Celebrating The Success of Business Women This Women’s Month

This month we are celebrating National Women’s Month and it poses the perfect opportunity to reflect on the role of women in South African businesses.

According to the 2013 Grant Thornton International Business Report, women hold just over 25% of top decision-making roles in South African businesses and the 2013 report indicated that 29% of South African businesses aim to employ more women within the next year. While government and businesses have to take responsibility to further the role of women in business, owes still lies with South African women to tap into their unique strengths as women to achieve in business as well.

Recent research has shown that a female presence in executive positions for listed companies impacts positively on stock prices which can boost a company’s performance. If you would like to further your career to become an influential business women in South Africa, we have some tips for you:

·         Never stop learning – further your studies and expand on your skills where possible

•  Make use of coaching, mentoring and training opportunities
• Take your time to build your reputation and pick your battles
• Understand the value of networking and start building relationships today.

 Eduloan celebrates the growth of the role of women in business and offer loans for short courses, part-time degrees as well as full-time degrees to assist South Africans in furthering their education. You can visit our website for more information www.eduloan.co.za.

5 Reasons Work Experience Can Give You A Head Start

Whether you are in school or still busy with your full-time studies, work experience is a term that might cross your path at some stage. Many schools, colleges and universities encourage students to commit to work experience… but what is all the fuss about? It might be cutting into your holidays or keeping you from going on a trip with friends, but the truth is that work experience can be exactly what you need to give yourself a head start. This week, we look at 5 reasons why you should sign up for work experience:

Reason #1 - Getting direction

Not too sure what industry you would like to work in? Work experience can give you the opportunity to sample different occupations and different industries. By committing to different kinds of work experience opportunities, you can sample the different working environments, assessing which one you enjoy most and which environments unlocks most of your potential!

Reason #2 – Get in touch with the real world

So you’ve already decided which industry you want to work in and perhaps even what job you would like to have… but are you ready for the daily demands? Every job has its challenges, and work experience allows you to get a feel for the environment you will be working in. Whether you have to stand all day, work in an open plan office or whether you have to do all or most of that dreaded administration, there are a host of hidden daily activities that might not be include in your college or university curriculum. Take time to do a couple of days’ work to experience and get a feel for the day-to-day activities to make sure you know exactly what you are in for!

Reason #3 –Identify your key strengths

By working at a company, in your chosen field, you will quickly learn where you core strengths are. Perhaps you are really good with people, or your creative eye can help you add a little more value to your temporary job-description. By identifying you key strengths, you can focus on these to ensure that you position yourself so that you can perform to the best of your abilities!

Reason #4 – Getting a foot in the door

More often than not, who you know is almost as important and what you know. If you can prove to a company that you have the potential, they might keep you in mind when they look to hire juniors at the company. Get to know and understand your industry – it is as important as studying for that degree or diploma!

Reason #5 –You’ve got the power!

When an employer takes a look at your CV, they often look beyond your education and qualifications. Extramural activities, community service and work experience are small things you can list on your CV that will have a great effect. Work experience proves that you took initiative, that you are willing to put in the hours and that you have a better understanding of the working-environment. Make sure that the work experience is related to the industry that you are applying to!

These are just a couple of reasons we think you should pick up the phone or send that email to make contact with a company in your chosen industry. Tell us about your work experience? Comment below and let us hear your story.Whether you are in school or still busy with your full-time studies, work experience is a term that might cross your path at some stage. Many schools, colleges and universities encourage students to commit to work experience… but what is all the fuss about? It might be cutting into your holidays or keeping you from going on a trip with friends, but the truth is that work experience can be exactly what you need to give yourself a head start. This week, we look at 5 reasons why you should sign up for work experience:

Reason #1 - Getting direction

Not too sure what industry you would like to work in? Work experience can give you the opportunity to sample different occupations and different industries. By committing to different kinds of work experience opportunities, you can sample the different working environments, assessing which one you enjoy most and which environments unlocks most of your potential!

Reason #2 – Get in touch with the real world

So you’ve already decided which industry you want to work in and perhaps even what job you would like to have… but are you ready for the daily demands? Every job has its challenges, and work experience allows you to get a feel for the environment you will be working in. Whether you have to stand all day, work in an open plan office or whether you have to do all or most of that dreaded administration, there are a host of hidden daily activities that might not be include in your college or university curriculum. Take time to do a couple of days’ work to experience and get a feel for the day-to-day activities to make sure you know exactly what you are in for!

Reason #3 –Identify your key strengths

By working at a company, in your chosen field, you will quickly learn where you core strengths are. Perhaps you are really good with people, or your creative eye can help you add a little more value to your temporary job-description. By identifying you key strengths, you can focus on these to ensure that you position yourself so that you can perform to the best of your abilities!

Reason #4 – Getting a foot in the door

More often than not, who you know is almost as important and what you know. If you can prove to a company that you have the potential, they might keep you in mind when they look to hire juniors at the company. Get to know and understand your industry – it is as important as studying for that degree or diploma!

Reason #5 –You’ve got the power!

When an employer takes a look at your CV, they often look beyond your education and qualifications. Extramural activities, community service and work experience are small things you can list on your CV that will have a great effect. Work experience proves that you took initiative, that you are willing to put in the hours and that you have a better understanding of the working-environment. Make sure that the work experience is related to the industry that you are applying to!

These are just a couple of reasons we think you should pick up the phone or send that email to make contact with a company in your chosen industry. Tell us about your work experience? Comment below and let us hear your story. 

The entrepreneurial student – ten ways to supplement your income while studying

Now has never been a better time for tertiary students to start a business.  Much more than the graduates of the past couple of decades, current students need to be prepared to find ways to supplement their incomes. Let’s face it; the cost of living continues to increase every year and the job market is a tough place to break into, making it harder for students to make ends meet while they are studying and to find a job after they’ve finished. 

Launching a business while you’re studying sets you up for success.  Here are ten business ideas you can start while you’re studying that shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg to set up.  You can use one of these ideas or come up with your own.  Some of them may work better than others, or may not work at all, depending on your personal circumstances.   So choose wisely, and remember to adjust quickly if the business you start isn’t growing.

Before we start, let’s look at some quick tips for creating a successful student business:

* Innovation is good but it can also be overrated.  Don’t feel like you have to come up with the next big idea. The main idea is to start a simple business that generates a profit.  And that’s the main idea.

* Pick an idea that has an immediate and obvious customer base that needs or strongly wants what you plan to sell. Ask yourself if there is a demand for your product or service.

* After your initial investment, don’t put any more outside money into the business.  That’s your test for whether you’re succeeding.  The business needs to pay for itself and pay you.  Once you start, the business should generate enough for you to reinvest into the business and then begin to pay yourself.  If you see things dwindling, figure out whether you need to adjust prices, offerings, or do more marketing and selling.  Pay attention to customer inquiries and demands. They will lead you in the right direction.

* Remember the business is a great experience but it’s not the main reason you are on campus.  You are there to get a great education.  So develop discipline and time management skills that will allow you to go to class, get good results and still operate your business in your free time.

Our 10 student business ideas:

1. Tutoring service – if you’re attending university or college on a scholarship or bursary and know a required subject very well, consider start a tutoring service for local elementary or high school students who want to get into a good university or college like you.

2. Staffing service specializing in internships – start an on-campus staffing service where you help local or national businesses connect with the best students for internships and help students who want to do internships find the best opportunity.

3. Personal training service – are you athletic and into sports?  Think about starting a personal training service for students wanting to get fit and active.

4. Graphic arts and design services for presentations and papers – if you enjoy graphic arts and presentation design and you’re good at it, think about offering these services to students (and perhaps lecturers too) who want to jazz up their research and reports.

5. CV writing service – are you good at finding the best angles to present information? Start a CV writing service helping students put their experience in the best possible format and phrasing to attract interview and career opportunities.

6. Hair styling and grooming services – provide hair cuts or hair styling as a mobile hairdresser or stylist.

7. Babysitting service – if you know how to look after children and you’re responsible and reliable, starting a small au pair business could be an easy way to make extra income.

8. Bookkeeping service – if you’re studying accounting and have a love for numbers offer to keep books for a few small local businesses or find customers online.

9. Photography and video services – if you have a great eye for composing scenes and images consider starting a photography and video service. You can offer your services to students and faculty, take photos and videos of campus events and help local businesses produce and post videos online.

10. T-shirt company – really cool t-shirts just never get old and they’re the standard uniform for lots of college students. Come up with neat designs or funny sayings or create custom shirts for on-campus organisations and find someone to print the shirts for you and you’re in business!

Are you a student thinking about starting a small business? What do you think about these ideas? What are you excited about, or maybe scared about? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!