What is your next employer looking for?
Employers have a certain type of candidate they need to join their organization. Opportunities will open up, and you will be among those seeking (and eventually chosen) for that role. This article shares what the employer is looking for as well extra tips on what you also need to avoid or stop doing if you want to enjoy a fulfilling career. Reliability, dependability, and trustworthiness To succeed in your career, you need to be trustworthy. Your boss, team members, and other colleagues can depend on you to carry out agreed tasks and keep your word. You need to be a reliable member of the team. Those are the ones that get recognized and get to higher heights in their careers. Listening Communication as an essential skill cannot be overemphasized. Unfortunately, listening is a challenge for most people. Learn to listen attentively and go a step further to ask questions and clarify statements or comments so that you avoid making mistakes in the long run. Do not assume that you heard one thing and then do the other. That is a career stumbling block right there. Try and re-iterate what needs to be said enough to make sure you are sure about what you have interpreted. Know your onions Make sure you have the ability to actually carry out the job you’ve been employed to do. No distractions or time wasting on tasks. Let your wardrobe SLAY Depending on the type of job it is, wardrobe co-ordination is very essential. Your day at work should be a day you can easily create a professional impression. Get your outfits suitable enough to show that you are ready, qualified and happy to be given an opportunity at the company. I suggest you do smart and professional dressing in your first few weeks until you settle into your role and the organization’s culture. Always be punctual [bctt tweet=”Being punctual is essential. From your work start time, to your work prioritization, you need to eliminate all forms of “African time”.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Know your key strengths You have a gift. Call it talent, skill or passion. Just know you have a gift. Figure out what it is. It is also identified as your key strength. You already have it. It may take time to discover but you will and can discover them. Develop and learn from others The interesting thing is that you can always find a person who also identifies with your strength and has done more in developing this key attribute. That is why we have mentors or coaches and role models. You should have an attitude that is willing to learn. Your attitude to learning from others will determine your acceleration. Take personal responsibility [bctt tweet=”You are what you create. Make decisions and stand by the consequences of them.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Kill that entitlement mindset that blames everyone but yourself. Determine to not only grow but to also be the one going to make sure you definitely grow. Below are some habits that employees need to really avoid. [bctt tweet=”All employers aren’t the same but you can be an exceptional employee and that attitude will take you higher.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I recommend this to everyone looking to attain a higher impact in their chosen field. 1. Taking all the credit Working as part of a team means everyone contributes their own quota to the success of a task, goal or project. Do not take credit for anything you do. Even when you work alone on a project, it will be obvious what your contributions are but even in that, you still would have needed some input or help from someone other than yourself. Avoid taking credit that you don’t deserve and over-estimate your participation to the achievement of a goal. 2. Talking down on others It is totally wrong to speak to a colleague in a derogatory manner. It makes you project yourself negatively and gives off the impression that you lack confidence and possess low self-esteem. Avoid the urge to speak of or join in, to destroy a colleague’s work reputation. It’s an epic no for your career success. 3. Expressing anger at work To be in a position of leadership is not a walk in the park. Expression of emotions especially anger is a skill that needs mastery. No one is entitled to use anger to intimidate or communicate at work. It is not a management or leadership tool. To ensure you enjoy a successful career, do not wear your emotions on your sleeves and express emotions when you need to and appropriately. 4. Negative Personality Another career stall is one who has a negative personality. Everything about you is negative and distasteful. Nothing good comes from your conversations, you always have negativity and spread it to anyone around you. Your contributions are always negative, your output negative, your impression or comments about colleagues are also negative. The outcome is disastrous to your career success. 5. Inability to take responsibility for actions Avoid the need to point fingers and blame everything and everyone for the mistake or gap. It is going to stall your career if you are unable to own up to it. When you lead a team, you, as the lead, are responsible for the success or failure. Do not pass on the buck but stand tall, admit the wrong, learn, adjust and move on. 6. Hoarding Information Withholding information from your colleagues so that you can be in competition or at an advantage over them is not a criteria for a successful career. It shows you are not a team player neither are you a candidate for getting into higher leadership positions. Information is to be shared, not kept as a secret weapon. What key lessons have you learned as an employee or an employer? Share your experience with us here.
My personal experience and Key lessons learned from job hunting in Ghana
I wear 2 caps – Beauty Blogger and Marketing /PR Professional. In this article, I would like to put on my corporate hat and share a few key lessons I learned about job hunting in Ghana since I recently started at a new position at a Reputation Management Agency. I completed my Master’s degree in the UK (MSc Marketing, Distinction) in September 2016 and graduated in January 2017. I returned to Ghana in September 2016 and did not find a job until April 2017, almost 6 months later. Afterwards, I took a well-deserved break from September 2016 – November 2016 and took the time to catch up with friends and family I had neglected during my intensive 1-year programme. In November, I began to send out emails to some of my past professional contacts and networks to let them know I was back in town and looking for a job. Most of the responses I got were “No one is really hiring at this time of the year, it will be better to start in the New Year.” So I slowed down in December / early January / until I returned from my graduation and then I switched gears at the end of January. I sent my CV and cover letter to any and everyone I knew in the industry and signed up and with some recruitment agencies.The most important point for me was that I did not want to get hired because of nepotism or as a favor. I wanted my CV and experience to speak for itself so that whoever was going to hire me would really see the value I would be bringing to the table. [bctt tweet=”Figure out what career path you would like to take based on your personality, interests, likes and dislikes ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I went for a few interviews, but none of the positions sparked the interest I knew I needed in order to be happy with the job. Long story short, one of the professional contacts I got in touch with responded and let me know there was availability and the rest is history. Here are 10 key lessons I have learned during the 6 months I was job hunting in Ghana: 1. You will be ignored and rejected You will receive various emails saying – “I regret to inform you that your qualifications do not match our requirements at this time”. Do not let this get to you, continue to prepare for individual jobs/interviews, make sure you know your strong points and are selling them to each company in the appropriate manner. 2. Experience matters As much as you can, do not leave too many gaps in your CV as this puts many employers off. Try as much as possible to list your experience chronologically and continue to reiterate it in interviews. Sometimes, experience trumps qualifications 3. Figure out your Unique Selling Point Figure out what your strengths are and when you have been able to apply them during your career. Focus on these points during your interview. Try not to be a jack of all trades, pick a few skills you have and build on them 4. CV matters Your CV is the first impression your potential employer has of you, make sure to wow them. Keep the CV short and simple, with bullet points and short, sharp quantifiable experience. 5. You might start at the bottom In Ghana, it is very difficult to start a job at the position you think reflects your qualification and experience. Be patient, give each challenge your all and you will be able to rise through the ranks quickly! It is especially important that you let your potential employer know that you are looking to be promoted within 6 months during the later stages of your interviews so they are aware that you are willing to work hard. Don’t confuse starting at the bottom with starting with a completely different job in a different department. The best example I can give for this would be starting as an Account Executive at an agency when you should actually be an Account Manager 6. Have patience and humility During the time of your hunt, you are going to need to be extremely patient with yourself, with your potential employers and even with your friends and family who may be pressurizing you to look into other industries / other positions. Stick with your goals and continue to work towards what you think is best for you 7. Keep an open mind This is related to points 5 & 6 – keep an open mind with regards to different positions you might enjoy, timelines for hiring and even salaries. You might need to be a bit flexible in the first few months to ensure you get a position you enjoy 8. Connections and networks are important These are not necessarily personal connections but it is advisable to attend industry events in order to generate strong networks you can fall back on when it comes to time to look for a job. Don’t ignore the power of LinkedIn! 9. You will be pressurized You will definitely start feeling pressurized by your family/friends and even by yourself especially if it is taking a while to get a job. Stand firm in your beliefs and continue to re-evaluate your choices, keeping your goals in mind 10. Qualifications don’t always matter Sometimes, your qualifications don’t always matter. You will see people in your position or higher who don’t have the same qualifications as you. That is fine as your education opens up your mind and allows you to think of solutions in different ways. These qualifications may not necessarily matter on paper but they open your mind up beyond what it would have been able to process before you got the degree My personal advice is to figure out what career path you would like to take based on your personality, your interests, your likes and dislikes and then find a
4 steps to starting the new year afresh
Happy New Year Motherland Moguls! The SLA team is cheering you as you SLAY into 2018. With the New Year comes a new start. A chance for you to leave the struggles and obstacles of the previous year behind and start afresh. I have drawn out a list of action-packed steps we can all take to make the best out of 2018! Step 1: Assess your situation My first piece of advice would be to assess the situation you are in at the end of 2017 or the beginning of 2018 before setting New Year resolutions. What went great? What didn’t go so well and what needed improvements? In doing so, you may realize exactly where you need improvements, or just how amazing you are at doing something. Either way, it will serve as the basis for improvement. Step 2: Shortlist the areas in which you would like to improve Once you have assessed the situation you can move on to your resolutions. Resolutions that are suited to you, instead of being generic ones. Throughout the process of setting these resolutions, remember that you do not have to set resolutions that begin on January 1st and end December 31st. See your resolutions as a way to better yourself, way beyond the limits of time. For instance, one of my resolutions is to gain more knowledge about cultures, economies, and politics. It is not a resolution I intend on giving up on as soon as the next year rolls by. Knowledge is continuous, just like every single one of our resolutions should be. [bctt tweet=”The internet and the technology available to us is vast, use it wisely and reap the benefits” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Step 3: Find out how you can better yourself Once you know where you would like to better yourself, brainstorm the ways in which you can kick-start your resolutions. My first step would be to consult books in all their forms. Visit bookstores, get audio books, magazines, online magazines (don’t forget your trusty SLA)… And then, there’s the internet. If you use the internet wisely, it can do a world of good. There is a YouTube tutorial on just about everything! Do you want to be more knowledgeable about table etiquette? Check out these tutorials. They will actually teach you everything from making a great first impression to the do’s and don’ts at a dinner table. If you want to get fit, popsugar fitness is the destination, you can start with that. Another resource would be smartphone apps. Many of them are free and work effectively. Are you looking to impress someone with your cooking skills…or just survive by feeding yourself? Watch what happens when you type ‘cooking books recipes free’ in your play store (team Android, what’s good?). The internet and the technology available to us is vast, use it wisely and reap the benefits. [bctt tweet=” Do not aim for perfection, but rather experiences in every step you take” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Step 4: Take the first step! So one thing we’re often afraid to do is take the first step. I try to remember that the first step is often the scariest and therefore the hardest, but once you’ve made that first move, the world is your oyster. For instance, I took my first solo travel for work in 2016. Believe it or not, I had never been anywhere alone, with no one I knew. I was scared out of my mind when my mother dropped me off at O.R Tambo International airport. I literally wondered how I was going to get from one place to the next in Bamako Mali, all on my own. But remember this: you have the capacity to do anything your heart desires and it is not the fear that lies within that has the ability to negate those capacities. [bctt tweet=”You have the capacity to do anything your heart desires” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] And an old age adage that will forever remain true, is that “if at first, you don’t succeed, try try again”. Do not aim for perfection, but rather experiences in every step you take. I really hope these steps will help you and contribute to an amazing 2018 for each and every one of you! And If you have made it this far and have enjoyed the read, until next time! Have a fabulous New Year!
AFRICAN WOMEN IN STEM Making Lemonade out of Lemons
The field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) has a significant disparity quota of men to women. UNESCO reports that less than a third of researchers are women in African countries such as Mali, Nigeria, Angola, and Ethiopia. This is certainly not due to (in)ability. Rather, other factors such as social conditioning or opportunity may be responsible. For a lot of women, getting into the field requires extra grit, push and determination; even when the odds are stacked against them. This piece centers on three African women who when faced with peculiar life challenges decided to transform them into opportunity. They managed to squeeze those lemons for all they were worth, making lemonade out of them. The result? Amazing careers and ground-breaking contributions to the field of STEM. [bctt tweet=”Tebello was told not to follow her passion for the sciences, today she is one of the most influential women in STEM” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Professor Tebello Nyokong Hers is literally the proverbial rags to riches tale that begets many lessons for the African woman aspiring to make something of herself. Born into a poor home, Tebello Nyokong grew up in the mountains tending to sheep. Her dream at the time was a simple one: to own a pair of shoes. A certain hunger fuels one to achieve success when it’s obvious you have no safety net to fall back on. For Tebello, this meant no trust fund, no inheritance, no cushy job promised by her parents’ friends, no comfort zone. Thus, it was going hard or go home; because going hard was the only option. The experience fueled her desire to succeed in life and apply doggedness to her future work. She reminded herself that she could achieve anything she put her mind to, especially anything a boy could. Tebello Nyokong was told not to follow her natural passion for the sciences because it was considered too difficult a path. After spending two years in the arts, she eventually she completed a degree in Chemistry and Biology. Today she is lauded as one of the most influential women in STEM. She has also received several awards and laurels for her outstanding contributions to science and technology. Her current work is focused on creating an alternative cancer treatment known as ‘photodynamic therapy’. Evelyn Gitau An accomplished woman, Evelyn Gitau is a cellular immunologist and currently a Programme Manager at the African Academy of Science – Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa. She is also a Next Einstein Forum Fellow; a program which selects the brightest African scientists and technologists to provide sustainable solutions to pertinent problems, and to encourage young people to develop careers in the path as well. Evelyn Gitau tells a story of how her young son’s illness exposed her to her area of current interest. After being taken to the hospital for a fever and trouble breathing, he was tested and subsequently diagnosed with severe malaria and bronchitis. He soon recovered and was able to thrive fully in the years that ensued. [bctt tweet=”Evelyn Gitau tells a story of how her young son’s illness exposed her to her area of current interest” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The experience made her realize something very important, a lot of other Africans weren’t as lucky. Communities continued to suffer from undiagnosed or misdiagnosed cases due to inadequate diagnostic facilities and funding for laboratory work. Her findings indicated that between forty and fifty percent of infections affecting African children remained undiagnosed. As a result, medical personnel was forced to make educated guesses and children were building a resistance to antibiotics. Her research work is centered on the development of alternative diagnostic methods and tools that are both more accurate and affordable to greatly reduce the mortality rate of children in Africa. Blessing Kwomo Growing up in a rural community in Kano State, Nigeria, Blessing Kwomo saw a lot of poverty and disease around her. All she wanted was to figure out a way to make practical changes to help the local people in her environment. She also had often recurring cases of typhoid fever. Looking back, she realized a lot of those health challenges could have been prevented with better hygiene. Blessing was particularly skilled in Mathematics while at school. She opted to become a nurse rather than follow her father’s path into engineering. During her educational training, she observed that several patients were unable to achieve sustainable solutions to their illnesses. Some of these were simply as a result of low-economic standing and a poor understanding of healthcare. [bctt tweet=”Despite STEM being a path less followed by African women, it is one that holds opportunities for those who dare to dream. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Taking a pragmatic approach to healthcare, Blessing Kwomo decided to start up De Rehoboths Therapeutic Studio. Through this business, she offered home consultations which tackled the root causes of the ailments afflicting her clients rather than merely providing a band-aid. The benefit was that if her clients understood how to take better care of themselves and their environments, they would have fewer recurring cases of diseases such as typhoid fever and cholera. Blessing Kwomo also provided holistic services in addition to conventional medicine to help achieve a more seamless outcome. Blessing has gained recognition as an Anzisha Fellow for her work and remarkable entrepreneurial drive. The young entrepreneur’s aspiration is to someday become the Minister of Health in her country. Despite STEM being a path less followed by African women, it is one that holds immense opportunities and fulfillment for those who dare to dream. For the women profiled here, it was a challenging but rewarding path. These women have shown us that setbacks or difficulties should not hold you back, but propel you to tap into the opportunities they presents. Do you have an interest in this field? What lemons can you exploit today? Share with us here.
5 transferable skills you need to go from homemaker to employee
What happens when the homemaker decides to return to formal employment? She is usually greeted with disdain for having ‘wasted’ her time at home and missed out on the latest developments in the industry. Though she is likely to be a bit out of touch with the nitty gritty of being an employee, a homemaker will, during the course of her homemaking, acquire some fine skills that make her an even more valuable employee than someone who has not experienced life outside the workplace. [bctt tweet=” A successful homemaker makes a successful employee” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Here are some of the transferable skills a homemaker already has: Time-keeping With so much to achieve on a daily basis, successful homemakers always keep their eye on the clock. If your meetings tend to stretch forever, and you cannot seem to stay on schedule for your targets, someone with homemaking experience can turn that around for you. Through experience, homemakers understand the effect of allowing tasks to take up too long to complete, of failing to have something done in time, and of the benefits of scheduling right off the bat. Planning Homemakers are, of necessity planners. From household chore to family events, these women have a skill that some employees still need to be taught. A homemaker understands the difference between a daily, weekly and monthly plan. Meal planning is one way they practice this. She needs to plan for daily meals, which will be the foundation of her weekly or even monthly shopping trips. At the same time, she masters making adjustments, improvising, scheduling and reviewing. [bctt tweet=”If your team needs someone who seamlessly integrates tasks together, you may need a homemaker” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Multi-tasking Homemaking tasks are varied, numerous and as diverse as the lives involved. The basics of homemaking encompass cooking, cleaning, childcare, gardening, tutoring, house maintenance and so on. In a single day, she will have to deal with some or even all of these tasks. With only 24 hours in a day, multi-tasking is something learned out of necessity. The trick with multi-tasking is that while it is necessary, it needs to be done in a logical manner to be effective. While you can listen to your child’s reading while cooking, for example, it becomes illogical to attempt it while you are vacuuming. If your team needs someone who seamlessly integrates tasks together, you may need to give the homemaker a chance. Creativity Creativity is one of those skills that is difficult to define and teach to a person. It is best learned in context. And what better context than in the home, where routine can soon lead to boredom in so many ways. From the layout of furniture to meals and family activities, there comes a time where a new approach is demanded of you. When work and business solutions start to get mundane, the homemaker will seldom be out of depth. Negotiation Who engages the part-time help to complete a task in the shortest time possible for the lowest cost? Who meets the meter man at the gate and diverts any attempt to disconnect services? Who sets the terms for play dates, physical boundaries, and social events? The very same tasks in the context of a formal work environment can be assigned to the woman who already has lots of experience form home. In some cases, it’s the homemaker herself who needs to be reminded of all the wealth of experience that she brings to the workforce. There is no reason to feel inferior or incompetent. A successful homemaker makes a successful employee.
5 steps to maintaining your balance as a closet entrepreneur
In a conversation I had not too long ago, I had realized and pointed out that one of the things I love about Johannesburg, is that it’s a place where more often than not, you meet people who have day jobs (9 – 5), but also run businesses and have side-hustles after-hours. These are often centred around their passion, interests or basically what they enjoy and are good at. They vary from person to person. For example: Nkgabi, who started off in advertising, left corporate and started her own company and also dabbles in some blogging for her blog – Diary of a Rad Black Woman. Duke, who is quite talented when it comes to woodwork. He’s in the construction industry but makes furniture. He’s made rails for me, server tables and is currently in the process of making pedestals. Mlue, who is a chef and runs a catering business that he’s grown over the past few months. From participating in market days where he sells his local cuisine, to catering for intimate dinners and parties, he too has a 9-5 in advertising. Myself, a market research analyst from 9- 5 and returns home to run an online clothing business; Barbara Mckenzie. Although the word hustle has historically had a negative connotation describing scams and fraud, over the past few years this has changed and now people are proud to be called hustlers. From the above-mentioned individuals and anyone else who leads such a busy life of juggling two jobs at once, they are multi-taskers and jugglers of note. And for those looking to grow their interests into income-generating ventures, here are a few tips on how to maintain the balance. Eat the elephant one bite at a time As closet-entrepreneurs, we do not necessarily enjoy the luxury of working in our businesses all day like full-time entrepreneurs do, so we need to roll out tasks into smaller and more manageable sizes. Diagrams and lists often help here and ticking or crossing off completed tasks enable you to see your progress at a glance and see what needs to be done immediately. For example, if you make products that you sell, one afternoon or evening can be set aside for collecting all that is needed for production and prepping for it. The next two afternoons or evenings can be set aside for the production and the weekend may be for corrections or changes and so forth. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail Whether you’re working after hours during the week or over weekends, your time needs to be well planned for to ensure that you’re getting the most of the limited time that you have. For example, answering emails at 09:00, then 12:00 and then at 16:00 allows you to fully focus on the work at hand instead of being distracted with emails that come in every 30 minutes or so. This enables you to have more hours to work effectively on your 9-5. Another angle is if you sell products that need to be shipped out, do your shipping on certain days for an hour instead of doing them individually for an hour every time could save you a lot of time. It is also important to note that scheduling your family and friends is just as important, as work does tend to take over one’s schedule leaving loved ones neglected. [bctt tweet=”You can save time and energy by using your income from your 9-5 to invest in your side business ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Outsource Often as owners of our businesses, we tend to want to do everything ourselves, which is not the wisest thing to do. Where you can get help and outsource, do it. Sometimes, instead of buying stock or materials yourself, you can hire and pay a daily rate to a runner. Another idea would be to buy online and have them delivered to you. You can save time and energy by using your income from your 9-5 to invest in your side business or simply add it into the product’s costing. Do things that create more time Often you’ll find that customers have very similar questions, one way to address this is to have a frequently asked questions page that answers shipping queries, accounts queries, standard rates etc. This is where outsourcing is an idea as well, if you ship out products, having a company handle all your shipping is better than having to run to the post office everything someone makes a purchase. [bctt tweet=”Use a vision board. When you can see what you want to achieve, it gives you that extra push” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Kick procrastination Avoid this by all means. Although quite a difficult one to avoid, with proper planning and discipline, you can set aside rest days to binge watch Being Mary Jane or Insecure so that when you have to get back to work, you’re well rested. Another idea is to also divide your work into smaller intervals of work with 15 minute rest periods in between them, this keeps you fresh and alert. My own personal method to keep myself motivated is to spend about 10 minutes on Pinterest looking beautiful and fashion-forward clothing from around the world. This not only inspires me but also gets my creativity going and excited to create more clothes. Others find a that a vision board helps, when you can see what you want to achieve, it gives you that extra push. In conclusion For those who have both day jobs and run a side-business, I believe you’re some kind of special human. Aside from the 9-5 hours you work, you still come home and gather up some more energy to work on your side business. Naturally, this means we have less time and freedom than full-time entrepreneurs, but we still keep it all together and keep our businesses going, and when you’re feeling overwhelmed and tired. It’s great to look back at what you’ve done and accomplished with that limited time, kudos to you! Got any skills on how
How to maintain your figure 8 this holiday season
It’s the end of the year again. Christmas parties, end of year get-togethers, Thanksgiving feasts and lots more. My dear Motherland Mogul, if you are not very careful, while your bank account might get leaner from all the spending, I’m afraid it might be quite the opposite for your beloved figure. Therefore, being the good friend that I am, I have put together in this post, 5 steps to avoid unwanted weight gain and keep your energy levels up this joyful season. Have a plan Yes! Be deliberate about not adding any extra kilos. As with every other aspect of life, planning sets you up for success. So write down (please be realistic) what weight/size you want to attain/maintain at the end of the year and how you hope to achieve it. Let water be your close pal Drinks lots of water before and during parties. This will help control your appetite. If you can, drink a mouthful of water before eating or drinking anything else. The best way to buffet When on a buffet line, choose a small plate, walk through the line, taking in everything that’s on offer and decide what you want to eat. Then go back in line and take exactly what you decided. Walking through the line will prevent you from eventually filing your plate with everything that’s on offer because you didn’t know it was there until you got to it. Be the party queen Dance your heart out! Dancing is a perfect way of burning those pesky calories that keep shrinking your clothes (yes, I know it’s their fault, not yours) plus you’d really be having fun. Just don’t overdo it if it’s an official event. Don’t stop exercising It’s very tempting to stop your exercise routine in view of all the fun ahead but babe, you’re gonna regret it! (And this is to all of you that are planning to abscond from My Figure 8 fitness club and others this holiday season) Nuff said.
Dear millennial: Your Twenties are the “Creation Stage” don’t be afraid to experiment
Time is fleeting, January was just but yesterday and December is already here. 2017 was supposed to be your year, yet when you look back through the year you can’t put a finger on your achievements. [bctt tweet=” Count your losses but do not concentrate on them, use them as lessons” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You cleared campus last year and your dream job has been real evasive, so you settled for an internship in some company that people barely know of instead of one of the big four companies in your field. Or, you are this Interior design graduate that decided to go the entrepreneurship way. You were of the opinion that you were just what the market needed. Your twenty-something self got into the market and reality hits you. You realized you need to create a niche for yourself, do multiple gigs to earn respect and trust from your clients before you become the big name that everyone relates to. This means you need to invest time and money. You have time, but not so much money. What should you do to keep going and to make this building stage of your career is fun and successful? [bctt tweet=”Not planning is planning to fail” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Planning Planning is key to get you either to the top of your career or to make you the go-to person in your chosen business field. Not planning is planning to fail. If you just got into the business field, this means there is so much to learn at once, you are in unfamiliar territory, unchartered waters. So for you to make progress you need to have specific goals and a timeline for when you want to achieve them. This keeps you on track and you can constantly monitor how much more you need to put in financially and time-wise to get your dream off the ground. Consistency At the start of something new even though we may have clear goals, we tend to waiver or get distracted by the new things in the field we are setting out to conquer. In the spirit of familiarising ourselves with our area of interest new ideas cross our path. At this point consistency, you can’t be close-minded, because our current world is a technological one and things change too fast but you need to be consistent in terms of exactly what goal you would like to achieve. Set your mind on a given area and then see it to the end. You will get disappointed, things won’t exactly follow your already written script, but girl consistency means you don’t stop putting in the work. [bctt tweet=”Set your mind on a given area and then see it to the end” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Most younglings get into the market with a lot of energy but after a few setbacks they wear out and begin to give up on their own dreams. No, do not take your eyes off your vision. To become a motherland mogul, you have to develop a thick skin, learn from your detractors and use failure as a stepping stone to get you up the success ladder. As the year comes to a close, count your losses but do not concentrate on them use them as lessons. Pick out what worked and build your new year goals around this. This is how one gets to be an expert in any field. Choose a mentor to work with you towards your success Mentorship is key for beginners. You are brilliant but having someone to hold your hand as you walk the journey towards your success makes your dream more realizable. A mentor acts as a check and balancing tool. They will help you ensure you do not get too distracted or discouraged that you veer off your goals. They will be your extra eyes in the business arena or in your career. Choose someone you trust or someone whose success is something that has encouraged you to set out on your own. This way they journey can act as a guide to you. What steps are you taking to ensure that the next year is a better one for you?
Stop being busy achieving nothing
When I was much younger, I had the expert brain of never forgetting to do anything, numbers in my phonebook and even birthdays…but now…oh well!!! You can almost not get past a day without forgetting you had to return a call or deliver an extra work that didn’t make it to your to-do list. I know it’s not your fault, there’s just so much on the plate, and that’s why I’ve come to help you with cheat codes you can engage to help you be more productive with work time. Some home-made remedies like setting a reminder and creating/ticking off your to-do list, however, you can try these as well: Just do it NOW So, you see, most times our biggest problem is, we see that we have to do something, but we ignorantly shove it aside, forgetting that we are likely to forget. One of the best ways to avoid forgetting a task is to just do it immediately. If possible, do it in bits, especially if it would take just a few seconds. Always have a notepad around Whether as a hardcopy or soft one, always have something you can journal with. If your mind has a way of always magnetizing ideas from here and there, you need to always have something to scribble on. You ask me why? Because you might just get an idea that would take your business through the roof and if you miss it…well, you’ll never even know unless you tried it. Now pick up your notepad. Learn to say NO Some of us have a default answer for taking on new tasks…YES!!! However, often times, we don’t really have to do everything because we can, we should just say no, rather than feel disappointed in ourselves when we forget just after saying yes to that extra task. Want to avoid forgetting that favor that you promised? If and only if you are overloaded with your own work, don’t agree to take on more. Have a Human Reminder We all have that one person we can call an alarm clock. They just seem to remind us what we ask them to. So, don’t be shy, a great accountability partner might just be what you need to nail the day’s tasks. Ask for help, and be sure to humbly receive the push that comes with it. You’ll feel better about achieving your goals.Forgetting things is not so bad in itself, but when you do nothing about it, it could take a huge toll on your productivity level. The goal is to be an ACHIEVER, not to be BAN (Busy Achieving Nothing). Do you have a story you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
10 ways to end a business year
In the course of the year, entrepreneurs can get consumed with loads of activities that it becomes difficult to keep track of all that’s happening. The end of the year is the time when most business activities wind down, therefore, it’s a good time to pause, take stock, plan and take a position for the year ahead. Here are 10 things to do to make that happen: 1. Review your financial statements (balance sheet, cash flow, income statement) and prepare tax returns. You need to know: If your business is profitable How profitable your business is Where all the money that passed through your business in the year was spent How much the business owns How much the business owes Exemptions you can get on taxes 2. Review business expenses. Its important business expenses are directly linked to the bottom line of the business. 3. Compare financials from the year before to that of the current year. Pay attention to any rise or drop in figures, investigate reasons for them. 4. If you have made a very good profit for the year, this would be a good time to consider buying or replacing any equipment that will directly result in increased revenue. 5. Reconcile your goals for the year with your achievements; take note of goals you could not achieve. Also, be careful not to discard these goals instead try to find out why you were unable to, and devise new ways to go about achieving them. 6. List and celebrate major accomplishments, you can share with your staff, this should motivate them and make them emotionally invested in your business. 7. Reward your employees and customers, it does not have to be much, could be in form of bonuses, gifts, personal notes… Also get in touch with your vendors/suppliers and inform them of any change in the business that might affect them. 8. Pay attention to your numbers; identify your metrics, this varies from business to business – website analytics, the source of customers, customer growth rate, customer return rate/retention, subscriber list, downloads, number of monthly orders e.t.c. Identify patterns of growth in such areas, trace down these patterns to identify much bigger opportunities and devise ways to multiply effects of these patterns. 9. Review your systems, operations, and processes. This is a good time to review and update (if required) contracts, license agreements, and technology, Identify your strengths and work on your weaknesses. 10. Create a vision for the coming year, based on this vision, set goals, write down your action plan and ways you intend to implement these plans. Hope these tips help you end the year with sufficient knowledge of your business even as you prepare and position yourself for growth and opportunities in the coming year. How are you wrapping up the business year? Share your ideas with us here.