We know that the job market is saturated. One of the best ways to stand out from the herd is to prep for the interview beforehand. Luckily, we have the know-how of the interview process to give you the upper hand.

1. Research the employer/hiring manager

Understanding the company you’re applying at, their business practices, as well as those interviewing you, will help you prepare for any questions thrown your way. Check out their company website and read any news you can find about them. If you know someone in the company, chat to them too.

2. Scour the web for common interview questions

You can prepare yourself for these questions beforehand by researching common interview questions. You can also ask the hiring manager what form of interview set up you’ll be experiencing. Will it’s one-on-one, or in a group? This will help you put together concise responses to sell yourself. The best way to remember all the information you’ve prepared is to put it into a story. This way, you can engage in conversation instead of having to remember specific points.

3. Dress to impress

Every company is different and they all have their own culture. Plan your outfit accordingly. Rather overdress and underdress. You should also avoid eating or smoking before your interview.

4. Arrive on time

There is no excuse for arriving late for an interview. If some thing catastrophic has occurred, don’t leave the interviewer in the dark. Call them and explain what the situation is. Strive to arrive to the interview 15 minutes early. Don’t forget to put your phone on silent too.

5. First impressions last

Be polite to anyone you meet on the way in your interview. The first impression your interviewer gets from you could potentially make or break your chances of landing the job. When greeting your interviewer, stand up straight, make eye contact, give a firm handshake, and don’t forget to smile.

6. Be friendly, confident, and concise

Once your interview has started, ensure that your answers, as well as their delivery, is on point. Remember, you want to showcase your skills and experience, not ramble through the interview and bore the interviewer. You should also never bad mouth previous employers or colleagues.

7. You need to ask questions too

Asking insightful, researched questions shows you have put effort in to your research. Ask about the follow up technique, and when the company will make their final decision.

10. Say thank you.

Send a follow up email after the interview to thank them for their time. Politeness goes a long way.

HIV/AIDS and poverty have resulted in many children being abandoned and orphaned. Recent statistics reveal that in South Africa alone there are over 5 million orphaned children. It is against this background that Lungisisa Indlela Village (LIV) began in 2010 to help deal with this crisis and leave a legacy for future generations.

LIV is partnering with Government, Business and the Church groups to provide urgently needed holistic residential care on a large scale for the thousands of vulnerable and parentless children, with the core vision to Rescue a child, Restore a life, Raise a leader and Release a star.

LIV place these children into family environments where they receive unconditional love, spiritual discipleship, care and nurturing and where all their physical needs are met. LIV (www.liv-village.com) is a registered NPO and section 21 company with a ddboard of Directors for governance, transparency and credibility.

Khulisani has recently partnered with LIV Village to create jobs and provide some of our ex-I Can!  learners with skills development opportunities, training and employment. With sponsorship from companies such as SGRP Meridian we are able to train, place, manage and pay the salaries of ex I Can! learners (with intellectual disabilities)  to work  at LIV Village.

Above are learners Precious Ralarala and Samkelisiswe Ngcobo who are sponsored by SGRP Meridian.

I Can! is proud to be associated with a company called G.U.D FILTERS. They have  taken on 14 of our learners for additional onsite training and  two went on to become permanently employed at GUD. GUD approached us recently to find them candidates again to meet their inter-racial quota. We found four gentlemen in record time who were hired immediately. We would like to thank GUD for giving people with disabilities the opportunity to work in this well established company.

The candidates employed are working in the warehouse packing filters into boxes.

I CAN is proud to say that our learners are not only completing learnerships but are also going on to be employed in meaningful jobs to sustain their lives.

I Can! is thrilled that Capacity, trusting client and member of the Adcorp Holding Group, provided Mr Price with a staffing solution that included five of our graduated Deaf learners. MR Price has agreed on a pilot project to provide these learners with valuable onsite work experience in their distribution centre in River Horse Valley, KZN.

Monday the 4^th of November was a memorable day for Nhlakanipho Walter Shezi, Mlungisi Mkhovu, Nkululeko Stanely Mthembu, Siyabonga Dlamini and Lungani Mthethwa when they met with the Capacity trainer Barbara Lawler and were taken through a formal induction process at the Mr Price distribution centre.   The following four days included the actual training of picking and packing of apparel from large quantities for shipping to the various outlet stores.

The overall feedback received was very positive and subsequently Mr Price moved two candidates to their other larger site in central Durban and then another two additional learners this week.

“This is what we are striving to achieve……meaningful employment for as many of our candidates as we can!” Sushie Naidoo, National Recruitment Manager for I Can!

I am a woman living with a physical disability. On 22 March 1996, I had an operation on my leg and was told that I have chronic osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone, a rare but serious condition. That was very hard to understand. Everything changed; it was like my leg took away all my freedom. I could not go to school for two years and had to stop playing netball, which was very difficult to sit and watch people play. After a few years I learned to accept my disability and love myself again with the determination that I can do anything I want. I stopped looking at my disability and rather focused on the abilities in my life.  Writing soon replaced the love of netball and I now sit and write about my life and the challenges people with disabilities face in South Africa. I express these through poems, short stories and drama. Disability can happen to anyone and any time.

After completing my matric I did a Secretarial Personal Assistant and Bookkeep and Accounts course at Integrity College and now have a Diploma. After completing my studies with Integrity I looked for a job but I could not find one. Then I applied for a learnership with Bytes Technology in Midrand and received a NQF Level three National Certificate in End-user computing. VW South Africa offered me another learnership and received a NQF level three certificate in Business Admin. The work experience I gained during these learnerships included:

Filing Clerk with BYTES SYSTEM INTERGRATION for 9 months

Receptionist with AUDI CENTRE REVONIA for 6 months

Business Administration with MEDIPOST PHARMACY for a 1 year.

A friend of mine told me about I Can! and then researched them on the internet. I phoned and was transferred to Desiree Mthanti who helped me to be where I am today. She told me to fax my CV and decided to personally drop it off and meet her in person. When she looked at my CV she said, “Don’t worry I will help you”. After few weeks Desiree phoned me to come to PMI/I Can! for an interview. She told me that the interview is with ADCORP SHARED SERVICES CENTER in Bryanston, but I must come to PMI/I Can! and their driver will take me to the ADCORP offices for the interview. Lorna Potgieter interviewed me and told me how the company operates. The interview went well, and a month later Desiree phoned to tell me that I will start 1st of June 2013.

My first day at work was very was welcoming. Currently, I am working with Anton who also has a disability. He is my trainer on the switchboard. I enjoy working with him, he knows the company well and I am learning a lot from him. Working with someone who also had a disability, like me, has really helped. Currently I report to Lorna, she is been good to me ever since my interview. She is a woman, a mother, a manager, a PA to Mr Kobus Pieneer (CIO of the company) and a role model.  I want to thank Lorna for being so patient and understanding and seeing my potential to give me a chance.

Nomaxabiso Kungwayo completed her matric in 2006 and furthered her studies to complete a certificate in financial management at MSC College. She enjoys accounting and achieved marks that were top of her class. When she finished her matric, her teacher asked her to tutor other classes when she had to attend meetings. Nomaxabiso acquired perseverance working with the learners and enjoyed transferring knowledge.

Because she was unemployed for a long period of time, Nomaxabiso assumed the role as cleaner for the I Can! Academy. However her dedication and passion for the learners was not overlooked and I Can offered her the opportunity to train as a facilitator by taking part in classes.

She performed so well, facilitation became a calling for Nomaxabiso.  The students enjoyed having her in the class and as a result she was promoted to Life Skills facilitator.

Nomaxabiso welcomed the opportunity offered by I Can! and will do her best to help educate these young adults. She would also like to thank the I Can! staff for treating her with respect when she was a cleaner. This made her further her interests by expanding within I Can! We are glad to have someone as nurturing and who is passionate about the pupils.