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Dear Charity

Thank you for your question regarding how to access potential employers in
Gauteng. Entering the world of psychometry is tough; hang in there it is worth the effort.   Finding a job in psychometry or starting your own practice requires dedication, perseverance and a multi-pronged approach:

We suggest you consider exploring the following options or a combination of the following options:

• Start your own career development consultancy or practice if you are registered as a psychometrist (independent practice) with the Board of Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (http://www.hpcsa.co.za/hpcsa/default.aspx?id=81). It usually takes 2 to 3 years to establish a viable practice.
• Find work as a psychometrist, human resources specialist or trainer with a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA), training organization, recruitment organizations, employment agencies,  FET College, University, University of Technology, human resources department of an organization in industry, government departments like the Department of Labour or an organization like Telkom, Eskom or one of the many Water Boards and finally also look at non-profit organizations who work with unemployed youth like Umsobumvo (http://www.youthportal.org.za/ur/Employment_Finding%20Work_Final%20010304.pdf). 
• Study further by either completing a masters, internship and registration as a psychologist or completing a post graduate human resources diploma so that you can enter human resources.

The following steps may also be helpful:

Create a good CV and list of industries and employers you would like to target. There are a number of job hunting books in your local public library which may be of assistance. For example:

• The 2009 edition of “What color is your parachute?” By R N Bolles;
• “Job hunting : Everything you need to know” by A. H. Gort,.;
• “Online job hunting : great answers to tough questions” by Martin Yate;
• “Hot tips on job hunting” by C Goldschagg;
• “Job hunting for the retrenched and others” by T Marr;
• “Job hunting made easy: a step by step guide” by J. Bramham
• “Successful job hunting” by I. Ural.
• Job Search Workbook by Kate Wendleton

Cover all the bases by also registering as a work-seeker with your nearest Labour Centre of the Department of Labour. See the “How to Register as a Work-seeker” document on the Department of Labour website located at http://www.labour.gov.za/legislation/acts/how-tos/skill-development/how-to-register-as-a-work-seeker.

Contact Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) for information about potential learnerships in human resources development and to see if they need the services of a person with your qualifications. For a full list of SETA names and contact details consult the Department of Labour website http://www.labour.gov.za/documents/useful-documents/skills-development/ and access the “Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs)” guide.

Browse through the “career” or “situations vacant” section of local and national daily and weekend newspapers and trade magazines like “Engineering News” on a daily/weekly basis. Your local library should have copies of at least the local papers. Look for companies who are looking for your qualifications. Also look for companies offering learnership – contact them to see if they could make use of your services to help them recruit their candidates. If you contact them they may have vacancies or they may be able to suggest other companies you could contact.

Register with employment or recruitment agencies. Use the local newspapers and Yellow Pages to draw up a list of possible agencies in the area. The local library should have a copy of the Yellow Pages and the local papers. Keep on taking on temporary jobs in all fields of human resources and recruitment so that you can keep on building up your work experience. Some of the companies you get temporary jobs with may be able to help you identify other opportunities in the industry.

You could also approach the Student Support Service and the lecturers at the education institution where you studied to find out if they have contacts in industry that may be able to give you information about potential contracts or work options. 

As you work through all these suggested processes, you will gather a lot of information about the industries which employ psychometrist and human resource specialists and develop a network of contacts which will come in handy as you progress in your career. It is likely to take you at least 200 contacts to find a job or start a practice in our current economic climate, so hang in there and don’t give up.

We hope this information will help you in your quest for work. Remember perseverance and network, network, network! 

The Career Planet Team