Rolling up your Sleeves

One thing I know for sure is you get more respect and better reviews if you are the type of employee that is willing to roll up your sleeves while other employees are not.
Do not get me wrong; I am not talking about staying 4 more hours at work, neither am I talking about doing something outrageous just to show that you are hard working.
I am talking about:
Having a positive attitude while others are being pessimistic,
Strategizing and knowing which role will boost your credibility to your boss,
Willing to take one for the team,
Taking the time to listen and understand what your boss would like to see happen,
Befriending your boss in a professional manner (he/she is a person and likes to be treated like a person--not an evil beast out to ruin you)

My challenge for you is:
Roll up your sleeves and go beyond the defined role.
Even if you are not currently employed, you can volunteer and get valuable experience that you can use to get employed.
Challenge yourself!

Need assistance finding ways to stand out or roll up your sleeves higher?
get in touch.

Hoseah Njuguna
0734-609-741
empowerkenya@gmail.com

Reinvent yourself

In my athletic days I remember my coach giving us simple but very important advise.
He was tired of players not thinking first.
He called us in a huddle and picked up a tennis ball. He asked one of the players to throw the tennis ball. The player was asked to do this four times. Every time the player produced the same results. The coach finished the demonstration by asking the player to turn around and then throw with his other hand. Needless to say, the results were very different.
The same thing maybe happening in your career life. You have constrained yourself in unnecessary job sectors. No one said that a pilot can not be a HR manager in a flower farm, or a stockbroker becomes a masseuse.

The only boundaries are the ones that we set ourselves.
I want to challenge you to find a career that really fascinates you. Do your research about that career (possible employers, possible positions, contacts you may know who are in that sector, where to begin if you want to enter that sector, possibility of starting your own company in that sector etc.)
I guarantee you that you will be a much happier person.

What you are going to be tomorrow, you are becoming today

So if you are not happy with the person that you are right now, REINVEST YOURSELF

Need help reinventing yourself?
Do not hesitate to give me a shout


Hoseah Njuguna
empowerkenya@gmail.com
0734-609-741

Silly Mistakes that you can avoid

I was helping someone with their CV yesterday, and I could not help but wonder if they really deserve to be employed!
There are silly mistakes that a jobseeker should always avoid.
otherwise your CV will end up in the trash bin.

1. Spell your name right
2. Provide contact information that are current
3. Have an objective that shows that you will add value to the organization-(as opposed to make you a better person)
4. Avoid silly spelling mistakes (go through your CV ten times if you have to, also get someone else to look at it)
5. Do not overload the CV with minute-by-minute details about your previous experiences (remember: the recruiter will only spend about 20 seconds on your CV)
6. Do not undersell yourself (if you did it, and it will boost your chances of being called in for an interview, then include it in the CV)
7. References are good but I can assure you not one recruiter will call your reference before they have called you in for an interview---so unless they demand the references, skip them until the interview date.
8. CV format or outline makes a difference; find a format that is easy to read and presentable to the eye.

You CV is your career history; if you can not take the time to correct these mistakes, then you will have a really hard time convincing a recruiter to hire you.

These mistakes indicate a level of irresponsibility and they stick out like a black man in Japan. They distract the recruiter from listening to you, from paying attention to your strong points etc.

Need help or another set of eyes?
Do not hesitate to contact me.

Hoseah Njuguna
0734-609-741
empowerkenya@gmail.com

12 Essential Laws for Becoming Indispensable

This week, I will share with you the important points that I have learnt from my latest book.
The book is called "The twelve essential laws for becoming indispensable." by Dr. Tony Zeiss.
The simple way to take you through the book is to tell you what the twelve laws are and then discuss each law in greater details every day.
1. Having Altitude in your Attitude
2. Being an Effective Communicator
3. Having Strong work ethics
4. Being a teamworker
5. Being a problem solver
6. Being customer focused
7. Being results oriented
8. Getting it together
9. Putting you best foot forward
10. Being an active listener
11. Having the proper academic and technical skills
12. Emphasizing your prior experience

One thing about becoming the "go to" employee or becoming an attractive prospective employee is by learning what employers want from you. You may have a great idea of what you want in life, but if you are seeking employment and you are not concerned about what the employer wants from you, then you will continue to hunt for a job.

I encourage you to read this and other books that may add value to you.

10 Principles of Career Reinventing

The Reinvention Institute, Career Reinvention
Pamela Mitchell, CLC, is the CEO and Chief Vision Officer for The Reinvention Institute™. I stumbled upon The Reinvention Institute website and found useful resources for those of you who are thinking about reinventing your career. Check out Mitchell’s free, downloadable paper (click here). She discusses the ten principles that you’ll need to know before you begin reinventing your career. Mitchell also provides knowledge, tools, support and inspiration you need to recreate your career, your business, or your life. Here are links to those tools: classes, seminars, individual coaching, products, newsletters, and website recommendations.

10 Principles of Career Reinvention
Below are the highlights of her paper with my commentary; however, I recommend downloading her paper for more information.

1. Understand that in order to be truly happy, your career must serve your life: Early in our career, we often don’t have many choices in our first jobs like taking a job with a huge banking institution, having to move across the country so you can participate in their leadership program. These are sacrifices we make to get our foot in the door. However, over time, we realize that our careers may not be serving our lives so a change is necessary. For example, some people work as many as 18-hour days and are a parent with one child and another on the way, leaving their spouse to take of the kids. Is this working? Is it sustainable? Is it serving their lives? Doubtful.

2. Release the myths and understand the signifiers you’ve attached to your new career: Status and money typically drives us. Yes, passion fits in there somewhere; however, sometimes we’re caught up in managing our way up the ladder with all the privileges that should accompany it. At some point, are these things really worth it? Some people would think I was crazy to leave a VP job do my own thing, but it serves my life.

3. Be willing to start before you have an end goal in mind: Sometimes, you know you need a career reinvention. You just have to jump right in rather than wait for the perfect career reinvention plan.

4. Get used to living outside your comfort zone: Meeting new people and creating a new network is hard, especially for those of us are naturally introverts, but selectively extroverts. Let’s face it, some of us aren’t energized by meeting new people or going out of comfort zone.

5. Let go of your old identity: I’m a VP of Marketing. I’m a Product Manager. I’m a…Titles and our jobs define us. Changing up our identity is scary and hard to do. One helpful tip is to come up with a new elevator speech about your new identity so you can quickly rattle it off when you’re asked what you do. See “4 Steps to a Great Elevator Speech by Dave Lorenzo at Career Intensity” for ideas.

6. Learn to tune in and listen to of yourself first before responding to the world: You will have so many options available to you so the trick is to listen to yourself if it’s good for you. Don’t do something just because it will be impressive to others. Remember, it has to serve you and your life goals.

7. Realize that your ideas will shift, and be open to experimentation: Some of you creative people and you’ll have hundreds of ideas that sound good for your career reinvention. The true test will be which one feels the easiest and “right” to take action on. If you can’t easily take action and you keep walking in circles on the idea, then chances are it’s not a right fit.

8. Be wiling to pursue new contacts: Like I said, meeting new people is hard for some us, but worthwhile, especially if you reinventing yourself. You need access the people that can help you with your new goals.

9. Accept that on some levels you will be starting over: Clean slates are fun, but daunting. However, it won’t be as scary like it was when you first started your previous career. This time, you’ll have your tools and templates. You’ll what your core competencies (what you’re really good at) are. You’ll have your interests. You’ll have your life goals. Add all these things together, chances are this is more information you had than when you first started your old career.

10. Celebrate your successes along the way instead of holding out for the end goal: Define some milestones that you’ll most likely hit along the journey such as “contacted X number of new contacts,” ”brainstormed likely industries or job titles,” or “created a board of friends and former coworkers”. Take the time to celebrate moments like these so you can motivated.

Needless to say that I found these 10 principles to be very helpful.
Some of you may be looking for a job in a particular sector while there are plenty of jobs in other sectors. The only thing stopping you from getting into another sector is your mental image of who you are. If you have your mind made up that you are an accountant, then an accountant you shall remain with a job or without; but if you use the knowledge and skills that you have acquired over the years, then you can become anything and get a job in any sector--and still be a proud non-practicing accountant.
So put down your guard and reinvent yourself

Need assistance?
Do not hesitate to ask for it.

Hoseah Njuguna
0734-609-741
empowerkenya@gmail.com

Functional CV

The Functional CV is usually two pages in length and covers your entire career history. Unlike the most common chronological CV it focuses, not on your career history, but on your skills, abilities and expertise. It may not even refer to a specific industry, as the skills detailed are deemed transferable.

It is important that the skills you detail are relevant to the position you are applying for. It is no use highlighting your great accounting experience if the position is in sales. You should highlight your achievements in a sales environment and focus on relevant aspects of that field of work.

A Functional CV format is useful if:
• You lack experience or have gaps in your work history; these can be de-emphasized in a functional CV while your skills and potential are highlighted.
• You have changed jobs frequently and have had a variety of unrelated work experiences.
• You want to promote skills and experience obtained through college or volunteer experience.
• You are changing careers or re-entering the job market, perhaps after taking a career break to be a full time parent.
• Your most recent work experience is not relevant to the job, but past experience is.
• You have been working freelance or in temporary employment.
• You do not want to advertise your age.
A functional CV format is less useful if:
• You have little work experience and thus not much to highlight.
• You have a progressive career history, which reflects promotions, and growth and you want to emphasize that.


What is the layout of a Functional CV?
• The Functional CV starts with a Profile that highlights specific skills, achievements and relevant personal qualities.
• Grouped beneath subheadings, you should then present your range of skills and abilities beginning with the most important. Present the functions as bullet points. Rather than focusing on experience in a particular job, detail your abilities as demonstrated in that job in such a way as to show that they are transferable to the job applied for. As previous employers are not mentioned by name you can include voluntary and unpaid work.
• Following this section is a list of employers and employment dates.
• Qualifications are covered next including professional and academic qualifications.

The Functional CV may conclude with a brief outline of your personal details, hobbies and interests.

The Functional CV

The Functional CV is usually two pages in length and covers your entire career history. Unlike the most common chronological CV it focuses, not on your career history, but on your skills, abilities and expertise. It may not even refer to a specific industry, as the skills detailed are deemed transferable.
It is important that the skills you detail are relevant to the position you are applying for. It is no use highlighting your great accounting experience if the position is in sales. You should highlight your achievements in a sales environment and focus on relevant aspects of that field of work
A Functional CV format is useful if:
• You lack experience or have gaps in your work history; these can be de-emphasized in a functional CV while your skills and potential are highlighted.
• You have changed jobs frequently and have had a variety of unrelated work experiences.
• You want to promote skills and experience obtained through college or volunteer experience.
• You are changing careers or re-entering the job market, perhaps after taking a career break to be a full time parent.
• Your most recent work experience is not relevant to the job, but past experience is.
• You have been working freelance or in temporary employment.
• You do not want to advertise your age.

A functional CV format is less useful if:
• You have little work experience and thus not much to highlight.
• You have a progressive career history, which reflects promotions, and growth and you want to emphasize that.

What is the layout of a Functional CV?
• The Functional CV starts with a Profile that highlights specific skills, achievements and relevant personal qualities.
• Grouped beneath subheadings, you should then present your range of skills and abilities beginning with the most important. Present the functions as bullet points. Rather than focusing on experience in a particular job, detail your abilities as demonstrated in that job in such a way as to show that they are transferable to the job applied for. As previous employers are not mentioned by name you can include voluntary and unpaid work.
• Following this section is a list of employers and employment dates.
• Qualifications are covered next including professional and academic qualifications.
• The Functional CV may conclude with a brief outline of your personal details, hobbies and interests.