Grade 12 · CAPS

Grade 12 Careers and career choices

Life Orientation practice questions and a worked example

Grade 12 Life Orientation questions on careers come from the written Common Assessment Task, from one-word terms to paragraph answers. The questions here ask you to explain recruitment trends and processes, labour laws and job contracts, work ethics and the value of work, and entrepreneurship, and to evaluate choices such as hiring someone with work experience. They come from the Department of Basic Education’s Grade 12 Life Orientation Common Assessment Task for September 2023, September 2024 and September 2025, each with the answer from the marking guideline.

Worked example

SECTION B QUESTION 3 Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow. SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH: LACK OF REQUIRED SKILLS RECRUITMENT TRENDS Most South African post-school youth are still struggling to find suitable jobs, mainly due to a lack of required skills and their inability to keep up with the latest recruitment trends in the job market. Recruitment trends change over time. The expectations of companies, human resource recruiters and candidates continually change, meaning that one needs to adapt to these changes accordingly. The most common concern employers have about young job seekers is that they may not realise that they are mainly responsible for risking their chances of getting employed. Employers are also of the opinion that most of the young people that are getting employed need to be more willing to upskill themselves in the job. Another alarming matter is that young job seekers may not be keeping up with recruitment trends being used by recruiters. Young job seekers should also realise the importance of having a personal brand, meaning a personal and unique way in which they could market themselves in today's world of work. [Adapted from https://job-hunt.org. Accessed on 07/01/2023.]
3.1 Define the term recruitment trends.

Answer & explanation

TWO marks for a well-explained response *NOTE TO TEACHER: No marks will be awarded for examples Definitions: It may refer to… • contemporary/modern ways that employers may use to source for suitably qualified workers. • current ways of selecting/placement of potential workers, in keeping with the technological advances of the 21st century/4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). • present-day approaches that open up a wider data base to recruit candidates whose profile might fit particular job requirements. • the latest methods of identifying suitable candidates for a job/interacting with suitable candidates. Any ONE of the above responses for TWO marks
Recruitment trends refer to the modern methods and strategies that employers use to find and select qualified workers. These methods have evolved with technological advances, such as the 4th Industrial Revolution, which allows for more efficient and broader ways to identify and interact with potential candidates. Employers now use digital platforms and data-driven approaches to match job requirements with candidate profiles, ensuring a better fit for the roles they need to fill.

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Careers and career choices

Question 1 of 3

SECTION A QUESTION 1 1.1.2 The Labour Relations Act (LRA), 1995 (Act 66 of 1995) allows for the dismissal of workers based on …
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Explore additional Grade 12 Careers and career choices questions.

  • 2
    SECTION B QUESTION 3 Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow. SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH: LACK OF REQUIRED SKILLS RECRUITMENT TRENDS Most South African post-school youth are still struggling to find suitable jobs, mainly due to a lack of required skills and their inability to keep up with the latest recruitment trends in the job market. Recruitment trends change over time. The expectations of companies, human resource recruiters and candidates continually change, meaning that one needs to adapt to these changes accordingly. The most common concern employers have about young job seekers is that they may not realise that they are mainly responsible for risking their chances of getting employed. Employers are also of the opinion that most of the young people that are getting employed need to be more willing to upskill themselves in the job. Another alarming matter is that young job seekers may not be keeping up with recruitment trends being used by recruiters. Young job seekers should also realise the importance of having a personal brand, meaning a personal and unique way in which they could market themselves in today's world of work. [Adapted from https://job-hunt.org. Accessed on 07/01/2023.]
    3.2 Describe ONE way in which young job seekers may risk their chances of being considered for an interview.
  • 3
    SECTION B QUESTION 3 Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow. SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH: LACK OF REQUIRED SKILLS RECRUITMENT TRENDS Most South African post-school youth are still struggling to find suitable jobs, mainly due to a lack of required skills and their inability to keep up with the latest recruitment trends in the job market. Recruitment trends change over time. The expectations of companies, human resource recruiters and candidates continually change, meaning that one needs to adapt to these changes accordingly. The most common concern employers have about young job seekers is that they may not realise that they are mainly responsible for risking their chances of getting employed. Employers are also of the opinion that most of the young people that are getting employed need to be more willing to upskill themselves in the job. Another alarming matter is that young job seekers may not be keeping up with recruitment trends being used by recruiters. Young job seekers should also realise the importance of having a personal brand, meaning a personal and unique way in which they could market themselves in today's world of work. [Adapted from https://job-hunt.org. Accessed on 07/01/2023.]
    3.3 Why is it important for young workers to continually upskill themselves in a job?
  • 4
    SECTION B QUESTION 3 Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow. SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH: LACK OF REQUIRED SKILLS RECRUITMENT TRENDS Most South African post-school youth are still struggling to find suitable jobs, mainly due to a lack of required skills and their inability to keep up with the latest recruitment trends in the job market. Recruitment trends change over time. The expectations of companies, human resource recruiters and candidates continually change, meaning that one needs to adapt to these changes accordingly. The most common concern employers have about young job seekers is that they may not realise that they are mainly responsible for risking their chances of getting employed. Employers are also of the opinion that most of the young people that are getting employed need to be more willing to upskill themselves in the job. Another alarming matter is that young job seekers may not be keeping up with recruitment trends being used by recruiters. Young job seekers should also realise the importance of having a personal brand, meaning a personal and unique way in which they could market themselves in today's world of work. [Adapted from https://job-hunt.org. Accessed on 07/01/2023.]
    3.4 Discuss TWO ways in which you, as a young job seeker, could ensure that you keep up with the latest recruitment trends.
  • 5
    SECTION B QUESTION 3 Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow. SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH: LACK OF REQUIRED SKILLS RECRUITMENT TRENDS Most South African post-school youth are still struggling to find suitable jobs, mainly due to a lack of required skills and their inability to keep up with the latest recruitment trends in the job market. Recruitment trends change over time. The expectations of companies, human resource recruiters and candidates continually change, meaning that one needs to adapt to these changes accordingly. The most common concern employers have about young job seekers is that they may not realise that they are mainly responsible for risking their chances of getting employed. Employers are also of the opinion that most of the young people that are getting employed need to be more willing to upskill themselves in the job. Another alarming matter is that young job seekers may not be keeping up with recruitment trends being used by recruiters. Young job seekers should also realise the importance of having a personal brand, meaning a personal and unique way in which they could market themselves in today's world of work. [Adapted from https://job-hunt.org. Accessed on 07/01/2023.]
    3.5 How could having a personal brand enhance your chances of finding a job?

Common mistakes

  • Giving only positive points to an “evaluate” question. The marking guideline gives full marks for a positive statement and a negative statement, each explained.
  • Answering only the first part of a question that says “In EACH answer, also indicate …”. The second part carries its own mark.
  • Writing one short line for an “analyse” point. Full marks need a statement, an elaboration, a qualification and an outcome.

More Grade 12 Life Orientation topics

Aligned to CAPS Grade 12 Life Orientation — Careers and career choices. Curriculum source: CAPS for the FET Phase, Department of Basic Education.

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