Does your new year, new you include a new career path? If so, you've come to the right place. From writing your CV and applying for a job on the Vodacom Careers Portal to acing the interview, here's how to start your career at Vodacom.
How to write your CV
- First impressions count. Remember that your potential employer probably doesn't know you, so your CV will be their first point of contact with you. To that end, make sure you use clear titles and paragraphs so that the recipient of your CV is able to locate the relevant information quickly and easily.
- Say only what needs to be said. A cover letter and two-page CV is usually sufficient. Include only the experience and training that is relevant to the position for which you're applying. For example, if you are interested in being a developer, the fact that you worked in a store over the summer is of little interest. If, however, you learnt a big life lesson while working the store that is relevant to the position, then, by all means, include it – but make sure why you are doing so is clear.
- Sell yourself. For each point you include think: what does this say about me? Do you want your future employer to think you're funny, smart, a team player? Also, feel free to include colour or an image if it's relevant to the position and fits with your personality. Think about what type of person is right for the job and what type of person you are, and try to bring across the traits that make you suitable for the position. But don't lie or embellish – above all, honesty is important. These days, employers are able to conduct social media checks as part of the background screening process.
- Edit your CV. Make sure everything is neat, accurate and in chronological order – starting with your most recent position and experience and working backwards from there. Ask a family member or friend to give it a read-through to make sure you've included everything and that it is easy to understand.
- Remember to include your contact details. It may seem obvious, but in all the excitement, it is very possible to forget the simple things, such as your contact details. So make sure you've included both your email address and your contact number(s). Note that it is no longer necessary to include your ID number, gender or marital status and may even come across as stuffy and old-fashioned.
How to apply for a job at Vodacom
Now you're ready to start your journey at Vodacom! To do this, you'll first need to register on the Vodacom Careers Portal. Here's how.
- Click on 'Register' in the top right-hand corner.
- Fill in the form (which includes your full name, email address and country of residence).
- Click 'Create Account'.
- Now you can select 'View Profile' to edit your profile information and to upload your CV (which you can do under 'My Documents'). You can also keep track of which jobs you've applied for.
Once your profile is complete, you can take a look at available jobs, read interviews with some Vodacom employees and find out more about life at Vodacom. For an idea of what you could look forward to as an employee at Vodacom, take a look at the benefits of working for Vodacom.
When viewing available jobs on the Vodacom Careers Portal, remember that the name of your degree might not be a direct link to your future job. For example, if you studied journalism, you could qualify for a job in marketing that doesn't have 'journalist' anywhere in the title! Be sure to read all the qualifying criteria carefully to see whether you have valuable skills that could be applied to the job in which you're interested. Recent graduates can click on 'Early Careers' under 'Your Career' in the top left-hand corner or if you have more experience, click on 'Professionals' under 'Your Career'. From there, you can select the unit or industry you're interested in and then filter the results according to the title, location and date.
Once you click on a job ad, you'll usually see the city or country the position is based in, whether it's full-time or part-time and what type of contract it is (permanent, temporary etc). There will be a brief description of the role as well as more specific responsibilities and the necessary skills. You'll want to tailor your CV to illustrate which responsibilities you have experience with and which relevant skills you possess.
How to ace your interview
Once you've applied for a job on the Vodacom Careers Portal, if everything goes well and you are shortlisted for the role, you'll be requested to attend an interview. This is the really nerve-wracking part! But fear not – take a deep breath, follow this advice and you'll be just fine.
- Do your research. Find out everything you can about Vodacom and what will be required of you in the role.
- Make notes. Think of concrete examples from your past experience that you can use to answer common interview questions. For example, have you ever had to resolve a conflict? Are you good at working with people or do you prefer to work alone? What happens if you miss a target?
- Be prepared. Decide what you are going to wear ahead of time and lay your clothes out the night before. It helps to have a standard interview outfit (black pants and a shirt are always a safe bet) in your cupboard. Pack your bag the night before as well and make sure you've got tissues, a pen, extra copies of your CV, your portfolio and anything else you may need.
- Leave home early. Factor in anything that could delay you, such as traffic, and then add an extra five or 10 minutes to give you time to check your outfit and calm your nerves before the interview starts. If the interview is in an area you are unfamiliar with, you could even drive there a day or two before the interview to be sure you know the route, where to enter and where to find parking.
- Listen. Listen carefully to each interview question. Remember it's okay to pause and think about your answer, rather than stumbling over your words and being incoherent.
And there you have it! You are ready to begin your journey at Vodacom. To get started, click here to set up your profile on the Vodacom Careers Portal.
