Grit and golden treatment service, has seen sisters and Datafin co-owners, build one of the country’s top Recruitment Agencies Hearing the latest social media term “Delulu” (aka delusional), a broken convection oven in need of repair and a newly acquired pet – a chameleon named “Stick”. These revelations emerge in a Monday morning MS Teams meeting. This, after a quick check-in with members of the all-women team managed by Datafin Recruitment bosses and sisters, Lindy Sollinger and Bev Sollinger. But amidst malfunctioning cooking devices and recounting having to Facetime the grandkid to show that “Stick” is indeed still alive and well – runs a well-oiled Recruitment Agency – a top contender in the SA landscape. Celebrating Women’s Month this August, I wanted to find out if the Sollinger duo always envisioned having a business, how it transformed into a staff compliment of women only and the secret ingredients to Datafin’s success. Initially starting out working for a Recruitment company herself, Lindy soon learnt the ropes and decided this was something she could pursue independently. “I always knew that I wanted to run my own business, but my heart became set on it when working for bosses in a recruitment company…
Spotting candidates red flags is a Recruiter’s invaluable human tool Spotting candidates red flags takes a mix of robust screening and experience. Then that human hunch a Recruitment Consultant gets that something may be amiss. Spotting candidates red flags is a Recruiter’s invaluable human tool. In any engagement between Recruitment Consultant and candidate, there’s a rapport of unspoken trust established. The candidate entrusts a Recruiter to find them a job that’s in sync with their vision for their career path. Sometimes it’s to grow their skillset. It might be to work in a team with a shared mission. Or perhaps to soar to seniority where you can lead and impart onto others your expertise. But the trust in the Recruiter-Candidate relationship needs to be a 2-way street. Spotting candidates red flags is a Recruiter’s invaluable human tool. While certain red flags are obvious others require closer examination. This usually follows our human instinct that kicks in when your internal suspicious alert goes off. The first introduction to any candidate is their CV. This is the first point of scrutiny where a Recruiter will fact-check. Questionable aspects like discrepancies in dates will be noted. Or huge gaps in employment or moving…
No hibernating while trying to “glow up” your career While you may feel like crawling into a cave and emerging when sunnier days are upon us, don’t put the hunt for your dream job on hold. No hibernating when trying to “glow up” your career – instead you should be ramping up your efforts. Fighting the Winter blues requires additional fuel to heat up your attempts to move closer to the job you desire. Dragging yourself out of bed during the icy chill of Winter, for some requires an extra strong signal from your brain to shove your body into action. Even for us working from home, (I know, how dare we complain), it’s a mission to rise and shine during the colder season. When it’s still pitch-black outside at 6am and you need to layer your clothing, looking like an Alaskan safeguarding yourself from the frosty bite of the snow. Fill your head with inspirational content. Could be a book, e-book or podcast to guide your brain into optimistic thought. Consider getting an app with daily alerts of motivational quotes. These are a nudge as a reminder that the job hunt – above all else – requires a positive…
As South Africans we shall soon cast our very critically important ballot at the election polls. Your vote ensures simple pleasures like your neighbourhood maintaining a pristine aesthetic. That’s if, of course, your dirt bins get regularly collected – and on the assigned day. Your vote decides who takes charge of your municipality and your city. It’s an invaluable exercise which reminds us that we still live in a democracy. A country where you have the right to justice and my personal favourite – freedom of expression. In the workplace, your voice is that tool to express and give input as a member of the team. Similarly, in any job, use your voice as you would your vote. Navigating the complexities around the workplace IS tricky since many companies now operate remotely. it has Thus become more crucial to speak up and voice your concerns. Each team member plays a pivotal role in the cog of the business engine. A colleague closely linked to your workflow might not be doing something in a specific way you would like. To ensure continuation or optimal productivity, have a chat with them to iron this issue out quickly. Communication platforms like MS Teams…
Even if you possess a niche skill, it’s risky putting all your eggs into one basket. Especially when applying for a new job. Get another basket instead of putting all your eggs into one. You’re obviously good at several other things. By taking this into account, you could spread your career wings and bag the job you never knew you needed. The dream position could be waiting for you. To be unwrapped like a shiny, and not forgetting, deliciously decadent, chocolate Easter egg. One thing Covid taught us is that our comfort zone, like with many things in life, is not for keeps. Here at Datafin, our vision was to become one of the leading IT Recruitment Agencies in South Africa. Today we can safely and confidently say we have attained this status. We became settled in the sphere of being Specialists in recruiting all kinds of IT professionals. However, the business landscape changed drastically with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many industries, including IT, suffered job losses. We also continue to lose highly skilled Devs to the drawcard of earning dollars and pounds. Also, the opportunity to live in a more stable economy. So, we adapted our business…
To ensure cohesive teams and trusted business engagement despite being remote, we need to build authentic connections in the virtual office. Many a Valentine today in the digital age could probably be through an online cupid connection. Fewer outdoor ventures and more Insta scrolling means more relationships begin through social media and dating apps. With many of us working fully remote, we now meet new colleagues for the first time via a PC screen. We meet new clients and candidates on video calls. To ensure cohesive teams and trusted business engagement despite being remote, we need to build authentic connections in the virtual office. Online romances flourish while maintaining virtual courtships. So too, we must nurture and cement professional ties when working remotely. It remains critical that even when working from home, we cement and maintain professional ties. With online dating, profiles get perused, similar interests sought and so the virtual courtship begins. The assumed expectation – with what one can only but hope (and through countless chats, emojis & voice notes (VNs)) – would soon translate into a real-life romantic relationship. But similarly in the workspace of the “Webosphere”, how do we form and solidify co-worker bonds and relationships…
Office Christmas parties are underway. And what’s better than to celebrate with a team that makes you feel a home away from home. If you’re not feeling that fuzzy feeling of home at your current job, we are here to help. Let’s help you find your “work home”. It’s that jingle belly time of year again with Christmas almost upon us. ’Tis the season’ synonymous with spending time with family and loved ones and being surrounded by that warm fuzzy feeling of home. As many businesses wrap up, companies often treat their staff to an Office Christmas aka year end. Either a Soiree with glitz and glam. Or an intimate get-together to enjoy a braai or a relaxing lounge by the pool. Spending most of our lives at work, you eventually bond with your colleagues and become a “work family”. These staff parties can be equated to your “work Christmas” and your colleagues your “work family”. Some people even jokingly refer to their work bestie as a “work husband or work wife”. These terms have come about because we spend the majority of our lives at our jobs. You develop closeknit relationships because that’s the natural course of human nature…
Be it Rugby or Recruitment – being ethical ensures long-term successWritten by: Janis Kinnear After a nail-biting match, the 2023 Webb Ellis Trophy came home to South African soil. The victory is greatly attributed to SA Rugby Team Captain Siya Kolisi’s leadership. in the realms of Rugby or Recruitment, Kolisi exemplifies how being ethical ensures long-term success. South Africans continue to beam with pride after the SA Rugby Teams’ triumph having won this year’s World Cup trophy. Team Captain Siya Kolisi has been lauded for being an ethical leader who genuinely cares about his country’s people. The battle on the rugby field is refereed by strict rules of the game. If you opt to play dirty it can be costly (sorry All Blacks). Our national Rugby team tried to maintain fair play. And this display of sticking to the rules, plus their mad Rugby skills of course, proved that being ethical ensures long-term success and victory. When people are your business, you deal with the element of unpredictability. Practicing ethical recruitment helps avoid bulldozing tactics. It also presents a show of understanding. Particularly during the recruitment process when candidates or clients’ circumstances change at the drop of a hat. Here…
BEING NICE TO CO-WORKERS COUNTS WHEN JUMPING SHIPWritten by: Janis Kinnear When jumping ship to find a new job, you most likely need references – often from your existing company. your persona and actions towards coworkers may need some tweaking if you want to present exemplary attributes to a new potential boss. As a promising candidate enters the final stage of the recruitment process to land a new job and becomes the “Chosen One” – reference checks are done. And being nice to coworkers counts when jumping ship to ensure sterling references to seal the deal. Are you that colleague who’s constantly late for MS Teams meetings? Are you selective when it comes to responding to a colleague’s email? Prefer to go grab a bite to eat first before answering them on a work-related query. Do you neglect to inform your team when it becomes clearly obvious (to them included), that you’re not going to make the proposed deadline? Are you open to working with others or do you participate and show your reluctance by objecting to good ideas? Do you avoid your colleagues like the plague instead of engaging with them. Can you multitask or think critically? These actions fall into…
Datafin and EdTech company HyperionDev are set to enter a joint partnership To get Tech Grads more “industry ready”. And, not only get Grads struggling to find work a foot in the door but equipped with staying power to secure a job. The struggle to find work is realer than ever before. Despite Grads being fully qualified. They either can’t find a job or keep one. That’s why Datafin and HyperionDev have decided to enter a joint partnership to get Tech Grads more “industry ready”. This partnership aims to not only get Grads into the workforce, but secure and keep jobs. Grads come armed for what they believe will be success in the job market. Course Degree or Certificate. Check. CV drawn up. Check. And an ambition to join teams at the forefront of cutting-edge tech. Using code and science to make our lives easier by conjuring up the latest software and gadgets. But despite being prepped for what they hope will guarantee them a job, qualified Grads are still struggling to secure jobs. Even after an Internship – they are not always being kept on. Left back to a LinkedIn status of “Open to work”. Collaborative efforts between field…