The Future Begins Today

Transcription

1 The Future Begins Today SALUTATION MANY THANKS FOR THE INTRODUCTION MRS. PIGGOTT. I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER THE BASF AWARDS CEREMONY AND TO MEET THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS IN PERSON. MESDAMES ET MESSIEURS, BONJOUR. J AI ACCEPTÉ AVEC PLAISIR, L INVITATION DE M ADRESSER AUX RÉCIPIENDAIRES DES BOURSES DU FONDS D'ÉTUDES ACADÉMIQUES POUR LES NOIRS. JE PROFITE DE CETTE OPPORTUNITÉ D OFFRIR MES FÉLICITATIONS ET DE CÉLÉBRER AVEC VOS FAMILLES ET AMIS. TODAY, I LL DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I M NOT GOING TO GIVE THE USUAL SPEECH THAT WE VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO HEARING AT THIS KIND OF EVENT. THAT S BECAUSE YOU VE ALREADY HEARD SO MANY SUCCESS STORIES OF SO MANY PEOPLE. MY LIFE STORY OF 1 P a g e

2 HOW I GREW UP IN JAMAICA AND CAME TO CANADA ON MY OWN AND SUCCEEDED WON T BE TOLD HERE TODAY. OUR AWARDEES, WHO I ENTHUSIASTICALLY CONGRATULATE, HAVE BEEN SELECTED BECAUSE OF THEIR DETERMINED AND COMMITTED EFFORT TO SUCCEED. I M SURE YOU DON T NEED ME TO TELL YOU TO REACH FOR THE STARS, DON T BE DAUNTED BY OBSTACLES, KEEP PRESSING AHEAD AND ALL THE OTHER GOOD THINGS YOUR PARENTS, TEACHERS AND MENTORS HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU OVER THE YEARS. THE THING THAT I LL DO THAT S DIFFERENT IS I LL GIVE YOU SOME NUGGETS OF TRUTH AND PRACTICAL ADVICE TO PREPARE YOU FOR THE ROAD AHEAD OF YOU. SO IF THERE S ONE THING I WANT YOU TO TAKE AWAY, IT S THAT THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY. ACT NOW! DONC MON MESSAGE EST: L AVENIR COMMENCE DÈS AUJOURD HUI. IL FAUT AGIR MAINTENANT! I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CANNOT OVERESTIMATE YOUR EDUCATION. IT S A VALUABLE AND EXTREMELY WORTHWHILE 2 P a g e

3 AND IMPORTANT INVESTMENT, BUT IT S NOT ENOUGH. I WANT YOU TO GET PAST THE EUPHORIA AND CELEBRATION OF BEING AWARDED A BASF SCHOLARSHIP. YES, YOU DESERVE IT AND YOU NEED IT TO GET THROUGH AND GRADUATE. BUT YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO DO TODAY TO ENSURE THAT THINGS STAY ON TRACK NOW AND IN THE FUTURE! AND HERE S WHAT I MEAN. TO KEEP THINGS ON TRACK, YOU VE GOT TO GET CONNECTED, STAY CONNECTED AND CONSTANTLY GROW YOUR CONNECTIONS. NETWORKING IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS AND SURVIVAL IN THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT NOW AND CERTAINLY IN THE FUTURE. HERE S WHY: FIRSTLY, IT S ESTIMATED THAT ON AVERAGE IT TAKES 5 MONTHS TO GET A JOB IN CANADA. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT FOR SENIOR WHITE COLLAR JOBS, IT IS GENERALLY LONGER ANYWHERE BETWEEN 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR. 3 P a g e

4 70 80% OF ALL JOBS THAT PEOPLE HOLD HAVE BEEN OBTAINED THROUGH PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS OR REFERRAL. HERE ARE SOME MORE FACTS. IN 1994, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD CHANGE JOBS AROUND TEN TIMES IN THEIR LIFETIME. BY THE YEAR 2000, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD CHANGE CAREERS THREE TO FIVE TIMES IN THEIR LIFETIME. GOD KNOWS WHAT THE ESTIMATE IS IN 2012! SO WHAT ARE THESE FACTS THIS TELLING US? ONE THING THAT STANDS OUT CLEARLY IS THAT THE ABILITY TO BUILD A STRONG NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL CONTACTS IS THE KEY TO GETTING A JOB AND MANAGING YOUR CAREER. NETWORKING IS THE KEY TO KEEPING THE JOB AND NETWORKING ALSO IS THE KEY TO MAKING A CAREER TRANSITION WHEN THE JOB IS NO LONGER THERE. HAVING SAID THAT, THE NUMBER AND VARIETY OF PEOPLE IN YOUR NETWORK PLAY AN 4 P a g e

5 IMPORTANT ROLE IN YOUR ABILITY TO EXPLORE AN EXPANDED RANGE OF CAREER OPTIONS, SHORTEN THE DURATION OF YOUR JOB SEARCH AND ENRICH AND SUPPORT THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS YOU NEED TO SUCCEED IN YOUR CAREER. AND WHY WOULD I BE FOCUSING ON NETWORKING AND BUILDING CONNECTIONS? IT S SIMPLY BECAUSE I VE FOUND THIS TO BE TRUE IN MY OWN EXPERIENCE. WHEN I CAME TO CANADA JUST OVER 19 YEARS AGO, I HAD NO CANADIAN WORK EXPERIENCE AND ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS CONTACTS. MY ABILITY TO BUILD AND OPTIMIZE MY NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY CONTACTS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO MOVE THROUGH THREE MAJOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN SIX JOBS WITH INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY EVERY TIME. I AGAIN SAY TO OUR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS, THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY. YOU VE GOT TO BEGIN TODAY TO INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE CAREER. TO DO THIS, BUILDING A SOLID NETWORK OF BUSINESS AND 5 P a g e

6 COMMUNITY CONTACTS HAS TO BE AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY THAT COMES SECOND ONLY TO THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF YOUR STUDIES. THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY. SO WHAT ARE THE STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE TOWARDS BUILDING YOUR FUTURE CAREER? AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE TO HELP YOU BUILD YOUR NETWORK IS LINKEDIN. IT IS THE WORLD S LARGEST DIGITAL PLATFORM, WHERE OVER 175 MILLION PROFESSIONALS EXCHANGE INFORMATION, IDEAS AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES. OPEN AN ACCOUNT ON LINKEDIN IT S FREE. BUILD YOUR PROFILE. EVEN IF YOU DON T HAVE FORMAL WORK EXPERIENCE, INCLUDE ALL THE ACTIVITIES YOU RE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN. CONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR AREA OF PROFESSIONAL INTEREST. A GOOD PLACE TO START IS BY ASKING SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM IF THEY RE ON LINKEDIN AND SEND THEM AN INVITATION TO CONNECT. 6 P a g e

7 DON T STOP THERE. PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN GROUP DISCUSSIONS ON LINKEDIN AND ACCEPT INVITATIONS TO EVENTS HOSTED BY THESE GROUPS SO YOU CAN MEET YOUR CONNECTIONS IN PERSON. YOU LL BE SURPRISED TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU WILL GET TO KNOW WHO CAN HELP YOU IN YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURSUITS. USE SOCIAL MEDIA WISELY AND WELL. FOLLOW PEOPLE ON TWITTER WHOSE TWEETS CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH CURRENT INFORMATION IN YOUR FIELDS OF STUDY AND INTEREST. COMMENT ON BLOGS AND EVEN WRITE YOUR OWN BLOG AND INVITE YOUR LINKEDIN AND OTHER CONTACTS TO FOLLOW YOU. IN THIS WAY, YOU BEGIN TO BUILD A PROFESSIONAL REPUTATION, APPEAR IN ON-LINE SEARCHES BY RECRUITERS AND POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS AND EXPAND THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU USE YOUR TRAINING AND SKILLS. 7 P a g e

8 NOW, LET S GET AWAY FROM YOUR COMPUTER AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GOING OUT AND MEETING PEOPLE FACE TO FACE. PARTICIPATE IN A COMMUNITY GROUP AND OFFER TO USE YOUR EXPERTISE TO HELP WITH A PROJECT OF COURSE MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN PRIORITIZE YOUR VOLUNTEER TIME SO THAT YOU DON T COMPROMISE YOUR STUDY TIME. CHECK OUT THE ACTIVITIES OF NETWORKING GROUPS IN MONTREAL THAT BRING TOGETHER PROFESSIONALS IN YOUR AREA OF STUDY AND INTENDED PROFESSION. A VERY GOOD PLACE TO START IS LA JEUNE CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE. THEY HAVE MANY FREE SEMINARS AND BREAKFAST EVENTS WHERE YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORK WITH RECENT GRADUATES WHO CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION ON THE JOB MARKET AND TARGET COMPANIES THAT YOU MAY WANT TO WORK FOR. A FEW IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT NETWORKING 8 P a g e

9 PREPARE YOURSELF BE ABLE TO CLEARLY STATE IN ENGLISH AND IN FRENCH, A CONCISE, CAREFULLY PLANNED AND WELL- PRACTICED DESCRIPTION OF WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED, AND WHERE YOU HOPE TO GO IN THE FUTURE. WE CALL THIS AN ELEVATOR SPEECH MEANING THAT WHAT YOU SAY CAN BE UNDERSTOOD BY ANYONE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME FOR EXAMPLE THE TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO RIDE UP AN ELEVATOR. THIS IS YOUR INTRODUCTION AND THE ICE- BREAKER FOR CONVERSATIONS AS YOU CONNECT WITH PEOPLE AND PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD. ENSURE CONSISTENCY IN YOUR PROFILES WHEREVER THEY APPEAR. EVERY RESUMÉ, ON-LINE PROFILE AND BIO ABOUT YOU SHOULD BE CONSISTENT OR ALIGNED WITH YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH. 9 P a g e

10 CREATE A PROFESSIONAL-LOOKING, BI-LINGUAL PERSONAL BUSINESS CARD THAT YOU TAKE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES AND DISTRIBUTE TO PEOPLE YOU MEET AT NETWORKING AND OTHER EVENTS. BECAUSE WE ARE IN QUÉBEC, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FRENCH AND ENGLISH VERSIONS OF YOUR PROFILES AND BUSINESS CARDS YOU REDUCE YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS BY BEING UNILINGUAL. RAPPELEZ-VOUS TOUJOURS QUE LE RESEAU FONCTIONNE DANS LES DEUX SENS, ET IL IMPLIQUE VOTRE VOLONTE D'AIDER LES AUTRES. DONC, REFEREZ VOS CONTACTS A D'AUTRES PERSONNES ET OFFREZ VOTRE EXPERTISE OU VOTRE AIDE AU MOYEN DE SERVICES DE BENEVOLES. VOUS NE SAVEZ JAMAIS QUI VOUS POURRIEZ RENCONTRER. C'EST UN TOUT PETIT MONDE. 10 P a g e

11 L OBJECTIF PRINCIPAL DU RESEAUTAGE N'EST PAS POUR FAIRE DES CONTACTS D'AFFAIRES AFIN QUE VOUS PUISSIEZ OBTENIR UN EMPLOI. LE RESEAUTAGE ELARGIT VOS HORIZONS GRACE A LA VARIETE DES GENS QUE VOUS RENCONTREZ, ET SERT A AUGMENTER VOTRE CONNAISSANCE DES TENDANCES DANS LES SECTEURS DE L ECONOMIE ET DU MARCHE. I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU SHOULD NOT OVERESTIMATE YOUR EDUCATION. WE LIVE IN AN INFORMATION AGE WHERE TECHNOLOGY HAS DEMOCRATIZED KNOWLEDGE ANYONE CAN GAIN KNOWLEDGE EASILY AND QUICKLY AND CAN USE THAT KNOWLEDGE TO INNOVATE AND INVENT NEW WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS. THE WAY WE DO THINGS, THE PRODUCTS WE OWN AND SERVICES WE USE ARE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CHANGE AND ALWAYS UNDER THE THREAT OF OBSOLESCENCE AND INNOVATION. CHANGE AND INNOVATION FORCE ORGANIZATIONS TO ADOPT NEW DIRECTIONS AT THE DROP OF A HAT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, SOME JOBS GET ABOLISHED AND THE DESCRIPTION OF OTHERS BECOMES EXPANDED, REQUIRING BROADER 11 P a g e

12 SKILL SETS. KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING ALSO ADAPT TO CHANGE. THE KNOWLEDGE YOU GAIN FROM YOU UNIVERSITY DEGREE COULD ALSO BE DIFFERENT IN ANOTHER 5 YEARS OR LESS! WHAT I DO WANT TO STRESS IS THAT IN TODAY S WORLD, PEOPLE MUST LEARN HOW TO BE SELF-MOTIVATED, HOW TO RECOGNIZE OPPORTUNITY IN CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES, DEVELOP SKILLS IN MARKETING THEMSELVES, ENHANCE THEIR SKILLS AND ATTITUDES THAT PROMOTE BEING FLEXIBLE, AND FOSTER SKILLS FOR DETERMINING TRANSFERABLE SKILLS FROM ONE CAREER TO ANOTHER. ALSO, DON T EVER DISCREDIT THE EXPERIENCE YOU ARE GAINING IN JOBS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO YOUR COURSE OF STUDY. YOU DEVELOP SKILLS IN PROBLEM SOLVING, PEOPLE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION WHEN YOU RE DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC WHETHER YOU RE PART-TIMING AS A GROCERY CLERK OR AS A RECEPTIONIST IN A LAWYER S OFFICE. SPEAK UP ABOUT THESE SKILLS 12 P a g e

13 WITH POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS AND CONNECT THEM TO THE JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU ARE TARGETING. NOW FOR A REALITY CHECK WHEN YOU NETWORK, DON'T BE ALARMED IF SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TIME TO TALK TO YOU OR DON T RESPOND WHEN YOU TRY TO CONTACT THEM. NOT EVERYBODY WILL ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR GIFTS, TALENTS AND UNIQUE ABILITIES. THIS IS BECAUSE, MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON DISCOVERING THEIR OWN UNIQUE TALENTS AND ABILITIES, WHILE OTHERS WHO ARE SELF-AWARE ARE OFTEN FULLY ENGAGED IN REALIZING THEIR OWN DREAMS. SO SOME OF THEM WON T HAVE TIME TO NETWORK WITH YOU OR HELP YOU. DON T EVER BE DISCOURAGED WHEN YOU DON T GET POSITIVE RESPONSES. ONCE YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO KEEP PRESSING AHEAD, SERENDIPITY OR DIVINE ORDER WILL LEAD YOU TO CROSS PATHS AND INTERACT WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE WHO CELEBRATE YOUR GIFTS AND WILL POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THERE S ALWAYS 13 P a g e

14 GOING TO BE A SMALL BUT VERY IMPORTANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO DO WANT TO HELP YOU. TO FLOURISH, YOU MUST BE PLANTED IN AN ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CONDUCIVE TO YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH AND ENRICHMENT. SO, BE VERY CLEAR ON YOUR VALUES AND LIFE OBJECTIVES. ESTABLISH HEALTHY BOUNDARIES WITH PEOPLE YOU MEET AND THE GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS YOU FORM. MY LAST POINT IS THAT YOU AND ONLY YOU CREATE YOUR OWN REALITY. C EST À VOUS DE DÉTERMINER ET CRÉER VOTRE AVENIR. THE JOB STATISTICS AND ECONOMIC COMMENTATORS MAY FROM TIME TO TIME, PAINT A BLEAK OUTLOOK ON THE FUTURE. IT S UP TO YOU TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU RE GOING TO KEEP ON LISTENING TO NEGATIVE NEWS AND SIT ON THE SIDELINES WATCHING THE WORLD GO BY, WAITING AND WONDERING WHEN THINGS WILL CHANGE. OR, YOU CAN DECIDE TO MAKE A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO BEGIN PREPARING YOUR FUTURE TODAY. BY BUILDING YOUR NETWORK, YOU 14 P a g e

15 WILL UNCOVER AREAS OF NEED AND OPPORTUNITY AND PREPARE YOURSELF TO ALIGN YOUR ATTENTION, TIME AND TALENTS WITH THE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY. IT S A DECISION FOR YOU TO MAKE, AS THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY! IL ME FERAIT PLAISIR D OFFRIR LE TEXTE DE MA PRESENTATION ET MES COORDONNEES AUX RECIPIENDAIRES DES BOURSES, AFIN QUE NOUS PUISSIONS CONTINUER LA CONVERSATION. MERCI DE M AVOIR ACCORDE CETTE OPPORTUNITE DE PARTAGER AVEC VOUS, MES PERSPECTIVES. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE TIME TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU. IT S TRULY A JOY TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU ALL TODAY. AGAIN, THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL! MERCI! 15 P a g e