CAREER - University of Western Cape importance of co-curricular activities to complement and balance...

M a g a z i n e f o r c a r e e r d e v e l o p m e n t

July 2008C A R E E RC A R E E R

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career update 20081

AcknowledgementsCareer Update is produced by the Centre for StudentSupport Services, Office for Student Development, Universityof the Western Cape.

Telephone: 021 959 2436 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Editor Winston MiddletonWriting consultant Ms Fatima Slemming, UWCSubbing, Design and Layout Evolution MarketingPrinted by G-MAK litho solutions

A thank you to all the students who took part in thephotography.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this magazine arethose of the authors and writers and do not necessarilyrepresent nor reflect the views of the University of theWestern Cape.

Articles may only be reproduced with written permissionfrom the Editor.

Career Update, July 2008

Wuzzup

from the

Ed

CONTENTSGRP - 2008 2

Starting a career: challenges and tips for success 3

Experiences and challenges asa candidate attorney 6

Your first job: not your first choice,then what? 8

Work types: what’s what and who for? 10

Now you’ve got the job offer:what’s your next move? 12

Magnet Communicationssurvey results 15

Acquiring an edge throughco-curricular activities 18

Business and Pleasure: can they go together? 21

Business case studies: a toolfor graduate selection 22

Speak your mind but avoid thefiring line 26

Student entrepreneurship on auniversity campus 28

Save to spend 30

EDITORIALOnce again, most of the articles havebeen written by students for students.Through training and coaching, theyhave exceeded their ownexpectations.

This magazine will alert students tofinding the balance betweenchallenges of the job search andtheir expectations; the lure of creditversus affordability. We trackedSiboniso to find out about his

experiences as a candidate attorneyat Deneys Reitz Attorneys as a follow up to the

article in the previous edition. The importance of co-curricular activities to complement and balance outgood academic grades is highlighted for students toheed. The remaining articles focus on the various worktypes, role of business case studies as a tool for graduateselection, student entrepreneurship and settling into yourfirst job.

The Graduate Recruitment Project (GRP) is upon us. Ouroffice will be abuzz with company representatives andstudents preparing for their job applications andinterviews. Those who participated in the past GRP haveattested to the value which they derived and theirincreased level of job preparedness. Remember that youare competing with not only your peers on campus butalso those at other universities. The secret is to get yourapplication documents to stand out above the rest andthen make your mark at the interview.

Do visit our office in the Student Centre for furtherassistance by our friendly staff. If you are inspired,disgusted or motivated by these articles and ourservices… “thetha” ... your feedback is important to us!

Remember, we merely facilitate your job search process.The responsibility is ultimately yours. “Where you comefrom defines who you are, not what you become!” Socatch the CDP taxi: “Your vehicle for careerdevelopment and job search”.

The Ed.Winston Middleton

Career Update 08 7/7/08 10:17 Page 1

career update 2008 2

Career Services

Final year & post-grad students arereaching the endof their excitingstudents yearsand the world ofwork will soonbe a reality. Donot delay your

job search until after the finalexams! A useful opportunity has been createdthrough the Graduate Recruitment Project(GRP).

How can the GRP help you?Is an effective vehicle to initiate your jobsearch.Tools to sharpen your job search skills.Feedback on your job search performance.

How to participate in the GRPFinalise your (updated) CV, Resume and Coverletter.

Obtain schedule of dates for companypresentations and campus interviews from ouroffice.

Make copies of your full study record(including June 2008) and relevantdocuments.

Research your target companies!

Attend company presentations @ 13h00 on 14July – September 2008. (First and second yearstudents are welcome to attend to familiarizethemselves with the job search process.)

Submit your applications (including onlineapplications) long before the closing date.

Ensure that your cellphone has enoughairtime.

Prepare for your job interviews to be held from21 July – September 2008 by reading uprelevant information and watching videos atMulti-Media Centre.

Sell yourself to the interviewer .... and wait forthat important call from the company.

Then relax.

Graduate RecruitmentProject – 2008

Student advisingStudents can make an appointment to consult about their job search documents (CV, Resume &Cover letter, etc.), job search experiences and Qs & As.

Career resourcesConsult the resource materials (hard copies in Career Resource Centre of OSD and videos at Multi-Media Centre of Main Library).

Communication mediaLog onto http://thetha.uwc.ac.za for part-time/casual, fulltime & vacation work job ads and careerinformation, and regular updates on GRP activities. Read your student email daily and watch thecampus notice boards especially in the B - Block.


career update 20083

Sisa Ngabaza reports that mostgraduates are keen to join graduate traineeprogrammes with leading corporatecompanies. The process has, however, provedto be an uphill task for many. Initially, there isstiff competition during the selection processas the best graduates are selected fromuniversities all over South Africa. Secondly, itcan be tedious and demanding for selectedgraduates to make it to the final list.

Some stories

Sharazaan, a University of the WesternCape graduate, shares her story. I started applying through the GraduateRecruitment Programme during my final year.It was my dream to be a graduate trainee. Inever wanted to move straight into a job. Theselection process requires you to go throughvarious stages. The first stage is the companyinterview, then psychometric tests, followed bypersonality assessments, and then the finals. Itis then that you are finally selected orrejected. The process is quite hectic; at timesyou have to travel. In my case, I went toJohannesburg for further assessments. It istiresome because you are assessed by seniormanagers such as economists and acompany director. After all this effort, youeither go through or drop out because theycan only take a limited number of applicants. Ipersonally went through this process severaltimes. In the beginning I was so strong, butafter a few rejections I told myself that I had tocapitalise on my experiences. However, whenit got to four rejections after having repeatedly

gone through the demanding and timeconsuming process, I was despondent. Youthink of the time you have put in all of this. Theeffort, expectations, hopes and all thiscounted for nothing. I was beginning towonder if I was unlucky, or if there wassomething wrong about me. I evenquestioned my personality. I did notunderstand where I was missing the point. Ithen decided to leave it and concentrate onmy honours studies, but I did not give up.

Towards the end of that year I applied to threeother companies. This time around I was notserious at all. After the series of rejections I stillhad my previous fears. When I was called foran interview at one of these companies, I wasnot hopeful, but I went.

In December 2007, they called me and toldme that I was successful. I could not believe itafter the many previous rejections! It was notmy dream company but it was the beginningof my dream career. Sometimes, certain thingsmight happen for a reason – when you reallywant something to happen it doesn’t but onlyhappens when you least expect it to. I finallygot a graduate trainee position after about sixto eight rejections — I did it!

Nicolene, an ABSA Capital graduatetrainee, is pleased with her career but goes onto highlight some challenges that come withgraduate training. She says, ‘I was a chemicalengineer and moving to the world of financewas actually a challenge (though by choice).It was like I did not know, or understand,anything about the job and I was starting allover again. I kept my mind open and focused.If you find yourself in a position like mine,where you have to learn all over again,remember that you can’t know what you donot know. Mingle a lot, listen and askquestions, and strive to learn a few thingsevery day. You have to earn the trust of yourcolleagues when starting off in a new job. Youhave a reputation to build and, initially, youhave to make a great deal of effort todemonstrate what you can do. Rememberthat you’ve been hired because they believe

Starting a Career: challengesand tips for success



you can do it - so prove them right.

Jongisa is also an ABSA Capital graduatetrainee. She says that, at times, the graduatetrainee programme requires you to travelaway from home. It was not easy for her to beaway from home at first. Remember, you arestarting a new job and are in unfamiliarcircumstances. All this tends to challenge you,but she hails the networking process thatcomes with this exposure as she remarks, “itwas not easy to be away from home for solong and trying to adjust was tough; otherwise,it was nice to get along with others. Startingwas not easy at all but now I have learnt a lotand am enjoying what I am doing.”

Building your careerIt is true that you have a reputation to buildand a career to manage. You have beenselected among the best and you have toshow your best. The following tips on starting anew job are emphasised by the graduatetrainees.

Dress code. Everyone has highexpectations of you. Denzil, another graduatetrainee from ABSA Capital, has this to sayabout your outlook: “You have to dress toimpress. Your outfits speak volumes about you.People tend to judge you from what youwear. Rather be conservative in outlook untilyou understand the tone of the organisation.”

Manners. It is equally true that you need tobe polite and friendly to everyone around you.Ask questions because you are new and haveto learn. “Asking questions would not make

you look dumb but keeping to yourself would”,says Nicolene.

Sharazaan summarises officeetiquette as:

Attitude. “If your attitude sucks, you can’t fitinto the culture of the company and youcannot get anywhere.” It is true that you haveto behave at your best as you try to developyour career.

Listen. Every company has its own politics.You need to know what is going on and who iswho in the organisation, so hang aroundduring lunch breaks and listen to the officegossip, but be warned! Never participate in it.You do not want to compromise yourreputation and tarnish your image.

Punctuality. Always be punctual and avoidbeing the first one to leave the office, stick toyour lunch hour no matter how busy you are orsacrifice and have lunch at your desk if theschedules are even tighter. Always stick todeadlines and bear in mind that you have areputation to build.

Be open-minded and observe.Sharazaan says that you find people with theirown ideas as you bring your own fresh ideasfrom varsity. Be careful to contribute what youhave but don’t strive to change the waythings are done. Mind the generation gap andobserve much. Be careful how you relate topeople.

Succeeding as a graduate trainee.Always remember that adjusting to situations

occurs at different rates. It variesfrom individual to individual. Donot stress. Be patient if it appearsto be taking longer than youexpected. You will finally get there.Concentrate on your job and giveof your best. Remember, you arethere because you are the best.

REFERENCES

McKay D. R. (2007). Your guide tocareer planning. Accessed fromhttp://careerplanning.about.com25/04/08



Experiences and challengesas a candidate attorney

In the previous edition Siboniso Mncwangoshared his story of lack, hardship, tears,determination and final success. He struggledfrom nothingness to landing a careeropportunity of his dreams. He owes all this toprayer, assistance from the staff of the Officefor Student Development and hard work. He iscurrently a candidate attorney with one of theleading law firms, Deneys Reitz.

Sisa Ngabaza paid a visit to Sbu, as he isfondly known by those close to him, to find outhow he was settling into his new career andwhat new challenges he was encountering.He had this to say.

Settling inOn the first day at work I found five files on mydesk with my name on them. I was supposedto work on them. To me that was a sign thatthe company had confidence in me but I wasintimidated. I am now settling in and I enjoywhat I am doing. What I have noticed in thecorporate environment is that people aredifferent and you have to react differently tothem as well. The old and the young havedifferent demeanours and idiosyncrasies. Whoyou are comes to play in the way you interactwith them, respond to instructions and askquestions. Making things work for you calls for

humility and politeness. Your behaviour iscrucial. It accounts for the way you do yourwork by following or carrying out instructions.

Asking questions is keyIf you do not understand, ask. It might appearstupid and foolish but ask. I discovered thatwhat corporate leaders hate are arrogantpeople who do not ask questions becausethey know it all. I have wonderful relationshipswith my two bosses. They are different, butgreat guys, and I know how to relate to themdifferently. All this has helped me realise thatbeing in a corporate environment is actuallybeing in a different scenario, fulfilling adifferent task. You should never focus onchanging yourself. Be who you are, work hardand do what you have to do. Settling in is anadventure. It is challenging but challengescome with growth.

Challenges encountered My biggest challenge has been dealing withinstructions from my authorities. I have sincelearnt that people have different personalities.Understanding them and relating to themaccordingly has not been an easy task. Youhave to learn and understand other people,which is a big challenge.

Peers can also be a challenge. There is ageneral assumption that we should all do thesame things since we are working together. Ifyou differ from others it could be perceivedthat there is something wrong with you. On theother hand it is advisable to find anopportunity to hang out with peers. Sbucontinues to say, I am learning to work withthe team which calls for respecting others andalso expecting to be respected in turn. I likeworking with my colleagues. We are alldifferent, but make a great team.


career update 20087

Some adviceBe certain of what you want to do. Have aplan and stick to it. When you get to work tellyourself that you don’t know everything. Donot be a know-it-all. Instead of talking toomuch, listen a lot. When handling questions,think before you answer. Be honest and ownup all the time. Keep abreast with thecompany all the time. It could be throughsitting down with your mentor or peoplearound you asking questions. Also ask forhonest opinions on your performance from

those you have faith in. You are building acareer and you have to do it right. Believe inwhat you have faith in. I am very spiritual andmy faith is my anchor.

On long term goalsI want to work very hard and complete myarticles, most probably, next year. Later on Iwant to get married and start a family. I wantto be a legal advisor and also have dreams ofbecoming a motivational speaker.

Finally, be reminded thatchallenges make you grow. Ifyou do not feel challenged inwhat you do, look forsomething more challenging.When you believe insomething follow it through tothe end. Above all,behaviour is key to careersuccess. Give of your best andthe best will come back toyou.

Sbu’s work experience mightbe an exception rather thanthe rule. You might encountera different environment wherethings could turn out to bemore demanding andchallenging for you as youbegin to map out your careerpath. Work hard and keepfocused.



You’ve always been oneof those people whoknew what you wantedto do with your life, thekind of job that youwanted and theposition that youwould occupy onceyou completed yourstudies. With that inmind, you’ve done

everything to keep your‘ducks in a row’ and never took your

eye off the prize - your dream job. Now thetime has come. You will soon be a graduate.However, speculates Alice Wamundiya, the‘well of opportunity’ seems to have dried upon your arrival, causing all the ‘right’companies to turn down your applications,leaving you either stuck in your ‘old’ job, orneeding to find any job so that you cansurvive.

Believe it or not, if the above scenario soundsfamiliar, it’s probably because it is not thatuncommon. It happens quite often in the livesof graduate students that they have to face asituation where their first job was never reallytheir first choice. So, what should these fellowbrothers and sisters do when they findthemselves in this challenging situation?

An expert in the field, Winston Middleton ofUWC’s Office for Student Development,advises that “students shouldn’t becomeanxious about finding the ‘right’ job and the‘right’ company”. According to him, “theworld of work has changed so much in the lastdecade that there is no longer a guaranteedjob for life”. Keeping that in mind, graduatesshould then take stock of where they are‘employment-wise’ before they make anymajor decisions.

If you are indeed in a job that was not yourfirst choice, then ask yourself the followingquestion: “Am I happy or unhappy in thisposition?” If your answer is that you arehappy, then go further and ask yourself:

• To what extent can I add value to this company or position?

• Do I have fresh ideas that can be used by my employers to benefit the company?

• Am I technologically savvy so that I canbe an asset to the company?”

If your answer is “yes” to any one or all of theabove questions, then go ahead and doexactly that! Add value to the company andyou might be surprised at the difference thatyour contribution makes. You might also beamazed at the range of valuable experiencesyou may gain in the process.

Your First Job: not yourfirst choice, then what?


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That is more or less what happened to along-serving UWC staff member who wasinterviewed by Career Update on this issue.She was employed as a clerical assistantafter finishing Matric and worked in thatposition for ten years. As she lived near theUniversity at that time and had alwayswanted to work near home, she took achance and dropped off her CV at UWC,which resulted in her being invited to aninterview for a position of Lab assistant. Shewas hired and, although she was hesitant toleave her stable job of 10 years, she wasencouraged by friends to give it a go, eventhough it was only a temporary position. Sheaccepted the job but continued to look forother opportunities for personal growth andachievement. Six months later she sawanother advert, this time for anAdministrative Assistant in anotherdepartment on campus, for which sheapplied and was once again successful. Atabout the same time she started studyingand did well academically, eventuallyearning herself a Master’s degree. Today shefinds herself in the same post, althoughseemingly overqualified for it.

Asked what has kept her in the same positionall these years when she could have usedher qualifications to climb the corporateladder, she responds by saying that she hasfallen into a ‘comfort zone’, and every timeshe thinks of leaving she is plagued by the‘what ifs’. However, she enjoys her work andis a valuable asset to her department. This isan example of someone who is making thebest of a ‘not quite first choice’ challenge.

If, on the other hand, you are someone whois not happy in your current position, thiscould be due to many things, ranging fromyou seeing the job as a ‘dead end’ or asone that ‘lacks challenges’. What you shoulddo is to first address the issues, whatever theymay be. If you can’t do it yourself, take it upwith your management, but try and findpossible solutions to your problems beforeyou throw in the towel. Once you’ve donethat and the issues have been addressed,live with it for a while and see how you cope.If you still pine for your ‘dream job’, however,or the issues cannot be resolved, then theonly solution is to leave.

People who have been in such situationsbefore advise that you don’t quit suddenly.First build up a network of contacts throughattending workshops, conferences andseminars as well as networking withcolleagues in the fields that are of interest toyou. In this way, you can get some idea ofhow things are on the other side before youdecide to join in. You are also more likely tohear about vacancies in those fields,specifically positions that aren’t usuallyadvertised, that can help you gain a headstart.

Also, should the time arrive for you to resignor quit the establishment, do so with careand ‘leave the door open’. This is becauseyou never know how your luck will hold out inyour search for ‘greener pastures’ and if youmay need to come back to the samepeople in search of your ‘bread and butter’.

The mostimportantdecision you canmake once youfind yourself in thissituation is todecide whetheryou will stay orgo. Once youhave done this,then you knowthe directionwhich you willtake to reachyour destination.The steps to followwithout falling inlimbo will thencome easily.


Will I get my ownoffice or work in thosedreaded open officebox-like spaces? Will Iget a company car,petrol allowance,and maybe anexpense account?Are these some ofthe questions youoften find yourselfasking when youthink about theworld of work? If somy friend, I hate to

be the one to pour cold water over that day-dream and startle you back to reality, butthese are things that should be the last of yourworries, Pumeza Tyoda reports. Have you everwondered what type of work contract you willbe likely to get? After all, it is possible that youmay be offered a fixed-term contract or workas a permanent or temporary staff member;alternatively, you could go for an internship,articles, learnership or freelance work. Do youknow that a work contract is? A contract ofemployment is currently described in the BCEA(Basic Conditions of Employment Act,75 of 1997) and the LRA ( LabourRelations Act, 66 of 95) as anagreement in terms of which oneparty (the employee) agrees to makehis personal services available to theother party (the employer) under thelatter’s supervision and authority inreturn for remuneration. This isimportant to you as a graduatestudent to understand before bindingyourself to any of the aforementionedcontracts, so as to avoid anyunnecessary repercussions. SouthAfrica currently makes use of variousglobally common work types, some ofwhich you might have entered intoalready as a student, and someyou’re most likely to come across as agraduate student, depending on yourcourse of study. The aim then is toshed light on aforementioned work

types.

Non-Permanent EmploymentNon-permanent employment is commonlyreferred to as temporary or casual work.According to the Employment Equity Act, 55 of1995, non-permanent workers are thoseemployed to work for less than 24 hours permonth, or those workers engaged to work fornot more than three continuous months. Thismeans that a casual or temp employee will notbe entitled to the same benefits, say apermanent employee would have, and moreimportantly, your employer is under no legalobligation to provide you with workopportunities beyond the time that yourservices are required. Numerous organizationsmake use of temps and casuals in South Africa,the most popular being the FMCG (fast movingconsumer goods), events management,entertainment and promotions/ marketing. It isalso common for temps and casuals to beused in other sectors when a permanent staffmember, for example, is on leave or thecompany has a vacant position for which asuitable candidate has not yet been found.

Work Types: what’s what and who for?



career update 200811

Permanent Contract of EmploymentSecondly, there are permanent contracts ofemployment. These contracts make use of yourservices, as an employee, on a full-time basisuntil such time that you or the companyrequires it to be terminated. You could get abetter offer elsewhere and then resign or thecompany could terminate fire you for breachof contract. Permanent contracts areuncomplicated and easy to understand. Whatdifferentiates them from the rest is the way inwhich they’re terminated (termination byagreement, completion of Task, redundancy ortermination on notice), and the package theycome with (that car mentioned earlier,performance bonuses, housing subsidies, etc.).

Fixed Term ContractA fixed-term contract commences on a givendate and automatically ends on an agreedupon date, or at the completion of a settask/project or the return of the permanentemployee from leave. This contract is similar totemping, only that it has set dates and theintention is that the employer and theemployee intend to work together for thestipulated period. The contract may beterminated prematurely should an incident, forexample, of misconduct or incapacity occur.

InternshipsInternships are designed to provide a studentwith the practical experience that will enableyou to comply with the requirements of yourstudies, and to provide you with theopportunity to gain relevant work experience.Two common types of internship programmesare offered by South African companies. Theone enables tertiary students to satisfy thegraduation requirements of their institution. Theother one is designed for students who havegraduated but are still unemployed and desireto gain some work experience to make themmarketable. In both cases a mentor usuallyoversees your performance on the internshipprogramme. It is advised and expected thatyou use your time as an intern to add a freshperspective to internal discussions; use the

internship period to achieve your careeraspirations; use it as a start to taking fullresponsibility for your career; show commitmentto the company and team; demonstrateprofessionalism and initiative.

ArticlesArticles are similar to internships. A graduate isemployed for a period ranging from six totwenty four months, as is required in that field,specifically but not limited to the accountingand legal sector, in order to qualify as anattorney or chartered accountant, etc. What isof up most importance about articles andinternships is that they are not, unless agreedupon beforehand, a guarantee of continuousemployment within that particular companybeyond the initial period.

LearnershipsA learnership is a vocational work-basededucation and training programme that isused, (mostly in the science, informationtechnology & engineering sectors) to facilitatea link between structured theoretical learningand practical workplace experience. Alearnership is designed to open your eyes tothe practical side of your field whilst enhancingyour skills development.

Community ServiceCommunity service was introduced in 1998 asa compulsory service in governmental healthfacilities for health professional graduates suchas doctors, dentists, pharmacists, etc. The aiminitially was to ensure improved provision ofhealth services in the country. Registration withthe HPCSA (Health Professions Council of SouthAfrica) is a prerequisite for professional practiceand a legal requirement is to keep yourpersonal details up to date once in practice.As an employee, you must be sure about thetype of contract you are signing so as not tocause problems or raise unnecessaryexpectations.

Recommended readings for career success:

Harvey B Mackay. Swim with the Sharks withoutBeing EatenTommy Newberry- Success is not an accident

REFERENCES

Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998

Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995



Now you’ve got the Job Offer:what’s your next move?

You have made theapplications, donethe interviews, andnow you havereceived the onething that you wantabove all else, thejob offer! What doyou do next? Doyou post or e- mailthem a thank younote and thenshow up at theoffice on the nextworking day

ready to jump in with both feet anddo your job? No, no, says Alice Wamundiya,you do not. In fact, if you reply in the mannerdescribed above, you could end upjeopardizing the very offer that you’ve justreceived! So, what do you do?

Contrary to what many students tend to think,accepting a job offer nowadays is not assimple as going to work and getting paid atthe end of the month. There are certainconsiderations before one can ‘officially’ startand they include, among others, ‘negotiatingthe job offer’ and all that this entails.

GETTING THAT JOB OFFER

Getting a job offer is exciting. In fact, to mostof us, it is a dream come true! However, before

you announce to all your friends and familythat you now have a job, consider thefollowing: ‘How did I get the offer?’ Did theycall me with the good news or did they writeme an official letter making it, uh, ‘official’? Ifyou fall into the category where they calledyou with the good news, then go ahead andrequest that they make the offer to you again,in writing. On the other hand, if you havealready received a written offer, then goahead, jump up and down and announce itto the world because, after all, your hard workand commitment have finally paid off, andyou soon will have something to show for it!

OK, SO THE OFFER HAS ‘OFFICIALLY’BEEN MADE, WHAT’S NEXT?

Once the offer is on the table and you areready to sign, it is usually best to read theproposed contract first. You can then discussany misgivings and questions you might havewith your prospective employers before yousign on the dotted line. However, in the casethat it is not ‘all good’ and you do not want toaccept their offer, or you have received morethan one offer and you need to reject theothers, do not despair or ‘ignore’ them, hopingthey will give up and leave you alone! Ratherdo the following: Write to them and declinetactfully, thanking them for their offer. Be sureto do this gracefully, as you might come intocontact with them again when they advertise

your dream job and you want to apply!

Should you already have received the joboffer, read the contract and prepare toproceed to the next step. Why not ask apotential employer if they are open tonegotiations around issues such as salary andbonus structure, as well as other benefits, andthen begin your negotiations there!

SALARY AND BONUS STRUCTURE

When negotiating your salary, you should, atthe very least, know what the current marketsalary is in your particular field and whetherthe offer is fixed or negotiable. This is veryimportant in the case of graduate trainees,where the salary packages at entry level areusually similar and are hardly negotiable.

continued on page 14



continued from page 12

In fact, because of this issue, MagnetCommunications have conducted a survey tofind out how much graduate trainees expectto earn. The results show that UWC graduatetrainees expect about R13 000 a month astheir starting salary.

Towards that end, one can usually get hold ofinformation relating to salary in many ways,including calling employment agencies andlooking at newspaper adverts for a similarposition as the one you will be taking up. Thisinformation comes in handy whennegotiations start as it provides a clearguideline as to how far you could push theenvelope in terms of an increased offer. It alsoprovides you with an idea of what the marketis offering compared to what you expect aswell as what has been put on the table sothat, in the end, you can make an informeddecision.

You should also make it a point to find outother aspects that affect your basic salarysuch as getting a salary increase and bonuses.In terms of an increase, it could be in the formof a ‘fixed’ raise every year, e.g. a 6% increaseon your basic salary, or a raise that is‘performance-based’.

Bonuses could be in the form of a signing-onbonus, given to you as a signing incentive, aswell as to help you deal with other expensessuch as transport and clothes costs that comewith a new job. The bonuses could also be achance for you to buy company stock at alower price and to share in the profits, or in theform of relocating expenses where you arecompensated for your relocating costs. Lastly,another form of bonus would be if you wereallowed to work overtime in order to gainmoney and knowledge at the same time.

BENEFIT PACKAGE

Benefit packages are now, more than ever,very important to many employees, especiallyyoung graduates entering the job market.They range from being categorised asstandard or optional and could includemedical aid, pension or retirement plans, lifeinsurance, disability cover, child and day careservices, car and/or cell phone allowances, aswell as paid vacation, among others.

The first four are usually a shared responsibilitybetween employee and employer, wherebyeach party contributes a certain percentage.They are also considered standard.

The last three are usually the sole responsibility

of the employer, put in place to help make theemployee comfortable in the work place andare not always offered.

However, what happens nowadays is thatemployers also consider what they call ‘cost toemployer’ (C.T.E), which is basically how muchit will cost them to employ you. As a result,they sometimes give their employees anoption to choose if they want to keep all thebenefits that the company has to offer or ifthere are those that the employee doesn’tneed or want and would rather just ‘cash in’and take home as part of their salary.

Now, this might sound like a very nice thing tobe offered, but is it really? Consider this:Suppose your total monthly contributions toyour insurance and disability cover amounts toR2000. Your employer offers to contribute 50%of this and you are liable for the other 50%,making it R1000 per month each. You areyoung and able-bodied. Therefore, youdecide that you do not need the cover andthat you would rather cash it in. Whathappens, then, is that your employer will payyou the extra R1000 as your salary but, since itwill be considered income, you will have topay tax on it. After deductions, you could takehome approximately R 800 less than theoriginal R1000 that you wanted. Also, keep inmind that if you and your company had tomake your individual contributions, you wouldhave had R2000 going into your insurance anddisability cover, which could have amountedto a lot of money over time. In the case of anaccident, you could have claimed the fullamount of your cover, regardless of how longyou would have been contributing to it. Nowyou have decided against the company offerand, should you be involved in an accident,the R800 that you decided to take home willcertainly not be enough to look after you.

So, what do you choose? That is of course, allup to you, along with all the other carefuldecisions that you have to make, when thetime comes for you to consider that job offer.Do not be fixed on the short term only.

REFERENCES

Graduate Recruitment Programme Handbook.(The Editor). (2007). Career DevelopmentProgramme. University of Cape Town. CapeTown: U C T Press.

Magnet Communications, 2008. The MagnetGraduate Survey 2007, South African Edition,University Report. 15 April 2008

www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/careers/main/homepage.htm revised by TL, 08/01



Magnet CommunicationsSurvey Results

Magnet Communications forms part ofUniversum Communications, which is a globalleader in the field of Employer Branding withoperations in Europe, the US, Asia, Australiaand Africa. Our unique competence is basedon extensive global surveys on the talentmarket covering more than 230 000respondents (Graduate, MBA and YoungProfessional) from 30 countries annually. Ourresearch helps employers improve theirrecruiting and retention strategies. This survey isundertaken in South Africa to help improve

and develop the communication betweenemployers and their future ideal employees.

To find out more about the Magnet surveysand Magnet Communications, please visit ourwebsite: www.magnetcommunications.co.za

The full report is available at the Office forStudent Development in the Student Centre.


16career update 2008



Good academicresults are no longeryour only guaranteeto landing gainfulemployment. In thisarticle, MxolisiVilakazi considersthe role co-curricular activitiescan play as apassport to yourdream job.

It was a Mondaymorning when

two young studentsprepared themselves for an interview.

The interview went quite well for both Thaboand Tsepo. The management of a companyheld interviews and wanted to appoint thebest candidate for the position of intern. This isthe choice left for the management team todecide on the best candidate:While the choice seems obvious, it is

not that easy to decide between thetwo candidates. Both Tsepo and Thabo didexceptionally well in the interview but only onewill be victorious. The four board membersvoted for the candidate best suited for theinternship. Before the vote could be decidedone member commented:

Both candidates performed well in theinterview, and both have a good academic

record from UWC. How can we select the bestcandidate?

While you are busy contemplating who is likelyto get the post, Career Update consultedGradX (2004) and found out what companiesreally want in graduates.

Camilla Pennington. As a representative ofPricewaterhouseCoopers she commented:“team work is so important in our environmentthat it forms one of the core values”. Shecontinued to say “… when we recruitgraduates we assess their teamwork skillsbased on previous experience…”.

Karen Berg of ABI told Grad X that “… Werecruit talent that has internal locus of controland that is also passionate about achievingsuccess. Our recruitee must demonstrate anethos of hard work and excellenceorientation.” This is not all. She further alludedthat “… the potential graduate must not only

have academic abilitybut be a well-roundedgraduate that is wellbalanced in all aspectsof life”.

While concentrating onthe two companiesquoted above, ArnordDhanesar of Edcon toldGrad X that “… webelieve in individualswho display our fourcore values: people,integrity, performanceand professionalism”.On a similar note, TarynSessel of Unilever

confirmed that they recruit “…people whowant to grow and learn, who show initiativeand are adaptive to change”.

Also, “at Deloitte we recruit graduates with thecompetencies of problem solving, pressuretolerance, leadership and many skills,especially team work”, says Lianne Sipsma ofDeloitte. This view of Deloitte was also shared

Acquiring an edge throughco-curricular activities

Thabo’s Academic Transcript - 3rd Year

Mathematical Economics 338 A

Micro-Economics 331 A

Macro-Economics 332 A

International Economics 335 A

Financial Economics 337 A

Econometrics 311 A

Financial Accounting 323 A


Tsepo’s Academic Record - 3rd Year

Mathematical Economics 338 C

Micro-Economics 331 B

Macro-Economics 332 C

International Economics 335 A

Financial Economics 337 C

Econometrics 311 C

Financial Accounting 323 B



19

by Ernst and Young, FNB and Standard Bank.

Zoe Pooe of Accenture also identified whatkind of graduate they are looking for. Shestates that “the graduate who is to do wellmust be self driven; emotionally matured;flexible; embrace change; prepared to go theextra mile, creative, energetic; interacteffectively and be able to engage ineffective communication”.

Now, let’s get back to Thabo and Tsepo. Withthis understanding, additional skills andexpertise will need to be considered in orderto select the most suitable candidatebetween Tsepo and Thabo.

Tsepo demonstrated in the interview that,while he was at UWC, he was the Chairpersonof the Cecil Esau Residence in 2005, theEducational and Transformation Officer of the2006 SRC and also served as the ProjectOfficer of RAG. He continued to impress thathe was also a mentor of the Brawam Siswamproject which earned him the fame thathelped to secure his position as Treasurer ofthe SRC in 2007. He also participated in theUWC 2007 Apprentice Challenge with threeother team members and won.

On the other hand, Thabo demonstrated thathe was a focused student who never wantedany distraction in his academic life. He said heavoided any leadership roles because of thehigh failure rate of student leaders. “I wantedto leave UWC with a cum laude to improvemy prospects of getting a good job”, affirmedThabo.

Now the board members have to vote for themost suitable candidate. Without any surprise,

the board unanimously appoints Tsepo.Tsepo’s results, combined with his co-curricular achievements, exceeded those ofThabo.

Dumsani Mtwa was the Sports Officer of theCentral House Committee (CHC) on campusin 2007. He is now on an internship at AjaxCape Town FC and confirmed that servingon the CHC helped him to develop relevantskills while organising the residence leagueand sport tournament in 2007. He also toldCareer Update that the work he does withAjax involves organising coaching clinics forthe local communities. He believes that suchskills would not have been possible if he didnot participate in the CHC.

Akhona Mbombo, a third year BA student,told Career Update that the life of an

oppidan student is limited to attending classes.Thus, she believes that she never had anopportunity to participate in co-curricularactivities. However, Career Update informedAkhona that co-curricular opportunities couldalso be found in community NGOs, communityforums, church and sport clubs. One has toseek out the possibilities.

Terence Ngoma, a UWC BA Honours graduate,was the House Committee Chairperson of RuthFirst Residence, and is now a committeeassistant in Parliament. Terence told CareerUpdate that “I thank the House Committeebecause it taught me things I never learnt inclass such as organising, planning, analysingpolicies and documents, leading a team andteamwork. I developed these skills through myparticipation in co-curricular activities, notacademic learning”. So, be a Thabo, with amix of a Tsepo! That’s the way to go.

It is now clear that employers want a mix ofwhat is learnt in class and what is learnt in co-curricular activities. It is important, therefore,that all students, as part of their preparationfor employment, must utilize the co-curricularactivities provided on campus and in theircommunities. Be involved to be employed!

REFERENCES

M. Komberger (Editor). Grad X 2004.Sandringham.

Magnet Communications 2008. The MagnetGraduate Survey 2007, South African Edition,University Report. 15 April 2008

career update 2008


We’re looking for entrepreneurial people who are passionate about business.

If this sounds like you, get to know us better at www.mazars.co.za or apply online at www.brilliantcareersatmazars.co.za or come and visit us on campus.

See you there!

expand your horizons

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lunchtime presentation28 July 13h00 – 14h00 lecture hall B4

promotional day 21 July 08h30 – 16h00 EMS building

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21 career update 2008

Business and Pleasure:can they go together?

You’re anewcomer tothe office, andyou find yourselfattracted toone of your co-workers. At thesame time,you areuncertain ofwhat the bestcourse ofaction would

be. Could you pursuea personal relationship with this person?

Gary Rabie investigated the phenomenon ofthe ‘office romance’ and this is what heuncovered.

There are a few things that should be takeninto consideration that will assist you to find ananswer to your dilemma, namely, the positionthe person to whom you are attractedoccupies in the organisation, the possibleoutcomes of such a relationship and an

evaluation of the person’s character.

It is important for you to consider whether youroffice ‘sweetheart’ is a co-worker on the samelevel as yours, or whether he or she is on ahigher level than you or even a supervisor or aboss? The reason for this is that somecompanies may have strict dating policies thatdiscourage people holding positions ofauthority from dating other employees. If asupervisor dates an employee, it is possible forit to end up in a sexual harassment lawsuit.Thus, many companies try to avoid this kind ofscandal by introducing policies that willdiscourage inter-office dating and the datingof superordinates.

Secondly, you will need to find out if there areany written rules about dating fellowemployees in your company’s handbook orcode of ethical conduct. If this is forbidden,you will be faced with an ultimatum. Youcould either forget this whole idea, asattractive as it is. Alternatively, you couldcontinue pursuing a relationship with the

knowledge that, if youwere to date yourcrush, either you or yourpartner will have to findanother job unless youare able to maintain ahigh level of secrecy,which rarely is the case.

If you discover that nopolicies that discourageinter-office dating existwithin the company,one obstacle will already be eliminated.Now that you know thatthe company has noproblem with datingamongst fellowemployees, you could

continued on page 25



This article, by Kenneth Cloete, analysesthe use of business case studies and howuseful they have become to companies in therecruitment of graduates. Business case studiesare also considered useful for the sharing ofinformation and this article exploresexamples of a few business case studychallenges and some comments from twoparticipants in the FNB Universities BusinessChallenge.

Business case studies and simulations aretools used by recruitment and corporatecompanies for graduate selection. Businesscase studies are designed to stimulatestudents’ thinking and challenge theircapabilities by preparing them for decision-making. The usual method used is to checkstudents’ understanding of the decision-making process by testing their insight whenpresented with incomplete information.Business case studies also allow students alimited amount of time to completeconflicting goal scenarios, which, in turn,enable the potential employer to make amore informed decision about the graduate.

Business case studies can be doneindividually or in a group. Through groupdiscussions, it checks how the performanceof the group is affected by each person’scontribution. Individually, business casestudies deal with each candidate’s point ofview. An increasing number of companies

are collaborating to source graduate talentthrough case study challenges, businesssimulations and competitions to bring forthnew ideas.

First National Bank introduced a competition in2008 called the Universities Business Challenge.The competition is open to all universities andhigher education institutions. Undergraduateswithin universities or colleges have a uniqueopportunity to improve their knowledge of thebusiness world by entering into thiscompetition. The cash prizes for the first threeteams are R15 000 (first prize), R7 500 (secondprize) and R3 750 (third prize). This year, theChallenge ran from April until May 2008 andUWC entered four teams.

The competition is orchestrated by putting

Business Case Studies: a tool for graduate selection


23

theory into practice and develops students’teamwork, leadership and employability skills.The experience the students gained whileprogressing through the stages of thecompetition was invaluable. The UniversitiesBusiness Challenge was divided into tworounds: Round One consisted of decisions thatwere uploaded each week via the Internetover a period of four weeks and Round Two,which was hosted by FNB at their Sandtonconference facility, was the Grand Finalewhere the top teams from Round 1 competedlive in a one-day run-off competition. One ofthe UWC teams named “Quest” won the firstround of their group stage (and had thehighest points overall) and participated in theGrand Finale on 30 May 2008 in Johannesburg.

According to Robin Chiriseri and BethshebaKangwa, two of the UWC participants, theUniversities Business Challenge was a goodlearning experience. They specificallymentioned how the competition tested theirability to work together in a team and theyrecommended and urged fellow students toenter and participate in 2009.Another business simulation called BrightestYoung Minds (BYM), a University of

Stellenbosch initiative, was launched in 2000 asa means to search for South Africa’s 100 mosttalented students from the top universities. In2007, 22 students from the Western CapeProvince made it to the final 100. The ideabehind Brightest Young Minds is to create aplatform to showcase the talent of SouthAfrica’s future leaders. The closing date forapplications for this year was 20 May 2008.These students will also be exposed tograduate selection opportunities. Business case studies can also be seen as aCV-builder and career enhancement toolwhere students get the opportunity toshowcase their work-related skills to a potentialemployer. It may also be argued that businesscase studies are paving the way for the futureof online recruitment. Companies situated inother provinces and even abroad areconducting video-conferencing through Skypeas well as online interviews in conjunction witha business case study called e-recruitment.The demands placed on new recruits arebecoming more stringent and business casestudies are helping to ensure that bothrecruiter and graduate are remaining alignedto the demands of the workplace.Grabbing this golden opportunity to getinvolved with a business case studycompetition thus seems like a very good idea!

REFERENCES

http://www.ioljobs.co.za/article_view.php?fArticleId=3176720.07May2008

http://www.za.ubcworldwide.com/content/how_to_enter.asp.07May2008

http://www.bym.com.au/about.html

career update 2008



continued from page 21

then weigh up the pro’s and cons of dating aco-worker. This also involves considering thepotential outcomes. There are two possibleoutcomes that apply to all relationships. Arelationship can either work or it can fail. Agrowing number of newly weds are co-workers, which is evidence that it is possible tohave a meaningful lifelong relationshipdevelop out of the workplace. However, notall co-worker relationships will turn out to be afairytale romance. It is thus worth ponderingwhat it will be like if you were to break up, andhow that break-up will affect you.

Breaking up is one of the drawbacks of officerelationships because, unlike relationshipsoutside the workplace, when one breaks upwith a co-worker, you still have to see thatperson every day. Are you prepared for theunwanted situations and uncomfortablemoments that may follow? In addition, it caninterfere with your performance at work andyour professional duties in the instance that thetwo of you need to work together on projects.

A rivalry may develop between you and yourex-partner. If you were the one to end therelationship, your partner may harbourresentment and bitterness and, as a result,may be bent on getting revenge. However, ifyour partner was the one who ended it, youmay harbour the anger and resentmenttowards them, and thus seek to get even. Atthe same time, jealousy might come into thepicture, especially if the one who broke up isseen flirting, having lunch or even datinganother person. Then there is still the issue ofoffice gossip, which further contributes to theconsequences of breaking up.

After taking the above-mentioned issues intoconsideration, there is another aspect youneed to consider. You will need to evaluatethis person because, at this point, you areattracted to what you see. Keep in mind thatwhat you see might be a front. This does notmean that what the person presents is afaçade. On the contrary, it raises theresponsibility of finding out if this person really isfor you. How you can go about finding thisout is by getting to know the person better. Forexample, at least try to learn whether he orshe is single and available. It would be unwiseto put yourself through so much trouble tobuild a relationship of this kind, only to find outthat this person was not at all what youthought he or she was, and then still have to

deal with the consequences of breaking up.

While you are taking stock, always beprofessional, and do not do anything thatmight get you into trouble, or put you at risk oflosing your job. Avoid letting your co-workersfind out about your interest in this person toavoid office gossip and to preserve yourimage and integrity.

What you could do is invite that person outalong with a few of your colleagues. He orshe can either accept or refuse the invite.Depending on their response to the invite, youcan judge whether this person is interested ornot. At the same time, you will have theopportunity to learn more about the person. Ifit goes well and you happen to like what yousee, invite the person to lunch, use yourjudgement and maintain your professionalism.From there onwards, you can see where theroad takes you.

REFERENCES

Unknown....The dangers of dating a coworker.Automated categorization of web resources.(Online)available(http://love.ivillage.com/snd/snddodonts/0,,askmen_bg0pppvp,00.html).

Smith, Curt.(date unknown). Office Romance.Automated categorization of web resources.(Online) available: http://www.askmen.com/dating/curtsmith/getiton10b.html).

Nocita, Carter.(2008). Dating Your Coworker orBoss*Is this a good idea?. Automatedcategorization of web resources. (Online)available:(http://ezinearticles.com/?Dating-Your-Coworker-Or-Boss,-Is-This-A-Good-Idea?&id= 181276)

Peter Portero (2008).The Tricky Art of Dating aCo-Worker. Automated categorization of webresources. (Online) available: (http://ezinearticles.com /?The-Tricky-Art-Of-Dating-A-Co-Worker&id=167286)



Speak your mind butavoid the firing lineIn most work places staffgrievances are usuallytaken seriously andnecessary protocoladhered to dependingon the magnitude ofthe allegation againstthe boss.

Sisa Ngabaza spoketo some students andstaff about this. Hereare some hintsabout speakingyour mind to your

boss without getting inthe firing line. Students generally

feel that standing up to your boss should bethe last thing you have to do if you are stillinterested in working for a company, nomatter how you go about doing it.

Students’ views about dealing with conflictIf you have the courage to, Pheli, a BCom(Man) final year student says, “you have to befrank with the boss. Let him know in all honestyand frankness how you feel about whattranspired and that you believe it is unfair andyou would not tolerate it. Be polite but be firmand frank.”

Mandla, a former waiter, says he had to tell hisboss, rather informally, in the run of business,that he was just an employee like all of them.His boss had not responded on the spot but,when he did, Mandla politely asked him to let

him and all the other employees know whenthey go wrong and how best they couldimprove on their errors without having toendure a barrage of insults all the time. Hisboss changed the way he was treating themafter that. About all this, Mandla says, “youcan speak your mind but you have to be verycareful. I took a chance and it worked, but itwas very risky.”

Tammy, a M.Phil student, says, “it might not beeasy to take on your boss, because he/she isyour boss, but you can write an e-mail and lethim/her know how you feel about the wayhe/she has treated you.”

Christine says that “once, my boss was being ajerk. I told him so. Instead of getting mad, heaccepted the comment and we moved on.Later my boss thanked me for calling him ajerk.” Apparently, she had not been the firstone to tell him that he was a jerk. But,remember that what worked with Christine’sboss might not work for you.

Get to know the processLionel Weavers of the Human ResourcesDepartment at the University of the WesternCape offers some advice. If you have justjoined the organisation, conflict with the boss isbound to scare or freak you out. Speak tosomebody you trust or someone in a seniorposition and get advice on how to take thematter forward. In case you commit an act ofmisconduct, your boss has the right to institutedisciplinary measures, e.g., counselling. Further



formal disciplinary measures usually follow if noresolution is found. If you have a grievanceagainst the boss, approach him/her and try toinformally resolve the case. If this does notwork, formally launch a grievance procedureor blow the whistle. Familiarize yourself with theLabour Relations Act, especially the section onemployer/employee relations.

Being successful in the organisationNow that you have secured a job, what arethe key factors that you have to consider tobe successful in the organisation?

• Value and believe in your organisation: after all, you are part of it.

• Embrace diversity within the company: remember, ours is a rainbow nation.

• Accept that you do not know it all, but are growing professionally.

• Know your company policies: what are you entitled to and what not?

• Familiarize yourself with the company protocol: whom do you approach for what and who handles what?

• Acknowledge your boss’ authority and experience: after all, he/she is the boss.

• Strive to understand your boss’ personality and accommodate individual uniqueness.

Tips for handling crisesIn case of a misunderstanding or conflict withyour boss, how do you speak your mind andavoid being fired? Perhaps, before you eventhink of how to take the initiative, think deeplyabout what you want to achieve with anyaction you might take to resolve the dispute.Some tips now follow.

Consult: Consult with close and trustedcolleagues within the organisation or withsomeone from the human resourcesdepartment. It could also be someone fromoutside. Schedule a meeting: Schedule a meeting withyour boss. Let him/her know what the meeting

will be about.Timing: Timing is crucial; the meetingshould be soon after the incident. Do notleave it too late. Check how conducivethe entire environment is. What is theboss’ mood?Be positive: Remember that anything canbe said to anyone if preceded bypositive reinforcement. Let the boss knowhow good you feel about your job, thecompany, what you appreciate abouthim/her in both professional and personalcapacities before you register yourdispleasure.Stay calm: Endeavour to stay calm.Shouting at your boss will put you in thefiring line and you do not want that.Take a break: In case the situation tenses

up and you crack, do not resort to verbalabuse or swear, rant or rave. Instead ask to beexcused, leave the room to calm down andcollect yourself. Listen: Listen carefully and speak when it isappropriate to do so. Present a clear andprecise criticism in an attractive way; no-onebuys a poorly packaged product even if theyknow how good it is. Let your boss know whatyou believe to be unfair treatment and how itaffects you.Maintain confidentiality: If, for some reason,the meeting is adjourned to be continued at alater date, maintain strict confidenceotherwise you end up jeopardizing yourreputation.Mind your reputation: Do not forget your owndemeanour. How well do you handle criticism?It influences how you present it to others.Always show that you have the image andgrowth of the company at heart. Whateverthe issue, never allow the meeting to bereduced to a showdown session with the boss.Remember that, for the time being, yourcareer and finances depend on thisorganisation.

Finally, always remember that you can speakyour mind to anyone but be meticulous andopen-minded as well to personal feedback.

REFERENCES

Gordon Institute of Business Science. ‘Puttingthe no jerk rule into practice.’ The GibbsReview. February 2008. Volume 2. University ofPretoria.

IOLjobs.co.za.

Cape Times. 08/01/2008. ‘How to tell off yourboss and survive’.


career update 2008

Whatbuilding blocks exist for

students with regard to entrepreneurship on auniversity campus and how important is it tohave them in place? This is the questionKenneth Cloete raises and, to help answer thequestion, he shares some examples of studententrepreneurship building blocks at UWC.

In a university environment one has all theideal ingredients for starting programmestargeting young, bright and eagerentrepreneurs. Therefore, entrepreneurship isvery much alive at universities across SouthAfrica. Several case study challenges existthat, in some instances, are funded byinternational companies and offer big prizes.The idea behind this is for young entrepreneursto become more informed with regard toentrepreneurship opportunities while atuniversity.

Universities and business schools have longrealised the importance of honingentrepreneurial skills from a young age. In thisway, the goal of economic developmentespecially in disadvantaged communitiescould be realised. But, studententrepreneurship is more than just makingmoney. It also involves learning fromexperience. In a recent survey done byentrepreneur.com, student entrepreneurs saidthey have learned more from preparing for,and participating in, a business plancompetition than during an entire MBAprogramme.

So what are the building blocks for studententrepreneurship? The answer is that it is anidea, programme or method of gettingassistance that could help you, the futureentrepreneur, to become more informedabout entrepreneurship. Perhaps this could bean opportunity for students to start a businesswhile completing their studies. Alternatively, amore convenient time to start could bestraight after graduation or perhaps to wait afew years after graduation. The idea, however,is to sow the seed at a young age and thenwait for it to grow.

Cornell University in the USA has created acapital fund with its own corporate identity,namely, The Big Red Venture Fund, to provideventure capital to students with viable businessideas. This is a profit-sharing scheme. At theUniversity of Cape Town, the Ikey Book Shop isrun and managed by current and ex-UCTstudents. The CEO, Michelle Diab, is a BusinessScience graduate.

At UWC, a project was launched in 2007. It isknown as the Student Entrepreneurship Project(SEP) and is situated at the Office for Student

Student entrepreneurship ona university campus

28



Development. The objectives of the SEP are:

• to generate an interest in, and ignite thespirit of, entrepreneurship among UWC students;

• to provide relevant information about entrepreneurship; and

• to conduct research that will inform the Project.

There is also an annual event called “TheApprentice Challenge”. The selection processinvolves individual interviews where studentshave to motivate how the spirit ofentrepreneurship can be promoted at UWC. In2007, twelve students were selected anddivided into 3 teams. These teams had todevelop a business plan and the winning teamwas awarded MP4 players and all participantsalso received certificates. Past participantslearned a great deal from taking part in thisevent.

At UWC, theundergraduateentrepreneurshipmodule, MAN 204,within the B Com inManagement streamoffered by theDepartment ofBusiness and Finance,provides anopportunity forstudents to gaininsight into the designand management ofa small business oncampus. This is a wayof learning byexperience and

perhaps, in future, these students could relateto this experience. According to the MagnetCommunication Graduate Survey (2007) atUWC, 37 (6%) of the 612 student respondentswho participated in the survey stated thatthey intend to start a business aftergraduation. Even if 10 of these students aresuccessful, this will be a positive step.

Through the SEP project several lessons havebeen learned, which would impact on studententrepreneurship on campus. These includeconsidering whether:

• the opportunity is viable;• students have the time available to

devote to entrepreneurial activities;• the costs of running a small project can

be covered;• the requisite goods and services are

available to sell; and• making a profit is a distinct possibility.

Student entrepreneurship on a universitycampus should be seen as a stepping-stoneand a learning curve to become moreinformed and motivated so that students caneventually take the plunge in the future. Soon,one could look back at all the achievementsand say, “it all started here”.

REFERENCES

http://www.entrepreneurship.com/tools/default.asp.07May2008http://www.news.uct.ac.za/mondaypaper/archives/?id=2895.21Jan2008Magnet Communications, 2008. The MagnetGraduate Survey 2007, South African Edition,University Report. 15 April 2008.



It is common to findstudents talkingabout how they willspend their firstsalaries. Themajority of studentsseem obsessedwith maintaininghigh livingstandards. Everystudent wants acomfortable lifestyle that

includes owning a Golf 5(students’ favourite car), clothes, flamboyantcell phones, a house, a credit card andindulging in entertainment, often! And, saysMxolisi Vilakazi, they want it yesterday.

Patrick Mavata, a third year Law student,conceded that “life in a big city is difficultwithout a car.” However, many graduates donot plan properly and rush out to buy a car. AGolf 5 has become a favourite among manyyoung graduates, but a Golf 5 will dent one’ssalary by more than R3 000 a month ininstalments, insurance, petrol, services andmaintenance. As a result of this, a newspaperarticle from the Cape Argus reported that carrepossessions among young females are onthe rise1. This shows that one is likely to suffer toenjoy.

There are also students who consider animage change a priority once they startworking. Many young people spend much onclothing and cell phones to impress theirfriends and colleagues. Other youngemployees again believe that the body workshard for a week, so it will need to be relaxedthrough social events such as parties andsocial outings over weekends. This view is alsoshared by Bonginkosi Nkosi, who said “Not toomuch, but obviously, I will have to spend somerands on social events to relax my body.”

When asked how they are going to financetheir indulgences, many students pointed outthe use of credit cards! A credit card has beena convenient way of spending more than onecan afford. A credit card also has its shortfallsas it tempts spending and thus encouragesincreasing debt. With the Reserve Bankcontinuously raising the interest rates, it furthermakes buying on credit more expensive thancash buying. An average of 25% interest ischarged on debit balances of credit cards.

On the other hand, government hasintroduced the National Credit Act (NCA) to:

• Regulate credit amongst South African consumers;

• Encourage fair and competitive credit;

• Ensure access to credit only by deserving consumers;

• Help customers make informed and responsible credit choices; and

• Ensure the provision of debt counselling.

There are students who believe that aglamorous lifestyle will need to wait. ShantelBotes, a UWC BA third year student, believesthat credit does not help because it is anadditional expense to the asset purchased.She reckons that “I’ll rather suffer by saving mysalary for future purchases than trap my lifeinto debt”.

Lunga Soko, a UWC third year BA student andan intern at the Ministry for Environment,Planning and Economic Development in theWestern Cape Provincial Government, pointsout that “in order to avoid debts, youngpeople must seek counselling from their banks

Save to spend


- these services at many banks are free to theirclients”.

This view is shared by Lukhanyo Mbande, aUWC graduate who works in the Departmentof Health in the Western Cape ProvincialGovernment. “…Students must go forcounselling because first time earners are likelyto be excited and start spending on luxuriesrather than necessities”.

Malindi Sichimwi, a BAdmin graduate of UWC,believes that everything has its own time. Shebelieves that, in order to have a fulfilling life,one should buy assets for cash. Malindi reasonsthat “I’ll rather struggle for four years to saverather than buy things that will be repossessedwith time. I also believe that a house is the firstasset in my mind”.

Wikipedia provides six principles of soundfinancial management. It states thatbudgeting is the fundamental tool to keep toa good financial plan. The 2007 MagnetCommunication Survey showed that UWCgraduates in the following disciplines expectthe following salaries: R12 916.67 per month(EMS), R13 916.67 per month (Science), andR11 725 per month (Humanities and Law). Thismeans an average of R12 869.44 per monthacross faculties.

The following monthly budget can helpstudents to plan their finances with their first salaries:

While it is enjoyable to drive the Golf 5, dress indesigner clothes, attend the best social eventsand own a fat credit card, remember that youstill have to save to spend wisely. Imagine, justimagine: You are enjoying driving your newGolf 5, but five months down the line the bankrepossesses it. You are working hard, but at theend of the month your entire salary goestowards settling your unnecessary debts. Surelythis is not what you want. It is better to makeyour purchases in cash rather than on credit.

Mohau Pheko, a SundayTimes columnist, arguesthat for a better livingpeople must take ascissors and cut up theircredit cards becausecredit is not the way togo! So, let’s save tospend and let’spersevere to enjoy!

REFERENCES

Cape Argus, 2007Grad X, 2007En//wikepedia.org.za/financial15%_planning20%/ budgetingMagnet Communications 2008. The MagnetGraduate Survey 2007, South African Edition,University Report. 15 April 2008


Income:Salary

Expenditure:Rent and basic amenitiesNSFAS loan repaymentTransportClothing Entertainment and holidays Telephone and Cell phoneSaving: Purchase of a house Saving: Purchase of a carFamily assistanceGeneral Saving

Balance:

R12 869

R4 000 R1 000R 350R 700R 300R 500R1 500R1 000R2 000R1 519

ZERO !


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