Edirin Edewor: When failure gives you wings, fly higher
Edirin Edewor is a two-time Amazon Bestselling Author, a Mindset and Author’s Coach, and an Entrepreneur. She works with three types of entrepreneurs to help them publish their books and establish their brands. Through Edirin’s Process Publishing System, entrepreneurs are helped to write their books with ease in record time get published on Amazon and become bestsellers. She also caters to the AUTHORPRENUERS who want to sell their books profitably as well as create extra streams of income through their writing. Finally, Edirin’s 5-Step Process Blueprint helps unknown and underpaid entrepreneurs in the service industry become highly influential and highly paid personal brands. How do you think your past failures set you up for success? In 2011 when I was 20, I attempted suicide. After that, I have had 502 of my job applications rejected in 4 years. I failed in 9 out of 11 business in 5 years. I battled with depression and a diagnosis of Early Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 25. With all this suffering, I felt like a failure and thought my life was over. After much reflection, I began developing a growth mindset which helped me overcome all of these difficult times. I eventually wrote two books; The Productivity Checklist which became an Amazon Bestseller in 2016 and You and Your Mindset. Understanding that my failures were only learning processes, helped me eventually succeed in life and business. These lessons have helped me effectively start, scale and sustain my business in no time. So, now I help others too. [bctt tweet=”Understanding that my failures were only learning processes, helped me eventually succeed in life and business. – Edirin Edewor” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You do a lot of great work with authors. How important is writing to establishing one’s authority in any given field? A lot of influential business people today have written books to establish themselves as authorities in their fields. From Robert Kiyosaki, Brian Tracy, to Steve Harris, Arese Ugwu, Nimi Akinkugbe and myself. Sharing your knowledge with the public shows that you know what you’re doing. It also helps you reach a lot more people with valuable information and grows your value perception. What tips would you give our young Motherland Moguls who are trying to gain influence in business? Everyone has to start from the bottom. No one gets to the top of the mountain by falling there. Getting to the top of the mountain of success requires you to climb. It will take some time, dedication, commitment and keeping a positive attitude in the face of obstacles. One great way to growing influence is getting published and growing your own community. There are many skills and tools to help with this. Social media platforms have made it easy to grow your influence and build a community of a loyal following today. [bctt tweet=”I’d like people to understand that life is in processes and you need to master one level to get to the next one. – Edirin Edewor” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] From your experience what are the difficult aspects of being an entrepreneur in Africa? First of all, being an entrepreneur anywhere, male or female, is difficult. However, Africa presents some unique challenges. The continent is not as technologically and industrially advanced as first world nations. Therefore, there are limited opportunities available to us. This forces us Africans to be creative and create unique solutions to solve our challenges. Secondly, the African market is still not largely globalized and the ease of doing business on a global scale is still being stifled by the political and economic environment. What advice would you give other entrepreneurs on handling this? As stated earlier, we have to create unique solutions to our challenges. While we wait for certain technologies to become available to us, we should maximize on what we have. This also includes constantly seeking opportunities to partner with global businesses to create more favorable conditions to do business. Here is where building trust and fostering good relationships become vitally important. From your past failures, what would you advise a young African woman getting set to start a business or career? Being patient and intentional about learning the lessons even when you fail, helps you learn faster, fail less and fly higher. Today I have built a multi-million naira business sharing this message and helping entrepreneurs build influence so they can share their stories and impact others. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
How to be a BAWSE: Lily Singh’s best tips on how to conquer life
Lily Singh is best known for her Youtube channel Superwoman which has over 1 billion views and has featured guests ranging from Michelle Obama to Zendaya. Her book, How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life describes a BAWSE as a`a person who exudes confidence, reaches goals, gets hurt efficiently, and smiles genuinely because they’ve fought through it all and made it out the other side`. She emphasizes that life is not about surviving but rather taking the decisive steps to have more effective control over your life, choices, and actions. Here are some of our favorite tips from the book to get you started on your ride to be a BAWSE. Conquer your thoughts We are the products of our thoughts, what we think affects how we treat others and allow others to treat us. Conquering your thoughts put you in charge of yourself. It means being accountable for the things you say and do. So when you find yourself in a situation that challenges you or makes you feel a certain way ask yourself WHY you feel a certain way, WHAT made you perform a certain action, and HOW you could do things differently. The information you discover is powerful because it helps you to discover patterns and in turn use your mind productively and efficiently. Words lie, actions lie too, but consistency speaks the truth Now if that line doesn’t speak truth to you, I don`t know what will! Consistency is key: people determine who you are depending on what you do. If you are always late to meet that deadline or never do that task you said you would do, people will come to know you as the unreliable person. That is not the reputation you want to have. Consistency and habits breed good behavior, you begin to create patterns that show people that they can trust, rely and count on you. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to show people who you are and then keep showing them. Seek out situations that make you uncomfortable Comfort Zones: we love them, they make us feel happy and safe. When we are in a situation that we do not feel is tailored from us we tend to panic and act out. We basically do not cope because it is not the reality we know or are used to. Use an uncomfortable moment as a learning tool, what does it say about you, what are you doing to address this uncomfortable situation. What can you learn? Being uncomfortable does not mean sit back and refuse to do anything, just because its no longer the norm for you. You have to be proactive, take matters into your hands, see what difference can come out of this experience. If you want to stay in the league, keep up to date on the game Learning is a lifetime process. There is always room to further your education and skills, no matter how high up the career ladder you get. Do not become too self-assured that you do not think you have any more lessons to learn. Learning more about advances in your field can help you shape your goals, enhance your career and keep you above the rest. Do not presume you know it all or that you have become an expert whose opinion is the only one that matters. Take time to refine your skills and competencies. This does not just refer only to taking short or online courses to nurture and grow your skills, it also refers to the lessons you can learn from others around you. A brilliant quote from the book is “Being the dumbest person on your team doesn’t make you a stupid person; it means you are smart enough to select people to work with you can learn from”. This means surround yourself with people you can learn from. Asking questions when you don`t know is not a shortfall, it is dedicating yourself to learning something new. Don’t be afraid to ask for things. The worst that will happen is that you’ll be told no! Too often than not, we tell ourselves `no` before we even do what we wanted to achieve. We become the roadblocks to our own goals. But, what if you denied yourself a yes, an upgrade or a promotion? ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE. It is a famous line for a reason. If you do not ask, you will never get what you want. You do not even open yourself up to the option of getting it. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there, to request for more when you know you deserve it. Sure, we are all scared of rejection but that allows us to adjust and try again with something better that works. A Motherland Mogul knows her worth and when to ask for it to be respected. Do not talk yourself out of asking for that raise, state your case and demand your prize. You may just surprise yourself by getting exactly what you asked for. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
Read this when you are ready to master adulting
As members of the SLA community, we normally feel like we have so much to do but so little time. From juggling days and side hustles to attending networking events to building our online presence, traveling the world… we want to SLA-Y. Phew! It can be daunting since we can not afford to drop the ball in our private everyday life which is supposed to bolster our public presence. Part of owning your life is adulting. Simply put, adulting is taking up responsibilities so that you can free your time and money to succeed in all facets of life. Here are some of the basic things that every SLA sister should master in order to get her private act together: Managing your money Right off the bat, we have to address this issue because it is the root of everyone’s sanity. You may have heard that having a budget is the most important thing that you can do ad nauseam but it seriously is. A budget can be as simple as tracking your incomes and expenses on a specific notebook or an Excel for the math gurus. If you are into apps, you browse app stores and downloads like Mint. The most important thing is that you can regularly review where your money is going and where you are investing. How to feed yourself Regardless of your gender, cooking is that skill that you should have in your back pocket. Yes, delivery services are popping up, left, right and center but there is a sense of fulfillment that comes with making something from scratch. It saves you money and you can trust the food that you make at home more than someone else’s kitchen. It does not have to be rocket science since you can take time during your free time to do even the most basic-est of meal preps like boiling legumes and meats (for non-veggies) and then stew or sautee them during the week. Then have lunch or dinner ready in under 15 minutes during the week Launder your clothes This is one of my least favorite chores but it must be done. Decluttering does go a long way in reducing the amount of dirty laundry because you have fewer things to wash. Truth be told, you will prioritize the items that you REALLY need to wear to shine at that important presentation. 2017 was the year that I rediscovered the magic of reading care labels, especially when buying secondhand clothes. Try to avoid ‘dry clean only’ items like the plague to reduce your laundry bills. Plus you will be doing the environment a favor. DIY and embrace minimal living If there is ever a time to be more environmentally conscious, it is now. You can play your part by re-using things around your home. Simple ways that you can try out is like reusing glass jars in your kitchen to store your spices or cotton balls, which makes you look more organized without even trying. Those old towels and t-shirts can be great rags around the home. I have to mention that cleaning magic does happen when you use equal amounts of water and white vinegar. Scheduling your cleaning If you spend hours in traffic jam daily, you are probably thinking how is this even possible? I was like that too till I discovered how much you can achieve in between TV commercials or when you distract yourself with your favorite jams. By breaking down, that long list of chores into chunks in the week, you can make deep cleaning less daunting. Hopefully, by tackling the above basics you will be able to reclaim your time and peace of mind so that you can other things outside your home. Do you have a story to share with us? Share your story here.
Six Soft Skills to Help You Ace Your Next Interview
Imagine two people being interviewed for the position of customer support team manager. Both candidates have what it takes to deliver on a professional level, however one is more apt in relating with people based on his past behavior and the assessment of the interviewer. That is to say, he possesses excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Who do you think will get the job? [bctt tweet=”Assess your ability and prepare ahead before going for the interview” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] A LinkedIn survey revealed that hiring managers look for candidates who in addition to skills and experience have the potential in performing the role. By potential, they mean the candidate’s own perspective and soft skill set that enables him to do the job effectively. They ranked the following six soft skills in order of their importance. Adaptability In today’s world, the business environment is continuously changing and so are highly effective organizations because any organization who does not or cannot adapt to the constant changes in the environment will either be left behind or fizzle out. As such, effective organizations seek candidates who can easily adapt to changes so they can remain competitive. According to the survey report, the most popular question hiring managers ask in this regard is: ‘Tell me about a time when you were asked to do something you had never done before. How did you react? What did you learn?’ Culture Add Hiring managers have been advised to seek candidates who are not only like them (culture fit) but also bring a different perspective to the table. Collaboration Candidates who can work well with and in teams are what hiring managers are looking for according to the survey. No one can achieve much working alone. Do you get along well with others?The survey says one question to expect from this area is: ’Tell me about a time when you were communicating with someone and they did not understand you. What did you do?’ Leadership Not only are leaders born, leaders can be made. Hone your ability to inspire, motivate and unleash the potential in others. One popular question according to the survey report hiring managers ask pertaining to leadership is: ‘Tell me about the last time something significant didn’t go according to plan at work. What was your role? What was the outcome?’ Growth Potential It is the ability of a candidate not only to perform on the current job but also in future and more prominent roles within the organization. Hiring managers have been told to look out for candidates who are goal oriented and self-motivated. Such candidates are said to have the ability for growth potential. Prioritization Candidates who can demonstrate that they know what task comes first and what task should be put to a later date have gotten their prioritization and time management skills right. This will help you meet deadlines and also increase your productivity. Besides the aforementioned soft skills, some hiring managers clearly spell out the soft skills they expect candidates to have for the role they are applying for. Assess your ability in terms of those skills and prepare ahead before going for the interview. Do you have some special skills you use for your business and career? Share it with us here.
5 ways to Enjoy Your Wack Contract Job
[bctt tweet=”Quit thinking the reason you’re not doing well right now is that you don’t get so much pay” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The most common jobs in Nigeria right now are ones gotten from a third-party company that is signed to provide employees for various employers. While I worked at one, I found that the reason employer companies choose the option of contract staffs is to reduce its expenses and improve profitability. A full-time employee may get a 50% raise from your salary, including HMO(Health) benefits. This is even more annoying for contract staffs because they do more of the work but have fewer benefits, up until the length of days to go on leave. However, there’s always a way to have the life you want regardless of the situation presented to you. [bctt tweet=”The vision you have for yourself should drive your passion for what you do now” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Know who you are This is nothing about your desires or visions – at least not for the purpose of this article. What makes you tick? Deep down your heart, what’s the core of your strength? The real test to enjoying your job, and your life, is to know who you are. Although the search of identity may be an ongoing process, there’s a core of you that reveals your truth in whatever situation you find yourself. Everything you believe yourself to be should not be dependent on anything else but you. Once you can identify who you are, it would facilitate the emergence of what you’d like to experience. [bctt tweet=”The true value of your job is not dependent on your position, but your personality.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Change your cognitive experience The natural cognitive of man is attracted to negative situations that appeal to his senses. So for example, you get to find out the extra benefits due to full-time staffs in your company and it freaks you out (it should), it is only normal that you begin to take it out on your daily routine, colleagues and even your line managers. Two years after my experience as a contract staff in a financial institution, I was appraised and suggested to be converted into a full-time staff. I was excited when my line manager hinted me on this new development and was waiting for the big announcement. To my greatest disappointment, when my appraisal form got to the office in charge, my group head was summoned and asked, “Who would you like to be retrenched in order to approve Adesewa’s conversion?” Confused, she responded, “nobody”. “Well, because the company cannot afford the cost for another full-time employee,” they disclosed. It was a great consolation to have known that the reason for the default was a lack of the company’s capacity, not mine. If this happened to you, I know you would freak out, and probably drop your resignation notice to go somewhere you’ll be ‘celebrated, not tolerated’. Just calm down! LOL! The quality of the delivery of your duties should be influenced by positivity. Contract jobs hardly come with motivations. Thus, you must always find a way around it. While you have a plan to quit, be deliberately positive about your daily dealings. The more positivity you exude, the greater the attraction for more. If it doesn’t happen for you in this job, it would somewhere else. Create value for your personality One of the many reasons people want to be in the full-staff cadre is so that the company can place value on them. The true value of your job is not dependent on your position, but your personality. Quit thinking the reason you’re not doing well right now is that you don’t get so much pay. Your pay may not equal your plan, but it does not necessarily influence the core of you, except you want it to. So, during a knowledge sharing session at your company or a proposal pitch, you have the platform to ‘show yourself’. Yes! Flaunt the stuff you’re made of! This is not PRIDE; it is PURPOSE-ON-DELIVERY. Always look for opportunities to reveal who you are asides from being the “front desk officer” or “cashier”. Profer solutions to problems. That’s what employers want to see. Even though it may likely not buy your conversion as a staff, it would increase your value as a person. You are first a person before being someone’s staff. Work at it! Work experience is in phases, enjoy this one A young entrepreneur who also works as an employee reached out to me one day. She shared all her frustrations as to how she was not getting fulfilments with her job. She mentioned how she knew this was not what she signed up for her life and all. The truth is, at every point in life, we get bored. This is not just a contract thing, stop blaming it on the job. Because guess what, even if you were full time, you would still get bored. All days are not the same, and all work experiences are in phases. You have to learn the art of enjoying the phases by creating systems that work for you. At the financial job experience I told you about, every week became annoying because there had to be something new to do – things that were way out of the initial job description(JD). Whichever way I felt did not matter to the company, the job had to be done anyway. And the only way to be happy with your job is to be happy with you, knowing that this is only a phase. You would get involved in better things and greater opportunities, so if you want to make your life count, you have to do it right. Always work with the end in view You know, many times, we are motivated in the present by having a vision of what’s to come. Doing your job with the end in mind is one sure way to enjoy what you’re doing currently. So, pending the time you
It’s okay, being an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone
You know how some women profess to never having felt that maternal urge or instinct and they just know being a mum isn’t for them? Well, not everyone should be an entrepreneur either. I believe more women need to hear this. In this day and age, it almost seems like if you’re not thinking of running your own business, with the whole uncertainty in the job market bit, then something is off with you. Maybe not. At the end of the day, if you see yourself as more of a technocrat for instance, that’s fine. There are certainly other ways to make your mark in the world. [bctt tweet=”So don’t stress, and don’t get pressured if building your own business is just not your cup of tea.” username=”MercedesAlfa”] Let’s be real. Being an entrepreneur is a lot. It starts with having a clearly-defined vision of what you are looking to accomplish, and then requires working tirelessly to achieve that. It really is okay if you are one to help others build their dreams. Some people are leaders, some are builders, some are followers, some are supporters. Being able to identify who you are at all the different stages of your life is gold. Besides all that, there actually is a difference between being self-employed and being an entrepreneur. Think about it. Some people prefer to work for themselves because of benefits such as flexibility and independence. However, it does not necessarily mean you are cut out for taking on huge risks that come with starting a business. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s focus on what you can do to continue Slaying: Discover Your Strengths If you’re not entirely sure what you’re good at, you could ask people who work closely with you to point out some of your strengths. What are those things that come naturally to you? It could be things like negotiating or communicating, or maybe you’re good with numbers or mediating issues. As soon as you discover your strengths, you should capitalize on them to help you stand out and propel yourself in your career. Acquire the hottest skills on the job market Keep on top of your game by updating your work skills. Make sure you’re marketable and an asset in whatever capacity you operate in. Make wise investments Your youthful years are a great time to make investments that you can fall back on in the future. We know Instagram and Snapchat are brimming with what might seem like the good life, but remember it’s more important to spend your income wisely rather than try to keep up with the Kardashians. Look out for a great savings plan which offers good returns. You could begin looking at taking out a mortgage or investing in real estate, stocks, bonds and so on. Be sure to do your research and speak to a financial adviser before you get your feet wet. Moral of this story? You’re a hot commodity all on your own, so don’t let people tell you any different. It’s so okay, being an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone. Do you have an interesting career story to share with us? Let us know more here.
In conversation with creative agency JamJar about their website relaunch
JamJar was created in 2013 out of frustration with the way corporate and creative events were organised in Ghana. Many events felt poorly organised and were identical. As a result JamJars’ founding partner, Frances Quarcoopome, found the need to put her skills to work and provide the industry with a creative alternative. JamJar continues to be recognised for its innovative and forward thinking design concepts and exceptional event planning services. Their vision is to be the top African creative agency, fueled with passion, innovation and the desire to make every client happy. Tell us about Jam Jar JamJar is a creative agency dedicated to providing clients across Africa with innovative, affordable and locally relevant concepts in events, design and pr. You recently decided to rebrand and relaunch your website, why? Our website got hacked. Although this was unfortunate, we saw it as an opportunity to review the layout of our website and the elements which needed to improve; and making sure potential clients have all the information they need. Key steps to rebranding and relaunching a website Assess what you want to achieve/ goals Ensure that your website development team is on board and understands your vision Decide on your layout Create or gather all the relevant content Proof read it, and send it to your development team Launch a demo site to see how everything looks Eliminate any kinks Make any changes necessary and then you’re good to go. Why do organisations need to rebrand or relaunch? I think it’s really important for organisations to rebrand or relaunch because it gives them an opportunity to reach a new audience; and to also look at how far they’ve come, and to ensure that this is reflected in the company branding and website. Our main goal was to make it much easier for potential clients and partners to look through our portfolio and understand who we are as an agency. Hopefully creating a good enough impression that they want to hire us. What tips do you have for someone looking to relaunch their website? (1) Make sure you give yourself a deadline; (2) that your content is organized; (3) your images are high quality; (4) and remember to have fun. You need a team that can provide you with all the support to make those things come to life. Our A-team is Ronin Africa. They’ve supported us from the beginning; they understand our vision as JamJar and allow us to be creative. They are flexible and open to new ideas; therefore we can create something truly unique to JamJar. What goals do you aim to achieve through your website? With our new website we hope to reach new clients, particularly international clients. We also want to provide our existing clients with a reference point, and to use our blog to share knowledge and events. How has your new website positively impacted business? So far the website has allowed us to confidently market our services, knowing our product is represented clearly. Our plans are to expand to the rest of Africa in the next 5 years, and the website provides a great launch pad for accessing these markets. It also ensures that we keep ourselves dynamic and fresh. Website: jamjargh.com Instagram: @jamjargh Do you have an insightful story to share about your company rebrand/relaunch? Let us know here.
Thembelihle Khumalo: I never want to look like I feel apologetic for being African
Thembelihle Khumalo is a branding guru with 20 years experience in the media industry. She specialises in translating the stories of individuals and corporates into compelling brands, through her consulting firm Brandbuilder. She is also the founder of Labour of Love, an organisation contributing to the financial empowerment of African women artisans. What are you current career goals? My main career goal is to build my businesses in order to provide multiple streams of income in the short and long term. These businesses are strategically independent so that the problems in one sector don’t have a ripple effect on the other businesses. Would you say multiple sources of income are necessity for the average young woman? For an ambitious entrepreneur you need multiple streams of income because you need to be able to cushion yourself against financial peaks and troughs. Established and experienced wealth builders tend to employ this strategy. What are 5 insights you think every young woman should know early on in their career? Get rid of any psychological and emotional issues you have with money. Start investing immediately, invest in both long-term and short term goals. Leverage your assets, if you are talented at something, find a way to make it work for you. Understand how to get along with people, and that anybody can add value to you and vice versa. Learn how to make smart decisions quickly, by deciding on your set of values and vision for your life, then narrow down your options based on this. How did you create “Labour of Love”? My grandmother was a talented seamstress who passed these skills down. Initially I made a few things to sell in high school, and then went on to create a short-lived start-up with my sister. Labour of Love only became fully operational in 2015. The advent of online shopping and social media created new opportunities, and tremendously heightened the global appetite for all things African. Subsequently changing the ball game for entrepreneurs and marketers. Hence my current business model of creating opportunities for African women artisans. To use their homemaking and craft skills to increase their financial well-being, build their individual self-esteem, provide for their families and develop their communities. Tell us about Brandbuilder I’ve worked in media and advertising for more than twenty years, but left full time employment to pursue a passion project. I realised that I was leaning on the skills that I have expertise in – brand building and storytelling. I then spent a few months figuring out exactly what my value proposition would be, where my competitive advantage lay, in essence, developing my own brand. How does one get to a place of consistency in business? Timing is one of the factors that largely influence the success of a business. This encompasses the market you intend to service and timing in your own life. You have more resources to input into your business when you are single with no children; responsibility has a way of diminishing your willingness to take risks. There are also political and economic factors that affect your timing and at the end you have to listen to your gut. What are the top three places on your travel list? Definitely Morocco, Zanzibar and Nigeria. What tops the list of African countries you’ve been to and why? Definitely Rwanda! It’s well-led, that’s an important factor for me. The seriousness about achieving the vision they have for their country is seen in the mechanisms and systems they have in place to enable that. A close second is South Africa, the land of my ancestors and for its very cosmopolitan pulse. Would more women leaders make a difference to the African economy? Better, braver leaders would make a difference. If women are better and braver, then yes, more women in leadership. If women are not already competent, then we make them competent and compete on a level playing field. Competence and character should be the only things that decide those best suited for leadership. Tips for a woman trying to enter a male-dominated industry? I’d give her Lloyd P. Frankel’s book “Nice girls don’t get the corner office” and tell her to focus on doing the job properly because we can get distracted by the whole gender conversation. If you don’t get an opportunity, don’t assume it’s because you’re a woman. Ask yourself what you could have done better, where were the opportunities for improvement. What’s your take on leveraging your femininity in a business setting? It’s capital – employ it! It’s no different from your intellectual capital; if you have morals and ethics that can create boundaries for you, you shouldn’t have a problem. What governs your style, what you choose to wear, how you choose to wear your hair? I’d like for anyone who sees an image of me to see a proud African. I never want to look like I feel apologetic for being African. Seasons in your life tend to govern this and they can be different. Some require healing, nurturing and mending bits that have been chaffed and bruised. Then there are other seasons, where you are chasing something so big that you might even forget to brush your hair, and that’s okay too, for a season. What are the biggest relationship lessons you’ve learnt? Listen to hear, as opposed to listening to answer. Understand yourself and the lenses through which you understand what people say. Invest in knowing yourself. Embrace pain and understand that life is going to be difficult, you’ll have painful experiences and that shouldn’t be the end of the world, learn from it. If you were to have dinner with anyone, who would it be, where and why? I would love to have time stand still and spend a few hours with Malcom Gladwell on a beach with the drinks flowing and take time to understand his mind. He is a real
How to Keep Motivated While Job Hunting
Looking for a job? We have all been there. At SLA, we are all about empowering women who are successful in their industries, but it’s just as important to empower those who are still trying to make it. Looking for a job is no easy feat, and a couple of rejections here and there can really get to you. Staying positive is not easy and sometimes you need make a few of changes to get you ahead. We spoke to HR Specialist Sonia Hlahla, who has great tricks up her sleeve to give us for the perfect job hunt. Hailing from the Free State, Sonia majored in Industrial Psychology and has since then, used her skills and expertise to empower the youth in the professional environment. Take a look at Sonia’s tips on what you need to do to land your dream job. Make sure your CV/Resume is detailed The first thing the recruiter needs to see are your most recent qualifications and jobs . Your CV is meant to sell you to us, so make sure it is highly detailed according to the job spec you are currently looking at. We also take references very seriously, so eliminate your friends and family from that list. You would also be surprised at the amount of CV’s we get that do not even have contact details, so make sure we are able to reach you for an interview! Volunteer if you have time Volunteer at your local school, hospital or children’s home. Especially if you are not working. Even if it’s not in your field, it helps in building great communication and interpersonal skills outside of your expertise. Getting a job is not just about being good at it, recruiters also want to see that you are able to interact with people from different backgrounds, it shows you can be a great fit for any company. Skills, skills and more skills Take a short course online, especially if you want a job in a certain industry. This tells recruiters that while you were unemployed, you are still eager to learn and improve yourself. This looks amazing on a CV, especially as a young professional. Most online courses are free and easy to get through if you are dedicated. Career Portals are important Always keep your LinkedIn page professional. A great tip that I love to give to people is that you should use these portals as a way to apply directly with the company. This eliminates the middle man and gives you direct contact with the company you want to apply to. Never give up Keep looking! Make an effort to apply for at least one job a day. Looking for a job can be a job in difficult and as human to get lazy at times, but you may miss out a job post that could be perfect for you. Pushing past your frustration will probably become challenging, it’s important to stay positive when you’re in a difficult spot, and a positive you creates a much happier job seeker. So use these tips to stay level-headed. Keep on pushing and praying until you find the job of your dreams. How did you stay motivated when you were job hunting? We’d love to hear your story and tips. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more here.
Own your destiny and be your own boss
Entrepreneurs breathe life into ideas Entrepreneurs create their own future—they own it! Think of all the new technology and ideas that have come to life over the past few years. Those were all once just an idea but entrepreneurs brought those ideas to life. Yes entrepreneurship is Life. Entrepreneurship is a way to bring your passion to life as you help make people’s lives better. Sounds great right? Here are a few steps to becoming an entrepreneur! Action Start where you are with what you have! The distance between you and the greater you is: action! Part of starting a business is conducting thorough market and product/service offering research. Evaluate your idea; the more information you can gather about the potential demand for your product or service, about your competitors, and about the needs and wants of your prospective customers, the more successful you are likely to be. Remember: 80% structuring 20% implementation. Love and believe in what you do Do what you love and you will never have to work a day in your life,doing what you love is freedom and you will always do great. The biggest difference I’ve noticed between successful people and unsuccessful people isn’t intelligence or opportunity or resources. It’s the belief that they can make their goals happen. Believe in yourself and become unstoppable- nothing will work if you don’t . The first step towards action is saying ‘I can’. Adopt an all-or-nothing mentality Whatever you do, don’t give up, why go at all if you are not gonna go all the way?? It always feels better after every step because it means you are one step closer. The secret behind entrepreneurship is doing what others are not willing to do. Take small steps toward your goal Be specific about what you want to achieve and devote your time to it; draw up an action plan and follow every step. Affirm with faith and feelings that your goal has already been achieved. Check your direction, then learn from your mistakes “Life is like a compass. When you set your goals correctly it will take you to the right direction”. Mistakes have the power to turn you into something better, and experience is the best teacher. Admit it, learn from it and move forward “ The greater you awaits you” Are you an entrpreneur, let us know how you built your business? Share your story here