In the last few weeks, we explained how to write a curriculum vitae (CV) successfully. We discussed what we should include and avoid at all costs. Hopefully, you wrote a successful CV, and the company asked you to come for a job interview. Sounds scary? If you follow our advice in the coming weeks, you will know how to ace that interview.

We will write here about the research you should conduct before the interview, the questions you should prepare to answer, to ask, and how to conduct yourself during the interview.

A job interview is a conversation between a potential employer and a job

applicant. During the job interview, the employer can review the applicant’s qualifications, appearance and general fitness for the job opening. In parallel, the applicant tries to learn more about the position, consider the employer, and feel if the job answers their needs and interests.

Job interviews can take different forms, depending on the preference. Some interviews are structured and follow a specific format, while others are more informal and conversational.

The innovation that comes with technology has necessitated the need for candidates to adapt to the changing ways of interviewing, like virtual interviews such as zoom, skype, and telephone interviews. Additionally, some employers may do multiple interviews to ensure they make the right hiring decision.

As a candidate, it is essential to prepare for the interview to increase your chances of success. You should research the company, location and job role, practice responses to common interview questions, and prepare a list of questions to ask the employer.

During the interview, making an excellent first impression is crucial as dressing professionally, arriving on time, and being polite. Additionally, it is essential to listen carefully to the employer’s questions, answer honestly and confidently, and provide specific examples of your experience and qualifications.

After the interview, you should follow up by making a phone call within a week if they do not call you back. Moreover, send a thank you

letter to the people who interviewed them and reiterate your interest in the job.

We will examine the avenues for preparing for the job interview in the following weeks. We would explain why job interviews are essential and scary and how to gain confidence and win the job.

Our CV includes personal details, profile sentences, work experience, education, references and skills. Today I would like to take a stand and talk about your References. The people in your CV references can vouch for your character, skills, and work performance. Recruiters like to contact your references to find out more about you.

The questions that the recruiters are most likely to ask the people you noted can be:

• What is their relationship to you?
• Are you a good employee?
• Why are you no longer working for them?
• What are your defining characteristics, such as abilities, work ethics, interpersonal skills, punctuality etc.?
• Will you be a good fit for this job?

When choosing your references, you should remember that recruiting professionals will always check them; here are some tips:

• Be careful with who you include in the list; make sure they know you well. For example, you may write the name of someone with a very high position in your company or even a well-known professional in the field. However, please note this will only do you much good if they know you enough to have something meaningful to say about you.
• It would be best not to put your friends or relatives in your references.
• Traditionally you should provide at least two references on your CV. The first should be your current or former employer, and the second can be someone who knows you well in a professional or academic setting.
• Remember that if you use a former employer as a reference, it should be the most recent.

Use a clear and short format to present your reference: Full name, job title, company name, work phone number and/or email. Briefly describe your relationship with the contact.

For example, My mentor, Yael Uzan-Tidhar, Programme Director, Nhloso Likusasa Le’lichakazile, info@likusasa.org

Need help with your CV? Visit us at Likusasa Letfu Youth Centre for employability. You can also find us on social at Likusasa Letfu, email info@likusasaleftu.com or call us on 79585564/78033230.

Our CV includes details, profile sentences, work experience, education history, references and skills. While education and experience are essential, the skills we have and can offer to the job can sometimes make all the difference. The CV is a flexible document that we can change according to our position and history. When it is essential to prove our education – we start with that. When it is the experience we can impress with to get the job, we start with it. If we don’t have enough of either, we can put our skills at the start of the document and use them to impress the reader.

Skills refer to the ability to do something well. It can be the ability to use knowledge effectively and readily in execution and performance. They are divided into two, hard and soft skills.

Hard skills are the abilities you learnt and can easily prove, for example, computer skills and driving.

Soft skills are attributes you have within you (by nature, or you developed and practised) which are not unique to any job, such as communication and management skills.

Everyone should have both skills to be employed. In your CV, list a combination of both.

When using the buzzwords of soft skills, it’s best to know what they stand for and ensure you can perform them if asked to do so. Refrain from stating you have Excellent communication skills when you cannot speak loudly and clearly at the job interview. Here are some of the more common soft skills we should be able to have:

Communication and interpersonal skill is the ability to express your ideas and opinions clearly and to explain what you want to achieve without ambiguity. This includes listening, understanding and acting upon what others are saying or instructing.

Problem-solving skills is the skill that allows someone to think logically and find a solution.

Self-motivation is the ability to develop new ideas and solutions

and display enterprising capabilities to do things independently without being instructed.

Working under pressure, the ability to deliver the best performance within deadlines without buckling under stress.

Identify your hard skills by listing what you learnt or did at your previous work. If you have work experience, list all the things you do at work and map them to the list of employability skills. If you have yet to gain experience, record the activity you know best from your course or life experience. Try to show unique employability skills.

Visit Likusasa Letfu Youth Centre for Employability for more information and support in job searching. Please find us on social media at Likusasa Letfu, or call 79585564/ 78033230 info@likusasaletfu.com.

In today’s job market, having a strong set of technical skills is essential for success, and Excel proficiency is one of the most sought-after skills. However, many job seekers in Eswatini lack the necessary Excel skills that employers demand. The Likusasa Letfu Youth Centre for Employability (LLYCE) has taken up an exciting project to help young job seekers enhance their Excel skills and increase their employability.

The LLYCE is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to supporting young adults in Eswatini to achieve their career aspirations. The organization has been working tirelessly to provide a range of services and resources to help young people gain the skills, experience, and knowledge they need to succeed in today’s competitive job market.

Kholiwe Matesbula, the project officer of Likusasa Letfu, explains the motivation behind the Excel Skills Development Project. “While helping job seekers to find work, we realized that many employers are looking for people with good knowledge of Excel. Although mainly in the accounting profession, Excel is a powerful tool that employees use in other professions as well.”

The LLYCE recognizes that there are many Excel courses available in Eswatini, but employers need to know the level of Excel proficiency that a qualification presents. Therefore, employers look for known standards, like the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) holders have. To address this need, the LLYCE partnered with the Embassy of Israel in Pretoria to become a certified ICDL center and sponsored 40 participants to achieve the ICDL standard.

The course is in collaboration with P31 Uncovering Excellence, a local ITC training center that specializes in delivering high-quality training in computer skills, business skills, and entrepreneurship. The LLYCE expresses its gratitude to the Embassy of Israel and P31 Uncovering Excellence for their support in making this project possible.

The Excel Skills Development Project is part of the LLYCE’s Skill Centre for Employability, which is helping young adults in their first career steps. The Centre offers a range of services, including creating job search kits, providing job placement services, and holding skills development workshops. Additionally, the Centre has allocated a section for a youth produce outlet, which is an excellent opportunity for young entrepreneurs to showcase their talents and generate income.

The LLYCE’s Excel Skills Development Project is designed to help young job seekers develop their Excel skills and achieve the ICDL standard, which is recognized globally. Participants in the course learn advanced Excel techniques, such as using formulas and functions, analyzing data, and creating charts and graphs.

The course is delivered by experienced trainers who provide hands-on training, practice exercises, and assessments to ensure that participants have a thorough understanding of Excel. The Excel Skills Development Project is an excellent opportunity for young job seekers to gain a competitive advantage in the job market and increase their chances of finding employment.

The LLYCE is committed to providing young adults in Eswatini with affordable and accessible services and support to help them achieve their career aspirations. The Excel Skills Development Project is just one of the many initiatives that the LLYCE is undertaking to support young adults in their career journeys.

In conclusion, the Likusasa Letfu Youth Centre for Employability’s Excel Skills Development Project is an exciting initiative that will provide young job seekers with the necessary Excel skills to increase their employability. The project is a testament to the LLYCE’s commitment to supporting young adults in Eswatini to achieve their career aspirations. The LLYCE encourages young adults to take advantage of this opportunity and join the Excel Skills Development Project.