Nuggets of wisdom to kick-start your career

Learn from those who’ve been there, done that. PHOTO| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • At the end of the day, something that you are truly curious about and excited by is what will keep you on track in your career journey.
  • And yes, it is possible to have more than one passion.

This week, we have decided to walk back and do a recap of some of the most insightful advice given by those who have graced our Personality of the Week page, this year.

With the end of the year just two weeks away, we thought this is the perfect time to reflect on the nuggets of wisdom they shared and enlist these notes as we think about how to take our careers forward in the coming year.

  

1. “Understand what makes you tick and what your gifting is.” (Dr Emily Obwaka, Executive Director, Teen Challenge Kenya)

For some, identifying their gifts and passions comes naturally, but most have to actively work and try out different things before they can place a finger on that one thing that truly excites them. So breath, if you think it is taking a while for you to identify your passion and gift, do not stop working towards finding out.

At the end of the day, something that you are truly curious about and excited by is what will keep you on track in your career journey. And yes, it is possible to have more than one passion. The principle is the same: find your true gifting and connect that to the different passions that you have.

 

    

2. “Seek expert support.” (Jibran Qureishi, regional economist, Stanbic Bank)

Deciding what career best suits you can be a daunting task, so by all means, if you think that you need some expert guidance to make your choices, do so.

Sometimes it can take just one line from an expert to help you piece together the different interests that you have or just make sense of the trajectory that suits your career aspirations best.

There are people who have been there before you, seek their counsel.

 

3. “Pay attention to your journey.” (Phyllis Ombonyo Director, Yetu Initiative, Aga Khan Foundation)

There are people that come into our lives at different points along our career path. There are people that come to show you the way, there are those that come to teach you what not to do and there are also those that come to show you where you really do not want to work.

There are also those that come to open your world and expand your horizons. Pay attention to all these people and make deliberate effort to understand what they signify/stand for in your career growth.

Basically, there are many mentors around you, just listen until you find the right people.

 

4. “Take advantage of all the information out there.” (Esther Muchemi, CEO, Samchi Telecommunications Limited)

The youth are a privileged group because we live at a time when we have a lot of information at our disposal, therefore, if looking to start a business, a place to volunteer your skills, looking for a mentor, new avenues to meet and interact with people in your field, actively look for that information. To grow your career, you will need to continually learn and discover, and this can only happen if you are making use of all the available resources. And with all the information sources available at our disposal, there can be no excuse for ignorance.

 

5. “Pass your exams.” (Dr Chao Mbogo, HoD, Computer Science Department, Kenya Methodist University)

Forget what you heard, good grades are important. If you have the ability and the opportunity to go to school and perform well, do not sacrifice that on the altar of what you heard about ‘life having nothing to do with papers’. The reality is that there are opportunities that will come to you due to your good performance in your studies.

If keen on getting a scholarship to advance your studies for example, or are looking forward to getting on a fellowship that will advance your career, having correct papers under your belt is important, therefore do not squander the opportunities you get at any learning institution.

 

6. “If you are in a position to choose, follow your heart.” (Atsango Chesoni, Constitutional Law Expert)

We live in a society where inequality is quite common, and sometimes we have to put up with courses or jobs that we do not like simply because that is what is available to us.

This is absolutely understandable, however, if you are ever in a position to choose, always go for what you like, deep down in your heart.

You are more likely to derive career satisfaction from something that you truly love than you will from something that you are merely tolerating.

  

What have been your greatest learnings in the course of the year? We’d love to hear them too!