WeeklySA_AdminIMPRESSION: Common misconception that holiday jobs require prior work experience – yet they don’t…
By WSAM Reporter
So, you are considering a holiday job but lack experience ? Experts say you should not let that stop you from unwrapping the potential opportunities this season has to offer.
To many people, especially students, the holiday season is not only a time for celebration but also an excellent opportunity to earn some extra cash through a holiday job. Whether you are a student looking to make the most of your seasonal break or someone seeking additional income, securing a holiday job requires a strategic approach.
According to experts, what is good about holiday jobs is that these jobs often cater to a diverse range of skill sets and backgrounds, making them accessible even to those without prior experience.
What is certain, they say, is that a holiday job is a great way to start building your CV, a strong way to demonstrate to a future employer what you are capable of. By getting a holiday job, individuals or students can learn first-hand from people who already have the valuable skills, knowledge and expertise, according to experts.
They dismissed the common misconception that holiday jobs require that you have to have prior work experience saying: “The truth is that many seasonal positions are designed to be entry-level, catering to individuals with minimal to no experience.”
According to the experts, one of the primary factors that employers consider during the holiday hiring process is enthusiasm and a positive attitude.
“Employers are often willing to train candidates who exhibit a strong work ethic and a genuine interest in the job,” one expert was quoted as saying in Career Portal, an online platform that assist learners to acquire the skills and knowledge needed for academic and professional purposes.
So, even if your CV lacks experience, experts believe that showcasing your eagerness to learn and contribute, can make a significant impact.
Experts believe that retail stores, restaurants, and delivery services often ramp up their hiring during the holiday season, cautioning however that employers are generally open to hiring candidates with a genuine enthusiasm for the job.
Here are some holiday jobs you can apply for without any experience:
Retail Sector.
The retail sector, in particular, is a goldmine for holiday job seekers. During the holiday rush, retailers often experience a surge in customer traffic, prompting them to hire additional staff to meet the demand. Positions such as cashier, sales associate and customer service representative typically require minimal experience, with employers prioritizing qualities like enthusiasm, communication skills and a willingness to learn.
Hospitality Industry.
Hotels, restaurants and event venues often seek extra hands to manage the increased activity during the festive season. Positions like server, host/hostess and event staff may not demand prior experience, placing emphasis on a positive attitude and the ability to adapt to a dynamic work environment.
Sales and Logistics Industry.
With the rise of e-commerce, companies handling online sales and logistics often recruit temporary staff to manage the surge in orders. These roles may include packing and shipping positions, warehouse associates and customer support representatives. While some roles may benefit from related experience, many employers are willing to train individuals who demonstrate a strong work ethic and eagerness to contribute.
Networking.
Networking and leveraging personal connections can also play a pivotal role in securing a holiday job without experience. Friends, family, or acquaintances already working in a seasonal position may recommend individuals they believe would be a good fit. Employers often value referrals and a recommendation can sometimes outweigh a lack of formal experience.
According to experts, many employers understand the seasonal nature of these positions and are willing to provide training to enthusiastic individuals.
So, if you are considering a holiday job but lack experience, do not let that stop you from unwrapping the potential opportunities this season have to offer.
“Applying for a holiday job presents many benefits beyond just financial gain. These temporary positions offer a chance to enhance your CV with valuable work experience, enhance interpersonal and customer service skills and establish professional connections.
“Additionally, holiday jobs provide an opportunity to explore different industries, fostering personal growth and a better understanding of the working world.
Embracing a temporary role during the festive season not only contributes to your financial needs but also serves as a stepping stone for long-term career development.” Additional information by Career Portal.
‘Marked investment interest in new buildings’
BLEAK: Scarcity of skills in the domestic economy is exacerbated by the high turnover…
By WSAM Writer
The investment in developing staff skills with-in companies picked up markedly in the first and second half of 2022 2023 to 68% and 69% respectively, the latest IBR survey has revealed.
The IBR survey, the Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo (SNG) Grant Thornton’s SA Business Pulse, sur-veyed about 100 local business leaders across dif-ferent industries to provide insights on their views and expectations of the South African mid-market businesses.
SNG Grant Thornton’s Director and Head of Business Consulting, Omar Hassan, said this was not surprising considering the high levels of emi-gration of skilled personnel which is impacting the ability of the economy to grow and for investment in infrastructure to be undertaken. “There has been growing recognition in South Africa of the constraints on economic growth brought about by the lack of sufficient skills.
The scarcity of skills in the domestic economy is ex- acerbated by the high turnover, which has become a significant impediment for South African busi-nesses.”
Investing in staff skills, new buildings and renewable energy will improve business confidence and a positive economic outlook.
“With 70% of mid-market businesses in SouthAfrica anticipating a rise in profitability in the up- coming 12 months, there is an overall increase in intentions for future business investments regard- ing investment in staff skills and new buildings.”
The sectors most heavily impacted by a lack of skills include information technology, finance, medical and health, design, media and business development. Business concerns about the availability of skilled workers as a constraint to business growth increased in the first half of 2023 (to 50% from 45% in the second half of 2022), according to the IBR survey. This reinforced an upward trend that has been in place since 2019.
Hassan says while this was often cited as a growing constraint on economic growth, exacer-bated by the emigration of skills at an accelerated pace in recent years, surprisingly however, the per- ceptions of this as a constraint are slightly lower in South Africa than globally.
“This might merely be a function of the in- creased technological intensity of other countries in the world relative to South Africa.” .
The IBR Survey also showed that given the decline in optimism on the economic outlook and the incidence of load-shedding, there was a decline in the proportion of businesses wanting to increase employment (59% compared to 62% in the second half of 2022) and first half of 2023.
However, the decline was not material, com- pared to the global average. IBR survey results also showed there has been a marked pickup in invest- ment optimism for new buildings to its highest level since the survey started in 2011.
The first half of the 2023 outcome (59% of businesses expect to invest in new buildings in the next year) coincides with evidence from the gross fixed capital formation figures supportive of a marked pickup in investment, which has taken up the share of fixed investment to GDP to 15.5% from 13% in 2021. Hassan believes that this contradicted the rela- tively depressed levels of building plans passed for both residential and non-residential buildings to some extent.
“On the other hand, the most obvious reason for optimism regarding new building activity is the potential for interest rates to peak and start com- ing down through 2024. In addition, one needs to bear in mind that such investment collapsed in the aftermath of COVID-19, so one might be seeing a revival off a very low base. He says investment in plant and machinery has been the cornerstone of the improvement in overall gross fixed capital formation in recent years.
“Such investment appears to have been taking place in the move towards establishing renewable energy facilities in the wake of the decision taken by the government to dramatically increase the threshold at which it requires companies to obtain a license before such investment is undertaken,” Hassan says.
As expected, energy costs are the top concern amongst mid-market businesses in South Africa in the first half of 2023. According to Hassan, it is conceivable that the proportion of mid-market businesses identifying energy costs as a key constraint declined in the first half of 2023 (to 61% from 74% in the second half of 2022) in the wake of large-scale investment into solar panels and generators, which might have reduced the need for further such investment going forward.
In addition, the latest electricity price increases planned by Eskom see a substantial reduction in the rate of increase of such prices in 2024 compared with 2023. One of the most important determinants of short-term economic growth is the success or otherwise of the government in limiting the extent of load-shedding.
In this regard, the Ministry of Electricity re-cently announced its intention to bring four of the six units back into operation at the giant new Ku-sile power station before the end of the year. This would add almost 3000 MW to the electricity grid and assist in reducing the need for load-shedding of the intensity to which we have been accustomed to. A further boost to economic growth would be forthcoming if many of the other multibillion-rand infrastructural investment projects outlined by the government in recent years were to be forthcom-ing.
For this to be achieved, an improvement in the engineering industry’s skills capacity is needed, and municipalities’ capacity to make decisions on and implement such projects needs to be enhanced.
