29/06/2011

Saturday 29th January 2011

Christine Orono
HR Consultant with 18+ years in HR with Barclays Bank Passionate about people development and placement of people into careers that fit their talents & motivations Extensive training and facilitation background Accredited Job & Career Transition/Development Coach Pastors wife and mother of one 3 year old daughter Church Leader Member of Institute of HR Management Member of numerous Career Forums

Careers

Youth Kenya Transition Trust

Muhito Location Form IV Leavers Empowerment Workshop

Traditional approach to life after school

Desire to go to university based on choices hurriedly made without much research or information If not find tertiary college computers, IT, sales and marketing diplomas Look for part-time work until college Work in a relatives business as you wait After college look for a job Get into first job offer you get or the best paying and then move as opportunities arise Keep the cycle going until we retire (in-between get a family, maybe be strong church goer etc) Notion that learning is over after college and once you start working

Consequences of this approach

Many times we are led by peer pressure or pressure from parents or our family We over-rate people who have done well academically Our self esteem is linked to our academic performance and the type of job/work/career you are in We get into courses that do not match who we are Later on we discover we are not fulfilled we retire poorer in spirit than when we began Mismatch between our core passions and our activities Under-utilized talents We leave God out of the decisions We realize there is more to life too late after we have already spent most of our lives Too focused on jobs rather than our true mission A feeling of lack of purpose when jobs come to an end

Why Careers? Why Work?

Work is an important part of our lives. We rely on it for income, but many of us want more. We expect work to interesting, to use our skills, and to fit in with other commitments and interests. We often seek a sense of moving forward or progress in our working lives. This is what many people mean by the term career On average, people work for almost 35 40 years before retirement. This translates to: 260 days each year (assuming it is a 5 day working week) 10,400 days Average 8 10 hours a day = 104,000 hours of our lives

The World of Work & Careers in the 21st Century

Globalization Shift from industrial age to the information age to ideas age Online learning revolution Many people unemployed despite being highly qualified Very competitive, fast paced Many new sectors and new areas to choose from High demands from employers therefore employees must be continuous learners

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The World of Work & Careers in the 21st Century

Unpredictability and uncertainty e.g. you can study a course which becomes irrelevant in a short time Need to be flexible to adapt to continuous change Effect of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Boom in entrepreneurship and growth of new, small, fast moving businesses and companies (home-based) Wave of restructuring leading to lay-offs, fewer staff, flatter and leaner organizations Recession slump, downturn, collapse of global economies Focus by organization on the totality of an individual rather than just qualifications attributes, motivation, talents etc Fewer job opportunites I dont mean there is no work!

What YOU should do differently

Make more considered decisions on our life and career inspired by God Become extremely good at what you do (10x better)! Consider who you really are your values, vision and mission Build according to your gifts and talents and value what we have Think long-term where do I want to be 20-30 years from now? You are not just to make a living you are designing a life! Going to university does not guarantee success Focus on significance rather than success what impact do you want to have in the world? FOCUS AWAY FROM JOBS AND FOCUS ON YOUR MISSION (WORK) Entrepreneurship rather than formal employment is the way of the future

Quote
Many die with thier music still in them. Why is this so? Too often, it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out (Oliver Wendell Holmes)
Lets look at some Career tips to help..

1. Be personally responsible/Take Charge of your career

Be disciplined in working on yourself and what you need to do to get where you are going Be realistic about what is and what is not possible to achieve in the short term Be persistent & focused about what you want and not being dissuaded by failure or by the inappropriate comments of others Be proactive in your environment rather than waiting for things to come your way or for luck to deal you in Being self-assertive in making choices and taking reasonable risks with people and opportunities and accepting the outcomes of those risks

2. Get the highest qualification you can as soon as you can!!

You dont need a degree to be successful in business or to be a President or MP. Many entrepreneurs from founders of airlines to Retail companies e.g. Bill gates left school with minimal qualifications but it is essential to complete your studies now. Qualifications are not always necessary to be successful in the job because it takes experience, motivation and commitment, qualifications do give you a ticket in the election race for the job. In these days of significant unemployment, employers are demanding qualifications not always required by the job but just to reduce the number of applicants. The higher the qualification, the better the ticket for the job race for the really top jobs

3. Know yourself and stick with your strong points (Discover what you are designed to do)
Start the process of discovering what your talents and motivations are, and build on them. Why? Because you will develop what you do best and enjoy most. Knowing yourself includes articulating what types of work you like to do which activities give you the most meaning what kinds of environments you prefer to work in what sorts of people you like to work with what abilities you possess and those you need to develop

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3. Know yourself and stick with your strong points (Discover what you are designed to do)
You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want Margaret Young We will get what we settle for we must value ourselves, and our talents, at thier proper work (Laurie beth-Jones)

4. Keep up to date
Once upon a time you will gain a qualification and then say Im qualified. It was as if learning had finished and then work begins. This is no longer the case. Technology is moving at such a pace that qualifications get out of date. In todays world, you are fortunate if your technology stays relevant for more than18 months! An average person reads just one book a year. Just think what you can achieve by reading one book a month in your area of expertise. The mind is like any other organ if it is not used then it will slowly atrophy. Read something regularly and get your mind fit. Jogging for the mind will make you fit for your perfect career

5. Be Consistent
Organizations need stability to be successful and they need stable people. It is better to be a star than a spectacular performance on an infrequent basis. It is better to be someone who can be relied upon to do something on a regular basis than someone who will do it brilliantly one day but not be there the next. Predictability and consistency in performance are required for the Perfect Career!

6. Dream and develop goals

Make yourself a roadmap and study it everyday until you know the way and the destination by heart Bryce CourtneyEverything starts with an idea or desire or wish. Even simple desire like feeling hungry or thirsty. The idea comes and then you do something about it to turn the idea into reality, to convert a dream into action. What do you dare to dream of yourself? What to you aspire to? What are you hungry or thirsty for in career terms?

7. Develop a Trade or Practical Skills for Life

What

do you want to be known for? Look for skills that can be useful even beyond formal employment Education will earn you a living but self educationwill earn you a FORTUNE (Jim Rohn)

8. Connect with your Life Vision/Purpose Questions to Ponder

What would you do if you had 12 months to live (and you had visited all the places you ever wanted to and prepared your family members for your demise) Is there a cause about which you feel passionate about? Imagine writing your eulogy, what things do you want to be remembered for at the end of your life? How would you spend the rest of your life, guaranteed at least 20 years of good health, if you inherited Kshs 10 million? What one thing would you do if you knew that you could not fail? If you could be anyone in the world (Arts, History, Entertainment, Politics etc) who would you be (living or dead, male or female, fictional or real)

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Action Questions
What are you going to do today to achieve them? How can you prepare yourself to achieve them? What resources, qualifications and/or network do you need to achieve them? What is stopping you and what are you going to do about it Today?

9. DO NOT make career choices just based on: Money perception that the career makes more money Pressure from friends/family Subjects of study for their sake only but dont enjoy Activities you dont enjoy or have a connection with The earlier you make career decisions in line with your inmost values and desires, the more complete you will be, the more perfect your career. Make INFORMED career decisions It might not be completely possible to realize your dream, but you almost certainly can get close to it!

10. Where to get Career Advise

Significant others pastors, teachers, parents, friends, mentors Career guidance counsellors Recruitment Agencies Career guidance scientific, psychometric testing, etc Available resources books, internet

Parting Shot
Once we set our feet on a path, we will be corrected and guided as long as our hearts stay focussed on integrity both ours and Gods (Laurie beth Jones)