7 KEYS TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CAREER PATH

It has been established by many career experts that pursuing a career is far more rewarding than focusing entirely on a job. In this fast pace world, it is difficult to find and keep a job for so long. The term ‘job security’ almost doesn’t apply. With the high level of uncertainty all around us, it is important to learn how to identify and build your career in a way that would help you to thrive through turbulent economic times. Here are 7 Powerful keys you could use to build a successful career path for yourself.

1. IT ALL BEGINS WITH YOUR PURPOSE

We are not created to merely exist and pay bills. There is a purpose for our existence. Until we find and pursue that purpose, life would continue to be an endless string of struggles and fruitless pursuits. In discovering your purpose, you must find answers to the following questions; what are you naturally good at? What are you passionate about? What gives you the greatest joy/fulfillment?  It is only when you find answers to these questions that you can truly begin to have a rewarding career.

2. HAVE A CLEAR VISION

While purpose is the reason for your existence, vision is a picture of your future. The best way to predict your future is to create it. What is the big picture for you? Can you picture what your future would be like in 10, 15, 20 years from now? Having a clear picture of your future gives your life more direction and helps you to channel all your resources into building a career that aligns with your purpose.

3. SET CAREER GOALS

Goals are the vehicle that transforms our vision into reality. Once you know your purpose and you have a clear picture of your future, then it is time to take those steps by setting SMART goals. For your goals to be effective it must be Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Time bound. Goals can take the following format; Get my ICAN certification not more than 1 year from now. Read one book related to my field once every month etc.

4. DEVELOP THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND COMPETENCE

Every career path has a range of critical success factors that distinguish high fliers from the rest of the pack. Identifying these factors are crucial to your success in building your career path. Your job is to absolutely be clear on what they are in relation to your job/position and then grade yourself in each of them accordingly. For example in management the critical success factors are the following 7 skills: Planning, Organising, Staffing, Delegating, Supervising, Measuring and Reporting (According to Brian Tracy). You can find out these factors by asking people who are successful in the chosen field of your career. Your goal is to identify were you fall short and plan to develop this competence (through training, reading, networking, mentorship etc).

5. HAVE CAREER MENTORS

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants,” Isaac Newton.

 There is no place you want to go to that people have not gone before. It would save you a lot of time if you are humble enough to learn at the feet of those who have gone ahead of you. Mentors help you to prevent costly mistakes and help you to grow quickly by preventing you from re-inventing the wheel. Learning from the experience of a mentor would give you leverage and save you a lot of time and resources. Make the effort to look for mentors that would support you in your career path. Interestingly, individuals who have had successful careers are looking for opportunities to pass on their wealth of knowledge and experience to the next generation.

6. BUILD PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS

We are created for relationships. No matter how intelligent or smart you think you are, you would never be able to achieve your full potentials without the support and help of others. John Wooden once said “Five years from now, you’re the same person except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read”. Making effort to connect with people who share common career path with you would help you a great deal in your career journey. We all need support, help, ideas that can help to facilitate our journey to where we are heading to. Building and growing your network would open you to a lot of opportunities you may never have come across yourself.

7. READ AND STUDY ABOUT EVERYTHING RELATING TO YOUR CAREER PATH

Finally, make it a habit to read every information that relate to your career. Study about the most successful people in your industry both locally and globally. Find out what makes them successful and apply the lessons to your own life. Find out the latest trends in your industry? Get information about the challenges and opportunities in your field. Being knowledgeable about your field sets you apart from your contemporaries. You become someone that people would want to listen to. This would eventually help you to build credibility and give you a strong voice in your sphere of influence.

You can begin to build a rewarding career today. You have just one life to live. Make good use of it by taking these deliberate steps.

VERY URGENT VACANCIES IN ABUJA

POSITIONS:

1. ACCOUNT MANAGER, REF: 11
2. SECRETARY, REF: 12

Reports to: MD/CEO

NOTE: Both candidates must currently lives in Abuja or willing to relocate immediately.

About the Company

Our client is a major player in the Luxury Goods and Servicing individuals who have an impeccable taste for quality and sophisticated fashion labels. The Company plays host to some of the most serious fashion brands such as Byblos Milano, Ballin, Tardini, John Richmond 'Black Label', Kiton, Barba Napoli, Versace, Fratelli, Dr. Vranjes, Alberta Ferretti, Ermanno Scervino and more. Due to growth and and strategic opportunities now seek highly professionals to join its winning team.

Purpose of Position:

The purpose of this role is to develop the business and strengthens the corporate visibility of the business. Plan, direct, and coordinate sales and customer service programs plus to-market strategies for the unit, such as determining the appropriate trends and create demand for the products/brands offered by our firm to identified/potential customers.

1. ACCOUNT MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES

▪ Take leading roles in Stock and inventory management of the business.
▪ Act as chief cashier and maintains good accounting books and policies
▪ Adequate knowledge of bank transactions including Bank Reconciliation and general accounting
▪ Prepare sales ledger, making rapid/accurate cost calculations and providing clients with quotations
▪ Coordinate selling activities and ensure good office ambiance
▪ Check inventory and constantly update list of products for sale
▪ Review sales performance and tracking by keeping all relevant ledgers.
▪ Formulate, direct and coordinate stock taking activities and inventory policies to promote sound business practices and decision-making for management.
▪ Direct the hiring, training, or performance evaluations of other subordinate staff
▪ Balancing firm objectives and customer satisfaction.
▪ Coaching and mentoring of subordinate staff for better performance
▪ Consult with buying personnel to gain advice regarding the types of products or services expected to be in demand.

Qualifications and Requirements

▪ Bachelor's Degree in relevant field.
▪ Minimum of 5 -7years experience in accounting and stock operations
▪ Possession of a MBA will be of added advantage
▪ Must be a matured male candidate in the range of 40 years upward
▪ Evidence of cash and inventory management
▪ Be able to work with minimal supervision.
▪ Have a good communication and interpersonal skills.
▪ Proficient with Microsoft word, excel, PowerPoint and presentation.
▪ Be able to work effectively with a team.
▪ Be a good strategic thinker & planner

2. SECRETARY RESPONSIBILITIES

▪ Create business continuity and maintains good office ambiance at all times.
▪ Good knowledge of commercial transactions involving foreign trade and international transactions.
▪ Maintains good relationship with clients, follow up and update them on new products availability.
▪ Identify individual or transaction targets to direct business intelligence and collection.
▪ Identify and monitor current and potential customers, brand trends, using business intelligence tools.
▪ Maintains good relationship with foreign trade partners with impeccable character
▪ Good knowledge of imports and invoicing
▪ Ability to create good letter/correspondence with customers and trade partners
▪ Coordinate sales activities and ensure staff are committed to achieving the company's goals.

Qualifications and Requirements

▪ Bachelor's Degree in relevant field.
▪ Minimum of 5 -7 years experience in a standard organisation
▪ Possession of a MBA will be of added advantage
▪ Must be a matured and experienced candidate in the range of 40 years upward
▪ Evidence of import trade or international business exposure will be a good consideration
▪ Be able to work with minimal supervision.
▪ Have a good communication and interpersonal skills.
▪ Proficient with Microsoft word, excel, PowerPoint and presentation.
▪ Be able to work effectively with a team, self-motivated and highly multi-tasking.
▪ Be a good strategic thinker & with adequate commercial acumen

Method of Application

Interested candidate should send CV and Cover letter to: jobs.mctimothyassociates@gmail.com, stating the position and ref as subject of the email.

Closing date: January 15, 2015. January 15, 2015.

VACANCY

A leading manufacturing firm with state of the art equipment backed by technological innovation, leading the industry in West Africa, now requires fresh graduates, articulate, intelligent and committed individuals to join its team


Positions

1) Packaging 

OND in any Discipline
Must be a male
Personable and Presentable
Good Communication Skills
Candidates living around Amuwo Odofin, FESTAC Town, Isolo, Cele, Mile 2, Mushin, Ijesha, Aguda are preferable
Previous experience in a packaging will be an added advantage
Candidates should not be more than 30 years Old.

C.Vs to be sent to jobs.mctimothyassociates@gmail.com. Closing Date for all applications is December 4th, 2014

VACANCY FOR A SALES OFFICER

Our client is a leading player in the Power and Engineering sub-sector in Lagos with operation across Nigeria. Due to strategic expansion initiatives now requires the services of highly competent professionals to fill up the vacancies below.

Department: Sales
Position: Sales officers
Reports: Sales Manager
Location: Lekki

Job Description for Sales Representatives
• Prepare sales/ marketing action plan individually as well as a team for effective sales leads and prospects
• Identify and source for business opportunities effectively and efficiently, whilst maintaining acceptable sales and marketing standards
• Develop business plans and sales strategies for the market to ensure the attainment of the company’s sales goals and profitability
• Follow through on clients’ enquiries and orders on specific jobs, ensuring prompt negotiation and feedback
• Escalate and route client/customer issues to the relevant department
• Liaise with technical department to ensure that customers’ orders are fully carried out
• Use organizational and time management tools to track clients’ orders and meet turn-around-times and other required metrics
• Interface with the accounts and technical departments to proffer productive business solutions
• Follow up customer on outstanding payments or refer such to the customer service unit
• Ensure existing customers maintain or increase their patronage
• Seek new customers for the company’s products and services
• Maintain quality and professional relationship between the company and its existing and future customers
• Preparing and maintaining sales report to the sales manager
• Make recommendations to management concerning customers request and how to improve sales
• Conducting markets survey periodically with a view to discovering new markets for the goods or new methods of developing old markets


Qualifications
• A good 1st degree in Engineering, Sales and Marketing or any social science from a reputable university
• A minimum of 2- 4 years relevant experience
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Ability to communicate with all levels of an organization comfortably
• Ability to manage multiple projects with varying priority at one time –to deliver results on time and under budget
• Experience working closely with a sales organization with a strong affinity for sales team success. Previous sales experience is a strong plus
• Good bargaining /negotiating skills
• Computer literacy is mandatory and very essential
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Capable of paying attention to detail
• Positive influencing skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Good reporting ability

Send your C.V to jobs.mctimothyassociates@gmail.com in Microsoft Word format and your full name used to save the document. Please the title of the e-mail must be Sales/Marketing intern

URGENT VACANCIES –Lagos

Sales Representatives Masters Commodity urgently needs highly experienced Marketing professionals preferably with previous experience working in a Fast Moving Consumer Goods company for the position of Sales Rep. Responsibilities: Deploy special sales activities to increase sales. Develop and grow existing accounts and retail outlets. Follow-up on collection of payments Arrange schedules on product delivery Help the company implement its marketing plans as required. Develop and maintain the relationships with current customers and potential customers. Identify and explore new sales opportunities Supervise the execution of sales plans and strategies for the territory, Service the strategic distributor/dealers accounts. Competences: The suitable candidate: • Must have a positive and motivating influence. • Must be results oriented, entrepreneurial and self-motivating • Must possess good planning and organizational ability • Must be ambitious and flexible. • Must be capable of working independently • Must have a high level of interpersonal communication ability • Must have the ability to influence and to motivate others • Must be able to work effectively with multifunctional teams, promote team effort and build relationships • Must possess analytical skills: ability to define problems, collect details data, analyse and interpret results and recommend changes and improvements • Must possess the ability to understand and work within the framework of the overall company strategy and also relevant consumer insight Qualifications and Requirements - Must have relevant experience - Candidates applying for position should have working experience with an FMGC company. - OND, HND/BSc. in any field Remuneration The compensation package, would be quite attractive and there would be good opportunity for growth, training and development. Method of Application: Qualified candidates are to send detailed CV using the position as subject to the mail to: The Recruitment Manager, hr@mastersenergyltd.com or cjonathaneke@mastersenergyltd.com Closing Date: 20 / 11 /2014 NB; Do not send any CVs or resumes to jobs@oakinterlink.com, ernest@oakinterlink or info@oakinterlink for this position as this will disqualify you as a candidate. Regards, Ernest Shaka The Recruitment Manager OAK INTERLINK JOB CONNECT Our Recruitment Service Division bridges the gap between certain skills seeking organisations and job seekers; we offer recruitment, executive selection, headhunting, contract servicing, bulk recruitment and also training services for which the firm is particularly noted..

Hi, I'm Ernest from OAK Interlink.OAK JOB CONNECT is Nigeria's top job and career center where employers and business owners can advertise their jobs and reach over 300,000 professionals, working individuals and job seekers. If you run a business and have been having challenges hiring the right people to help you grow your business maybe you need to take advantage of the large number of quality candidates on OAK JOB CONNECT and advertise your job vacancy on our site. When you advertise on OAK JOB CONNECT it reaches thousands of potential candidates.We can help you find the right employees for your organisation. Regards Ernest Recruitment Manager, OAK JOB CONNECT ernest@oakinterlink.com 09091020049 Note: This message is meant for HR personnels/managers in Companies or any other person in charge of HR. Please kindly forward to the person. For Support email ernest@oakinterlink.com or jobs@oakinterlink.com.com or Reach us on 09091020049 - Post a Job

Get your CV reviewed for FREE

With more candidates than ever applying for various roles in today’s competitive job market, a well-written, professional CV becomes an indispensable marketing tool in helping you get shortlisted for an interview

From my interaction with some HR practitioners, I am shocked to hear that only 5 to 10% of CV submitted get attention from hiring managers. A lot of CV that I have personally reviewed are totally not attractive at all. People make a lot of mistakes such as improper grammar, poor structure, lack of highlighted relevant strengths and all sort of horrible information that would put of any hiring manager. A hiring manager takes less than 30 seconds to go through each CV. This means that you have only 30 secs to make a powerful first impression. It is sad to know that CV writing skills were not taught during our undergraduate studies.

I also made all the mistake I see people committing today. However, I took time to build on this skill and now I have taught a lot of people how to write an effective CV that is attractive and marketable. I want to use this opportunity to offer the first 10 LUCKY PEOPLE who really need help in transforming their CV into a powerful marketing tool that gets result almost all the time. Kindly send your CV to careerxtra@gmail.com for a free CV review. You can ask any question regarding CV writing, Interview and other information that has to do with Job hunting strategies. But I must quickly warn, I am not a magician, I only want to share some of the knowledge and skills that I have gathered through the years working with top HR professionals. And I hope this service would be of help to people who might be interested

Feel free to write a comment or send me a mail on careerxtra@gmail.com for any career or personal development issues. I would be glad to respond

LEARN HOW TO FAIL

There are a lot of great entrepreneurs out there, but one of my favorites is Thomas Edison. I think I’m such a fan because, like me, he failed so much more than he succeeded. Of course, he learned how to turn those failures into golden lessons.

When I was a kid, we learned about Thomas Edison in school. When I told my rich dad that we were studying Edison’s life, he asked me if they’d taught me how he became so prolific. “No,” I replied. “We only learned about how he invented the light bulb.” “Well, I'm sorry to contradict your teacher,” rich dad said. “But, Thomas Edison didn’t invent the light bulb.”

Rich dad explained that there were many other people who had invented light bulbs before Edison. The problem was that these light bulbs were not practical. They would die out too soon. Also, these inventors could not explain why a light bulb was commercially valuable.

In short, they had a great idea, but they didn’t have a business. Edison, on the other hand, not only invented a better light bulb, but he also built a business around it. He invented the first useful light bulb and he knew how to show its value.

Anyone can have a great idea, but only a great entrepreneur can make money with that idea. You probably have a great idea or product too. Just about everyone does. But do you know how to make money with it?

If you have the courage to pursue your idea, start with baby steps. Start with research, talking to people and flushing out your idea. Once you have figured out how to make money, THEN the fun begins. But, start with step one.

Thank you for reading. As always, if you find value in these emails, please share them with your friends.

Here's to making life better,

Robert Kiyosaki