Transferable skills: What they are and how you can detect them
[bctt tweet=”So many of us want a change of jobs and we feel our skills will not fit. That isn’t entirely true” via=”no”] Have you looked through a job application and your initial thoughts are that you haven’t got any required or essential skills necessary for the job? Don’t panic just yet, we have the scoop to calm your career nerves. What are transferable skills? Transferable skills are talents and abilities you can take from job to job or career to career. They are skills you have acquired and can implement in any future career settings. They are categorized of more soft skills than technical skills. How are they acquired? Transferable skills are acquired through volunteering, internship opportunities, apprenticeship, training (formal and informal), hobbies and any job, task or role you were or still involved in including parenting. [bctt tweet=”The key thing is that you have every opportunity to develop your skills & learn new ones” via=”no”] What set of skills are transferable? Interpersonal and people skills Simply put, it is a skill that shows how well you relate to others. Top tip is how you communicate (written and verbal), empathy for others, conflict resolution and willingness to get along with others (team player), to ensure a common goal. Organisational skills This set of skills requires the ability to use your energy, resources and time in an efficient and effective way. Top tip is how you are able to follow through, manage your time, prioritize your work, planning and of course, meeting deadlines. Leadership skills The ability to influence a set of people to achieve a goal or move to a particular direction is essential as a leader. This set of soft skills is developed over time. Top tips are how you can effectively communicate, indispensability, integrity, commitment, problem-solving, initiative, decision making, evaluating, delegating and managing. Communication skills This set of skills cannot be overemphasized enough. They require the ability to articulate, explain, persuade and speak in public settings (meetings, work presentation or informal settings). Top tip is how well you are understood either through an email or letter or through your speech. Information technology skills The use of I.T skills is more than essential in our everyday life. However, you need to show an ability to use formal I.T skills in a work environment. Top tip is having the ability to use Microsoft Office packages. Research and analytical skills This set of transferable skills has the ability to search or look for information or data, organise them, interprete and make inferences, theories and decisions or solutions based on your findings. Top tip is the need to want to solve problems, by thinking, creativity, and curiosity. [bctt tweet=”You already have transferable skills. You just need to list them out now and apply them” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do I know if I have them? Get out your pen and a paper and begin to make a list of skills and talents you have acquired thus far. Reflect on the roles you have done in the past (even in an educational environment) and as you go through this set of skills, create a list of your own set of transferable skills.
How to mission travel
[bctt tweet=”The best trips are those that are the most demanding, socially and professionally! ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I am sitting in the middle seat of an empty row (great when you need to catch up on some sleep), and we are a few hours away from final destination: Dakar, Senegal. Since July last year, my world has been turned upside down in ways I never thought possible. I exited two years of post-bachelor unemployment (forcing myself to confront my aggravated social anxiety) to join an agency where I am in the air for what feels like 3 weeks every month. Though it has been exciting to discover everything business travel has taught me, oh boy has it been tricky and downright scary sometimes. It’s that fear of the unknown I suppose. I cannot tell you if it will ever leave me. But I don’t intend on wasting these travel opportunities by focusing on my fears. So I have mapped out a way in which I could be better prepared for mission travel, therefore less stressed, and more likely to take in as much as I can from these travels. If you are interested, and especially if you will be going on your first travel missions soon, I hope you stick around and enjoy the read. Step 1: The pre-travel prep In the week preceding your travels, take some time to research not only your final destination but also the countries in which you will be transiting. Make sure you have the travel and transit durations right (those can get so confusing, I mean is it just me?). Check the weather, the currency used in these countries and the predominant culture/religion for acceptable dress codes. You may want to calculate how much money you will need for the time you are away and take the appropriate amount of money beforehand; carrying dollars is very often the most appropriate. If you are not carrying cash, check for available banks and ATMs where you will be landing. Let me give you an illustration of what went wrong when I didn’t research my travel destinations. Last month, I embarked on a trip to Abidjan via Addis Ababa. I was so excited because after my mission I would be discovering Abidjan with some friends who have their parents there. All I could think of was the heat of Côte d’Ivoire and I imagined myself lying on the beach, sunnies on and all. I didn’t bother to check the weather in Addis where I would be spending the night and let’s just say, it was a pretty cold and uncomfortable night. The same goes with transit durations. I once confused an overnight layover for one that would only last a few hours. I encountered a lot of stress finding a hotel to spend the night in, and I thank the heavens I hadn’t given in to the temptation of spending all my remaining cash. Step 2: Pack appropriately and as lightly as you can This is where, till today, I binge watch “how to pack lightly” YouTube videos like they’re going out of style. Yesterday I think I hit the mark when an airport officer remarked: “Your suitcase is so light for a lady, you always feel the need to pack everything.” Needless to say that as a compulsive over-packer, I felt great. In all seriousness, it is important not to pack too heavily. If you pack light, you lose fewer things and you move faster. Packing light, however, doesn’t mean you leave the things you do need behind. Other than clothing, make sure you pack all professional material relating to your mission travel, and then you’re good to go! Learn how to pack like a pro here! Step 3: Keep your eyes on the prize So you’ve made it to your destination. Now what? If you are traveling alone, contact your boss or supervisor and make sure they know you’ve arrived safely and are ready to get moving. This serves two purposes, 1. Someone from your organization will know where you are and can assist with any urgent queries. 2. By calling when you get to your destination you can find out as soon as possible what you need to do and how you can get ahead on certain tasks. Mission travel is often very short and we can use all the time we have. [bctt tweet=”How do you ace travelling for work when you have social anxiety? Read this!” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Step 4: Take care of yourself Indeed, mission travel can be pretty fast pace. So remember to take care of yourself whenever you have the time. During travel, we often end up in surroundings we are not used to with people that may have completely different cultures than ours. The change in scenery can be exhausting all on its own. So take some time out for you. Call your friends or a family member -yes, even if you’re only going to be away for 4 days- wake up a little earlier for some prayer or meditation time, or get to bed earlier if you can. Step 5: Take in the travel and loosen up! I recently read “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown from which a sentence struck out to me. I turned into an everyday prayer, and I am paraphrasing here, but it goes a little something like this; “let me have the courage to show up and let myself be seen”. All this to say that you should expect that despite the stress of the travels, your colleagues are going to be a lot more relaxed, and it’s an opportunity to show your personality and get to know on a deeper level those with whom you work. [bctt tweet=”Travelling for work is a great opportunity to get to know your colleagues on a deeper level ” via=”no”] You’re going to get some FOMO too, sometimes you’re going to get an entire afternoon to yourself after work to visit your surroundings and sometimes you’re
How to build a daily culture of rest (The rest rituals of the rich)
[bctt tweet=”We live, work and play, burning out and hoping for resuscitation over the holidays” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I learnt that we do not have a culture of rest in our society and holidays reveal that for me personally. We live, work and play, burning out and hoping for resuscitation over the holidays. You can’t put your wellness on the line for 350 days and hope that in 2 weeks you can snap back! We need to build a ritual of rest, all successful people have some type of ritual that involves treating their bodies with care, so perhaps this is one you can adopt. Last year, I started reading “Thrive” by Arianna Huffington, but I stopped because I felt that Arianna was telling people to slow down on work after she had sold her business for $315 million to AOL! I was like “let me do that first and then I will rest!” But this holiday I dusted off my copy of “Thrive” and reread it to find some daily rituals I can practice going into the year! Here are my top 5 rest rituals I am challenging myself with this year. 1) Quality sleep: 7-8 Hours a night As an entrepreneur that works from home, it is very difficult to unplug and go to sleep, especially towards the end of the month. The Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine states, “sleep deprivation negatively impacts our mood, our ability to focus, and our ability to access higher level cognitive functions: the combination of these factors is what we generally refer to as mental performance.” Therefore, to be smarter, you have to sleep more; not less! In this instance, I encourage that we sleep our way to the top! Now sleeping isn’t getting into bed and scrolling through time feeds until you fall asleep, you need to completely shut down before you get into the bed and be prepared for sleep. Here are a few things you can do to cross over into la-la land: Make your bedroom darker (use lamps or candles) and keep it cool; Practice deeper breathing before bed (I’ve tried this, it does work) Banish all LCD screens from the bedroom at night (cellphone- charge it in the lounge and buy an alarm clock, laptops, TV, tablet) Get a nice set of pyjamas, instead of a t-shirt, that will excite you to get into bed. 2) The power nap If you decide to nap, you are actually in good company with the likes of former US President John F Kennedy, inventor Thomas Edison, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Their naps would vary from 20 minutes to 2 hours and even up to 6 hours! The most bizarre nap I have heard of is that of Salvadore Dali, the artist, who would nap for 1 second! He called it “slumber with a key” where he would sit in a chair, holding a key and place a plate on the floor so that when he fell asleep the key would fall onto the plate and wake him up! Allegedly Albert Einstein did the same, so it may be worth a try! Slumber is the key! Side note: These are all men, can we take up the challenge of becoming famous women nappers??!! [bctt tweet=”Consider a 30-day social media hiatus at least once every 6 months” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3) Unplugging We live in a hyper connected world where we probably know more about whats going on around us than we do whats going on inside us. I did not think I was addicted to social media until I watched Simon Sinek’s talk on Millennials in the Workplace, which you can see here. A warning, do not watch this video if you aren’t ready to make some changes, I was not ready! I strongly recommend a 30-day social media hiatus at least once every 6 months. 4) Minimalism This is a concept I came across recently, so I am also learning! Minimalism is about owning exactly the right things, for you and your needs, and no more than that, so that you then have more time, energy, and resources (including money) to spend on the important stuff. Stuff costs money and it takes up a lot of space -a lack of both can lead to stress- which does not help to rest! Living with less is not just about getting rid of junk and making extra cash from selling your hoarded items. It is about living with passion and purpose and less about living for things. I have read about people living with just 50 items and up to 300 items. It’s about frequently asking the question, ” Does this serve a purpose in my life?” [bctt tweet=”Living with less is living with passion and purpose” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 5) Quiet time Call it whatever you want, meditation or prayer or power hour or stillness. Whatever word you decide to use. We all need at least 5 minutes or an hour to connect with our source of wisdom and power. I personally use this time to read my Bible and pray. Binge watching series, Netflix, and chill are not resting or recuperating, at best it is escapism. I think implementing each or one of these simple steps on a daily basis will allow us to cultivate a culture of self-care, taking rest daily instead of waiting for the next holidays. What are some of your tips?
4 principles to follow for a meaningful career
[bctt tweet=”How do you actually find meaning and purpose in your career? Start here ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We all aspire to find meaning and purpose in our careers, whatever our line of work maybe, but the question is how do you actually do that? I feel like somewhat of an expert on the topic having explored different fields of study from Physics to European studies. In addition to that, I have considered going into the business world but eventually ending up working in development. I do feel that the work I do now is more in line with my long-term goal which is to work in the intersection of educational development and girls/women’s issues. Had I taken the time to ask myself some key questions years ago and really try to answer them based on a true understanding of my want, needs, and aspirations, I may have arrived at this finding a long time ago. Through this post, I’d like to share with you some practical steps you can take to make sure that you don’t stay stuck in a career that’s not meant for you but rather you are empowered to find a career that allows you to do the things you genuinely care most about. 1. Define what “meaningful” looks like to you Conventional wisdom may indicate that a meaningful and successful career is one that brings loads of money, recognition, and fame. And maybe that is true for some people, but is that true for you? You need to take a moment of self-reflection and truly consider what a meaningful career looks like for you and how that fits into the context of a meaningful life. Personally, when trying to decide what a meaningful career looked like, I tried to consider how my intended career weighed against the following factors: legacy, mastery, freedom, and alignment Legacy Look at the list of things you will have to achieve on this job and ask yourself if these are things you enjoy doing and can see yourself doing for an extended period of time. It’s not always going to be rainbows and roses, and so even on the mundane days, you have to ask yourself if you would be willing to stick it out). Are you creative and like to think outside the box? Do you like to follow rules and preserve order? How well do you handle uncertainty? Do you like being told what to do or do you prefer to be left to your own devices most of the time? Are you good at convincing others to do things or do you prefer to let the numbers do the talking? Will your career allow you achieve the things you want to professionally while allowing you to stay true to yourself? Mastery Make a list of all the things you know you kick-ass at and totally dominate. Are you a good writer, speaker, convener, motivator, team player, thinker? Does the career you’ve chosen put you in a position where you can display your mastery of these skills? Are there other skills that you have a feeling that if given the opportunity to do so you could master easily? Would this career afford you that opportunity? [bctt tweet=”Does the career you’ve chosen put you in a position to display your mastery of your skills? ” via=”no”] Freedom I think we all know intuitively what this means. Whatever career you choose, it’s going to come with some constraints i.e. salary, benefits, vacation days, perks, how much you get to travel etc. When you imagine yourself living your best and freest life, what does this look like? Will this career allow you to achieve that vision of freedom that you have? Alignment When it comes to alignment, the question you have to ask yourself is whether your chosen career is in line with your personal values and the type of work culture that you value. This requires a bit of research and digging to find accounts from people who have worked there. For instance, a company might be well-known for fostering creativity but also condoning a culture of misogyny (Uber anyone?). You need to be able to determine for yourself whether the culture that exists is one you see yourself fitting into seamlessly or whether it is one where you are willing to change to adapt to. 2. Think long term Thanks to advances in modern medicine, people are living longer which means that for our generation, retirement age is probably going to increase. Chances are whatever career you do commit to you’re going to be in it for a long time. So rather than thinking “What job do I want right now”, think “What life do I want 50 years from now”. And then find the career that fits into that. Find a career that you can see yourself doing 10, 20, 30 years from now. One that excites you and you feel will have room to allow you to grow in the direction of your long-term goals. [bctt tweet=”Think about the life you want 50 years from now and find a career that fits into that ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Be honest about your finances One of the main reasons that people stay stuck in a job or career that they don’t love is because of money. Either the money is too good to leave or the money is so bad they can’t afford to leave. But know this, you deserve to find a career that you find meaningful and fulfilling. So start today, start with what you have and create a “financial cushion” that will enable you to get started on that journey towards career bliss and psychological freedom. Make a budget and stick to it, give yourself a timeline, start exploring other opportunities and when the time is right, make your grand exit and follow your dreams. 4. Give time some time No one likes to hear this, but things take time and as the saying goes “Rome wasn’t
5 things to do to get the corner office
[bctt tweet=”Working your way up the corporate ladder? Take a look at how to get there with ease!” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] After reading the book, “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office 101” by Lois P. Frankel, I felt it was only best to share some of the best tips that I learnt from this book! The book offers a bunch of no-no’s that we tend to overlook but actually, play a huge role in our professional careers. As Black women, it is already an uphill battle as it is! We all know the steps we need to take to be successful, but how about we look at it from a different angle? Let’s take a look at what a Motherland Mogul should NOT be doing in order to reach the top. 1. Asking permission It should be clear to people from the get go that you do not need approval from anybody! Go after what you want and be confident. If you are asking for permission, especially for simple things, you downplay the position you are in to make decisions. Instead of asking your boss, “May I work from home today?” rather say, “I will be working from home today, I will be available via email or cell”. This shows that it is important for your boss to be informed, yet you can make your own decisions when it comes to yourself and your work. 2. Needing to be liked Everybody wants to be liked and it can play a huge role in your success but, you have to strike a balance. If you are overly concerned with being liked, that means you are easily swayed by stronger personalities. I was thrown into an industry I knew nothing about. I knew I was capable of doing the job, but I felt I needed to be liked because it was my first time at the rodeo. I became a “yes” woman and ended up doing other people’s work. I learnt that I need to stand my ground – new or not. Not having a backbone meant that nobody was giving the respect I deserved, but at the same time, I was not showing anybody that I deserved it because I wanted to be liked so badly! [bctt tweet=”Click here to see what you should NOT be doing to reach success in the office. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Holding your tongue Society has been conditioned to believe that if a woman is being assertive, she is being a bitch and many women do not speak up as a result. This happens not only at work but in our personal spaces too. A friend of mine told me about a superior who shoots down all her ideas, yet uses them as his own in important meetings to take all the credit. She let this happen for a while, but this made her realize that her boss is only stunting her growth in the long run. My friend kept all her ideas to herself until it was time to brainstorm in a meeting. She received some great feedback and because of all the great work she put in over time, she was promoted. This also allowed her to gain the respect of her superior, keeping him from stealing any of her ideas! It is ok to disagree, and being assertive means people will respect you, not walk all over you. 4. Minimizing your work or position Women tend to downplay their positions at work. Often you will hear, “Oh, I’m just a secretary, nothing special”. This is wrong! Whether you are a secretary or manager, each position plays a role in the growth of the company you work for. My new transition into the finance industry was not the easiest as I learnt about everything from scratch. This made me downplay my role when people asked “what do you do?”, I just wanted to avoid the topic completely because I was ashamed of the fact that I was not in the field that I worked hard and studied for. People did not take my expertise seriously because of this. I taught myself to snap out of that habit and acknowledge the fact that I am amazing at what I do and I should be proud of it. If you act like your job is not serious, then people will not take you seriously. [bctt tweet=”Check out how these office faux pas can stop a #MotherlandMogul from getting that corner office.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 5. Failing to define your brand Personal branding is all the rage, and for good reason! Ask yourself how you want people to see you, what your expertise is and what you want to be known for. You may be working in finance, but ultimately you want to be a writer. What are you doing to make sure that people know you as a writer? What are you bringing to the table to make sure your expertise is communicated well? Ask yourself these questions. A lot of people make you feel like you should be following one path. But as a Motherland Mogul, it’s ok to be a jack of all trades or take on many interests. Show people what you got and you’re well on your way to success.
#LiftAsYouClimb-Takeaways from SheHive DC
[bctt tweet=”There’s a seat at the table for you and me. Lift as you climb” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In my junior year of college, I sat in the White House. I sat at the edge of my seat as I listened to women of color ranging from Chief of Staff members to representatives from economic policy and public engagement. These powerful women talked about experiences and lessons that they had learnt as White House Staffers, and as I took in everything, I appreciated the opportunity to sit, listen and learn. I experienced a similar feeling of respect and gratitude as I sat surrounded by amazing black women at the SheHive DC conference this past weekend. There is something powerful about hearing from people who wield successful and influential positions, people who see themselves in you and who you can see yourself in. That being said, here are three key takeaways from the conference centered on your value proposition and how you can learn from others. The takeaways are: track your data, don’t be afraid to ask for informational interviews and lift as you climb. I hope you learn something concrete that you can apply to your career, business, and life just as I did! [bctt tweet=”There is something powerful about hearing from people who wield successful & influential positions” via=”no”] How you can provide value In the “Building Partnerships” workshop with Afua Osei (co-founder of SheLeadsAfrica), Afua talked about one of the ways that her organization proved their value proposition effectively. In their proposals and potential partnerships, they were able to collect and measure relevant data. They could pinpoint exactly how much value they added to potential partners and sponsors based on data that they tracked including statistics like how many more followers they could bring to an organization’s social media presence. Our world is increasingly becoming a more data-driven one, and the ability to measure data and showcase it in digestible ways will open doors to building partnerships and attracting sponsors in your business. A cool resource I want to share from a YouTube channel that I follow(shout out to TechChange!) that looks at everyday datasets and visualizes it is Piktochart. Piktochart is an easy way to visually represent data that you collect and it can help you start thinking more about collecting and representing your data! [bctt tweet=”The ability to measure data and showcase it will open doors to attracting sponsors in your business” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Learning from the people around you Another valuable tool, that should come in handy is the informational interview. I first learnt the concept of informational interviews through one of my mentors (shout out to Davia!) Informational interviews are essentially interviews where you seek out and ask for an opportunity to meet people you admire and want to learn from. At SheHive, Denise Horn, who is currently head of corporate communications at Turner Broadcasting, also emphasized the importance of connecting with people through informational interviews. A tip was to also ask these people for two other people within their circle that you can connect with! During my job search, my mentor connected me to so many people doing amazing work in various sectors in her circle. These interviews gave me clarity on what I wanted to pursue career wise and the things that I was passionate about. It was amazing how people I didn’t know were eager to help me learn from them. I hope that you too will also seek out people that you want to learn from. Don’t be shy when it comes to asking questions and asking for informational interviews! And finally one of my favorite takeaways from the conference: “There is a seat at the table for you and me. Lift as you climb.” My friend, Adoley, and I coined this quote as our takeaway from the conference. (And won a bottle of wine for it too ayee) I am a product of the people who invested in me. The people who made time and shared their knowledge and experiences with me. Recently, I have been reflecting about the kind of footprint I want my life to leave as I transition from my undergraduate experience. And it’s one that embodies the theme of #liftasyouclimb. The idea of trying to be a woman who actively encourages women around you. Someone who willingly shares tips, advice, and experiences, and connects people to others within your network when necessary. A lot of times, in our attempt to achieve success, we forget about other people that we can carve out time for and support to reach similar successes that we have had. We all have experiences that others can learn from and it’s important that, when we are able to, we share our experiences with others in a way that is constructive and beneficial. [bctt tweet=”We all have experiences that others can learn from & it’s important to we share them with others” via=”no”] Thanks to SheHive DC for that reminder. Track your data, don’t be afraid to ask for informational interviews and lift as you climb.
Handling “many eggs” in one basket: How to manage the hustle
[bctt tweet=”Several eggs in your hustle basket? Here’s how to be effective ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You have a great full-time job but because of passion and interests, there are many other eggs in your hustle basket. It’s becoming a struggle to be on top of your game in your different work zones and this is a huge pain point for you. How the can you be more effective and ace each hustle? Proper planning So you’re a lawyer by day but also run online bi-weekly legal training sessions for your Facebook community? Or you’re a bank employee during the week and an event planner during the weekends? You need to plan ahead. What are the things you need to achieve per week or per month in each work zone? How can activities be spread across to enable you to perform them efficiently? For instance, you may need to take out a day to plan weekly/monthly activities. You will also draw out a schedule of when to perform specific tasks and follow through. A good plan is a foundation for work effectiveness. [bctt tweet=”A good plan is a foundation for work effectiveness” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Time management It’s one thing to have a plan and it is another to follow through. Yes, you need to follow through otherwise you’d keep going round in circles. This means deliberate scheduling of planned activities and allocation of timelines. Most times, we waste time on activities that do not in any way help towards our big picture. This makes our other work zones suffer. So you get on Instagram looking at lovely pictures, fashion statements and couple goals when you are supposed to be writing a book, 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour? Wehdone ma, when do you think you’d finish that book? You need to start prioritising. Of course, you can take part in other activities but it shouldn’t be at the expense of your A-game. Delegation/outsourcing By now, you must have realised that you cannot do all. Either because you do not have enough time or you do not have enough expertise in certain areas. You can achieve this by employing interns or entering a partnership with another business. I can hear someone say, “but that would cost money”. Well, it may not always be free but could cost you something which is not necessarily money. Once you’ve identified the areas you need to delegate or outsource, then you need to get creative with payment options. What then can you offer the person rendering you a service? If you are an accountant, you could offer to manage their books. If you’re the lawyer offering online legal sessions, you can offer legal training to the Facebook or Whatsapp community of the expert you are delegating to. The idea is to get creative in delivering value because trust me, you need help and you may not have all the money to pay. [bctt tweet=”Get creative in delivering, you need help and you may not have all the money to pay” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Automation You should automate certain tasks. It makes things faster and saves you much needed time. For instance, you need to upload content on various social media platforms. Instead of going from one to the other, get an app that helps you reach all at the same time. Or you work in a bank but bake for your clients too and you still want to be mixing your dough manually? Dear Motherland Mogul, you do not have time for that, invest in the right equipment. Please automate certain tasks so that it can increase your efficiency in other areas. Remember, asides work you still have other areas of life where your attention is needed: religion, relationship, social impact. [bctt tweet=”Automate certain tasks so that it can increase your efficiency in other areas ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Adequate rest You also need to rest and engage in leisure activities. If you do not have good health or you are not well rested, there is no way that you can focus and act efficiently on the job. You need to be deliberate about your health and wellbeing. Eat well, rest well, have fun and when it’s time to work, go make us proud. We are here cheering you on!
Being your own boss as a freelancer
[bctt tweet=”You need to fully get your hustle on and sell yourself whenever you get the chance.” via=”no”] Welcome to the freelance life. First off, I’ve noticed a Nigerian trend where too many young people are obsessed with the title of CEO on their name cards, and less committed to undertaking the hard work that comes with working for oneself. In an economy that may or may not be in a recession, the conventional employment sector is overburdened as too many people clamor for scarce resources. For some others, the strings of a 9-to-5 or round-the-clock job working for someone else is just not appealing. Let’s be straight up, here. Freelancing is not an easy path to navigate but there are serious perks to it if you’re actually good at what you do, and if you’re prepared to put yourself out there. There is such a wide range of freelance occupations which includes writers, graphic designers, animators, accountants, MUAs, hair stylists, recruiters, lawyers, models, real estate agents and more. Statistics tell us that about a third of all working Americans are freelancers. In several parts of Africa, we can expect that more people are also taking up freelance work. There are several perks to working as a freelancer: Your time is flexible You’re your own boss You get to select the projects that interest you All that sounds super great, so let’s balance it out. There is a downside…there is no guaranteed income stream. This is true especially when you’re just starting out. It means you need to fully get your hustle on and sell, sell, sell yourself whenever you get the chance. Some periods may be a lot better than others. Sometimes, you’re absolutely swamped with work and at other times, you’re almost begging for work. How to boss it? Network! Whenever you meet new people or talk to old friends, tell them about what you do. People are always looking for freelancers but you wouldn’t know if you don’t spark up the conversation. Be super organized It’s important to respond to clients in a timely manner and to keep adequate records. It helps to have a to-do list and to set hours when you must get things done. Brand yourself online and offline Use social media to showcase your skills and highlight your personal brand. Work on a splendid offline portfolio too, get all your marketing tools in check. Look for opportunities on social media Forget looking only at the traditional sources! I personally have been exposed to more opportunities on social media. Twitter is a great tool to find work and engage with other freelancers as yourself. I personally love the freedom that comes with being able to plan around my own time, to travel while I work, to work at odd hours. Just remember, you need to be practical about your goals and expectations, and you need to put considerable time and effort in to get to your ideal place. Kindly share your tips and experiences from working as a freelancer with us.
Olufunke Baruwa’s 10 tips on career longetivity
[bctt tweet=”I didn’t choose my career path, rather it chose me” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Olufunke Baruwa is named as one of the ‘17 women changing the world’ by the Institute for Inclusive Development at its 2015 Colloquium held at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is a Nigerian gender and development practitioner, feminist and public speaker with a particular focus on women’s leadership, gender relations, and governance. Olufunke currently sets the strategic vision and mobilizes resources as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund – a technical and financial resource for women in politics and decision making in Nigeria. She has been widely recognized for her work with Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund by The Guardian and other publications. She is also a member of the Women Waging Peace Network. SLA contributor Anuli sat down with Olufunke to understand her success thus far in governance, shed strong light and guide millennials committed to career longetivity. 1. Find your calling or let your calling find you “I started out with the private sector, I wanted to be a successful woman in the corporate world (when my dream of becoming a medical doctor faded) but then I got a job with the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF) in 2000 as a Program Officer (Roads). My time there showed me first-hand how the social sector really impacts on the life of the ordinary Nigerian. I fell in love with that line of work and subsequent postings as a civil servant have taken me to where I can directly influence government policies and interventions for the good of the vulnerable; women and children. However, on October 5, 2002, I got a second shot at life. My aha moment came when I worked in the MDGs Office for almost 10years as Gender Advisor…that was where I really found my calling and here I am today and there has been no turning back.” [bctt tweet=”Do a soul search and find that path you know you are led to go and never turn back! ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Passion: love what you do “My father is a retired civil servant. Though not a senior officer, his dedication and love for his job was infectious. It didn’t pay much and I never imagined I’d end up in the civil service but like I said, my career path chose me. So, I decided to be better than him. The difference between a job and a calling is passion. A job will put food on the table, get you life’s luxuries, take you to places and all, but a job that’s a calling will give you fulfilment in addition and endless opportunities! Ever wondered why some successful people are unhappy and miserable even when by all standards we judge them as ‘made’? Your love for your job will influence people and bring you big responsibilities beyond your wildest imagination!” 3. Dedication and commitment “Even the Bible says that a man who is diligent in his ways will stand before Kings. Be committed and dedicated to what you do, no half measures. Let it radiate and influence everyone around you to sing the same tune when it comes to you. Never rest until the task is done.” 4. Integrity and focus “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll stand for nothing. While the public service can open you to great opportunities, it can also offer other attractions that can make you compromise your values – it comes with the territory. There will be many opportunities for compromise, you must stay focused and look at the big picture. Ask yourself some critical questions like: Is this why I am here? Why should I settle for less? One of my mentors always says ‘I can negotiate my views, but never my values’ that has also been my mantra.” 5. Be ambitious “The first time someone told me I was ambitious, it broke me. I thought it was a bad trait until I checked the word in the dictionary and found that it meant: go getter, determined, striving. It also meant –ruthless, pushy. So, find the word that you want to describe your ambition and go for it. I chose – determined, go-getting, striving. Don’t let the negative definition of a word define you. Define yourself!” 6. Create a niche for yourself “Distinguish yourself, be indispensable. One of the dangers of the public service is that efficiency is difficult to measure and because of that, one can get easily drawn into the regular routine of ‘soldier go, soldier come; barrack remains’. Don’t fall for that. Whether you are appreciated, rewarded or not, keep getting better, keep improving yourself, keep outdoing yourself – soon, someday, it will pay off. I am still a work in progress… It’s very easy in the civil service to fall into the doldrums of the regular. Be irregular. Find an area in government even within your office that you are passionate about. Do research, read, study, improve yourself. Be the best in that field that they can’t do without you.” 7. Find a mentor “I am privileged to have many mentors, most of them women who have gone ahead to defy the norm and distinguished themselves. I’ll only talk about 4 of them here. Deputy Secretary General to the UN, Amina Mohammed gave me my first and greatest break, she saw something in me that no one else did and I’ll be forever grateful that God used her to shape me. I owe most of what I am today to God and her little talk with me in 2005 ‘It’s not rocket science Funke, you can do it!’ Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi always pushes and supports me to do more, be more and always says ‘you’ll go places Funke’ Dr. Oby Ezekwesili taught me to never negotiate my values. I always use her favourite quote ‘I can negotiate my views, but I can never negotiate my values’ Dr. Amina Salihu inspires me every day, she breaks the norm in every
7 ways to maximize your productivity everyday
[bctt tweet=”Being productive is not about working longer, it’s about working smarter & achieving more” via=”no”] There was a girl that would wake up at 4.45am every morning to set off for work at 5.00 am. She would stop by the gym for an hour before arriving at work; eat breakfast between 8.30 am and 9.00 am after wading through morning rush traffic. During work, she would often drift off into her own world on her phone, trying to make personal plans because there really was no spare time for other spheres of life. How did Beyoncé do it anyway? Short concentration spans began to set in and before the blink of an eye, it was already closing time. This usually meant time to journey through traffic again. These traffic bouts amounted to 6 hours daily and feelings of underachievement would often arise. That girl was me! Taking charge of my productivity and life is a daily (and not yearly) resolution which has enabled me highlight a few life hacks. Have you been wallowing in disbelief of how you never manage to be very productive? Maybe you have recently taken on a new role at work or have greater developments in your business. Being productive is not about working longer and harder, it’s about working smarter and achieving more. Here are seven ways to effectively maximize your productivity every day: Get quality sleep Even as an adult, you should be having nothing less than 7-8 hours of sleep every day. Anything short of this is simply killing your productivity potential. Apart from gaining a huge 13% on mortality rates compared to those that get more sleep, a recent study also confirms that the US loses up to $411 Billion on productivity from people that sleep less than 6 hours every day. Get to work or attend to your business with a relaxed mind so you can make the most out of your thinking time. Eat brain food Adjusting your diet will do great things for your productivity levels. It is advised to never skip breakfast; but eating heavy and starchy food in the morning can be counterproductive as it you may feel tired a few hours into the day. Endeavour to choose a healthy meal plan that reflects your activity levels to give you a burst of energy and not lethargy. This means a lot more vegetables, lean meats and water with your meals while you have fruits and nuts as snacks. Fighting the urge to sleep rather than work with a clear mind is not the formula to smashing your goals! [bctt tweet=”Choose a healthy meal plan that reflects your activity levels to give you a burst of energy” via=”no”] Drop it like a squat! Exercise has proven several times over to be therapeutic, creating a positive effect on your productivity levels. Memory concentration and mental alertness are just a couple benefits associated with regular physical activity. Engaging in a regular exercise regimen promises better sleep and the regular release of endorphins -the feel-good chemicals that bring about your inexplicable happiness. Whether you choose to hit the gym, do yoga, join a dance class or play a sport, make sure your activities are diversified to avoid boredom. Make a weekly goal To increase your productivity, create and document a goal to accomplish by the end of the week. Whether you are setting targets at work, or planning expansion strategies for your new business, it is wise to set specific and realistic goals that you can reasonably achieve within the space of one week. Remember that goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Based. Create a task timeline It is extremely useful to make a list of your daily tasks and allocate time slots to each task so that you can manage your time efficiently and have productive ‘working’ time. Ensure to have short breaks to eat and rest your mind in between tasks to prevent fatigue. Tick off each task as you complete them and feel accomplished! No phone zone If you are battling a major addiction of toying with your phone, it’s probably best to switch it off completely or work in another room if you work from home. Chatting, Candy Crush and social media can all wait while you make money. Focusing only on work for allocated periods of time will increase your productivity levels. However, if your job involves the use of social media, you have to concentrate only on your current task at hand and not cyber stock people on Twitter and Instagram. [bctt tweet=”Memory concentration is just one benefit associated with regular physical activity” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Daily recap At the end of the day, recap all your tasks including the incomplete ones and others that need more research or tweaking. Recapping at the end of the day allows you time to cool off and give yourself constructive criticism, seeing how you can be more productive the next day. To really compare your state of affairs to your impending progress, try these seven tips for a week and watch out for any differences in your productivity. Remember that if you dislike your situation, you can always change it. I can assure you that there will be no turning back!