Tag: careergrowth

We are often taught to think of a successful career as a straight line. Study something, find a job in that field, gain experience, move up, and keep going. But many careers do not always play out this way. This may be more useful than we realise.

Graduating from university and securing your first job or internship is an exciting milestone. After years of assignments, exams and long nights of studying, entering the working world creates new opportunities to learn, grow and apply your qualifications in practice.

The World Economic Forum predicts that nearly 40% of on-the-job skills will change by 2030. The capabilities gaining ground are not just technical. Creative thinking, resilience and analytical thinking are also rising alongside Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data. In addition, the tasks least likely to be automated require human judgment, the ability to sit with complexity and the capacity to understand people well enough to solve the right problem.

Volunteering is often framed as an act of goodwill rather than a pathway to professional growth. However, this view misses an important point. In many cases, volunteering builds capability, credibility and leadership. April, designated as Global Volunteer Month, offers a timely opportunity to reassess this practice. It remains widely misunderstood, particularly in emerging markets.

Hospitality has always welcomed guests effectively. However, an important question remains. Are we equally good at welcoming young people into lasting, meaningful careers? South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis is well-documented. Hospitality should play a stronger role in changing that story. The sector can offer first jobs, skills, confidence and exposure to the world.

Growth rarely announces itself with fanfare. More often, it begins as a quiet restlessness and a sense that who you are at work no longer matches who you could become. As such, returning to study reshapes not only skills and knowledge, but also confidence, perspective and professional identity. Reflection, continual learning and academic rigour translate into sharper strategic thinking, bolder leadership and greater impact in the workplace.

We released our Job Market Trends Report for December 2025. The release includes the Job Guide for the year ahead. The analysis highlights fierce competition for jobs with low barriers to entry. These barriers relate to experience and qualifications. At the same time, the data shows healthy demand for skills in healthcare, finance and information technology.

2026 is here. The start of the new year offers an ideal opportunity to take stock of your life and make changes. If you want to take your career to a new level, January is a perfect time to plan a job search and get job-ready in 2026. It gives you a few weeks to prepare for February. This is when the recruitment cycle generally picks up. There are a few tips to get job-ready in 2026.

How often have you picked up your phone “just to check something quickly”, only to lose 20 minutes down a digital rabbit hole? This all-too-familiar habit is known as doom scrolling. It involves endless and often mindless consumption of online content. The habit leaves us more drained than informed.

The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) from Stats SA shows South Africa’s unemployment rate increased by 1.7% from Q1 of 2025. It now stands at 33.2% for Q2. This may not seem like a large jump, but it translates to 140,000 people. Even a slight rise in unemployment, therefore, has a real impact.