Dress your brand – find out if you are getting it right!

When The Success Academy invited us to an Executive Breakfast on the 18th of February 2015 and their topic was “Dress your brand – find out if you are getting it right!” presented by Janine Starkey owner of the House of Janine, I was excited to be going. It’s no secret every room I enter I am (most of the time) dressed differently to all so I was looking forward to hearing what Janine had to say.

Janine impressed me a lot cause she approaches dressing your brand from an Individual perspective. Here are some of the quick notes I jotted…

  • 93% of first impressions is visual. What is your first impression, are you making the best of your physic?
  • We are our own brands. Represent your own brand.
  • If you look good you perform. Are you wearing your personality? It’s your fingerprint. If you are not wearing it its a disaster.
  • Style sells. What is fashionable is when an individual knows who they are and they are comfortable.
  • Black drains the colour from your face for both men and women. Wearing black is not successful.
  • In Business what image are you predicting. Corporate image rules – no open toes, no open shoulders, 
  • If you have a stomach, pleats are your friend in men, if you don’t then NO
  • Slim fit, fit shoulder otherwise relaxed fit is good depending on your body. Slim fit requires the right body
  • Don’t steam your collar when ironing.
  • You know your own brand better than anyone else and you should shop alone.
  • Never wear a short sleeve shirt with a Jacket, when you take off the jacket you lose all formality 
  • Don’t tuck your shirt into your shorts.
  • Choose clothing for your staff for who they are as people 
  • Self esteem – it’s about the interior. Understand who you are inside 

Janine Starkey

Janine Starkey, owner of The House of Janine. Her topic “Dress your brand – find out if you are getting it right!” You’ve heard it said – you never get a second chance at making a first impression. It takes 7 seconds to create a first impression and 17 repeat visits to correct a bad first impression!

Janine will help you put style back into your life and assist you to understand your personal brand and that “who you are” should be translated through what you wear.

Janine studied fashion design at the London International School of Fashion and spent 5 years as head of wardrobe on the popular South African soap opera Egoli. Speak to Janine

Cathedral Peak Camping (Didima)

My usual place of camping in the #Drakensberg was fully booked so my wife wanted a site with plug points and she found Cathedral Peak Didima Campsite. What inspired this post was a lack of images of the site even on Google searches or Twitter. I have since added photos to the Google Maps link and GooglePlus link in turn. Let’s talk about the campsite.

At Didima they have Chalets which are the ones you will find mostly in searches but they do have a #Campsite as well. The Campsite is called Cathedral Peak Community Campsite. The best images and information I could find before making a decision was on the Rhino Club Blog http://rhinoclub.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/didima-campsites-in-cathedral-peaks-nature-reserve/

Where on earth is this place

Didima Campsite is in Giants Castle Game Reserve, Drakensberg. At the time of writing this post the route R74 was under construction, so it is highly recommended NOT to use it but stay on the N3 highway until you off-ramp straight to #Winterton. UPDATE: 8 DECEMBER 2015 THE R74 WAS OPEN WITH A NEW SURFACE

Didima Map

What the Campsite Offers

  • The Cathedral Peak Community Campsite offers 30 camping and caravan sites with electricity that can accommodate a maximum of 6 people.
  • Campers are to pay the fees at the reception.
  • The communal ablution facilities have toilets, hot showers, baths and a communal kitchen.
  • Braai stands are available; with firewood and charcoal for sale at the Curio Shop

WeszMadz Says:

  • One lady was cleaning both ablution blocks. She was so slow she would not clean the second one until we reported to management and action was taken. Lesson – inform management of any issues. They come around at least twice a day
  • On the side we stayed they were at least 7 street lights out. When we reported at main reception the answer was basically there is nothing we can do about it. Lesson – bring own external lighting just in-case
  • Two security guards are on duty at night which is great. One visited me when I was alone by the fire at midnight just to see if all was okay
  • The camp is setup alongside a river. Divine sounds when you sleeping
  • The lawn needs proper maintenance and some parts totally don’t have lawn.
  • All sites have electricity but your traditional plug won’t fit. You will need to rent one from reception. But if you have the Caravan hookup then you are sorted. caravan—->>
  • The hot water is not always hot but I think that’s an issue of gas.
  • The entrance and exit gates get closed at night
  • You can still enjoy a game of pool or eat at the restaurant by the main camp
  • The hiking and views are the best I have seen so far of the Drakensberg
  • The Campsite has washing and drying machines. R10 to wash, R10 to dry. Bring R5 coins..

 

 

Images of the Campsite

 

10 words you must NEVER use to describe yourself – Greg Savage

Article by Greg Savage

Who am I to tell you how you can describe yourself? Nobody. So ignore me at your leisure.

On the other hand, I can tell you for free that the words you use in your résumé, your LinkedIn profile, your Twitter bio, your cover letter, and in spoken language, create a response in the reader, which can condemn you faster than the blink of an eye.

Believe me on this. Recruiters, hiring managers, potential clients, and those in your social community will scorn you, even ‘delete’ you, based on the emotion these words evoke. I am not saying it’s right, but you will be judged if you use these words. And not judged well.

  1. ‘Guru’, ‘legend’, ‘maven’, and ‘ninja’: Incredibly, these are used a lot! They are very common in Twitter bios for example. Seriously? Have you paused to consider what these words actually mean?  What they imply? And you are happy to ascribe them to yourself? You are a ‘legend’, are you? And you say so? Publicly? Nothing writes you off, and smashes your credibility as quickly as describing yourself with words like these.
  2. ‘Expert’: Not as bad as the words above, but from the same stable. You have gone too big. You may be an expert. Just don’t say it. We will be the judge of that.
  3. ‘Humble’: Just by saying it, you prove that you are not.
  4. ‘Generous’: You may be, but if you are prepared to say it in public then you are not humble (see above). And we value ‘humble’. And we want our ‘generosity’ without thought for personal gain and acknowledgement. So don’t say it. Live it.
  5. ‘Honest’: If you have to say it, it’s clear you think it’s a ‘special talent’. We view it as a given. Do you have to work at it, we wonder?
  6. ‘Rock-star’: Oh, heaven help us! (Unless you are, in fact, a rock-star, but we doubt that)
  7. ‘Nice guy’: No seriously, I have seen this on three twitter bios recently. You are announcing you are a ‘nice guy’? Surely that is the ultimate accolade that has to be bestowed by others. Narcissistic, much?
  8. ‘Exceptional’:  Too big. Too much. Too bad.
  9. ‘Funny’: Pretty much every person I have ever met who describes him or herself as ‘funny’… isn’t.
  10. ‘Visionary’: Just (don’t) do it.

If these traits are true about you, then other people will say them about you. In references. On social media. In private conversations. Say them about yourself, you look silly at best, and a right plonker at worst.

Personal Brand Just Walked Into The Room

“Personal Brand is What People Say About You, When You Leave The Room” –  Jeff Bezos, Founder, Amazon.com. This statement by Jeff Bezos got me thinking, How did I enter the room? What did I do in the room? and How did I leave? So I looked for the definition of Personal Brand and by definition Wikipedia says “Personal branding is the practice of people marketing themselves and their careers as brands”

But…..

Lisa Citroen says “Everyone has a Brand by Design or By Default”

Thus by default I have a brand. So if I am not in the practice of marketing myself and my career as a brand, what did I bring into that room?

Wikipedia continues to say Personal branding also involves creating an asset by defining an individual’s body, clothing, physical appearance, digital and online presence and areas of knowledge in a way leading to a uniquely distinguishable, and ideally memorable, impression.

When I walked into that room I brought in my body, clothing, physical appearance *Fair Enough* but get this I also bring in my digital and online presence! As well as areas of knowledge.

Did you know when you walk into that room, yes any room, you bring in your digital and online presence with you? So when you leave the room, you leave an impression of your digital and online presence. How memorable is that presence? With that said, Is Your Online & Digital presence different to the real you? The real you physically walked into that room but carrying with you your personal brand.

Personal Brand is in everyone by default, but YOU are in control of changing the default settings and constantly improving the tangible and intangible aspects thereof.

Wesley Madziva

Questions for #JobRechChatSA 9 July 2014 16:00-17:00 SAST

#JobRecChatSA – Connecting Jobseekers and Recruiters via Twitter

by Vanessa Raath on 2014/07/07

JobRecChatSA.jpg
Who’s keen to join us for our 3rd #JobRecChatSA – designed to connect Job Seekers and Recruiters in South Africa?
As a Recruiter I am so tired of seeing CVs where people undersell themselves! Come on people – your CV is the one place where it is acceptable to have a little boast once in a while – tell us about your achievements! I get so many questions about CVs on a daily basis that I am hoping we can help answer some of these…
1.       What information needs to be included on your CV?
2.       Should you bullet point your duties?
3.       What information cannot be left off your CV?
4.       Why you should include interests and hobbies?
For the uninitiated the format is that a list of questions will be published as per above and tweeted during the chat, Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and you can tweet your answers using A1, A2, A3, etc. using the hashtag #JobRecChatSA – as everyone is free to participate and there are no rules governing Twitter conversations. Do not worry if you can’t include A1, etc. The hashtag is important your tweet though as we interact and learn from each other.
We kindly request that self-promotion or marketing of your company is kept to a minimum as the objective is to be a forum for debate and sharing of knowledge.
The Team
Vanessa Raath, Tim Barry, Wesley Madziva
Meet The Team
Vanessa Raath General Manager at IT recruitment agency It’s About People
Tim Barry  African Heart Celtic Soul Business Consultant
Wesley Madziva Sales Developer for Express Employment Professionals

MCI Direct Hire 2014 SA HR Recruitment Survey Results

The results of the MCI Direct Hire 2014 SA HR Recruitment trend survey are in. This survey ran for just over 30 days and received a massive 1263 responses from HR professionals across the country. Once again making this survey the largest of it’s kind to ever be conducted in South Africa.

60% of organisations do not primarily make use of recruitment agencies to fill their requirements

46% of respondents have between 1 & 5 recruitment agencies on their preferred suppliers list

66% of organisations use social media to recruit candidates

69% of organisations use LinkedIn, 23% Facebook, 5% GooglePlus and 4% Twitter

59% of organisations use Print Media to advertise vacancies

70% of organisations use job portals to advertise vacancies

53% of organisations use a recruitment management system

88% of organisations attempt to source and place candidates internally before approaching recruitment companies

53% of organisations rely on internal staff to refer candidates to HR for hiring consideration

46% of organisations have an employee candidate referral rewards program in place

74% of organisations have a careers section on their website

64% of organisations had an annual staff turnover rate of less than 10%

HR Recruitment Survey 2014 Infographic-1

The results of the MCI Direct Hire 2014 SA HR Recruitment trend survey are in. This survey ran for just over 30 days and received a massive 1263 responses from HR professionals across the country. Once again making this survey the largest of it’s kind to ever be conducted in South Africa

Questions for #JobRechChatSA 2 July 2014

#JobRecChatSA – Connecting Jobseekers and Recruiters via Twitter

Twitter is great for connecting people, inspiring ideas and starting conversations that lead to long-lasting professional relationships.

Given that one of the major issues in South Africa today is skills shortages and unemployment, mainly amongst young people, wouldn’t it be great if there was a Twitter chat to connect jobseekers and recruiters to share advice, knowledge and experience? Tim Barry started the ball rolling and this week’s (2 July 2014) Questions are below

1. What are your do’s and don’ts for interviews?

2. How do you prepare for interviews? (jobseekers and recruiters)

3. Give some examples of what you should/should not wear to an interview.

 4. How do you follow-up after an interview? (Jobseekers and recruiters)

 5. Share any funny interview stories you have heard.

For the uninitiated the format is that a list of questions will be published as per above and tweeted during the chat, Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and you can tweet your answers using A1, A2, A3, etc. using the hashtag #JobRecChatSA – as everyone is free to participate and there are no rules governing Twitter conversations. Do not worry if you can’t include A1, etc. The hashtag is important your tweet though as we interact and learn from each other.

We kindly request that self-promotion or marketing of your company is kept to a minimum as the objective is to be a forum for debate and sharing of knowledge.

The Team

Vanessa Raath, Tim Barry, Wesley Madziva

Meet The Team

Vanessa Raath General Manager at IT recruitment agency It’s About People,

Tim Barry  African Heart Celtic Soul Business Consultant

Wesley Madziva Sales Developer for Express Employment Professionals

 

 

 

Recruiters should take part in Twitter chats to enhance their corporate and personal brand, gain knowledge about their industry and increase their followers. The same can be said for jobseekers – if you tweet and take part in Twitter chats you will enhance your personal brand, gain knowledge of how to find and apply for jobs and gain followers who may be hiring managers or recruiters.

 

 

Business Transformation. Challenging Corporate Culture – Rene Carayol

Today (14 April 2014) I attended a talk by Rene Carayol on Business Transformation – Challenging Corporate Culture.  The Talk was proudly brought by Unique Speaker Bureau (USB) Below are some notes I made and thanks to Natalie Singer for all the tweets which assisted in the composing of this post.

Business Transformation – Challenging Corporate Culture 

  • The world has changed a lot and good enough is no longer good enough. Have you changed?
  • 600 Million new jobs are needed in the next decade. The worst case scenario has arrived. Recessions are man-made and not God’s creation.
  • Management saved us well in good times, these are extraordinary times. We need leadership and leadership is not the top position in the company, that’s management.
  • We need leaders who can “Make It Happen” as you can’t predict the future in today’s world, its changing too fast. Disruptive Technology is speeding up change.
  • We need a change in mind-sets towards more transformation and leadership  is a mind-set, not the top position in an organisation. Once your mind-set shifts you can lead. If it goes wrong we have a coaching opportunity
  • In South Africa we trust no one and we have a fear of failure. We don’t have a management issue, we have a Leadership issue.
  • Today’s business world is VUCA (Volatile Uncertain Complex Ambiguous)
  • Culture is the way we do things around here, everyone can copy your strategy but not your culture. Culture is what happens when the CEO leaves the room. Culture is more powerful than strategy. You cannot hide from your culture but you can change it. 80% of Companies do not craft their own culture. Talent in today’s world is choosing the organisation that fits their own culture.
  • Leadership is not management, it is how you energise your people towards your vision.
  • Management is Strategy, Plans, Tasks, Process. Leadership is Vision, People, Teams, Culture
  • Leadership is the art of Accomplishing More Than The Science of Management says is Possible. Leadership is all about Attitude & Heart and anyone can be in it. It’s not about a qualification. Experience wins all the time.
  • Choose to Manage a little less and Lead a little more. Biggest challenge for success is not Talent, it’s Leadership.
  • Top Ten Tips Business Transformation – Challenging Corporate Culture
    1. Tip 01: What do you think? Do you ask your employees or you are all the answers? Listen, engage and if it makes sense act on suggestion and acknowledge.
    2. Tip 02: Leaders tell stories, Managers talk strategy. Martin Luther never said “I have a strategy”. Capture the people’s hearts and minds
    3. Tip 03: Leaders create Excitement
    4. Tip 04: Treat your people like volunteers
    5. Tip 05: Diversity works. Diversity in experience.
    6. Tip 06: Learn, UnLearn and Re-Learn
    7. Tip 07: If you are in complete control, you’re just not going fast enough. Trust your people, delegate and get more done.
    8. Tip 08: Share the Plan and Charge the Hill
    9. Tip 09: Inspire and Challenge your People. Management is Auditing. Leadership is Inspiring.
    10. Tip 10: The World’s a stage – Tell Your Story

     

    Leadership Changes Society. Empower everyone in your organisation to be a Leader. They should be empowered to lead themselves and their part in the success of the organisation.
    How good is your social media? Do you know what good is being said about you and what are you doing about it? Connected world means you must know how to manage both good and bad things happening in your organisation.
    We can’t think ourselves to success any more. We have to behave our way there.
    Only Two organisations receive more than 1 million unsolicited job applications each year: Google and Proctor & Gamble – Great Cultures attract and can choose the best
    What do you stand for? Are you that leader people will sacrifice for? When you leave will people say “We have just been in the Presence of Greatness?”

 Rene

How undersea cables are laid

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