TOP TEN CAREERS FOR WOMEN
Certain jobs – the traditional soft jobs - were the obvious career choice in the past, but trends in job choice of women are changing. Women are more likely now than ever to target professional jobs with long term career flexibility in mind than ever before. Tracey Czakan, MD of Kelly – South Africa‟s leading staffing solutions organisation – refers to findings from Kelly‟s recently released Human Capital Satisfaction Survey that show men and women seem to focus on different issues when it comes to job choice and the workplace. The results show men are far more concerned with pay issues than women. Women on the other hand are more interested in job content - what they will be doing and how they will be doing it. Some of the „hot‟ jobs for women include: NO 1 HOT JOB : Marketing On the hot jobs scale the number 1 popular job is still marketing. Marketing and Human Resources have traditionally been a women‟s most popular career choice but are showing a significant decline. Despite the decline marketing remains the top career choice. A career in Marketing offers a myriad of options. Retailing, promotions, eventing, advertising, public relations are just a few of the options. To get ahead in the marketing world, you‟ll need strong leadership skills, the ability to communicate well, enjoy working dealing with people and enjoy new challenges. Top qualifications in marketing include a National Diploma in Marketing - a 3-year full time Technikon qualification. By completing a fourth year at Technikon, you can convert your National Diploma to a BTech degree. Most SA universities also offer a 3-year BComm degree with specialization in Marketing. On the salary scale you can expect to year anything from R310 000 – R370 000 once you have broken the back of at least 5 years experience. HOT JOB NO 2: Recruitment Recruitment has consistently been one of the fastest growing careers in South Africa for the last 9 years. Year-on-year more women are entering this sector. The recruitment industry has evolved to such an extent that it‟s no longer characterized by recruitment consultants placing Perm and Temp candidates. Rather, it is now about partnering organizations and offering a total „one-stop‟ human capital solution. Some of the more sophisticated offerings by leading staffing organizations like Kelly include outsourced and managed staffing models. You‟ll need to enjoy working with people, be dynamic and outgoing to ensure success in this field. It‟s also a field that offers vast opportunities across the field. Once qualified in Human Resources Management, one has the opportunity of starting their own business,
specialize in Industrial Relations, Employee training, or consulting as an employee of one of many recruitment companies in South Africa. The annual base salary for recruitment managers ranges between R255 000 and R285 000.
HOT JOB NO 3: Chartered Accountant Accountancy. Stock broking and IT careers are showing an increase in popularity as career choices by women. Predominantly this is because these careers seem to offer the best employment prospects to graduates. Getting into the finance world will require you to have an analytical mind, a systematically logic and thinking ability, be able to work quickly and accurately with numbers. A Bachelor of Accountancy degree will take 4 years for intensive study and only then does the fun start. To qualify as a Chartered Accountant (CA), you‟ll need to complete articles with an Auditing firm and pass the examinations of the Public Accountants‟ and Auditors‟ Board (PAAB). But, achieving this will set you up for life. You can expect an annual base salary range of R280 000 – R400 000.
HOT JOB NO 4: Stock Broking Stockbroking has for years been dominated by males. But, this changing fast with women increasingly opting for this choice of career. The (South African Institute of Stock Brokers) SAIS membership Board Examinations can be written by candidates who have completed a three-year Diploma course “Introduction to Stock broking” through the Institute of Bankers in South Africa (IOB), together with a one-year bridging course. A one-year bridging course “Programme in Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management” is available through UNISA and comprises 5 modules all of which are compulsory for the purpose of SAIS‟s entry criteria. An alternative is a recognised equivalent one-year course at another university in South Africa. However, if you have a BComm (Hons) degree, you also qualify to write the board exam. Once you have passed the board exam, you can practice as a stock broker. What top monies can be made by stockbrokers and security exchange dealers, this ranges considerably. You can expect to earn between R170 000 – 300 000. HOT JOB NO 5: IT Business Analysist
Careers in information technology remain highly sought after. After all, we live in the „information age‟. But, careers are varied – from software development to more business
orientated careers such as business analysts or e-commerce consultants. Women often see this field as offering great flexibility and financial gain. To land a top-job in IT, you need some technical and mathematical ability and need to be adaptable to changing circumstances while coping with pressure and deadlines. Most SA Universities offer a 3-year BSC degree in Information Science (for those who are interested in software development) or a 3-year BComm degree in Information Technology. Various Technikons also offer a 3-year National Diploma in Information Technology. The annual base salary in this industry varies from a programmer‟ salary range at R160 000 – R190 000. to a business anaysist‟s salary range at R280 000 to R350 000. HOT JOB NO 6: Engineer
Engineering is a field where women are in great demand. The field of engineering is also varied and includes Civil Engineer and Mechanical Engineer. Careers in engineering offer great variety and challenge for women, but you‟ll definitely need solid mathematical and scientific ability. To enter as an Engineer, you‟ll need a Bachelor of Science (Engineering) degree or a National Diploma in Engineering, a 3-year full-time Technikon qualification. The annual base salary for a general engineer ranges between R230 000 – 255 000.
HOT JOB NO 7:
Architect
Another fast growing field for women offer outstanding career prospects, is the field of architecture. This profession is about the planning and designing of buildings. If you can image it and be able to put it on paper, then this is for you. Again, you‟ll need strong mathematical and scientific abilities. A university degree in Architecture is recommended while various SA Technikons offer a range of qualifications in the field of architecture and architectural design including a National Diploma in Architecture, a 3-year full Technikon qualification. With an annual base salary for architectures today ranging between R600 000 – R840 000, this industry could be for you. You‟ll have to be prepared to put in long hours and gain lots of experience before you break into this salary bracket. HOT JOB NO 8: Writing/Editing/Journalism
If you have a way with words this career option could be your liberation and bread and butter – all at the same time. Some career options include Editors of various media types (newspapers, magazines, trade journals, etc.), then there‟s film editing, script writing, journalism, novelists and
technical writers. You‟ll need to start by qualifying with a Bachelor of Arts Degree – 3 years full time (University Qualification) and a clearly defined writing talent. Since the career choices within this field are varied, earnings vary greatly. You can expect to earn between R115 200 – 250 000 depending on years of experience.
HOT JOB NO 9:
Medical Doctor
The number of females qualifying as Medical Doctors is on the rise in South Africa. The increase in exploring historically male dominated career paths reveals the fact that these women are pursuing long term aspirations based on better informed career choices. Aside form general medical practice; dentistry and veterinary science are also new areas of interest for women. But, to go this route you‟ll have to love working with people, from babies to the elderly, survive a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBCh) followed by an internship at a hospital. Expect to spend around 6 years full time before you‟ll qualify. But, this is well worth the time invested. The up side includes the fact that you‟ll be in a career that makes a real difference in people‟s lives, not to mention the fact that you can expect to earn R600 000 – 768 000. HOT JOB NO 10: Attorney
Another career increasingly opted for by women is legal. But more than just general practice, specialization in areas such as patent and copyright law, previously very much the domain of men. Corporate and Tax Law too, is seeing increasing numbers of female entrants. To qualify as a Lawyer, you‟ll need to complete a relevant university bachelors degree in law followed by a period of articles (around three years). But, there are a number of options within the legal field. Areas of specialization include Family Law, Commercial Law, Criminal Law, Corporate Law, Tax Law and many more. You could also opt to become an Advocate, someone who extensively litigates in the higher courts of South Africa. Once qualified and admitted as an Attorney and with a few years experience as a practicing attorney under the belt, you can expect to earn between R385 000 – 500 000. Ends (2006)