It takes 10 years of determination and focus to become a guru, the indispensable expert that can name their salary.
Jumping ship for the satisfaction of a short-term increase might be doing a great disservice to your long-term goals. If you want to make a career move, make the decision based on how it will increase your skill set and future eligibility.
Hopping between jobs and then labeling yourself a “versatile multitasker” is not the best decision. You can't stand out from a crowd of candidates. You need to become more special with every day. It is far smarter to identify your strengths and then hone and perfect them.
I wasn't born with skills. I worked for them, I got an education and then found a way to study further. But so what? Many others have done the same. What can I do that others can't? Fortunately, I'm a black South African man living in the year 2008. I have lived at every LSM from rural poverty to urban affluence. I grew up in Gugulethu, moved to PE, and then to many other parts of southern Africa due to my father's political activities. This is a huge advantage over most of my peers who've only ever known Sandton or Sea Point. Every day I apply the skills I learned, and my life experiences to many challenges in South Africa's marketing world.
It's a change of attitude, to realise that growing up in the townships during the struggle for democracy is a credit, where young people made their way in face of massive oppression and hardship. Where “'n boer maak 'n plan” meant a “comrade must maak a better one”. The struggle for democracy in SA may be over - but the struggle to get ahead in the corporate world is as tough, and it will never end.
There is a desperate need for black-owned businesses to help here. Young black people in poorer areas are not getting the career guidance they need - and bad early decisions are the root cause of floundering careers and habitual job-hopping later in life. Those who have found success in the business world need to help those just starting to make the right choices.
It is critical that both Government and businesses should be more accessible to matric and high school students, providing them with more insight into career possibilities and what studies they'll need. Too often I see people enroll in a course they are not really interested in, just so they have something to do or to avoid having to be at work. My advice is simple - don't waste your time and money!
Mentorship is beginning to catch on in South Africa, but it only works when both parties are truly committed. If you want to get your career on track, find one or two people within the organisation that you can count on for assistance and advice. If you struggle to find a good mentor inside your company, many international gurus are willing to conduct online mentorship.
It's a hard truth that times are changing, and being just another BEE employee in a corporate is not a unique selling point anymore. Find a mentor that can advise you where you want to be. Identify opportunities where you can motivate for extra training and encourage your boss to invest in your strengths. And then get ready to put your head down and 10 years of hard work and loyalty into your career. When you have a chance to look up, you'll be amazed how far you've come.
