Career Planning - A Must!!!

Hello Graduates and Professionals, 


Career planning is a must if you want to make it to the top of your profession or career. 

This is why I have set up this blog to help you get to the top of your career. 

Coaching is a way of helping my clients to get the best out of life and their careers. 


Wishing you a fulfilling New Year 2017. 

from Your Career Coach, 

Mercy Love Alfa 
+233-244-856599

What Exactly is Personal Development?

Striving to make ourselves better, were thought of as "new age phenomenon", but actually it dates back to ancient history. There are multiple societies that spoke of developing oneself as the only true vocation in life and that philosophy (knowing more about oneself and the universe), was the best way to live a more fulfilling life.

As we look into the history of personal development, it may have been called by other names such as, "virtues", or "moral character", or within the Christian era, "ethics."

No matter where we find the roots of personal development, whether it is in ancient Greece, or more recently in the teachings of Benjamin Franklin, where he created possibly the first Self-Improvement Course. The traits that he spoke of are as follows…

1.       To Practice Self-Control and Exercise Discipline, then to use these traits as a means of improving the individual…

2.   Quiet Yourself and Listen: Become a better listener, and exercise silence…

3.       Maintain Order: Arranging our lives in an orderly fashion, and not procrastinate…

4.       Work Ethic: Putting forth your best effort daily…

5.       Money/Time: Understand how we spend our time and money…

6.       Work: Learn to work and play hard, striving to bring a smile to others…

7.   Do unto Others: Always treat others, the way you yourself would like to be treated.

8.   Small Steps: to look at life with moderation, and to avoid extremes…

9.    Cleanliness Both Inside and Outside: To be clean in body, mind and spirit…

10.   Peace: Live life at peace, enjoying the beauty that surrounds us…

11.   Serve Others: no matter your station in life, take the time to help others in need…

12.   Humbleness: realize that we are all equal in the face of the Almighty…

13.   Honesty: Strive always to speak the truth both yourself and those you come in contact with.

While this is simply a brief example, of what one of America's historic figures offered, personal development is not a destination but a path you should walk.

Personal development should become ingrained in every part of our lives, both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Life is a continual movement from birth to death, and along that path we should always strive to move ourselves forward, to become better people, and to never settle, but always strive for excellence.

We live in a fast-paced world, with deadlines to keep and bills to pay, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that we are physical as well as spiritual beings, and to truly be fulfilled we should not put one in front of the other, rather seek excellence for them both.

Personal development, which could be measured by setting and reaching goals, can be thought of as a measurement of our success in life. It does not matter whether we seek the summit Mount Everest, or simply to walk to a neighbouring hill, rather it is the setting of our sight upon that goal, then moving steadily forward to reach the infielders.

In conclusion, in personal development we should seek both short-term and long-term goals, with short-term goals being achievable, which offers fuel to our very essence, allowing us the strength and motivation to move forward with long-term goals.

What Bill Gates and the Modern Philanthropists Do Better

I have witnessed many changes in my long career in the way we approach global challenges – not all of them, sadly, positive. But the resurgence in recent years of philanthropy has been a major change for good.

We have entered a new age of philanthropy and the sick, the poor and the vulnerable of our world are benefiting. Progress is being made on some of our world’s most intractable problems and modern philanthropy has played a significant role in these successes. When, for example, as UN Secretary-General we launched the Global Fund as an international financing mechanism to tackle HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, the early involvement of the Gates Foundation was of critical importance.

It was not just the large additional resources which were provided which made the difference, but also their way of approaching the challenge. Modern philanthropists have brought a determined focus on outcomes and the courage to find and try innovative solutions to deliver results.

They also bring a deep understanding of the need to build the widest possible partnerships with governments, international agencies, civil society and the private sector. Despite fears from some NGOs and multilaterals about their involvement and influence, modern philanthropists rarely operate in isolation but recognise the importance of collaboration.

The new age of philanthropy is also marked by a change in where the successors to Carnegie, Rockefeller and Nobel live. As the economies of Asia, Latin America and Africa have grown, so has the determination of its business leaders to use their wealth for the greater good.

We have seen, for example, the emergence of a growing number of African foundations set up by those whose companies have thrived on the continent. They can bring, as is the case with Mo Ibrahim and the work of his Foundation on African governance and of Tony Elumelu on entrepreneurship, a particular insight into what’s important, a better understanding of the local and regional context, and the barriers that must be overcome.

This experience can also provide a credibility which makes it more difficult for those in authority to ignore and easier to attract the right partners. The work of my Foundation on African agriculture and on elections and reconciliation within the continent – and the wide partnerships we have forged – has benefited hugely from these partnerships.

The Ibrahim and Gates Foundations also underline how modern philanthropists are taking a much more high-profile role in advocacy for the causes in which they believe and the changes they want to see. Many wealthy individuals, of course, continue to keep their giving and efforts private, but this new breed of philanthropy-champions have successfully raised awareness, challenged conventional thinking and prompted decisive action on issues of huge importance.

As we look around our world and the complex challenges we face, it is clear we need not just more funding but the very best ideas that we can get, and absolute focus to make these ideas work in practice. I am delighted to see the next generation of philanthropists leading the way.

This article was written by Kofi Annan, Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation.Credit: https://ch.linkedin.com/in/kofiannan

Learn How to Differentiate Your Resume With a Winning Strategy

Are you looking for a winning Resume that will make you to stand out, then read this post on Differentiating your resume with a winning strategy. 

reCareered: Differentiate Your Resume With a Winning Strategy: Fishing and Response Resumes

Top 5 Reasons Why People Work

In the post, we will discuss the Top 5 reasons why people work and see whether these are also the reasons for us working.

Reason No. 1 – People Work For Money

People need money to pay for basics, such as food, clothes and a place to live (accommodation). They also need money for the other things that make life better.  Education, a car, travel, a cell phone, a DVD player, IPod, - all cost something. A lot of people therefore look for the job that will pay them the most money.

Reason No. 2 – People Work To Gain Identity
Identity is the way we see ourselves in our minds and the way we think others see us. For many men and women, a job gives them part of their identity. They can see themselves as people who get things done. Who are responsible, and who are capable enough to be paid for the work they do.

Reason No. 3 – People Work To Feel Good About Themselves

Everyone wants to feel important in some way. Being part of a busy, fast-moving world makes some people feel important. Wanting to feel important may make them work harder and longer than others. It also causes people to work at jobs that seem special to them.

Reason No. 4 – People Work To Be Useful
By working, people feel that they are doing their share. They may work to take of themselves or their families, or they may work to help others in the community. 

Reason No. 5 – people work  to be with others
Most people like to spend time with others. They don’t like being alone for long periods. Work gives them a chance to be with and talk to people.

Do any of the above reasons apply to you? As you can see, work fulfills many important needs and even many individuals who became wealthy overnight still work.

The business and career bookshop is a shop where you can select a book on career planning that will help you to choose the right job that is best for you.

Of course, we all have days when we would rather stay in bed longer or go to the beach. No job satisfies all needs. The right job, however, can be satisfying in a very special way. That is why it is important to think carefully about your wants and needs. This will help you to know which career or job to choose and plan for.

I would appreciate your comments and if the above reasons are also your reasons for working, I will like to hear from you.

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Comment Trouver Une Carrière En Apprenant Une Nouvelle Langue

La planification de carrière est très important à la fois pour les jeunes ainsi que l'ancien. Il vous aide à déterminer ce qu'il faut faire en tant que personne et comment contribuer à votre communauté, du pays et du monde en général. Cette série de planification de carrière nous emmènera dans les profondeurs de certaines carrières sélectionnés que nous pouvons faire lorsque nous apprenons une nouvelle langue.

 

L'étude des langues étrangères est devenu nécessaire dans notre monde d'aujourd'hui, qui est en passe de devenir un village planétaire en raison de l'amélioration des dispositifs mobiles et internet. Il est devenu facile d'apprendre une nouvelle langue en quelques minutes par jour pour devenir un orateur parle couramment juste une question de semaines.

 

Apprendre une nouvelle langue n'est plus seulement pour les enfants ou les adolescents, mais aussi pour les mères et les pères, c'est- adultes. Les adultes peuvent désormais apprendre une nouvelle langue dans le confort de leurs maisons, bureaux ou en vacances, sans aller à la salle de classe ou des conférences.

 

En outre, l'apprentissage des langues est devenu si facile grâce à Internet , l'information et les logiciels qui sont facilement téléchargeables. En outre, si quelqu'un est intéressé à en apprendre une nouvelle langue , je vais vous recommande les sites suivants pour tous ceux qui veulent commencer à leur convenance.

 

Ce n'est que le début d'une nouvelle expérience de la langue , la prochaine fois , nous allons examiner les possibilités et les carrières que nous pouvons tirer de l'apprentissage d'une nouvelle langue. En un mot, nous pouvons changer notre carrière par l'apprentissage d'une nouvelle langue.

 

Vous êtes le bienvenu pour commencer à apprendre une nouvelle langue en choisissant une des langues ci-dessus .

 

Pour la réussite de votre carrière.

Peace

How to develop the discipline of Daily Time Management

Rule: “Every minute spent in planning saves ten minutes in execution.” The more you plan, the bet­ter you use your time, and the more you accomplish.  

a.  Begin by making a list of everything that you have to do. The best time to write your daily list is the night before so that your subconscious can work on it while you sleep. 

b. Organize the list by priority before starting work.  

c. Practice the 80/20 rule, which says that 80% of your results come from 20% of your activities. What are they?  

d. Use the ABCDE method to set priorities. This is based on considering the consequences of doing or not doing a particular task.  

A = Must do - serious consequences for non-completion

B = Should do – mild consequences for non-completion

C = Nice to do – no consequences for non-completion

D = Delegate – everything possible

   E = Eliminate – everything you can to free up more time

e. Organize your list by A-1, A-2, A-3, and so on. 

f. Start on your A-1 task first thing in the morning.  

g. Discipline yourself to concentrate single-mindedly on your A-1 task until it is 100% complete.

The discipline of good time management spreads to all your other disciplines. It has immediate pay­off in improved results, and long term payoff in terms of the quality of your life work, courtesy - Brian Tracy. 

Hope you enjoyed the good habit development; do follow this blog for the next discipline.

How to Cultivate the Discipline of Daily Goal-Setting

Today, we will discuss the Discipline of Daily Goal-Setting, a habit that will help us both in our personal, career and in every aspect of our lives. Focus and concentration are the essential qualities for career and personal success. 

a)  Start by asking, “What do I really want to do with my life?” Ask this question over and over again until you get a clear answer.  

b)  Imagine that you had ten million dollars cash, but only ten years to live. What would you immediately do differently in your life? 

c)  Imagine that you have no limitations. That you could wave a magic wand and have all the time and money, all the education and experience, all the contacts you needed to achieve any goal. What would you do then?  

d)  Buy a spiral notebook and write in it every day. Begin by writing out ten goals in the present, positive and personal tense. Begin each goal with the word “I” followed by an action verb. For example, you could write, “I earn $xx,xxx by December 31, 2007.”

e)  Every day before you start off, rewrite your top ten goals in the present tense, as though you had already achieved them and you were reporting on this success to someone else.  

Rewrite your goals without looking back to the previous page. Rewrite them from memory. Watch how they grow, de­velop and change over time as you rewrite them each day. Many people have said that the discipline of daily goal setting has transformed their life and far faster than they had even imagined, courtesy – Brian Tracy.

You are welcome to follow this blog for more tips on how to develop Self-Discipline.

How to develop the Habit of Continuous Learning

“To earn more you must learn more.”Jim Rowan says: “Work at least as hard on yourself as you do on your work.”

a)  Read in your field 30-60 minutes each day. This will translate into one book per week, 50 books per year.  

b) Listen to CD’s in your car as you drive from place to place. This will amount to 500-1000 hours per year.  

c)  Attend seminars and take courses given by experts in your field. One idea from one course can save you years of hard work.  

d) The average income in America increases at 3% per annum. With compound interest, the average person doubles their income every 22 years. 

e) With the additional knowledge and skill you can apply to get better results, you increase your income at 10%, 15% and even 25% per year.

f)  10% per annum increase means that you double your income in 7 years and 2 months.  

g)  25% increase per annum means that you double your income in 2 years and 8 months. (Credit; Brian Tracy) 

Work on yourself as if your future depends on it, because it does. Continuous learning will make us to sacrifice our time for sleeping, leisure and family, however, the long term benefits far overrides the sacrifices we may go through today.  

Go ahead start reading that book, sign up for that online course; start listening to the language audio CD today and see where you get to by the end of this year.  

Do follow this blog, if you have enjoyed reading this post, for more tips and advice on developing self-discipline in your personal and career life.

How to develop the Discipline of Clear Thinking

Developing the discipline of clear thinking helps us to focus on our career and personal goals without wavering or changing our minds. This article will help us to develop the habit of thinking clearly when making career decisions.

Thomas Edison once said, “Thinking is the hardest discipline of all.”  

It has been said that there are three types of people. There are those who think (The small minority); there are those that think they think, then there are those who would rather die than think.

a)   Take time to think though the critical issues and problems in your life. Put aside long, unbroken chunks of time, thirty, sixty and then ninety minutes. 

   Peter Drucker said that, “Fast people decisions are usually wrong people decisions.” In addition, fast decisions with regard to your family, career, money or any other major issue are usually wrong decisions.  

b)  Sit quietly for 30-60 minutes to think. Practice solitude on a regular basis. “Go into the silence.” 

c) Whenever you practice solitude for more than thirty minutes, you activate your super conscious mind and trigger your intuition. You get it right from the “still, small, silent voice within.”  

d)  To think better, take a pad of paper and write down every detail of the problem situation you are facing. Sometimes, the right thing to do emerges as you write down the details.  

e)   Aristotle once said that wisdom (The ability to make good decisions) is a combination of experience plus reflection. The more time that you take to think about your experiences, the more vital lessons you will gain from them.  

f)  Go for a walk or exercise for 30-60 minutes. Very often when you are exercising, you will get insights or ideas that help you to think better and make better decisions. 

g)   Talk your situation over with someone else who you like and trust, and who is not emotionally involved; Very often, a different perspective can totally change your viewpoint.  

h)  Always ask, “What are my assumptions?” What is it that you are assuming to be true about the situation? 

i)  What if your assumptions were wrong? What if you were preceded on the basis of false information?  

Always be open to the possibility that you could be completely wrong in your current course of action. Be open to doing something completely different, courtesy – Brian Tracy. Don't forget to get your copy of the book on Goals!: How to Get Everything You want - Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible by Brian Tracy.