The London experience

It was the 1st of November on a cold London morning when I landed at Heathrow with my driver waiting for me with a placard with my name and company name on it. "Mamma I made it" the little voice in my head screamed, not because I had finally arrived in London to work at the head office of one of the biggest banks in the world but rather because all my life all I've ever wanted was for someone to wait for me at the airport with a placard with my name on it!

After an hour on the road mainly because of getting lost, we finally managed to find my temporary home, a cute apartment in the heart of Canary Wharf. And so my London experience began...

Working in London...

My first day at work was a bit of a blur. I spent half my time trying to figure out what the hell was going on and the other half pretending I knew. Everything was 10 times faster. I was now in an office of close to 8000 employees from our South African office which has about 200. There was such a buzz and occasional announcements made from one squawk box or another and everything being due yesterday, phones ringing off the hook, people sitting in front of multiple screens and a funny looking phone which I later learnt is actually called a dealerboard.

I worked with the most amazing team comprising of Russians, Turks, French, Bulgarians and of course Brits. I also learnt that yes in Russian is "Da" which sounds more like "nda" when said out loud (hmmm, Tshivenda much?)

Dating in London...

Ok I'm just going to come straight out with it because my colleagues have already judged me to no end...

I used Tinder to kick start my dating life...*as my street cred drops*

I managed to secure two Tinder dates, one with what turned out to be an unemployed Spanish guy (whose Tinder pic clearly failed to show his one missing tooth). The other was an Italian hairdresser...he had a great personality (?) *clears throat*

Anyway...I did manage to go on two other dates with guys I met in more conventional ways. Ends there. *hides*

Now this is the thing ladies, dating in London is expensive! (...or maybe it was just my luck). Prepare to spend money on a return trip and also on going Dutch when the bill comes. I'm sure you'd appreciate that after 5 or so dates and the exchange rate, I had to humbly turn in my resignation and step down from my position as serial dater. 

Shopping in London...

...is an absolute dream! I must've shopped almost every weekend. When the likes of H&M, Bershka, Forever 21, Zara, Top Shop and River Island become your pocket friendly shops, the temptation just becomes too strong to resist!

Partying in London...

...is even better than the shopping. Barring the ice cold weather, I had the most amazing times going out. Shorditch and Soho are definitely my uncontested faves!

That miserable London weather...

...will never stop you from doing stuff. No matter how cold, if I wasn't visiting friends or eating out I was at a market or museum. Londoners never let the lack of sun steal their fun!

Lastly, traveling in and around Europe is so cheap! Makes you realize how much we are over charged in South African. Bleh...

And that's my London experience in a nutshell, quite an amazing and humbling one at that. 

Now to work on that Wall Street dream...

Learning to think

You've done all the preps, you know the textbook back to front, up down, right to left...then you get into the exam room and none of the questions look anything like the 1000 past papers you've done. Your confidence goes into a coma and your guaranteed pass slips with. 

Sounds familiar? Well I've experienced this a couple of times in my life and over the years I've grown to understand the root of this problem, rote learning. 

The problem I have with rote learning is that it fixes your thinking to what you've only memorised so once the plot is twisted, you're completely thrown off. Yes, there are some instances where it's pure medicine, like basic education maths (remember how we were taught time tables?) but I think schools and sometimes even parents get it all wrong! They focus on getting the child to simply memorise rules and such when what is more important is understanding the thinking behind the rules. 

I have recently been involved in two organisations that are trying to change this, Junior Achievement SA and ENTACTUS (google).

On my first project with JA, we visited a school in Alexander, Johannesburg where we taught kids about money. How to save, make deposits, withdrawals and general financial decisions. We played a game similar to Monopoly but instead of being property based, it was financial, involving bank transactions and business acumen. At the end, the group that made the most money from their transactions won. With my group, instead of simply pushing them to make as much money as possible I would ask them to justify each and every transaction. Want to buy a business? Why? Not planning to run an ad campaign? Why? Are you going to spend or reinvest the profits? Why? 

With ENACTUS, I sat on the judging panel for their nationals. Here a representative team from different higher learning institutions from around the country would present two to three projects (existing small business) they have adopted. They would then have to take the audience through how they have improved the business economically and socially. Let's just say, I was the Simon Cowell/ Randal Abrahams of the panel because I was not going easy on the questions. Don't get me wrong, I was not "the mean judge", I just wanted the contestants to THINK instead of regurgitating what they had rehearsed/advised by their mentors. Overall it was an amazing experience with a group of smart, forward-thinking students. This type of involvement will definitely make their transition into the working world that much smoother. 

So guess what I'm trying to say is...

1. We need to encourage kids to think   and question. I find that in traditional black homes, questioning is not encouraged and this feeds through to the child's learning behaviour and ultimately the kind of adult they become. This separates leaders from followers. 

2. We need to make learning more interactive. We need more active learning.

If we can get this right, then half the job is done. 

Changing Faces: Investment Banker

Let’s cut to the chase, where are you from and what do you do?

I moved around a lot due to the nature of my parents work and them both having me when they were fairly young. So plenty of farm life with the grandparents growing up

I'm currently an Investment Banking Associate in mergers and acquisitions.

What did you study and are you using it at all in your current role?

I triple majored in international politics, economics and Chinese. In a strange way I get to use all three of them daily 

How long have you been working and what do you like most about it?

4 years – I love miss the financial freedom and working on interesting real life situations/ problems

Tell us about your work typical day.

Client calls, reviewing financial models, helping to draft transaction documents and doing market updates for "live" deals. Usually punctuated by a rushed lunch and pre-empted with a morning workout.

I tend to get in around 9am every day and depending on whether we're in the pitching or live stage of a deal I leave any time between 8pm - 5am

Yoh! So you must have a bed at the office by now! Ok, what tips would you give people wanting to your your line of work?

Make sure IB (Investment Banking) is what you want to get into - have an aptitude for people and numbers 

Prioritise 

Have an eagerness to learn 

What do you think is the biggest obstacle preventing women of colour from climbing the corporate ladder as fast as they should?

I think the hardest problem really is not having enough role models to look up to you who understand the plight of being a young black woman. Who understand that the industry is still white male dominated and it is intimidating at times 

Changing Faces: Environmental Specialist

Care to share a little about your childhood?

In my early childhood, I grew up in an informal township called Dambuza in Pietermaritzburg

with my Mom and Gran and other extended family members. My parents were not married

until I was 6 years old so I would visit my Dad during weekends. Later on when my parents got

married we moved to a place I would call a “black suburb” called West Gate in Pietermaritzburg

and then a flat in town where in both places we were sharing a place with other families. My

parents then managed to build their own house in Imbali a township in Pietermaritzburg where

they still reside today with my little brother.

I grew up in a very loving home, and was often outside playing with friends. Even though my

parents were not well off, I never felt that as I went to good public schools from a young age.

Although as an adult, I am now aware of the sacrifices that they had to make, to make sure I

receive a good education.


Now that you're all grown up, what is it that you do?

I am an Environmental Specialist for a construction company.


What did you study and are you using it at all in your current role?

I studied Geography and Environmental Management up to Honours level at UKZN and I am

currently doing an MSc at Wits University. Yes, I am using my degree in my line of work although

I do feel that my work is extremely dynamic and practical and I've learnt a lot more from

experience.


How long have you been working and what do you miss student life?
I have been working for 6 years now. I miss the long holidays, and not having the

responsibility of paying bills and being a bit more carefree.


Tell us about your work typical day.

A typical day for me is trying to fix a mess caused by a project engineer on the environment

from taking short-cuts on a project... My workload consists of identifying, assessing,

documenting and managing environmental aspects of the company in a way, which will allow

pro-active measurement and analysis to reduce, mitigate or where possible, eliminate

environmental impacts from construction. This includes aspects such as pollution control, waste

and water management, vegetation management and rehabilitation. I have to ensure that our

projects comply with environmental legislation, environmental authorisations and client

specifications. I train staff at all levels of the company on environmental issues and their

responsibilities in order to improve environmental performance. There is a good mix of work

out on site and back in the office.


Three tips on people keen to join your line of work?

You need to have a passion for nature and for preserving the environment. The job

can be very rewarding and fulfilling when you feel like you have positively

contributed to the well-being of the environment.

Environmental management/science is a broad and multi-disciplinary field, it will be

You also need to enjoy being outdoors as a lot of the work is out on site in remote

up to you to develop a skill-set for yourself in one of the many areas of the field that

catches your interest and specialize in it.

areas and different landscapes. You are often in safety boots, a hard hat and

reflective vest in sunny and dusty conditions


Do you encounter any challenges that specifically come with being a young black woman in 

corporate SA? 

The biggest challenge is working in a predominately male industry. There are still very few

women in the construction industry that have prominent positions and therefore there is a

notion and sense that you do not belong there. The language used in the industry can also

be very vulgar most of the time and as a woman you need to be tough and not take it too

personally. I have learnt though, that you teach people how to treat you and once they

understand how you want to be treated, you get more respect without having to

overcompensate for being a woman.


Taking what you've said in your previous answer into consideration. Can you give an example of one particular experience and how you think it could be countered/managed going forward?
I don’t think this challenge is unique to my industry I am glad that there are many women

empowerment programs and discourses taking place in society. But what good is it to empower

women without changing and shaping the mindset of our young fellow men. If we want to make

men take us more seriously as women we must stop having events that exclude them they need

to be an integral part of the change.

Changing Faces: Banking Associate

Tell us about how you grew up

I was born in Durban, kwa Dabeka township kwa A. I had a wonderful upbringing sharing it with a house full of my cousins in a house led by my grandmother. I loved playing, singing and watching Kideo. I was a happy child but very cocooned and could only play in my yard…that cheesy township life. LOL. My primary school life began with me moving to the suburbs, this was a lonely life, being an only child and having to now entertain myself with indoor activities. This gave me no option but to love school. I loved reading and doing my homework and took pride in academic achievement.  I also engaged myself in sports and cultural activities. This was sustained all the way through high school and I was very fortunate to get accolades of Head Girl, Dux, sports captain, national debating and the like.

Geez! Thank you for making us mere mortal feel like under achievers! So where has all this super star quality brought you now?

I am now a banker (Coverage) at Citi Bank. Within Corporate Banking I manage a portfolio of clients within the non-banking financial institutions sector.

What did you study and are you using it at all in your current role?

 B.com Accounting.

I use this to a very small degree. (Financial Analysis)

How long have you been working and what do you miss about not working (i.e. being a full time student)

 I have been working for 5 years

What I miss about not working is sleep and flexibility i.e. the option to not wake up if I wanted to.

How is your typical day?

There is no such thing as a typical day. I operate in a very client driven environment so often a client can turn my day upside down. LOL

A day comprises of a quick market update in the morning, drafting credit papers, client meetings, internal product meetings, KYC and AML management as per US reg. (USA regulation). Dealing with a lot with compliance given regulation as we comply with US reg.

Do you encounter any challenges that specifically come with being a young black woman in corporate SA? 

Yes.

Being young in the banking environment is tough because I find I am the youngest by far in my team. The team is well seasoned and it’s great to learn from but difficult at times to challenge things or add input due to lack of experience.

Black- It’s challenging in the industry as a whole as the face of banking is still heavily “white male”.

Woman- We have a long way to go. This is evidenced by lack of female presence in management. It’s not inspiring at times but equally challenging as we need to break the ceiling. Moving up- not because we are woman but because we are credible and able to add value.

Three tips on people keen to join your line of work?

Open mind

Thick skin

Speak Up

Changing Faces: Chartered Accountant/Investment Associate

Where did you grow up and how was your childhood like?
I grew up in a small town in the Eastern Cape. Hardly anything happens in my small town, lived in the "ghetto" till I was about 11, then moved to a better area and moved to a private school at the same time. That's when you could say my life changed. 

What do you now?

I'm a Chartered Accountant by profession, and work as an Investment Associate for a development fund.

We look into funding black entrepreneurs, enter into untapped markets and find solutions for need (infrastructure development, education etc.) in Africa.

What did you study and are you using it at all in your current role?

I did a Bachelor of Accounting Science at Wits, went the CA route and qualified as a CA in December 2013. I use aspects of what I studied, but I had to learn a lot of what I do on the job. I also decided to study further to better my understanding of Development Finance. 

How long have you been working and what do you miss about not working (i.e. being a full time student) 
I've been working for 4 years now (this being my fifth year). I miss the lack of responsibility that comes with being a student. It was OK to not have money, and you didn't have to spend your entire life thinking about career progression. 

If I could have a do over of university though, I would be less hard on myself. I would have made more friends, made more memories. I would have tried harder to find this "balance" people kept talking about. 

Sounds like what you lost in balance you won in getting ahead, now, I'm sure a lot has changed since then, How would you describe your typical day at the office?

My typical work day involves status meetings with clients/ my bosses in the morning. Then analysis of market trends and trends in investments.  I do sight visits on average twice a week.

Do you encounter any challenges that specifically come with being a young black woman in corporate SA?

Every day is a struggle. Between convincing yourself that you are good enough,that you deserve to be here, that it's not about some "employment equity" score (which your white counterparts will remind you of from time to time)

You have to be better at everything, just to be considered average. And when you make a mistake (which I have made countless times), it can feel like the whole world is against you. 

But I've learnt to take it on my stride, we are a culture and a people that are made to overcome. This melanin represents the strength! 

Lastly, three tips for people keen to join your line of work?

Be clear on why you want to become a chartered accountant. Spend time thinking about what you want to do after you qualify. This will help you in remembering why you started when the going gets tough.
Don't be afraid to fail, and don't be so hard on yourself. Don't be afraid to start over. It's scary and you may feel like a failure at times, but finding what makes you tick makes it worth it.

Be kind, all the time. Humility and compassion will open doors for you. Be damn good at what you do, but show up every day with kindness. People will notice.

Changing Faces: Assistant Brand Manager

First thing’s first, how was your childhood?

I was born in the eastern cape but moved to PTA at the age of 5, I’m the first born of 4 ( we were 3 for most of my life) and I generally had a very normal, unexciting childhood. Then my parents got divorced in my grade 11 year…. That’s a whole different post!!!

What do you now?

I’m currently an Assistant Brand Manager at a multinational.

What did you study and are you using it at all in your current role?

I double majored in Marketing and Business Management and went on to do my honours in Marketing. Yes, for the greater part, most of the content we were taught at school we utilise in one way or the other within marketing

How long have you been working and what do you miss about student life? 

I’m pushing five years now, going on 100million…. I miss long holidays, and pocket money. I miss only having to worry about work during exam season, I miss partying 7 days a week.

How is your typical work day?

I get to the office and generally get to it, most days start with me checking mails from agencies to see if reverts have been sent, then I’ll debrief and send back for further fixing, lots of meetings, with prospective agencies pitching for business or our current agencies giving us status on what the next week holds or internal stakeholders on campaign progress. I work closely with my digital and PR agencies to field content opportunities, so I’m constantly tracking what trends are within my target market and then brief my PR/Digital team on reactive responses. The late afternoons are then dedicated to processing payments (the bane of my existence) and working on feedback presentations I have to prepare for my greater team.

Three tips for people keen to join your line of work?

You definitely need to become a person who can work a room, perception and reputation is everything in marketing (sometimes I feel its valued far greater than work ethic). The political game is a real one, and in corporate, however much we hate to admit it, if you don’t play it, one way or another, you will be let on the back foot

 Be flexible: don’t get comfortable in knowing 1 aspect of something or 1 thing. This field is forever changing, and you need to as well. I speak from experience, when I first got into marketing, I wasn’t sure which stream I’d end up on, Through the line, comms or sales … I am currently in a role that does ALL of that, the flexible spirit, that is comfortable ( to an extent) with change and movement will thrive in this space

LEARN, LEARN, LEARN- read marketing blogs, forums, trends, ask to be included in forums that may not necessarily directly influence your work, well rounded people make better more informed decisions- this is a big weakness of mine, I suffer from ‘ihatereadingacorporatebookasitis’.

Lastly, do you encounter any challenges that specifically come with being a young black woman in corporate SA?

So my challenges are twin-fold. I’m a black woman … and I’m a new mommy… the two most dangerous things to be in corporate SA.

Black female representation is limited in corporate SA, and in my company, while there is a black director, you almost get a sense that her placement is more political than legitimate, that’s a big problem, and as woman we should be wary of being placed merely because we are black females- I hate the notion of ‘being a NON DECISION MAKING director. We all know them, they are always called to speak at functions but you can’t quite place what she does. So while many women are deserving, they do not get the full ambit of responsibility and decision making they are entitled to.

Being a mother in corporate is another challenge altogether. You are almost viewed as handicapped when you return to work, and while it’s subtle, the treatment of women who choose to start families, is different. You almost have to prove yourself doubly….story of our lives.

Changing Faces: Business Consultant

Right, tell us about how you grew up

I grew up in Esikhawini, a township outside Richard’s Bay. I’m from a very humble family. My mom was a nurse, so we never visited the Doctor if we were sick, and my Dad was an HR manager at Alusaf now known as BHP Billiton. My Mom prepared super for us every night and my Dad sometimes helped us with our homework. On weekends we use to go to town with our Mom, she always had something to do, and my Dad was a videographer part time so he usually had a wedding or a funeral to film. In general my brother and I were considered as naughty kids growing up, always got scolded at or a hiding, but looking back now we deserved it.

What do you now? No need to go into detail here, we're still getting there.

I’m a Consultant at Accenture

What did you study and are you using it at all in your current role?

BComm Information Systems (Hons), not really but it was a criterion for getting me in the door.

How long have you been working and what do you miss about not working (i.e being a full time student)

It will be my fifth year working this year.

I miss not having to worry about making meals, it was done for me at residence. I miss those long 3 month holidays, I miss waking up in the morning and choosing if I want to go to class or not, I miss the reckless living, partying till sunrise. 

How is your typical work day?

Read emails, respond where I can

Formulate a to do list

Do tasks those tasks in my To-Do list could be

Build a plan, explain deliverable to junior resource

Attend meetings

Respond to emails

Three tips for people keen to join your line of work?

You have to be absolutely sure, that your personality is a fit for consulting, it can make your life miserable if you are not a good fit.

Always, always and always be willing to learn, make learning your habit.

Live up to your promises, even if it kills you, start now.

*names and faces have been deliberately omitted

Changing Faces: Candidate Attorney

Like how we start off with everybody around here, can you please tell us about life growing up?

I grew up in a very close-knit loving home. My parents got married young and decided to start their life in the Mother City, so they packed ship and off we went. Then came along the 4^th member of the "Awesome Foursome" and we did everything together. We laughed, cried, learnt, explored, lived abroad, came back and did it all again. My fondest memories involve my parents, brother and I all being together, that’s how I grew up.

What is it that you do now?

I'm a candidate attorney, in simple terms an 'almost attorney'.

What did you study and are you using it at all in your current role?

I studied a B.Com LLB, which is both a B.Com degree and a Law degree at the same time. Whether I'm using it in my current role is a yes and no answer. Yes, because I'm in legal practise and no because I work in a department which didn't have a specific course in my curriculum.

How long have you been working and what do you miss about being a full time student?

I have been working for two years now. I'm currently in my third year and honestly I don’t think I miss varsity, it was genuinely a gruelling experience. However, if I had to pick one thing I miss, it would be the lengthy holidays.

Tell us about your work typical day.

What I love about what I do, is I generally don't have a "typical day". I'm currently doing mining law, which is multifaceted. One day I could be on site, which means I'm at the mine itself; the next day I could be office-bound drafting and attending to client issues and the following day I could be at court attending to that aspect of my job. It's an arena of law which is exciting, different and plays a huge part of our economy.

Three tips on people keen to join your line of work?

·         You must enjoy learning and strive to always learn more. The law is always changing and you have to have the stamina and desire to want to keep learning

·         Be prepared for long hours because as much as we sell expertise, we sell time and it’s critical to be able to manage your time efficiently and effectively.

·         Be nice to people. The industry isn't as is shown on popular television shows. I'm a firm believer that anyone can learn the law, but character and heart along with knowledge take you a little further.

Do you encounter any challenges that specifically come with being a young black woman in corporate SA?

My current job isn't my first job, so I have had the opportunity to be able to answer this question with a little more objectivity and less subjectivity. There are challenges, but you have to take it with a pinch of salt. Be confident in your work and who you are and your goals. Here's a little experience to give an example of what I mean; I once attended a lunch meeting whereby I was the only woman, let alone black women and a fellow black male counterpart made a joke along the lines of "normally it’s women who serve the food". Naturally I laughed because you have to be smart about such things. But I wasn't going to let it ignite a reaction. I could have decided to be cold, and conduct myself as "one of the boys", but I wasn't going to let it change who I am, nor influence the great person I'm trying to be in this industry. Being a young, black woman with knowledge is South Africa's next great "mineral resource".  

Changing Faces: Junior Principal (Insurance)

Can you give us a brief background of how you grew up?

I grew up in a single-parent household and am the second eldest amongst 5 children. My childhood was full of laughter, tears (from being spanked – my Mom and Gran still firmly believe that if you spare the rod you spoil the child) and an overwhelmingly solid foundation.

My mother is my rock; through her I have seen that all things are possible. She single-handedly put all her children through private schools and her biggest gift to us was ensuring we got the best education. When I was growing up none of my siblings or I had fancy birthday parties or trips during school holidays. I used to think I was uncool because I didn’t have what all the other “cool” kids had, but I had something more precious – the best education and of course, I was quite the perfectionist and always came in the Top 3 of all my classes from primary school right through to High school. Sport was also my thing, from swimming, squash, netball, softball, running… *sigh* those were the good days.

So what is it that you do now?

I work for an insurance company and am employed as a Junior Principal.

What did you study and are you using it at all in your current role?

I studied Economics as well as Insurance & Risk Management and also completed a Postgraduate diploma in Management at Business School. I do use the Insurance knowledge in my current role. However, I quickly realised that all the theory I learnt in Varsity versus real-life experiences are two different things!

How long have you been working and what do you miss about campus life?

I have been working for just over 4 years now.

What I miss about being a full time student is the ability to see my friends as frequently as I used to. I attended classes with my friends and it was so fun. I also miss feeling invincible and I miss the child-like dreams I had of conquering the world as that is what kept me driven. However, the most significant thing I miss is the learning aspect of being a student which is why I think I will always study just so I do not feel like I am losing my edge.

How is your typical work day?

First thing is our Team has catch-up where we discuss any “burning issues” that affect our business or our Partnerships. Once that is done, I set about attending to the various support services we provide our Partners.

My job is to implement Reinsurance, BEE, Risk Management, and Compliance & Governance principles in the Partners businesses and to ensure that they are compliant. As much as we mandate our Partners to write insurance business on our behalf, we do still get involved in how they run their businesses (from an advisory perspective) and through that you get exposure on how a business is run and what it takes to ensure its growth.

Three tips on people keen to join your line of work?

I don’t know anyone who deliberately seeks out a career in the insurance industry. We all happen to stumble into the profession.

However, to join my line of work one needs an insurance qualification/ background (knowledge of the regulatory environment is important).

My line of work also needs an analytical individual, who can read financial statements and also assist our Partnerships with formulating and driving their Strategy.

The ability to manage relationships as well as stakeholder expectations is key (if you are a people’s person this is will be a plus) and also know how to pay attention to detail, read between the lines. We work with entrepreneurs whose livelihood is dependent on ensuring the success of their businesses. 

Do you encounter any challenges that specifically come with being a young black woman in corporate SA?

What I find challenging is that in some organisations, women of colour are sought after in order to “window-dress” and fulfil EE quotas. Secondly, there are few learning organisations and I feel like the transfer of information/ knowledge is not as fluid as it should be particularly if you’re black and female. I find that women in general are viewed as the ‘weaker’ sex, but women of colour even more so. I have noticed as well that in order to be elevated or considered for an opportunity one needs to kiss-ass and it is quite disturbing?

Despite these challenges, it is not impossible to transcend them and stand out. I believe I am not defined by my circumstances and use them to propel me to the next level. Even though it is tough to penetrate the testosterone filled boardrooms I know that it is up to me to grab those opportunities and ensure I make my presence felt. Women can do anything they put their minds to. It depends on how badly we want success for ourselves, and for our sisters. It can be done and it has been done.

“Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” – Oscar Wilde

*names and faces have been purposely been omitted