This article is taken off from The Sunday times, dated 10 Feb 2008. The above is a question posted by a reader and the answer was provided by Paul Heng,Founder of NeXT Career Consulting Group, Asia. I would like my peers who are looking for second career to read this as part of their preparation for transition. Q I AM writing on behalf of a group of friends who are regulars in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
We've heard and read so much about the challenges of working in the civilian world. Some of us are contemplating a second career in the civilian world and would like to seek your advice on the challenges we are likely to face when we eventually join the workforce there, and how best we can prepare for it.
Specifically, we would like to know the career options we can explore and some dos and don'ts of office behaviour so we can have a successful transition. A CAREER transitions are usually challenging events in one's life. Besides saying goodbye to long-time colleagues and friends, one must also tackle the challenges of 'letting go' of familiar ways of doing things as well as having to establish one's credentials all over again, in a new and unfamiliar territory. There is also a need to adjust to new colleagues, some of whom may be younger but hold more senior positions. Perhaps one of the most critical challenges which you must overcome is the shift in mindset - from one where soldiers move with a single bark of an order to one where employees tell you off in the face or vote with their feet if they do not like something that you say. In the civilian world, you have to work harder at getting along well with people. This is not an option but a necessity if you wish to survive. There are also four key areas that you need to continuously strengthen:
# Technical skills - logistics, engineering
# Soft skills - communication, leadership
# Emotional Quotient - your ability to understand and manage your own emotions, to empathise with others, and generally to get along well with people
# Adversity Quotient - how resilient and strong you are in bouncing back from life's many setbacks To prepare yourself for the transition, I would suggest you do two key things. One, read up about the world of business such as corporate America and locally listed conglomerates. Two, speak to others who have made transitions, both successful and not-so-successful ones, and those who have been in the business world for a long time. It is important to remember one thing - most opinions and well-meaning advice from the people you speak to must be taken in the context of that person's background and specific situation. For example, someone who has just been retrenched from the company that he had worked in for the major part of his life is probably going to give a relatively negative view of the corporate world. Do realise that it does not mean that you will surely go through the same experience. Gather all the facts, opinions and advice, form your own judgment and make your own decision. It is highly unlikely that you will receive any job offers without going through interviews. This is one of the most crucial stages of your job search. Prepare well for your job interviews. There are three key elements for success - prepare, practice and perform. Prepare well by researching on the company that might hire you. Read up on its financial performance, key personnel and recent corporate announcements. In this area, it is always better to over-research. Then, practise your response to commonly asked questions, and have a friend give you some feedback. On the issue of career options, I would suggest you consider taking interest-related psychometric tools that will help you to better understand yourself, your interests, your motivation and your values. This should allow you to narrow your career options by industry, job or function. Again, read up and speak to those who are already in that profession to understand more. Be receptive to overseas postings - they are usually a good thing and will surely add value to your worth. Appropriate office behaviour in the civilian world, in many respects, mirror those in the environment you are now in. Here are some key ones you may wish to make a note of:
# Be helpful - for example, volunteer to organise a welcome lunch for a new colleague
# Take on additional responsibilities readily
# Be a team player
# Be respectful of others
# Respect and observe office policies, such as refraining from taking long lunches
# Dress to blend in with the others
# Be courteous and friendly to everyone, including the tea lady Paul Heng
Founder
NeXT Career Consulting Group, Asia Labels: career transition, job options, second career |
