career focus

PACS Newsletter - Spring 2015

United States International University– Africa

Placement & Career Services

“Raising the Bar”

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As I sat down with my team to con-

ceptualize the first career specific

newsletter, we pondered many

things. We asked ourselves why we

needed to develop a career specific

newsletter in an Information Age

where everything is available to us by

touch whereas previously it was at

the click of a button making access to

specific information even easier; what

sense is there in packaging tips from

local industry professionals to a tar-

geted USIU audience and in the

end….. We recognized that while it

was required of us, we needed to de-

velop it for a bigger, bolder and

greater purpose. Thus after much de-

liberation, we agreed that it was time

to raise our game and take it to the

n e x t l e v e l . H e n c e t h e

theme…..’Raising the Bar’.

Why raising the bar ? Keep reading

and you`ll get the drift….

As a premier institution of higher

learning, we (USIU-Africa) have tradi-

tionally presented ourselves as an or-

ganization that values personal space

and self-expression and one that seeks

to grow the whole person in addition

to the academic degrees we offer. We

pride ourselves in going the extra mile

to prepare you to better compete

with your counterparts and excel in

whatever you put your mind to do….

(I mean that`s why we have the PACS

office among other amenities).

But in my view, the approach has

become very one-sided, with the in-

stitution on one hand creating a con-

ducive learning environment and

(some) students on the other hand

detached about their very own future

– choosing to do just enough. The

prevailing attitude is ‘I’ll go to class,

get my assignments done, and just do

what I need to do to graduate and

maybe be part of a club here, show

up in an event there’ but nothing

more. Sure we have some students

who are clear about what they want,

how and when, but these are the ex-

ception. What about you? Where has

the hunger and thirst to be exception-

al and outstanding gone to?

As a USIU-Africa student you are not

here by accident! Regardless of how

and why you are here, this is how I

look at it and hopefully you will too;

you are here, you might as well make

the best out of it instead of consistent-

ly kicking the can down the road. We

(USIU-Africa and its constituents) are

only extras in your play called

life….you get to determine how it

transpires by you decisions or indeci-

sions. You have everything you need

in you to become all that you aspire.

You only need to engage and plug in,

show up and make things happen.

In raising the bar, our goal is to help

you see what we see in you. The real-

ity is that the game has changed.

Competition is real whether you are

seeking to do business or get a job,

you have to be prepared but more

importantly you have to show up.

Showing up does not mean being

there in spirit but engaging, participat-

ing be it in class or activities within

campus and learning, learning, learn-

ing and staying curious. We want to

reposition you, but you need to want

to equally raise your game.

Sure, we can develop the best pro-

grams, engage the best in delivering

the programs, build the funkiest build-

ings but if you the student does not

show up, it all means nothing. We

have got to go beyond just enough,

and stop propagating a mediocre

mindset. We are a premiere institu-

tion of higher learning and have the

capacity to offer more to the world.

Believe that you are an important

part of the puzzle and wake up each

day with the intention to not only do

your best, but to go over and above

what is expected of you.

Let us raise the bar in all we do. In

our conversations, in our classwork,

in our engagements, and in our quest

for knowledge and a better future. If

you can get it right while in college,

nothing will stop you from achieving

your dreams. We will do our part,

staff and faculty alike, but all that is

nothing if you do not show up in the

play of your life and take charge. It`s

really all up to you.

So what are you going to do intention-

ally to raise the bar where you are?

Let’s continue the conversation

@ l i l b o g o n k o @ U S I U C a r e e r s

#raisingthebar and on Facebook-

USIUCareers

Be Intentional

Lillian Bogonko HEAD, Placement & Career Services

Mock Interviews are opportunities to prac-tice in preparation for real interviews. We’ll take you through different types of questions, how to sell yourself and

how to follow up after interviews. Book an appointment with a career advi-sor on careeroffice@usiu.ac.ke or call 0203606311.

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Inside... Articles & Events Be Intentional 3

Content Page 4

One-stop Shop 5

Gaining new heights every wake 6

Must have for your Job Search 7

Your Personal Value Proposition 8

PACS Open day 9

Building Blocks 10

Group Career advising 11

Mentorship program 12

Life After USIU-Africa 13

Success factors for you 14

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USIU-Africa promises Education to take you places. This means that

students benefit from exposure not only to outstanding programs and

faculty, but also to career advising and placement opportunities which

enable them practice what they have learnt and grow to become game

changers in the society. Whether it is in the area of choosing a major,

writing resumes and cover letters, preparing for interviews, job search

skills training, mentorship, placement and networking events, there is a

one-stop shop for these and more. The USIU-Africa’s Placement & Ca-

reer Services department (PACS); is a resource center you will want to

locate within your first semester on campus.

Many students enroll into university undecided about what subject to

choose as a major, and even if they have already declared a particular

program during application, doubt still exists in their minds as to wheth-

er the program they have chosen is truly the "right" one for them. Other

students enroll into university with a sense of direction and purpose only

to change their minds when they delve more into the subject area or

when they are exposed to options they never knew existed. Such situa-

tions are critical and need to be managed professionally. PACS has pro-

fessional staff willing and available to take you through such moments.

There has been a tendency for students to postpone their use of career

services till their senior year when little time remains for them to fully

benefit from the programs that PACS has designed towards building

their employability. We do not want you to say "I wish I'd come here

sooner!"

As a student you need to realize that the choices and experiences you

choose to follow during your life on campus will greatly impact the op-

tions available to you after graduation. It would be impossible to men-

tion all of the services available PACS office in one word, so stop by

and see what they have to offer. Become a “familiar face” at PACS…

volunteer during Career Fair…attend their weekly workshops, check

your school email for jobs, have your CV reviewed and follow them on

social media. It is important to note that opportunity needs to meet pre-

paredness and therefore failing to plan is planning to fail. You need to

have a plan for your studies on campus. PACS has a four year plan to

help with just that! Albert Schweitzer said, "Success is the key to happi-

ness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing,

you will be successful." Let the staff at your PACS office provide you

with information and assistance to plan for a career that you will love

and subsequently thrive in.

One-stop Shop

Ritah J. Asunda Deputy Vice Chancellor Student Affairs & Enrollment

PACS Programs

Career Advising

Helping students chart their career path.

Mentorship

Linking students with industry professionals for ca-

reer, personal and academic guidance.

Job search Skills Training

CVs, Interview skills, goal setting, career develop-

ment etc.

Entrepreneurship Workshops

Creating a platform for students to explore their self

-employment potential.

Work-study Placement

On-campus work opportunities for practical learn-

ing.

Placement & Recruitment

Linking students with jobs & internship opportunities.

Networking Workshops

Providing a platform for students to acquire and leverage

professional connections.

Volunteerism

Connect students with opportunities for experiential

learning.

Career Fair

An event that brings together potential employers and

entrepreneurs to provide students with insight into the

workings of the world of work.

Career Peer Advisors (CPAs)

Training students to be PACS ambassadors.

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GAINING NEW HEIGHTS IN EVERY WAKE

What if someone told you and guaranteed you that everything you are doing right now will have a rela-tively proportional impact on you and the quality of life that you will live for the rest of your life? Wouldn’t you do anything and everything to make it the best you can? More often than not, we take statements lightly to only regret our actions in the not so far away future. I am positive that the mag-nitude of success was not known to William Procter a candle maker and James Gamble a soap maker (brothers-in-law) who be-came business partners forming the now multi-billion dollar company Procter & Gamble (P&G). The two however believed in a dream- a dream that 177 years later has grown to produce some of the most impactful consumer good products the world has ever known.

Starting a company and building it to a multina-tional may seem like a far-away dream and to some, an extremely far-fetched idea at this point. There exist many other ways to however be personally im-pactful towards self-growth and self-build. Raising the bar means much more than raising ones test scores, it means elevating oneself over what teachers expect and what we expect of our-selves. It translates to what accountability we attach to our expectations in both academia and life. What can one do to raise the bar whether in school or out? Challenge yourself

daily, weekly, month-ly, yearly-

set a challenge for yourself- a target that you would like to meet; it could be physical, mental financial or spiritual and you work towards it. When you are hired at P&G, you are given responsibilities that chal-

lenge you, stretch you and mold you into a better per-son from the first day.

Compete with your-self first

we live in a fast paced world where the natural inclination is to compete against our peers, neigh-bors etc. In fact our school system inculcates this into us from an early age. How-ever learn to compete with yourself, aim to out-do your own limits.

Move from good to great

one of the hardest things is to improve on a really good result. When you feel you have accomplished, the natural inclination is to relax and give yourself a pat on the back however even as you give yourself a pat on the back go on and become great. Most of our brands are global market leaders for example Pam-pers, Always, Gillette etc. However we do not bask in that glory but continue to innovate to ensure that we

maintain leadership; hence we invest millions of dol-lars in innovation- we are not satisfied but want to become better and better.

Plan to leave a legacy When you think of any great leader, one of the things that is remarkable about them is they left a legacy. They moved from being successful to being significant. This does not just happen but needs to be intentional. Make prac-tical resolutions on what you need to work on and work on them.

For those in school, all the best from P&G- we know some of you will be our future colleagues- but wherever you find yourself- raise the bar.

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Must Haves For your Job search

Download the above from: https://cx.usiu.ac.ke/ICS/Campus_Life/Campus_Groups/Placement_and_Careers

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So, you’re looking for a job? You`ve been invited to

a growing list of interviews but haven’t heard a word

yet? I suggest to you that the main issue might be in

your personal value proposition in relation to the posi-

tion and company/organization you are applying to.

Your value proposition is a statement (s) of the unique

benefits that an employer would realize by employing

you. It is a highlight of your skills, strengths and core

areas of interest. It is where you offer your personal val-

ue proposition

For most people, and especially students, selling self is

a concept too difficult to comprehend. This is because

even though they know themselves and their inherent

skills and acquired capabilities, they fail to make those

qualities easily identifiable…no, uniquely identifiable.

So, how can one go about creating a personal value

proposition?

Identify what you want to be known for. This is not

where you create a fake version of yourself. You

need to be authentic and real because what you

identify needs to be something you can deliver.

You need to strike a healthy balance between

ambitious and attainable. Remember the key

word – unique.

Identify your strengths. There are specific skills you

are good at and that you are inherently equipped

with and others that people might have men-

tioned about you. You should also consider what

you enjoy doing and where you thrive. These form

the basis of the benefits that an employer will gain

by hiring you.

Identify your target audience. This is an important

exercise because you need to link your strengths

and what you want to be known for with your tar-

get audience. The companies that you identify

need to have similar values, and should have pro-

jects in which you can thrive. You need to be care-

ful to identify organizations/companies where your

skills would be put to the best use.

Show how you can benefit them. You need to

identify success stories highlighting and/or justifying

the strengths and capabilities you have outlined.

Your previous experiences in employment, extra-

curricular activities, internship or volunteer work-

offer good fodder for success stories.

Finally, do not limit your market to your home country

or town. You have received a world class education

so that you can solve the world’s problems. Remove

the limitations that you have set for yourself and RAISE

THE BAR!

Cecilia Mweru Waihenya,

Placement and Career officer, USIU-Africa

WHY THE USIU-AFRICA STUDENT?

Multicultural Perspective The University’s programs include a strong commit-

ment to providing students with a global understand-

ing and a multicultural perspective.

Technologically Savvy Program delivery at USIU-Africa acquaints and equips

students with the latest tools to meet technological

challenges in the work place.

Smart & Well Trained Students The students are highly motivated and self-driven with

an emphasis put on self-confidence, research and

team work. Competency in critical, creative and

quantitative skills in thinking, writing and speaking are

reinforced in and out of class.

Articulate & Equipped to Lead Through participation in student activities including

sports, clubs, and leadership trainings, students have

opportunities to enhance key skills including leader-

ship.

Resourceful USIU-Africa encourages students to be creative as they

apply acquired skills and knowledge, and to leverage

their networks in order to meet set objectives.

Your Personal Value Proposition

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PACS Open day 2014

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Building Blocks All over the world, There are plenty of successful individuals, men and women, young and old in various fields. Most of them seem to have their career game on point, climbing the corporate ladder with ease, work-ing in correct companies with the right bosses, teams and even earning a handsome pay. On engaging them on the secret of their success, they will seem to say it is hard work and focus, which definitely are the best build-ing blocks for success the world over. But really, what is the secret of their success? What are the reasons behind their unstoppable gains? Every student has a plethora of dreams about their lives after school, all laden with success. Plum jobs with amazing perqui-sites (perks), trips to London and Dubai, an army of personal assis-tants, personal and office cars all chauffeur-driven, endless amounts of money to spend on themselves, family and friends, constant honour and recognition in society and business circles, authority and expertise in their chosen careers as well as having their name on the wall of fame. These dreams are valid, they are to be cherished and worked on. The secret of success is seldom shared by many, because it is not palatable and neither is it glamor-ous. From athletes to film stars, from professors to business moguls, even presidents of companies and countries, the one thing they would be honest about is the fatigue they have undergone, sleepless nights, missing meals at times, it is all blood, sweat and tears. It’s real tears before attaining their current shiny status, that gives them confi-dence in their careers and places them as authorities in their fields. Definition of Success Attaining success at anything re-

quires one to have a feel and idea of what their success will look like. This helps one to know and recog-nize when they are finally success-ful, lest they keep at one goal even way after they have succeeded. Also, one needs to define success for themselves, as success is a relative term, varying from one individual to another. One person’s success may not be another per-son’s point of aspiration. Everyone needs to define and know for themselves what it means to be successful. Also, a point to remem-ber is that the meaning of success changes as time goes by. Young people at the age of 25 define success in a way that is different from people who are 65. There-fore, success is not a static state, it is dynamic! Focus Focus means keeping one’s eye on the prize, never forgetting one’s goals no matter what changes in the work or business environment. Sometimes things don’t go as planned and it may bring discour-agement. Staying focused will mean that you don’t drop the ball and that you keep moving even when it does not make sense to other people. Once success has been defined, described and believed in, one needs to aim for it with laser sharp focus. Find out what you will need to be successful in your chosen field. The education, the skills, the expertise and the professional networks too. Networking is very much a part of success and having a rich social capital means a lot to the process. In keeping with one’s focus, attain-

ing the necessary requirements for success in the chosen field, it is important to get and stay in touch with mentors; professors, teachers, practitioners and other experts. These will guide you on your jour-ney and connect you to relevant people and opportunities as need arise. While one may seem to feel that these people are not as speedy and ‘with it’, it helps to be humble and get guidance rather than rush ahead and make mis-takes that may take longer to un-do. Focused people look for advisors and when they do get advice, they consider it, no matter the source of the counsel. They keep in touch with these advisors so that they can check the levels of their skills and viability in the market. Evolution If you don’t change, you’ll become obsolete. One important thing to note is that, no matter what career path one has chosen, evolution is mandatory. With technology, plen-ty of jobs have changed in terms of description and scope. Also, plenty of jobs have been phased out, causing plenty of people to lose employment and a source of in-come for their families. The word usually talked about is retrench-ment or downsizing. This calls for constant updating of one’s skills and knowledge in their chosen path as well as learning other skills that would enhance one’s employability and retention in an organization. Even in busi-ness, if a company does not evolve in terms of expanding the types of goods and services it offers clients, it will most likely suffer loss or shut down altogether. Take a look at one of our mobile telephony companies, Safaricom. They start-ed out selling commu-nication via scratch cards. Today, they offer airtime, business support services, mon-ey transfer services, insurance services, banking services and

they also do plenty of charity work. This has kept them relevant and viable in terms of business. People with multiple skills tend to fare better in their career paths than people who are mono-skilled. This is because they have more to offer their employers or clients. Again, there’s a difference be-tween being a jack of all trades and being multi-skilled. The former produces no special touch or ex-pertise, therefore one cannot quite be said to be an authority in their field. Multi-skilled people have their basic skills as well as techno-logical and linguistic skills to en-hance their capacity. For example, a tax expert who speaks different languages can work in several countries easily or help to translate documents for their organizations. Remember You don’t have to have it all fig-ured out as you start. Get going and your focus lens will sharpen as you zoom into certain goals that you may define along the way. Be willing to evolve in your attitudes and approach towards your goals, so you can make the most of every situation you find yourself in. Whatever field you choose, wheth-er a corporate or business career, set out to be among the unforget-table experts in it. Mediocrity does not appear on the wall of fame. So go for it with all you’ve got, guns blazing! A great mix of focus and evolution will elicit the best career confidence ever! By: Violette Nduku Wambua Founder & CEO

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Group Career Advising 2014

Topics Covered CV Critique

Interview Success

Mentorship

Career Development

Job Search Plan

Personal Branding

Skills Development

Soft Skills

Self Assessment

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USIU-Africa/SCB Mentorship Program MENTOR’S TESTIMONIAL

Fridah Masaki—Standard Chartered Bank

“I walked in to the launch and found the proceedings underway. Then they started pairing up the mentees with their

mentors. The entire list was called and my name wasn't on it, neither was her's. The meeting broke up and we were invit-

ed to have tea while any mentor that had not been allotted a mentee and vice versa was asked to see Cecelia. I

went to tell her that I'd been missed and she said, "oh, yes, there's a young lady here that also just joined the bus as we

were leaving this morning, so perhaps you can pair up with her?"

I find participating in the USIU - Standard Chartered Bank Mentorship program such a delight. Not because it adds a

day to my volunteering leave, but because it challenges me to bring out the best in a person over whom I have no con-

trol. Perfect match as it happily turned out. My mentee and I got along great, and we have had the most interesting

year. She has grown in leaps and bounds (not that she had far to go as far as I could tell) and she thinks that it's thanks

to me. It's humbling.

I enjoy the conversation and the challenge these young people pose to me because I keep thinking, when I grow up I'd

like to be like they are now... full of ideas and enthusiasm for the next big thing in life. As a person, mentoring has helped

me grow up, and hopefully helped the ladies stay young.

For the second year running I have had a brilliant mentee who made me think, hmm... this person already has so much

going for her, how can I add to that? And so the challenge has been met I believe. I look forward to next year.”

MENTEE’S TESTIMONIAL

Sheila Chepkoech—USIU-Africa student

My first encounter with the PACs office was my freshman year, third semester. I was anxious and uncer-

tain about my future but also curious about the opportunities that were available for me at USIU and

so I decided to consult a counselor. This visit, I must admit shaped my student life in USIU. I took a per-

sonality test which enabled me to discover more about myself and I was able to work on issues of self-

confidence, self-discovery and setting my priorities right. The one thing that stood out for me during

these sessions however was a challenge that the counselor gave me. She told me, ”USIU has three

types of student, the ones who perform exceptionally well but are not involved in co-curricular activities, the students

who are very active in almost all activities but do not do so well in academics and lastly those who neither perform well

nor participate in co-curricular activities.” Then she challenged me to be that student who can not only perform excep-

tionally well academically but also be active in co-curricular activities. Three years later, I have been awarded the top

female sophomore and Junior GPA award, I am the founding captain of a growing volleyball team, a member of the

Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) and a graduate of the one year USIU- Standard

Chartered mentorship program. All this has been possible because of the challenge I received in my freshman year as

well as the guiding hand that the PACs office has continued to give to me over the years. The career office has ena-

bled me to have an outstanding CV and great interview skills which makes me confident whenever I find myself in an

interview. I would like to challenge my fellow students to make good use of the PACs office and participate in the bene-

ficial programs that the office offers for in doing this they will stand out in a positive way.

MENTOR’S TESTIMONIAL

Idah Manjara—USIU-Africa student

The mentorship program has benefit-

ed me tremendously. I have gained

a clear vision of the career path I

want to pursue as well as life skills for

a successful life. Through the continu-

ous encouragement, guide and ad-

vice of my mentor, I have gained an insight into schol-

arship opportunities and vast career knowledge that

has given me a head start. I am grateful to my mentor

for helping me lay a foundation to a successful career.

YOUR TESTIMONIAL

XYZ—USIU-Africa student

To apply for the mentorship program, send in an essay

detailing why we should consider you to

careeroffice@usiu.ac.ke and attach a copy of your re-

viewed CV and Cover letter.

For further enquiries, call extension 515/560/162 and

speak to a career advisor.

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Evidently to most of us graduating this August, the time leading up to graduation and the start of a first job are often muddled and demanding. You are trying to complete your degree while at the same time the demands of job-hunting, interviewing, and facing the reality of the end of schooling (at least for the foreseeable future), are knocking at your door step. You feel lost and unprepared, you want to lock yourself in a dark room and scream… Well it’s not going to be that bad, I have some few tips for you. I like to call this Reality Check 101: Let us have a read at the following pointers, they will shine a light on what you should anticipate in the real world. #1. Time One of the major time-related harsh realities is free time. In college, you get used to planning your classes, time, location and the like: Most of us choose afternoon classes so that we can enjoy the early morning sweet com-fortable sleep, and also choose to live near campus for convenience. Well the reality of life is that this will change once you face the exit door of USIU-Africa. The society expects you to wake up as early as 5am to beat the early morning traffic and finish work-ing at 5pm, meaning you get home at

7pm… are you prepared? Note it’s not like the 9 a.m. class that you often skipped when you hit the snooze but-ton too many times on your alarm clock; show up for work late one too many times and you’ll find yourself unemployed. #2. Professionalism Most of us are here as a rite of passage, maybe because your mom or dad and uncles expect you to be here. You know college is where we all want to try out some new things, go crazy. One can act unprofessional and get away with it, requesting an extension to sub-mit your term paper or getting late in an exam room, stepping into the class room dressed funny, you can get away with all these… However, acting un-professional at your workplace will get you fired, it’s vital to stand out to your employer. Are you a self-starter, and can you work independently… Since I stepped into the job market I have had to be accountable and eager to learn more. Are you prepared to go the extra mile to get noticed?. #3. Job or Career It is necessary to know the path you want to take, but this does not mean that you despise available jobs in the marketplace. If you are not clear on the path you wish to take, focus more on the job search not on the type of jobs you feel you must apply to but the one you desire & aspire. Do not panic if your first job doesn’t match your ca-reer path. Remember statistics show that majority of the first degree holders start at entry level and grow upwards. Always keep a good trail of all achievements and be aware of the transferable skills that you gain at your early jobs as they will be very applica-ble to future jobs down the line… #4. Self-Entitlement In the current market, most people hold at least a degree, hence holding one does not entitle you to a job, or to cer-tain treatment. It is important to know this because most employers may not be impressed by your grades or educa-tion. In the current market employers

are looking for people who can con-tribute positively towards the growth of their companies or brands, not only what you attained in college. It is vital that one focuses less on why the em-ployer should be so impressed by their credentials and more on how they can use their talent and initiative towards the growth of the organization. The reason why we advise for a one page CV (Resume) is to help you not over-sell yourself; if you want to impress the employer keep it short & Sweet (KISS) #5. Negotiation kills At least 1 in every 100 college grads gets the opportunity to choose a job, this happens when they get more than one offer. This gives you the luxury to choose and decide which works best for you. When choosing between two or more offers, it is important for you to choose wisely, as this is not like a class you can easily drop when things get tight or a lecturer you can easily change, to a more “lenient” one. If you get two or more job offers, how would you decide? What criteria would you use? What is important to you..? Sala-ry? Prestige? Travel? Benefits? Relo-cation? Company culture? Ultimately the choice is yours, make it wisely. Assess the offers based on your values and what you want. Some opportuni-ties do not come twice thus do your homework, ask questions and make an informed decision.

AFTER COLLEGE

John W. Mutahi Placement and career officer USIU-Africa

Aptitude tests are structured systematic ways of evaluating how people perform on tasks or react to different situ-ations.

More and more employers are admin-istering aptitude tests as a means to select potential interviewees.

Have you practiced lately?

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After a long and arduous

search, Jane has just

clinched the dream job she’s

been longing for. She has just

collected and signed her

letter of appointment with a

reputable firm operating with-

in the financial services sec-

tor. She has been asked to

report on duty the following

week. For her, this is nothing

but a breakthrough, remem-

bering the rigorous and tough

recruitment process that she

went through and the tens of

equally competent fresh

graduates that she beat to

the prize.

But then, there is an anticli-

max….. On reflecting further,

she feels a bit apprehensive.

She happens to be quite an

ambitious person and she is

keen to make a mark with her

new employer fairly quickly.

Being a fresh graduate, with

hardly any job skills, how will

she achieve success in this

new environment, she won-

ders? How best will she posi-

tion herself to succeed?

Luckily for her, she quickly

finds a mentor who shares

with her some useful and

proven tips that have been

applied by many young suc-

cessful executives. This is

what she learns….

Create a Vision: From the

start, develop a clear vision

of what you want to achieve

from this job. Is it ability to

meet living expenses com-

fortably? Is it ability to own a

car within 3 years? What is it?

Try and visualize that picture

of yourself attaining that cov-

eted goal. Feel the thrill of

success and savor it. This is

very important because it will,

from the beginning, be the

basis of your self-drive and

motivation. To succeed in

anything, you need self-drive

to energize and propel you

towards desired goals. What

you want to achieve from the

job will determine:

How quickly you settle

down on the job.

Your motivation levels.

The likely duration of ser-

vice with the particular

employer.

Your resilience against

setbacks that you en-

counter.

Remain focused on the goal:

Settling down in a new job

and a new work environment

as a fresh graduate can be

daunting. The work environ-

ment is a community, with

fairly well laid out structures,

culture, reporting relation-

ships, policies, procedures, ad

infinitum. Even in companies

with well laid out and closely

monitored onboarding pro-

grams, new employees still

sometimes find themselves at

sea, because it is very difficult

to eliminate the influence of

detractors and negative col-

leagues who a new employ-

ee is sure to encounter. Be

aware that you will encoun-

ter these, but remain focused

on your goal. What brought

you here? You came in as an

individual and you will leave

as an individual. You will suc-

ceed or fail as an individual.

Do not therefore allow your-

self to be subject to negative

influence.

Be a master of your own des-

tiny: Take time to learn and

understand what exactly is

required of you in the job.

Meticulously learn the skills

and knowledge required to

excel. Do not accept the

mindset that your employer

has the responsibility to devel-

op and grow you. As an em-

ployee, you bear the greater

responsibility in this regard.

Aim high, focus and commit

to superior performance of

your duties and no matter

what the circumstances, do

not allow yourself to be disillu-

sioned. Do not fear to ask for

help from your supervisor and

from those with better skills

and knowledge than yourself.

Pursue professional qualifica-

tions: Whichever field of spe-

cialization you are in, aggres-

sively pursue professional cer-

tification. Professional train-

ing is more closely aligned to

your specific job than aca-

demic education. This is one

way of getting skills directly

related to your job. Aim to

attain full professional qualifi-

cation (e.g. CPA, ACCA,

ACII, CIPS, CFA, IFA.) within

the first 3 years of employ-

ment, if possible. In some sec-

tors, the applicable law re-

quires senior people to hold

full professional qualification,

which means that to get pro-

moted, you need to attain full

certification or have made

significant progress towards

full certification.

Be positive: There is a saying

that goes, “there is nothing

good that comes easy”. As

you position yourself to build

a career, you will encounter

distractions, detractors, dis-

ruptions and discourage-

ments in bagful. Even in the

face of adversity, maintain a

positive mental attitude. If

you trip and fall, rise up and

try again. Keep trying again

and again, till you attain suc-

cess. Learn not to focus on

problems, obstacles and bar-

riers. Rather, focus on the pos-

itive side of things.

Brand yourself: Cultivate an

identity of illustriousness and

industry. Let your name be

synonymous with reliability,

efficiency, high standards,

integrity and trust. When you

under-deliver, let people be

heard to say, “It’s not like her

to …” Develop your own per-

sonal values around which

your life will be built. Stick to

these principles through thick

and thin. You will be able to

attract the confidence and

trust of people much easier if

you are perceived to be a

principled person. Being prin-

cipled does not, of course,

mean being inflexible and

unadaptable.

Work on your emotional intel-

ligence. Within the work-

place, you will be expected

to work well with others – fel-

low workers, customers, supe-

riors. Always focus on the val-

ue you add to other people

rather than what you can

draw from them. Understand

yourself, your strengths, areas

of weakness, your natural

preferences and your person-

ality in general. Be aware of

your natural traits and behav-

iors' which predispose you

towards not fitting in with oth-

ers. Work towards improving

these areas. Always be sensi-

tive about the interests of

others. Deliberately and con-

sciously place the interests

and wellbeing of others

ahead of yours.

The above do not come

easy. A lot of hard work, per-

severance and single-minded

focus needs to be applied to

register success. Many a

young executive who got

noticed and tapped early for

talent development all exhib-

ited the above qualities. Be-

ing competitive at the work-

place takes much more than

cognitive output. It requires

hard work, sacrifice, commit-

ment, focus and self-drive.

SUCCESS FACTORS FOR ENTRY LEVEL GRADUATES

Author: Mahinda Micah Assistant General Manager, HR, at ICEA LION GROUP

With 24 years of combined expertise in Human Resources management gained from a broad range of backgrounds in the insurance, hospitality, manufacturing, and educational sectors in Kenya.

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