Self-Branding
By Lateef Oladimeji – an Artiste, Media Professional, and student of Rome Business School Nigeria
during the Career Symposium organized by Rome Business School Nigeria Alumni Association.
Self-Branding is like buying a land to build and design a house to your taste.
Self-Branding begins with self-discovery. Discover your strength and be sure about what career path suits you. After self-discovery, there must be consistent self-development: make research, ask questions, watch videos, study articles that will help build your capacity and prepare you for opportunities that are yet to come.
Note that self-development is a continuous process as the world is dynamic you must be abreast of current trends that aid your development.
To get the right attraction, one must leverage on building and sustaining good relationships. Once you discover yourself and set goals, it serves as a guide to know places you need to be that will help bring your vision to reality.
Maximize opportunities whenever you have to access places with people who can help in building your career in line with your vision. However, carve a niche for yourself, be of value, and always give the best in performance, this gives room for visibility and referrals.
A situation is nothing until it gives you meaning. Feedback is essential and you must learn to manage both negative and positive feedback as it aids better performance. Pay attention to every message received, everyone has a right to talk and give opinions, do not take offense by negative remarks rather be open-minded, open to learning, and see feedback as a positive light for improvement and self-evaluation.
CV Optimization and What Qualifies the Best Candidate
By Uchechukwu Ezeamaku – Business Manager at Global Profilers, an international recruitment agency
during the Career Symposium organized by Rome Business School Nigeria Alumni Association.
A good curriculum vitae gives an edge amidst the pool of CVs received by recruiters.
Have a well-drafted professional summary that portrays the best of who you are and what you’re able to do. Always include both soft and hard skills, be aware of current relevant skills in your field of industry, and acquire them as these are what recruiters look out for. It shows a sign of passion for your career and keenness towards self – development.
In the work history section, do not stop at stating the position held in your previous workplace. Go beyond by stating your responsibilities, key accomplishments, and quantify in figures for the recruiter to decipher your information and make good judgments.
Have a career goal. Study the job description of your career path. Create a list of training and certifications you need to attain in line with your career and work towards getting those certifications for your next career phase. Recruiters look out for certifications.
What qualifies a candidate for employment? Organizations lookout for certain skills – people who understand the job description with industry experience and also if the candidate’s net value is within their budget. These are the metrics used by recruiters to find the best fit.
Also, many recruiters use the Applicants Tracking System (ATS). It is important that candidates use keywords aligned with the job description to tweak their CVs with honesty in order to scale through. It’s also important that your LinkedIn profile is up to date. Let all the details on your CV be updated on your LinkedIn profile.
How to Search for a Job
By Ada Osuagwu – Lead Consultant, Qualis Business Support Services Limited and Faculty Member, Rome Business School Nigeria during the Career Symposium organized by Rome Business School Nigeria Alumni Association.
When recruiters’ shortlist, they look out for eye-catchy resumes. They want to see your skills and core competencies.
Acquire necessary certifications in your field of industry as it gives you an edge.
Don’t dwell too much on entry-level jobs. Choose a career path; identity with a particular industry, make this decision, set goals, and begin to develop yourself. This will help you know which certification to attain.
How to position yourself on LinkedIn? Put key titles of your intended position for visibility; have an updated profile, recruiters use LinkedIn, many times people’s profiles are not updated and this reduces recruiters’ interest. Join groups in your industry and identify with them. You will be aware of recent trends in your industry and also have access to find job vacancies. Create valuable posts for visibility and leverage on the online association that is available.
Also, changing jobs frequently gives recruiters an impression that you are unstable, it does not help in building your profile. Employers look out for stable persons who can stay and grow with the organization.
Don’t live in oblivion, it does not leave a good perception about you.
How to Prepare for an Interview
By Kayode Abe – CEO Kingspride Consult and Faculty Member, Rome Business School Nigeria
during the Career Symposium organized by Rome Business School Nigeria Alumni Association.
The beginning of failure starts with a lack of preparation. Always think ahead, read to learn, discover a secret weapon to give you a huge advantage, and prepare yourself to give a compelling answer during the interview.
In preparing for an interview:
- Get to know your employer; go through the organization’s website, make research about their history, product/service, culture, etc. every recruiter will ask what you know about the organization.
- Study the job description in detail to know if you are well prepared and aware of what the job entails. Be sure that you are built and capable of the job, if not, list out things you can do to build your capacity. When you’re able to do this, even if you don’t have certain certificates or skills yet it gives the recruiter the impression that you’re self-aware and keen about self-development.
- Stimulate the likely questions to be asked, seek all answers, practice questions and answers with senior fellows if possible.
- Know what you would like to earn for your level based on the value proposition. Carry out research on what people are paid in your level of industry, then benchmark with your value.
- Come up with questions to ask the interviewer; clear issues bothering you, ask questions about the organization and its structure. It is very okay to write down your questions, it also shows organization.
- Get yourself into the right state of mind, don’t be under pressure, and be comfortable.
- Dress well; regardless of the type of interview, be it online or physical, it also gives an impression about you.
- Don’t apply blank; apply to organizations that align with your personal value.
What interviewers look out for?
- In all questions asked, interviewers lookout for candidates who are professional and ethical when responding.
- Don’t blame people for issues and challenges; don’t speak badly about your previous workplace.
- Ensure to take notes (both online and physically).
- Don’t send a wrong resume.
- Get a clean hard copy of your resume when attending a physical interview.
- Get your references ready; don’t be cut off guard when asked.
- Have a portfolio of what you have done and achieved so far.
- List out value propositions for the organization.
- Be clear of your salary expectation.
- Showcase your professional trainings and certifications.
Be stable in any organization you find yourself, this gives room for negotiation especially in a reputable organization. Also, look out for an organization that will invest in your future. Equip and train yourself in settling inter – conflicts between persons. You have the first 6 months to leave a good impression about yourself to the employer.
Career Development Tips
Delivered By Yemi Faseun during the Career Symposium organized by Rome Business School Nigeria Alumni Association.
Yemi Faseun is an HR Professional with multisector experience across the HR value chain. He is an elected member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), recognized as Top 501 Most Fabulous Global HR Influencer, Top 8 HR Thought Leader in Africa, Top 50 Personality on LinkedIn, Best Revenue Sales Supporting HR, and Workbooth Top 50 Career Influencer. He is the Founder of the YF Network as well as Boyz 2 Men. He currently works with Globacom in Nigeria.
Individuals need to define their own path. What is important is the learning we take along with us and focus.
Tips for Career Success
- Technical Competencies (IQ) – Constantly develop yourself, acquire knowledge, and deepen your skills. Certification will not deepen competence. Be value-driven. When you’re able to self-motivate and develop yourself, it prepares you towards leadership positions.
- Emotional Quotient (EQ): Have a balanced EQ. Train yourself to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict. Be socially aware but first, you must learn to manage and lead yourself.
- Political Quotient (PQ): Be politically aware; know what is going on in your organization. EQ and IQ do not sustain success but PQ.
What to look out for when preparing for an interview
- How can you sell the organization’s vision downwards?
- Be conscious of your leadership activities and give scenarios where you displayed good leadership skills.
- See the interview as a career conversation, it would reduce nervousness and make you feel more relaxed.
- Ask for job descriptions; this allows you to narrow your conversation and let salary be the last conversation.
- Do some homework about the organization; don’t go for an interview without knowing the organization.
- Tidy your communication skill; speak good and clear English.
- Let your response to questions be succinct and concise.
- Ask intelligent questions. Go micro and macro; e.g. what is the business looking out for?
If you have to go through a demo interview ask to be scored by the simulated interviewer on the following:
- Presentation/Appearance
- Composure/ Temperament
- Communication Skills – How articulate you are, coherence, diction, thought flow process, and your use of English
- Professional/Ethical Conduct
- Technical Knowledge
- Personal Growth Potentials
- Knowledge of the organization you are being interviewed for
- Sense of Adventure
- Quest for Knowledge
- Problem Solving Skills/Capabilities
In all, be the standard against which other candidates are measured.
Be careful how you make people feel, they will not forget. Be conscious of how your brand comes across people. Ensure to build and maintain good relationships, people will refer you to take on bigger positions in reputable organizations.
How do you manage work and life? When the purpose is hinged on grace, passion finds expression. Passion makes you find a balance. When you merge passion and grace, things become less difficult.
How do you stay motivated? External things don’t motivate too much, digging deep from within sustains self-motivation.
Add value to your organization. How do you create the bridge as a solution provider? This question should be a driving force for value delivery. Whatever you are assigned to do, do it well regardless. Take up your responsibilities with passion and enthusiasm.
Learning on the job is number one. Don’t be disgruntled when taking up your duties. Know that certification is not an end itself, what is critical is knowledge and capacity building. Get ready for opportunities before they come.