Our Blog

“This website uses cookies to remember you and improve your experience. To find out more see our Privacy Policy.” Wait, what are cookies, and why are you consenting to them?

What are cookies?

Everyone who uses the internet is familiar with the “cookie policy” that pops up when visiting a new website. What everyone is not familiar with is what these cookies are and the implications they present.

Cookies are small files used by websites to monitor and remember certain information about us. This information includes general information like what we have stored in our e-commerce shopping carts as well as personal details like names and birth dates, our login details, and locations. It is a common occurrence for people on social media to remark on how they have searched a product on Google and then saw the same product being advertised to them on Instagram straight after. The cookies allow companies the convenience of following you around the internet and easily keeping up with consumer demands.

According to Recode, cookie policies are a symptom of an emerging commodity known as personal data. Every time you use online services such as internet search, email, social media, messenger apps, and cloud storage you pay for them using your personal information and through advertising companies convert your data into money. We are inundated by ads that follow us around the internet because of third-party cookies placed by advertisers to see what we are interested in. Simply put, every time we interact with companies online, they are recording our personal information and storing it for their business purposes which is sometimes in the form of tailor-made ads to entice us to buy the company’s products.

The sensitivity surrounding personal data cannot be understated. In a world where our personal information is becoming a social commodity – it is imperative to understand what exactly personal data is, how companies use it and how one can protect themselves from the exploitation of this resource.

What is personal data?

Personal data refers to our information as the site user. This can be biographical information such as age, race, marital status or religion, education, financial, location or medical information – it even extends to personal views.

When you log in to a bursary services website (i.e. online application) such as Career Wise, there is certain information that you share with the website in order to have a user-friendly experience that points you directly to the bursary that might be best suited for you. Without your personal information, Career Wise cannot assist you adequately in your search and the interaction would prove futile for both parties. Sharing personal information on the internet is sometimes necessary – but it is important to monitor where and how we share it.

Data Breaches

A data breach occurs when confidential, sensitive, and protected information is exposed to an unauthorised person, without permission. Most times, data breaches occur due to technology and user behaviour.

In the past 5 years, the country has experienced some notable data breaches and leaks. In 2016 there was a security flaw in eThekwini Municipality’s eServices website which allowed any web browser to view the municipal account information and personal records of 98, 000 residents of the municipality. The personal records included names, birth dates, genders, ID numbers, passwords, phone numbers, physical addresses, and utility bills. In addition to this, in 2018 there was a Facebook data breach that saw close to 60 000 South Africans’ data leak in the Cambridge Analytica saga. Another noteworthy data breach happened in 2020 when the personal data of 24 million South Africans and over 700 000 businesses was breached and leaked onto several public websites.

It goes without saying that we need to carefully consider sharing information that can be used to distinguish and trace our identity online. However, it is sometimes necessary and the only way to move forward is to understand what companies can and can’t do with the personal information available on these websites.

Companies Obligations

The idea of companies selling our private information online sure raises some concerns, but it is completely legal and data breaches are not frequent occurrences. What is important is for us, as consumers, to be knowledgeable on what companies can and cannot do with our personal data. The first step is to familiarise yourself with the privacy policies (see Career Wise Privacy Policy) of websites you share personal information with. Let’s be honest – no one actually reads these policies but when you are consenting to a big corporation to use your personal information to “remember you and improve your experience” – your safest bet is knowing exactly what these words entail. These policies are there to protect you from corporate exploitation as they limit what companies can and cannot do with your data.

So, before you allow cookies to store your ID number, date of birth, and location on another online platform – make sure you have familiarized yourself with that website’s privacy policies.

Negotiation is more than just a skill, but a method in which people settle differences. Whether you’re writing a business proposal for a potential client or convincing the shop owner to sell you a bunch of potatoes at a cheaper price, you are negotiating. Negotiating doesn’t have to involve “big decisions”, it can be an activity as mundane as having to decide whose turn it is to wash the dishes – we all need to compromise to have peace at home.

What is negotiation?

Negotiation is when two or more people try to find an acceptable solution to a shared problem as defined by MasterClass.com (which is a streaming platform that makes it possible for anyone to watch or listen to hundreds of video lessons taught by 100+ of the world’s best). If two or more people have differing opinions about a situation, then the end goal of negotiation is to always reach a compromise whilst avoiding an argument. Like any disagreement, each person aims to reach an outcome that best favours them or the organization they represent. However, when you negotiate, while the aim is to have a favourable outcome, you need to seek fairness and mutual benefit for the success of the relationship.

You have probably always used negotiation skills, but you just weren’t aware that you were using them. For instance, growing up when you’d ask your parents to buy you a gadget or an expensive shoe, you would probably negotiate by promising to pass with better marks for the next school term in trade for a new thing that you want. That is negotiation!

Different kinds of negotiations are used in different situations. The preparation and process of negotiation will be different depending on the context and the nature of the issue. For example lobola negotiations, domestic relationships, job applications, the legal system, government and international affairs, policy change, etc.

Why is negotiation important?

Negotiation is essential everywhere in life. It is not only the workplace where negotiation is important but also in our daily life. We all must try our level best to adopt negotiation skills to avoid misunderstandings and lead a peaceful and stress-free life.

Most importantly, if you feel strongly about deserving better in a specific area or a second chance, then negotiating with the next party will be important. As you grow older, you quickly realise that life is often about fighting for what you want and central to that is the ability to negotiate for yourself.

Stages of Negotiation:

When you are entering into any kind of negotiation, stages help make the negotiation process easier. While this structured approach is advisable but it may not work for all situations. If you’re trying to negotiate with a lecturer at varsity on your marks, you might use a less rigorous process of negotiation unlike when you’re trying to negotiate a salary at work.

1. Preparation
2. Discussion
3. Clarification of goals
4. Negotiate towards a win-win outcome
5. Agreement
6. Implementation

Preparation

This stage involves being sure of all your facts. You have to know the pros and cons of your argument and how to mitigate any retaliation. If you’re a student negotiating with your university on issues related to marks, student records, finances – you must do background checks on university policies, committees that you can appeal to, student bodies that can assist, concessions that are allowed etc. This way, you know exactly what is allowed and not allowed. Secondly being prepared avoids time-consuming discussions on “rules” and unnecessary conflict.

Discussion

The discussion stage is where everyone states their argument and puts forward their case. Integral to this stage is listening and questioning but listening will be the most important skill otherwise it will be hard to reach a negotiation. This can either be verbal, email or a letter. It will depend on the gravity of the situation or the comfortability of the parties.

Clarification of goals

This stage is self-explanatory because this is the stage of the discussion where everyone clarifies their interests, goals and statements. This is to avoid any misunderstandings which may cause barriers to reaching a favorable outcome.

Negotiate towards a win-win argument

This stage aims to reach a win-win, this is basically where both sides “win” the argument or at least feel their case has been taken into consideration. Alternative strategies may also be suggested at this point.

Agreement

At this stage, an agreement can be reached once everyone’s points have been heard and considered. The agreements need to very clear so that everyone knows what has been decided.

Implementation

Once the parties agree to a solution, there needs to be a way forward on how the agreement will be implemented.

Last week we discussed how to strengthen your research skills through understanding and using the internet. Another skill to invest in is networking skills. Often people reduce the skill of networking to a skill that is essential for when you’re looking for a job, however, if you only practice this skill when you’re job-hunting, chances of success might be slim by then. This is because you’ll be too inundated by the pressures and frustration of job-hunting and adding networking on top of that. Networking is an ongoing process of building contacts that. These contacts not only need to be built but maintained – this can be through emails, calls, and face-to-face meetings in your everyday life.

Getting to know new people and keeping up with contacts requires effort. Let’s unpack what it means to build and maintain contacts, and why this matters.

What is networking?

According to Investopedia, “Networking is the exchange of information and ideas among people with a common profession or special interest, usually in an informal social setting”. This sounds like a very formal definition. It may be easier to think of it as simply building and maintaining a network of the relationship of people that you come across in various settings. The concept of networking is that you can build a relationship with people from a common point of interest. For example, these might be people from your school, alma mater, community, workplace, or previous professional background.

When and how do you network?

I think now that we’ve understood that networking is about building relationships with people around you, it becomes apparent that you’re practically networking all the time. Every time you stop to chat with a classmate or speak to a colleague in the corridor, you are networking. Then there are obvious networking activities such as actively attending a professional event, conference or career expo. At these events, you’re often certain that you’re going to catch up with old contacts or meet new people.

The key point to networking is to never underestimate the value of “small talk”. Relationships are built on personal connections and the feeling that someone cares about you. You do not have to have a profound or “intellectual” opening statement, a conversation starter can be as simple as asking about what’s currently happening in their life. For instance exams, their business venture, or even their family if the atmosphere allows.

Networking platforms

Good old email

This might seem like the obvious route but you’d be surprised how people underestimate the power of an email. Pop culture really encourages “shooting your shot” which is often limited to romantic pursuits. But it is also okay to shoot your shot for school or professional purposes. It’s about having that same audacity, bravery and motivation to go for something you really believe in. It only takes a few minutes to send an email and ask someone how they are doing, asking to meet up for coffee, assistance with tutoring or letting them know that you are currently job-hunting and you’d appreciate them giving you a heads up for vacancies. The worst that could happen is them not responding and even so, it takes absolutely nothing away from you. All you do is move on and email someone else.

Professional events/conferences

Professional events are the most common networking events. They often bring people with a common business interest together. If you’re planning on going to a professional event for networking, make sure you do your research of who the guest speakers will be, try and prepare any questions beforehand and set goals of what you’d like to achieve. Be ready to exchange contacts or ask for theirs if you’d like to continue the conversation on another day or platform.

Social media

Linked-In is the most obvious networking social media platform. You can inbox people without coming off as ‘creepy”. However many social media platforms are networking platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You have to be wise and curate your experience by following the right people with similar interests, engage with their content, and hopefully, they reply.  You can then follow up with face-to-face meetings.

Everyday Life

Earlier we mentioned that once you understand that networking is simply building relationships with people, then you’ll understand that every day is an opportunity to network. The key is not to overthink it. For instance, a mundane activity such as commuting to campus or work can be a networking opportunity. You can be discussing the most abstract thing such as the weather and that can be considered as networking until you discover knee-deep in the conversation that you have similar interests that might be mutually beneficial for either current or future purposes.

Overcoming the fear of networking

The key is to research, rehearse and practice the skill.

Research:

If you’re going to an event, you want to research beforehand who will be there, their role and whether you know anyone. That way, chances of being caught off guard are limited and it also may help reduce the anxiety of meeting new people. This also helps with preparation too because if you do your research properly, this can feed into the type of questions you ask.

Rehearse

This might seem awkward but it works! A true game-changer. Similar to how you would do a mock presentation if you have to present a project, the same can be done for networking. Record yourself and see if you like the pace of your speaking or even ask a friend’s advice. You can rehearse ice-breaker sentences such as:

• “Hi I’m Amy and I really enjoyed your presentation on…”.
• “My name is Lerato and it’s nice to finally meet you. I was wondering if you could advise me on the best career choices for someone who does really well in the subject of Accounting”
• Hi, I’m Kevin and I read your book on…”

Practice the skill

This can be done anywhere. Try to get out of your comfort zone and speak to more people or people that you wouldn’t necessarily speak to on a regular basis. Send an email to that person you’ve been procrastinating on or inbox that senior manager. Just keep trying different routes until you find what works best for you.