Leaving Your Current Job

Time comes for everyone where their job isn’t what it used to be or perhaps it never was!. So you have to leave. Some people don’t understand that being unhappy in a job is more important than your income at the time. You just have to do it.
So what’s the best way to go about it? How can you minimize the impact on both your career and your soon-to-be ex-employer?

*Tie up loose ends!

Most people due to some issues here and there sometimes just consider walking out and going without even informing their bosses leave alone their colleagues. It’s a move a lot of people make and can be a big mistake. It could be argued that there are a lot of issues in the workplace that could mean, just getting up and walking out would save a lot of hassle, but it could also be argued that you should at least try to resolve these issues first.

If you have outstanding work, then try to get it finished. If other departments are relying on you to do their jobs, then it is only professional courtesy to not let them down. How would you feel if you couldn’t hit the deadline because someone just stood up and left?

Creating a list of pending tasks to complete for your replacement and going over them with your manager is a very simple task and should be the least you can do. Ideally you want to make it easy as possible for someone to take over your work.

*Should you give notice?

Well this is so important professional courtesy where you should give your employer two weeks to a month leaving notice. Nobody likes to be left in the lurch or dark and no matter the reasons you have for leaving or whatever you think of your boss or your colleagues, they are just people doing their job.

Most employment contracts require that you give a certain amount of notice and you should try to adhere to that. In a lot of cases, your employer may not want you to work your notice but you should still get paid for it.

*Inform your boss!

This is always the hardest part of leaving a job for most people and for many the response of your boss can be just as hard. Whether they say,”Oh, OK then…bye” or “Nooooo! Don’t leave!”, it is going to be an uncomfortable situation.

You should be prepared to discuss your reasons for leaving it may not be necessary, but do not expect your boss to turn around and offer you a pay increase and better package. In 9 times out of 10, if you quit, then you quit. Threatening to leave is not the way for you to get pay rise!

*Observe A Good Leave!

In most cases some of don’t care if you rattle a few snakes when leaving but well one should always remember that most jobs require a reference from your previous employer and if you can’t offer one then you will find it very hard to get a new job.

Another good reason to keep things amicable is that most people will be moving on to another job in the same industry. As years progress you will find out exactly how small a world it is we live in! The person you tell to shove their stinking job where the sun doesn’t shine could, in a few years, be the person you have to deal with for that new business contract.

As one door closes, another opens and all that going for that new job can be the opportunity that changes your life. Just make sure you don’t mess it up by saying the wrong thing! Enjoy your moving and the new job…

Success in Your New Job

when one moves from one position, transfers or moves to a new organization, it comes hand in hand with its new set of challenges and opportunities to succeed. May it being recognized, making more money, making new friends, achieving goals etc. The one constant evidence in a new position is that it brings change, change in your “Universe of People”; change in the skills required to do the job; change in relationships with former peers, bosses, subordinates; change in accountabilities; and change in how the assumptions and behaviors you have developed will work in this new situation.

With the changes taking place one should always consider: relationship with your new colleagues, Success and Skills that’s why leadership role is based on effective people relationships and skills. Obviously, the technical skills and knowledge of industry, function and business are critical as well, but research clearly points to interpersonal skills as the key to success.

In most cases when we join new organizations we have to identify critical relationship and behavioral issues that will face in your new position and how to deal with them in order to be successful in your career and they are as follows:

 How you establish a relationship with your new boss and Colleagues.

A good withstanding relationship with your boss and colleagues is essential and don’t leave it to chance, or circumstances, or to your boss. Be proactive, and do not assume you and your boss are on the same wavelength, chances are you are not and chances are neither of you are aware of that. So it is advisable to write down the top three to five measurable things that you believe will create success in your position – ask your boss to do the same then compare notes. This always creates a good relationship and time to know each other better. People relationship issues are the most challenging issues you will face in your career. They are also the most rewarding and the ones that can provide the highest leverage and the most opportunity to succeed. Work on building personal excellence in the people part of your work. it has universal application for you!

 Never assume the people that are working with you.

Always for you or above you see things the same way never assume anything or anyone. Every single person brings a set of skills, attitudes and behaviors different from every other person, and they will see everything through that lens and it is different from yours. Perhaps not a lot different, but even little differences can result in big misunderstandings. Changing the way people see things is very difficult. So Create a commonly understood set of results that all can contribute to and identify with isn’t easy, but it creates a sense of unity and purpose and direction and alignment of effort that overcomes the perception differences. Goals create understanding and direction and expectations. Always ask around and find out what problems need to be fixed. If you ask, you will be amazed how quickly you will find an opportunity to fix a problem of long standing while developing the trust and credibility that you need to succeed. And remember, the highest form of personal security comes through your accomplishments.

 Set your own goals and expectations ready for adjustment.

Your expectations are different from the expectations of your boss, your staff, and the people that provide advice, counsel and support. So Express your expectations and be ready to modify and negotiate them, clear expectations between you and your “universe at work” are critical to success. The best way to express expectations is as goals that are consistent with and aligned with your organization’s goals. And if your organization does not have goals to align with ,and it is amazing how many do not, then set them up in your area of responsibility with visibility to your boss, peers and the people who report to you.

 Always have behavioral free will and free mind set.

In most cases we expect people to behave in certain ways, based on your attitudes, behaviors and values; and they expect you to behave in certain ways based on their attitudes, behaviors and values. You will all be disappointed to find that the behavior you observe is not what you expected. So Deal with results; every time you see a behavior that is not consistent with your own, reserve judgment and ask if it meets the needs and the goals of your organization. Remember solutions can come in lots of different wrappers, if you let them.

 Control your own behavior.

If you think you can control the behavior of others you are either kidding yourself or spending so much time looking over their shoulders that you cannot do your job! The corollary to this is since you can only control your own behavior, you can only influence the behavior of others through how you act. People tend to return what they observe they are getting. So Make a choice and realize that you will be treated the way you treat others in 95% of the cases. There is an old saying” How you act shouts so loudly I cannot hear what you are saying.” Take advantage of the tools that are available that can give you a better understanding of yourself as the first step toward more effective interactions with others.

With these points you will be able to perform to perfection attain your goals and have a successful career at your new place of work.

Importance of a Cover Letter

In one instance or the other most people forget or ignore to include a covering letter in their C Vs giving such excuses like my CV is well detailed, it covers all what is to be written in the cover letter e.t.c but in most cases when an employer or a recruitment agency receives anything in the post (a CV, promotional material, etc) without a brief cover letter explaining its purpose, they will instantly think less of it.

Cover letters serve as a reference to your contact details and further makes a platform where you market yourself. You can put your skills and ambitions into a better context within your cover letter as they are more personal than your CV (which is basically just stripping the glossy stuff away to the essentials). Cover letters also specify the post which an individual is interested in. They also act as an assessment tool to the employer to gauge the response of the advert. You are helping them out, so (hopefully) they will help you out in return. By carefully wording your desired career goals, you can save them the time of finding out that information from you which they will have to do anyway in order to find you a job.

When you originally contact an employer or agency you should state your preference (if any) between permanent and temporary work and give an idea of what kind of job role you are looking for. It should be noted that at this point if you state specific job titles, then you may be limiting your possibilities (after something else may comes up along that you can handle, but miss it cause you didn’t specify it). If you don’t have the experience for a particular job then it may be worthwhile keeping your options open for possibilities that may lead to you the ideal job. For example, instead of saying you want break into web design, say you are IT literate and have an interest and particularly good range of web related skills. This way, you will be considered for work in many roles (and I can’t emphasize enough the importance of getting a broad range of experience is for many careers).

However, if you are experienced in your particular field, stating exactly what you want to do from the start will be ultimately more beneficial, as you are less likely to be offered something that is inappropriate for you.

When writing your covering letter be sure to direct it to the HR Manager or Office Manager. This way you know at least it is going to the relevant person, chances are that they won’t read it, but it will be filed in the appropriate place for future reference and not be passed from department to department where it may be lost .Again, similar to your letter to recruitment agencies, you should specify what type of role you want. If you don’t know what you want to do, then use the letter to briefly elaborate on your skills and what you think you would be good at and ask if they have any suitable vacancies. Also, when targeting employers, choose ones that you would want to work for. Decide upon your reasons for your choice and explain them in your letter, along with what you can offer.

When applying for advertised jobs, your covering letters should, again, state why you are the best person for the job, relating the information in the job description to your experience and skills. You should make special note of what the requirements are in the job specification and reflect this in your CV. Your covering letter, however, should be brief, professional and be directed to person stated on the job advert. When elaborating on your skills, you should both reflect on your own experience and relate them to the skills asked for in the job advert. At the end of the day, the employer is only going to look at CV’s in this case.

How to dress for a job interview

The Rules and Power of Networking for career advancement

Networking is one of the most valuable asset for anyone wishing to climb the career ladder. Wanna prove it? Check out how many friends successful people have. Check out how many professional memberships successful people have. Networking calls for effort, commitment and tact. Though not possible to cover all the necessary tacts in this page, here’s the top three, I could think of:

1.Never burn your bridges unnecessarily. Whether it’s a bad boss you had, a nagging spouse or someone who just offended you so badly, don’t entirely close the bridge with the person. You never know when you will need him/her in future.

2. Join industry or community associations. Whether it’s associations related to your occupation or community based associations that advance people’s lives, make an effort to be a member. You would be surprised how many new contacts you will make

3.Never judge a book by it’s cover. What looks like a low lying rugged prick might be your tomorrow’s saviour or even boss. Whoever he is, whatever he does, wherever he stays, however he looks, give him the respect he deserves.

The ultimate job attracting CV guideline

myafricancareer can help you cut through the confusion of creating a winning CV by guiding you through how to prepare that ultimate job attracting Curriculum Vitae!

Presentation and Format

A simple, plain CV layout is a clear win. Images, boxes, lines, different colours and photos will just distract the recruiter and direct your CV to the nearest dustbin. Pay attention to submission requirements. Most organisations are happy with simple documents created in Word and saved as a .doc, .docx or .rtf file. To retain your formatting and fonts, you could save your CV as a PDF; but first make sure PDFs are accepted. Otherwise, use a standard font and keep images out. Avoid small fonts eg. Font size 10 or less. Avoid colourful fonts. Time new roman or Arial fonts are just fine.

Personal details

List your name and contact details at the top of the first page, including your postal address and a telephone contact number. Include your email address only if it is private and you can check for incoming messages at least once a day. As a general rule, don’t include your work number unless you have a private office where you can take a phone call without being overheard.
Using a mobile number is a good idea, but make sure that you’re able to take incoming calls. If you might miss the call, make sure your voicemail message is appropriately professional. Leaving voicemail messages of some hip hop lyrics or funny messages might appear quite unprofessional.

Career objective

Differences of opinion exist about including a career objective. Some experts dislike them, viewing them as an Americanism or adding no value. If you do use one, expect to rewrite it, even slightly, to match each job you apply for.

Three sample career objectives:
• Accountant
• An accounting position in a blue-chip media/entertainment company. Long-term plans are to advance into a management position with responsibility for financial functioning of the firm.
• Graphic designer
• To obtain an entry-level position as a graphic designer that will utilise my creative and organisational skills and will provide an intense learning experience.
• Store manager
• To become a store manager in a leading supermarket with opportunities to advance to sales management.

Work experience

The best CVs are brief and informative, so every word in this section must work hard for you. As a general rule, include more details about your current job, and less details the older the job. If you’ve been in the workforce for some period of time, simply list the position, company and dates of your earlier or most recent relevant jobs. You are not obliged to list every job you’ve ever had, but you should highlight relevant experience whenever it occurred.
A tactic for older job seekers is to only list jobs since, say, for last 10 years
If possible, illustrate career development in your CV. If you have “downsized” your career or moved sideways, you may wish to include a brief reference to the circumstances that motivated your move. For instance, “By accepting a less senior position, I was able to accommodate part-time graduate study. In this role, I…”
“The best CVs are brief and informative”
Company and title

Make a decision about whether the companies you have worked for are more important than the job titles. The most important information should go first, followed by the job title on a new line. Stay consistent, though, to allow for quick scanning and comprehension.

Job summary

Don’t just describe your duties and responsibilities. Emphasise your achievements and show how you contributed to your employer’s business. Carefully consider how you can quantify your goals and achievements.
As an example:
“Transformed an inefficient Sales team with low morale into an organised, lean and quality focused team, increasing sales by 9 per cent, decreasing wastage by 3 per cent and decreasing staff turnover by 4 per cent.”
In some cases there won’t be a quantitative measure of your achievements. Find other ways to show your contribution. For example:
“Conducted a production inventory and calculated costs as a consultant to a Brewery; findings led to a shift in the materials purchasing strategy”
Education

The level of detail depends on the balance between your qualifications and your work experience. It may be suitable for school leavers and graduates with little experience to list selected classes and to include results if these are better than average (or requested). Don’t just list everything you did at high school.
As a general guide, the less recent your qualification, the less information you provide. A typical format lists the name of the qualification, the date you graduated, the institution which granted it and your major. For example:
Bsc, 2003, Univerity of Malawi
Major: Statistics
Begin with the highest level of educational achievement. You can leave out details about high school if you have a higher degree or qualification.

References and Referees

Choose your referees carefully to avoid being disappointed. You must gain someone’s agreement before listing them as a referee. A hiring employer generally won’t contact referees until they have selected a preferred candidate — or if they are trying to decide between two candidates.
It is a courtesy to advise referees that they may be contacted. It is also a valuable opportunity to tell them briefly about the position, what it involves and to gently remind them of your relevant skills.

Optional extras

A good CV is as brief as possible. Only include items listed below if they will truly strengthen your application.
• Professional training
• Professional affiliations and memberships
• Licences and accreditations
• Knowledge of foreign languages
• Publications
• Special accomplishments such as awards
• Interests
Tailoring your CV

Ideally, tailor your CV for each application you submit. Every job is unique and requires a different mix of skills and experience. Don’t focus your CV on what you want. Instead, understand the needs and problems facing the employer. If you are responding to an advertised vacancy, read the ad closely to identify what issues or problems the successful candidate needs to solve.
Next, go through your work history, retrieving the skills and experience most relevant to this employer and position. Summarise or leave out those parts of your work history which won ‘t help you get the job. Essentially, you are emphasising some skills and achievements and de -emphasising others. Don’t lie.
As part of this process, give some thought to what tone to use in your application. For example, aggressively selling yourself may suit a high-powered sales role. A graphic artist might want to develop a resume that reflects their creativity. Once you have written the CV be sure to get somebody you trust to read it

Lastly, one question I often hear is. How many pages should my CV be? Tricky question this is. In response I would say that if your CV goes beyond four pages, then you need to consider cutting down on some of your entries in a bid to make it shorter.

All the best in your job search

myafricancareer tean

Dealing with Office politics

How do you deal with office politics. Like it or not, every organisation has office politics. Some tipis on how to deal with them

1. Don’t take sides. As much as possible try to appear neutral

2. Listen much talk less. Try not to talk too much, or else you will give yourself away

3. Respect company drivers, secretaries, tea girls and personal assistants. Though at the bottom strata of the organisation, these people are the unspoken off “information disseminator” in any company due to the much information they know and hold

4. Don’t create enemies unnecessarily

5. Identify the movers and shakers in your organisation and know how to deal with

6. Concentrate on doing your job and steer away from politics. All you want to do is get paid and pay your bills; why hassle with the extras beyond that

11 Smart Career Tips for 2011

1. Look out for “number one.” Take responsibility for your own career development. Many large organizations have scaled back on training and development–a common outcome of the economic downturn–and small companies can rarely provide significant support. Simply put, your career rests in one set of hands: yours.

2. Be strategic. Have a long-term career strategy or, at the very least, a sense for where you’re headed. Ask yourself, “What do I really want to do?” or “Where do I see myself in five to ten years?” Seek people in similar roles and ask for their advice.

3. Work in step with your company’s goals. Connect the dots from your role to your company’s vision and key objectives. How does your work align with the organization’s goals? What can you do to maximize your contributions?

4. Be customer-centric. Whether your customers are internal or external, know their wants and needs, and be fervent about meeting them. Bring the voice of the customer into your day-to-day work and let it enhance your decisions and deliverables.

5. Collaborate. Working with and through others is requisite to innovating, creating, and producing business results. Adopt a mindset for teaming and collaborating, and put it into daily practice.

6. Hone your communication skills. Communication skills can make or break careers. Pick one area that needs your attention–considering skills such as listening, presenting, influencing, persuading, or distilling a message–and commit to improvement. Take a class, practice with a trusted friend or colleague, or join a group such as Toastmasters.

(Read “6 Soft Skills Everyone Needs” for more tips.)

7. Cross over functionally. Many successful executives have risen through the ranks by taking cross-functional roles, such as moving from finance to sales or from marketing to IT. Follow their lead, and you can grow your skills, your network, and your political capital.

8. Expand your experience. Volunteer for special projects or assignments that are outside your everyday role. Discuss your goals with your boss, an HR representative, or a senior leader, and ask for help in finding opportunities to broaden your experience base.

9. Find a guide. Mentors can serve as influential role models and provide important guidance for your career. Reach out to a potential mentor within your company or industry, and see if he or she would be open to mentoring you for a specific purpose and timeframe.

10. Network–now. The best time to increase your network is today. Starting now, get involved in groups such as professional associations, charitable organizations, or even sports leagues. Step into leadership roles, and make your expertise known.

11. Specialize. Today, companies look for specialists, not generalists. Develop a personal brand, distinguish your skills and strengths, and determine how to best market yourself.

Source:http://monster.typepad.com/monsterblog/2011/01/11-smart-career-tips-for-2011.html

How to create your own website

I have often been asked what it entails to create a website. It may sound rocket science, but it’s really not that hard. Below are some simple steps for getting a website up and running:

1. Buy a domain eg. kazingumu.com or mapema.co.tz. Domains are divided into categories: (a) global domains. This are global domains that you can buy online from websites like godaddy.com or hostgator.com/domains. Global domains include: .com, .net, .org, .biz. (b) country local domains. These are domains local to a country and can only be bought via a domain registra operating in a country. eg. co.ke(Kenya), .co.tz(Tanzania), .co.ug(Uganda).

2. Buy hosting space. Once you buy a domain, you need a place where the content of your website will be stored. In technical language, this is referred to as a Web Host. USA has the most popular and reliable web hosts. You can still get local web hosts in a country. examples of good web hosts in US include godaddy.com and hostgator.com

3. Get your website designed and developed. This is the hard part. You can either do it yourself or hire a company to do it for you depending on how complex the website will be. For a simple website, you can use free website creation tools like blogger.com or wordpress.org

Feel free to talk to us if you need more help on this area.

myafricancareer

Project Management tips

For those wishing to pursue Project Management as a career, here’s a short video on what it entails:

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