ha! There. That wasn’t a lie. I actually wasn’t sure if my new job had a call center but they had a Customer Care team. That’s almost the same thing.

But the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me. I was tired of people looking down at the call center. Sure, no one dreams of being a call center agent. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have it’s perks.

Below, I’m debunking some myths about working in a call center:

Myth #1: Working in a call center is a Low Status Job

Okay, I feel like I have to address this one immediately. Personally I have encountered this in my community so I don’t know if everyone feels this way or if I am just surrounded by really small-minded people. NO job is a low status job. Not wanting to work because you think a job is “beneath you” is actually quite embarrassing…for you!

No one is above or below anyone else. (Except beetroot. Beetroot is beneath me because it is awful and idc how awful my iron issues are. I will NOT go back to that life. Just let me faint).

Myth #2: Working in a call center is a low-paying job

My next favourite myth. Firstly I have seen some incredibly high salaries come out of the call center. Secondly if you’re thinking the Sales Agents go home with no idea of how they’re going to pay their bills, you’re wrong. Several agents take home over R20k or R30k. I have seen people leave Customer Care (with it’s stable fixed income) to go back to the Sales floor because it offers better earning opportunities. And no to mention the amazing incentives like paid holidays, tickets for events and even appliances. (Can you tell I’m jealous? I shouldn’t be punished just because I have no skills as a Salesperson).

Myth #3: It’s a dead-end job with no opportunities for career growth

Career opportunities for a call center range from your typical upward growth such as team leader, manager or supervisor. But there’s also other departments that you can move into depending on the size of the organisation.

I know agents who started in Sales and moved to Training, Human Resources and even Marketing (this was a win I took personally. Go, girl! Internal promotions make me so happy). What’s more many call centers are big on offering training to develop their staff.

Myth #4: Customers are always shouting at Agents

Okay this isn’t completely untrue. But like any job, you deal with a range of people. Some are angry and always shouting, Some are actually really nice. Call can be complaints, general queries or just someone who wants to know what products are available. The great thing about being an agent is any call- whether bad or good- has to end at some point. You just keep going on. The call center is an excellent place to learn perseverance.

Myth #5: Call center work is easy, and anyone can do it

I mean technically yes. But in actual fact, not everyone can do it. And not everyone can do it well. Calling people to sell them a product seems easy. But you need sales skills which not everyone has. Trainers are fond of saying “it’s just a skill. You’ll learn it.” In my experience, it is a skill that not everyone has. Besides that you need patience if you’re going to be dealing with any angry customers and it is a huge help to be able to multi-task.

Myth #6: All you do is phone people

Call centers have a multitude of roles. From Customer Care to Recruitment, Business Development and Client Services. There are tons of different departments with different responsibilities. Typically this is the part where people’s eyes glaze over as I try to explain how a call center works but just trust me on this, tons of departments (which then means tons of opportunity).

What are your thoughts on call centers? I’d love to know below!

09
Jun
2023

Book Review: On Writing by Stephen King

categories: Books, Career, Reviews

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Who wouldn’t want to learn writing from the master of horror?
I’ve wanted this book since I first started writing (i.e a decade ago) but eventually forgot all about it.
So when I found a sale copy at my nearest bookstore I had to have it.
“On Writing” shares a bit of Stephen King’s life and his tips for writing and editing.
I loved getting a look at his life and how he grew up. The writing advice was useful but honestly it bored me a bit.
I know it’s a writing book but by the time King started giving advice I just wanted to hear more about his story.
(If it isn’t obvious as yet, I know nothing about Stephen King besides knowing his work).
This was a really interesting, well-written book that I’ll definitely keep as a reference guide.
Now I’m going to go down a Stephen King Google rabbit hole.

View all my reviews

18
May
2022

6 Benefits Besides Salary to Look for in a New Job

categories: Career, General Career Advice

Salary is great. You can buy pretty shoes. You can go to nice places. You can get through the month without dipping into your overdraft or swiping your credit card. But a decent salary isn’t the only thing that matters when you’re looking for a job. Here are 6 benefits besides salary to look for in a new job.

1. Medical Aid:

This is actually the first thing that I look for in a job and the reason for that is I am a person (in perfectly good health) who really uses her medical aid. I use it for blood tests, optometry, the dentist and visits to my GP where I explain to him that I have bad PMS and he just passes it off . Fun. Seriously though, medical aid is totally unnecessary until you actually need it. To me it’s just a really expensive way of ensuring that when I do get sick, I am able to get proper care.

2. Paid Time Off:

I didn’t think of this as a benefit until I joined my current job which offers 21 leave days. That is practically a whole month. Are there other companies doing this? I need to know. Paid time off is important to ensure that you take care of yourself and avoid burnout.

3. Work From Home:

Again, something that I didn’t think was a benefit until my current role. Work from home, especially if you are an introvert, means less commute time and more time to spend with your family. You might be willing to settle for a role with a lower salary if it is a WFH role (since you save costs on commuting, food and other in-office costs)

4. Training and Professional Development:

A business that believes in investing in their employees is definitely one you want to join. Training and professional development benefits both you and the business so if you come across a business that values this, it’s an automatic green flag.

5. Flexible Work Hours:

As an insomniac, flexible work hours are my favourite thing. You’re telling me when I can’t sleep at 3AM, I can work??? This might sound unhealthy to many but hear me out. If I am wide awake at 3AM and I know I can get work done, why shouldn’t I? It beats me sitting at my desk at 2PM, trying not to fall asleep because I have a deadline to hit.

6. Work Equipment:

Companies that provide their staff with work equipment bring me so much joy. This is another way of a company investing in you and showing that they want you to be able to do the best that you can do. Companies often provide computers or routers for their staff which helps ease costs. Bonus points if you throw in a back-up power supply. Eishkom for who?

What are some benefits that would make you consider a lower salary? I’d love to know below.

27
Apr
2022

7 Questions to Ask in An Interview and Why

categories: Career, Job Hunting Tips

I absolutely hate the part of job interviews where the interviewer asks “Do you have any questions?” However I recently learnt that one of the reasons that I got my current role was because I was apparently really eager when it came time for me to ask questions.

Of course I was eager. It was my dream job! But that was what made me realize how important this part of the interview was for a candidate. This is the time to show your interviewer that you are interested in the job as more than just a paycheck. This is also the time for YOU to evaluate whether or not this job is a good fit for you. Here are 7 questions that you should be asking and why.

1) What does a typical day look like?

If you get this job, you want to know beforehand what exactly a day will look like for you? This is especially great if you are speaking to someone who held the role before you. They would be able to advise what your duties are, who you work closely with and why. Their answer will also tell you how they felt about the job. Asking this question shows that you are serious about the role and want to know more.

2) Where is the last person who held this job moving on to?

This is something I picked up from the media buyer I interned under. Asking this question allows you to find out if the person who previously held this role was promoted (yay for internal growth) or if they left the company. If they left the company, you might want to dig deeper and investigate why. Was it just for a higher paycheck or was there more to the story? Is there an issue with staff constantly leaving?

3) What’s your favorite part about working here?

This question is an excellent way to evaluate what type of an environment you are going into. What is the interviewer’s favorite part, if any? It is important that they have something that you too can see as fun or a highlight. If you asked me this back when I was in a toxic workplace, my answer would have been “home-time”. For my Marketing interview, the interviewer seemed genuinely excited about her work and that made me excited about the job.

4) What are the next steps in the interview process?

This is a great question to help you know if you were successful, what would you be doing next. Is it a personality test? A skills test? A group interview? This is also a great way to find out when you will receive feedback on your interview.

5) If you were starting this job now, what advice would you give yourself?

This is another way to show that you are genuinely interested in the role and would like to know how to kick ass at it. People like to give advice to new starts (or atleast nice, helpful people do) so this is also a good way to build rapport with your interviewer. Again, be sure to evaluate the answers so that you know if this role is for you. I once had an interview where the interviewer told me that lunch breaks were often sacrificed for deadlines. What they didn’t mention was that the team NEVER took a lunch break (they ate at odd hours and they ate at their desks) and those who did take lunch away from their desks were looked down on. Thankfully, I never got this specific job.

6) What kinds of challenges can I expect in this role?

Again this is more of a “I want to know how to do my best at this job” as opposed to “I want this job because I need money”. Knowing what challenges await you in this role if you are successful allows you to know what to prepare for. Do you need to brush up on your Excel knowledge? Do you need to spend more time working on your presentation skills? Now is the time to find out.

7) What is the company culture like?

THIS! This is a really important question but also it is one that is rarely answered honestly. If you get the chance to walk around or speak to other people in the workplace, this is a good idea. Another idea is to get a glance at the staff if you can. You can clearly see the difference between happy and unhappy staff. Happy staff are bubbly and chatty. Unhappy staff are…not. Keep your eyes open. And if the interviewer comes up with the old “We are like a family” line- RUN!

The most important thing when it comes to asking questions in an interview is that you show a genuine interest for the role and the company as opposed to just being interested in money. Income is important but it’s the actual work that you’re going to be doing everyday and you want to make sure it isn’t something that will make you miserable.

13
Apr
2022

5 Things I Wish I Knew About Working in Marketing Before Taking The Job

categories: General Career Advice

Go to Marketing they said. It would be fun, they said. But no one prepared me for how different the Marketing team would be from my old team or what a drastic culture change I would have to adjust to. Here are a few things I wish I knew about Marketing before signing up to be an intern.

1. People treat me differently now– This is something I cannot get over. There are some people who treat me the same and they are few and far between (they are also my favorite people). However there are two types of people who treat me differently- those who are nicer to me which automatically puts me on edge. I worked in the same department for three years. If the way you are approaching me has changed, I do not know how to respond to that. The other group of people are those who do not speak to me at all. It’s like I have personally offended them with my decision to pursue a Marketing career. Considering the fact that I worked and studied for three years, trying to get into Marketing, this behavior personally offends me. But speaking of studying…

2. The importance of always being open to learning– One of the things I was really excited to give up (along with working weekends) was studying. Or so I thought. Moving to Marketing was exciting but the Marketing industry is always changing. If you want to be great at your job, you need to keep an eye on changing consumer trends. You need to follow experts in your field no matter what type of marketing you fall into.

3. It’s tough. The work is difficult– Another thing that surprised me about working in Marketing was that at the beginning, there was ALOT of tough days. There were days that I would come home and cry because I had no idea what was going on. To be fair, alot of this stemmed from the fact that the person I was supposed to intern under had gotten another job and left the company but it was difficult to go from knowing so much in my previous job to knowing so little when I started my internship. We all have to start somewhere and honestly those tough days were what made me better at my job.

4. Sometimes people don’t want you to succeed. At all– In my first week as an intern, our department was invited to an office event. Only a few people from back office was invited and a few people from my previous job. The brand managers and head of department insisted me and the other intern join even though it was our first week and we were uncomfortable about attending (atleast I was but I decided to rip off the band-aid). It was awful. Naturally I gravitated towards my old team and that’s where the issue started. Apparently those who had been one of the chosen few from my old team from the event were not happy to see me. I kid you not. I heard my name, turned around and then the staff hurriedly walked away whispering about me being there. I left the event in tears. I refused to go back the next time until finally one of the Marketing managers pried the story out of me. She dragged me to the event the time after that (and the time after that) until I had finally gotten used to it. I never went back to my old team after that. It broke my heart but it was better for my sanity.

5. There’s after hours work– In Marketing your tasks are duties are in a specific sub-field. For example, mine was paid media. So if my work was not completed in time, it fell to me to ensure that I completed it even if it was after hours. This took alot of getting used to since in my last job we were paid overtime for working extra hours but eventually I got better at my job and the after-hour work stopped.

I definitely wish I had known these things before taking the job. It would not have changed anything since I have wanted to work in Marketing for so long however I would have liked to have been more prepared. Growth is painful but so worth it in the end

17
Jan
2022

5 Things to Check Before Starting Your Job Hunt

categories: Career, Job Hunting Tips

It’s the most awful time of the year (Sorry, not a fan of January. It is the Monday of the year) and for those who are unemployed or actively looking for a job, January could be the start of a year that brings with it a brand-new career.

But are you really ready? Before you start sending out applications, here are a few things to check.

1. How are your Google results looking?

Before applying for a job, Google your full name and see what comes up. It is also a good idea to Google your full name and your title. You never know what you might find and it helps if you are aware of exactly what pops up when you’re Google’d. For me, I have never found anything besides my social media profiles but I do have an issue where family and friends keep finding me and my blog on Google. Yes I want readers but not people who know me. That just feels weird. Google yourself on your browser and even a friend or family member’s just to ensure that there are no nasty surprises if prospective employers decide to do the same (Trust me, this is a thing).

2. Are your social media profiles okay?

Similar to Google, your social media profiles can tell A LOT about you. Be sure to go through all of your accounts and make sure there is nothing inappropriate such as pictures of you getting drunk/high or wearing something unprofessional. Yes, animal onesies are adorable but is that picture something you want your future employer and co-workers to see? This would also be a good time to set your profiles on private.

3. Are all your documents updated?

This one…is pretty obvious. But do check to ensure that you have the latest copy of your resume. Back when our company was hiring for a Marketing Intern, I was horrified when my former manager told me that one of the staff didn’t update their resume with their latest role (i.e the current role that they were occupying in the company at that time) and Recruitment emailed them back to decline their application. This is a tiny error and it upset me that something so minor cost her.

4. Do you have a cover letter?

Yes, cover letters are not mandatory for all applications. But it feels so good when you can explain to the company more about you and why they should hire you. Try to have a cover letter tailored to each of the jobs you apply for. Hack- have a cover letter template for each industry you are applying in and then simply edit your cover letter for each application.

5. How is your elevator pitch?

“Tell me about yourself” is the ABSOLUTE worse interview question ever. And yet every time it feels like you do not know who you are. Prepare yourself for this by coming up with an elevator pitch- a one or two minute speech about who you are, what your background is (again this is to show why you are the best candidate so make sure you focus on skills you have that will be an asset in your prospective new role) and what you are looking for in a job.

Working on an elevator pitch for yourself is also great for when you start a new job and need to introduce yourself to others.

03
Jan
2022

4 Job Interview Questions That are a Major Red Flag

categories: Career

I always say that while I still work in a call center, the Marketing department is a totally different world from Customer Care. And never was this made more clear to me than when we had a discussion on questions you CANNOT be asked in an interview.

I was appalled. I had been asked (and had been answering) these questions throughout my career whenever I interviewed anywhere. I found them uncomfortable and invasive but assumed that that was the way it went for all interviews. It wasn’t.

So to save you from the mistakes of my youth, here are 4 questions you cannot be asked in an interview:

Marital Status (Do you have children? Are you single or married?)

This has no bearing on how well you do the job yet interestingly enough this came up in every single one of my interviews. The way it was asked was “Any children?” followed by “Married?”. Looking back I feel like it was a way to judge how available I would be to work extra hours (something that occurs often in call centers)

How old are you?

This question is forbidden since it could lead to discrimination based on age. Say, for example if you are a young person with no family who is expected to work late. It sounds like I am being paranoid but a significant chunk of the first few years in my career was spent in overtime. If I refused to work extra hours, I was questioned as to why and I was told I had “no excuse” because I had no husband or children.

Do you have a car?

This one blows my mind because the question that is relevant is “do you have reliable transport” not “do you have a car”. Unless it’s necessary for the job, a car does not affect your ability to work.

Where do you live?

Honestly I think this is just asked to ensure that there are no issues with you getting to work on time however this can also be seen as a form of discrimination. Also, let us not forget that one time I waited three hours for a job interview (which never took place) simply because I made the mistake of informing the hiring manager that I lived close to the call center.

If you get any of these questions, just be wary. NONE of these questions were asked in any of my Marketing or Journalism interviews (except for that one failed freelancing attempt that I had). These questions are a huge red flag and should be a sign to proceed with caution.

20
Dec
2021

What is an Informational Interview and How to Get One?

categories: Career, Welcome to The Real World

I really really wish we did more informational interviews in the world. Like it needs to become the norm in your educational career (Seriously, can I speak to someone about this?) An informational interview is simply a conversation or an interview between you and someone who works in a field that you are interested in.

Informational interviews are a great way to find out if a specific field or career is for you. I have had two informational interviews in my life and in both cases, those interviews were the deciding factor when it came to me pursuing those fields.

So how do you get an informal interview? Simply find people in the field or fields you are interested in. You can do this by using LinkedIn, social media sites such as Facebook or Instagram or you can ask people you know if you know someone who can help you. Another great option is to look for a company that you are interested in and just do some research on who works there and what they do. Once you have found your person or people, you need to obtain their contact details either to have a conversation via email, telephone or in-person.

I strongly recommend that whenever possible you go for the in-person option. It is an easier way to make an impression and be remembered.

Have you found your person? Have you scored a meeting? Great, let’s move on to the next step!

Here are some tips on acing an informational interview

Go in prepared- Read over your resume so that you are familiar with your past work experience and work on your elevator pitch. Prepare for this the way you would for any other interview. Just make sure that you have more questions than you would for a regular interview. Remember the point of this is for you to figure out if this role is for you or not.

Research the company, the field and the individual– You want to show that you are familiar with the industry and you do have some sort of background knowledge on the company. Basically the golden rule of informational interviews is to prep the way you would for a regular interview but maybe prep twice as hard?

Come prepared with questions– You are meeting to gather information so come prepared with 3-5 questions on the role or that specific field.

Do not ask for a job– Remember that the point of this interview is information. Do not directly ask for a job.

An informational interview is an excellent way for you to learn more about a field, gain contacts in the field and in some cases even get your foot in the door.

12
Jul
2021

6 Things I Wish I Knew Before Switching Career Fields

categories: Career, General Career Advice, Welcome to The Real World

It’s a challenge: Considering the fact that I studied two Marketing modules in university and four different Marketing short courses, I was pretty confident that I would be able to grasp my new job easily. I was wrong. There were days- scratch that, there are still days when I struggle and wonder if switching career fields was worth it (I’m proud to say that recently though, whenever this thought pops in my mind, I answer “YES!!!” without having to think about it)
The internet has resources for everything: As someone who lives on Google this was shocking to me. Yes, I knew that you can Google pretty much everything but I had no clue that the internet could EDUCATE YOU! My mind is blown away by the amount of resources I’ve found online. But also
I will not know everything: This is hugely upsetting and something I struggled with in my first few months. Back in Customer Care, I knew ALOT! Of course I did. I spent three years there and besides some basic process changes, things remained mostly the same. In Marketing, not so much. There are always new Marketing trends, new data on consumers or spending habits. You have to keep reading and studying in order to keep yourself up to date. At first I found this disheartening. I wanted to know everything and I wanted to know it NOW! Over time however, I accepted that I will not know everything. But with a little hard work. I can learn a bit about most things.
Speaking of trends, I wish I knew the importance of keeping up to date with important industry information: Previously, I did not pay attention to any additional information if it didn’t directly impact me or my life. Like when Huawei stopped making phones with Google. Which then led to countless customer queries about that. Now however, I read every email link, Hubspot report or social media survey that lands in my inbox.
Failing is a thing…and that’s okay: Keeping in with my perfectionist tendencies, I did not expect to fail. I don’t like failing. I’ve mentioned before that failing is (was?) a foreign concept to me but when you’re in a new field, failing happens and honestly it’s just a part of life.
Lastly and certainly not least, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable: Growth is uncomfortable. Change is uncomfortable. But when it’s the right field or the right job for you, you won’t even mind. There are certain days when my anxiety skyrockets and I get really uncomfortable with a task but honestly I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Did you change careers or start a new job? What was something that you were not expecting?