To help better their chances of being successful in the search for employment, HR experts suggest that job seekers review their CVs, prepare better for the interview, and warn them to watch out for vacancy scams.

South Africa currently faces high unemployment rates, making finding a job challenging for many individuals. According to Statistics South Africa (StatsSA)’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), the current official unemployment rate is 32.9%.

What’s more concerning is that 59.6% of young South Africans between the ages of 15 and 24 are unemployed, while 34.5% of those looking for work are still unemployed.

These high unemployment rates in South Africa make finding a job challenging for many individuals. One obstacle facing job seekers in South Africa is the lack of job opportunities in certain sectors.

The country’s economy has been struggling, limiting job growth in many industries. This is particularly true for young graduates and entry-level workers, who may find it difficult to secure employment in their chosen field.

Compounding the issue is the high competition for available jobs. The high number of people looking for work allows employers to be selective and choose only the most qualified candidates – making it especially difficult for individuals without a lot of experience to secure a job.

Despite these challenges, there are still opportunities for job seekers in South Africa.

Anglo American HR advisor at Kumba Iron Ore, Joseph Makaringe, says it’s important for individuals to be proactive in their job search.

“Being an active job seeker in the labour market is a long and tedious journey which requires patience and tenacity. Having a positive attitude is key. Recruiters and HR professionals are always looking for top talent. Job seekers should remain ready to seize these opportunities,” said Makaringe.

Makaringe shared a few tips on what job seekers need to consider when entering the job market:

• Review your CV – Align the content of your CV with a specific organisation or job vacancy that you are interested in. Present your skills and strengths to correspond with the vacancy requirements. Most importantly, make sure that your contact details are correct.

• Prepare for the interview – Interviews are one of the most important stages of the recruitment process. This is the ideal opportunity for the candidate and the representatives of the hiring organisation to engage with each other regarding the organisational culture, the vacancy’s roles and responsibilities, etc. Therefore, the candidate should:

• • Prepare for the interview by conducting research about the organisation. Visit its website and read articles you can find about it. This will help you learn more about the organisation and formulate questions you might want to pose to the panellists when given the opportunity.

• • Try to remain calm and look presentable. Your attitude and how you present yourself are key to creating a lasting impression.

• Know how to identify scams – Knowing how to differentiate between legitimate vacancies and scams is important for all job seekers to save time and money.  Upfront payments are always tell-tale signs of scams. Poorly written job specifications, the lack of corporate contact details and the use of personal emails such as Gmail and Yahoo are also signs of potential scams. When searching for job opportunities, use well-established recruitment platforms or visit corporate websites to view available vacancies.