×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Essentials of career coaching

Columnists
Most young people are now at crossroads after the Ordinary and the Advanced Level results came out. They are about to make the best or the worst choices of their lives, what they are to do for their post-academic years.

Most young people are now at crossroads after the Ordinary and the Advanced Level results came out. They are about to make the best or the worst choices of their lives, what they are to do for their post-academic years.

This is a defining time and it is important to make the right choices. I have always given this analogy that doing the wrong course or a wrong career in life might compared to being married to someone you don’t love.

You will forever be frustrated, complain and never feel the goodness of fulfillment.

istock000017227049

I wrote this article because there are three people who asked me how to choose a career, as they have finished their ordinary and advanced levels.

This got me thinking and I felt that most young people could be asking that question at this time of the year. In addition to that, three schools have invited me to speak on career guidance this month. This shows how important career choices are.

I took a personal survey and interviewed a number of people that have responded to this column across the country. This question was: How does a person choose their career in life? This is what the readers said:

Collen Mhlanga, who is into human resources said: “Your passion, gift or talent, skill is what drives you” to make career choices. “A career must be something that you love most, just like someone choosing a wife to marry. You must make sure you will enjoy it the rest of your life.”

Onisimo Kuimba said: “Sometimes background chooses for us…”

Mcuphi Ndebele, a computer scientist said: “Well, generally as people, we are born with inborn capabilities, which define the paths to be taken to reach certain points in our lives. But it is wisdom which brings about the realisation of those inborn capabilities…”

Lillian Sibindi a beauty therapist said one should, “look for something that they love the most and something that they will enjoy doing for the rest of their lives”.

Ayanda Mlalazi an auditor said: “Passion is the means of getting to the goal desired. It’s through doing what you love. An individual is a gross product of their belief system and what you believe in is revealed through your passion.

“Secondly, through inspiration – using the social learning theory, interest is ignited through observing the experts do what they know best and it raises a desire within you to want to press on to solve the particular type of a problem.

“Lastly, opportunity – it’s better to be prepared and have no opportunity than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.”

Nkosikhona Mpofu said: “Look for things that you are skillful in doing. What are the things that compel you? What are the things that draw your attention? Those two can help you choose a career that will fit you well.”

In addition, some people might choose a particular career path because of monitory gains. There are careers in demand and have better salaries.

Passion

Passion is the greatest thing that must be considered when selecting a career path. There are things that you love to do even when you are not paid to do them.

Our schools should be empowered to help students select the careers. The time I was at school, I only leant about subjects on offer.

The reason I learnt those was just for me to pass and my teachers did not explain why I did geography.

There are things that I will never use the rest of my life. I got good grades, but they will never be of use.

It’s said that education is not meant to fill our minds, but to open our minds. Furthermore, it’s said the mind is like a parachute, it operates when it is open. Jim Rohn in his talks said “formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune”.

Self education should be about your passion. For example, my passion is the help people discover who they are and becoming the best they can be. This is not something I learnt at university, but through self education; seminars, reading books, doing self-development courses and a lot more.

Natural skills

Everyone has natural skills. There is something that you can do even if you did not go to school. That also gives you a hint on what to choose for your career. I have seen people with great skills such as painting, cooking, building, and carpentry.

They can do that even if they did not go to school for that, but you see them choosing a complex career that they struggle with. They complain everyday because their job is now frustrating them. I always tell people that this life is too short to spend it on a wrong thing. I would rather spend it, doing what I love the most.

I love writing, but I was discouraged by my peers and friends. They said there is no money in that. Why not choose law or something? I have only just discovered that what they told me was a lie.

Through writing, I am solving other people’s problems and the money side of it is great. I love what I do, and I am paid for what I love doing. I also do coporate speaking and instead of getting a single income from one company, I have streams of income from different companies.

In my book, Inspiration For Success I wrote, “Pursue your passion until people start to pay you for it. At times you do not need to pursue opportunities, but you must be the opportunity that some people are looking for”.

Motive

Why are you doing what you are doing? People have different motives and that also affects the choices of careers. My major motive is the add value to my life and those around me.

Why are you doing what you are doing? Think about that for a moment! Did you do accounting so that you can manage other people’s money or to make your own money? Did you do journalism to write for newspapers of to be able to write your own books?

Did you do an MBA to be a company executive or be able to influence people? If you ask yourself proper questions it changes your paradigm, perspective and your motivation for life. Did education teach you how to “do” how to “think”?

School does not usually ask what we are thinking about, but aligns us to the subjects that have been prescribed. That mentality grooms employee-minded people. Jaime Casap, the Google Global Education evangelist said: “Don’t ask kids what they want to be when they grow up but what problems do they want to solve. This changes the conversation from who do I want to work for, to what do I need to learn to be able to do that”

Parting point: The late Myles Munroe once wrote, “God’s purpose is the key to your fulfillment.” Discover yourself, pursue it and excel in it.

●Jonah Nyoni is an author, success coach, leadership trainer and public relations consultant.

Tel: 0772 581 918. Email: [email protected]