Taba Cookey is an extremely
talented woman who had immigrated to Canada from Nigeria to go to work in high
level finance. She had earned her first degree in England and had got a
Masters degree in Canada some years later before returning to Nigeria to
continue her banking career.
She said that while she was in
Ottawa looking to move from her job in financial sector research, she thought
she should take advantage of the kind of career consulting (that I offer) that
doesn`t exist in Nigeria, and explore her options for career change. I had Taba write her story eight examples
of experiences that had been very satisfying for her throughout her life. They
didn’t have to be job related.
What came up again and again
is that she thrives with new competitive challenges that force her to stretch
herself beyond anything she had ever done before. She also needs those
challenges defined with deadlines and guidelines for measuring success. For
example, she was usually one of the best students in her schools and was the
only student in her graduate school class to complete her master’s thesis in
time to graduate on schedule.
When she moved from Nigeria to
London at age 9, she quickly established herself as one of the star sprinters
in her elementary school. Before long, having run out of female competition,
talk in the playground was that she should take on the fastest boy runner in
the school.
Finally, a date and hour was
set. It was close but there was no doubt about the result: I won, and that was
the end of John`s bragging about how fast he was, Taba said.
At some point during this
career audit, she accepted an offer as Standards and Insurance Manager for a
Canadian government agency that was charged with protecting consumers’ deposits
in event of the failure of federally regulated banks and trust companies. She
didn`t understand why at the time, but found herself so bored and frustrated
with her job.
We figured out that even
though her position at the government regulatory agency might be the perfect
job for someone else, it was just pushing papers for her. Many jobs, including
the one she was in at the agency, organized to be predictable and mundane and
often become simple and boring for talented people like Taba.
Using her story, we
determined:
* The work environment she
would thrive in.
* The type of work she would
thrive in.
* The way she likes to be
managed.
* The way she likes to be
rewarded.
* What motivates her?
* And how she likes to
approach tasks.
My work with George made me
realize this sort of work was thoroughly unsuited to me says Taba.
She began to seriously
consider returning to Nigeria and we talked about the need for African
ex-patriots to return home and use their knowledge and expertise in developing
Africa. She decided to go back to Nigeria without any prospects for a
job. I told her that she had lots of talents and people would recognize and
reward her for that.
I think that one of the
reasons ex-patriates don`t go back to their home countries after being educated
abroad is because they’re worried they won’t get challenging jobs. I knew it
wouldn’t be a problem for Taba because she has talents that transfer across
borders. It was just a question of packaging her talents to be recognized and
rewarded in different cultural contexts.
So we had to put her talents
into a resume to show what this person could do for an employer anywhere a
dramatic example of how her talents transfer across cultures and borders.
She sent me an email saying,
An amazing opportunity opened up in Ghana. I am a Program Manager with the
African Finance Corporation (http://www.africafc.org), based in Accra, responsible for overseeing all IFC leasing
development programs in Africa. IFC is the private sector arm of the World
Bank, promoting development through loans, equity and technical assistance to
the private sector.
A lot of businesses in Africa
have difficulty in accessing traditional bank financing, and leasing provides
an attractive alternative to such companies. The program aims to promote the
role of leasing through training, public awareness, attracting new investment
into the industry and working with the authorities in specific African
countries to improve the legislative and regulatory environment for leasing.
This job is challenging for
her because it is so varied and really stretches her capabilities. Also, she
travels all over Africa and has to deal with different personalities in
differing cultures. She needs to be in circumstances that stretch her, like
beating the fastest boy in school.
The other day I went through
the life stories I had written and the analysis you had done four years ago
now, and was amazed at the way it has all come together in my present job, said
Taba. It is really quite uncanny. But then again perhaps not, since you had so
accurately identified the kind of work and environment that would give me ‘job
joy’ and I have finally found it. It is not surprising that I can now say
without hesitation that I have never enjoyed work so much, and yes, feels
fortunate that I am actually getting paid for it. I come to work every day with
a sense of anticipation, and hardly know where the time has gone at the end of
the day. I actually have to tear myself away! This is such a change from so
much of my previous life spent clock watching and day dreaming at work.
When we get into a job fit, other parts of our lives often
fall into place. After a few years in this job, Taba returned to Nigeria
in 2008. It is great to be backing home, I think age is finally taming my
itchy feet! She was recently married, and took a new position with the Nigerian
Stock Exchange. Congratulations, Taba, in putting down roots!
More information please Visit this sites www.jobjoy.com
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