Summer Jobs : Your first step in the world of work

By Aldain Reid - Gleaner Contributor


Landing that summer job brings many positives, boost in your spending power, the opportunity to get a taste of life in the world of work are both very appealing.


But this experience can be daunting at the same time. A million questions race through your mind, as this realisation sinks in, for starters, the delightful conveniences that you have become accustomed to - such as waking up at 3pm on weekdays when there is no class, or allowing your personal hygiene to slip on occasions, will now be a thing of the past.


The truth is, no matter where your summer work experience takes you, there are tremendous benefits to be gained and with the right approach, you can in fact have lots of fun along the way.

Be early


A big part of leaving a good impression is to arrive reasonably early, however, you must avoid arriving so early that you end up sitting in a deserted waiting area for hours. It would be a good idea to ask your supervisor beforehand what time you are expect to be at work and arrive 20-25 minutes before.


Dress conservatively


Dress codes will tend to vary depending on the workplace, and may be industry specific. As a general rule however, it's better to be overdressed and adjust later. Jobs that involve interaction with the public are generally subject to more specific dress codes than others. It would be wise to get a feel as to the attire of the current staff, or if doubt, ask your supervisor prior to joining.


Pay attention and show interest


It is vital that you pay attention during the introductory period, particularly to any company regulations that may be outlined, so you can avoid getting into trouble inadvertently later on. You will be introduced to a number of people as well. As best as possible, make an effort to keep track of who's who. Should you have any clarifications during the introductions, do not be afraid to ask . In fact, if you ask questions, it shows the people around you that you are a serious employee who demonstrates a strong interest in the work environment.


Keep a notebook


In the first few days, you will be required to soak up and apply a lot of information quickly. This notebook can prove to be a particularly handy tool at work. As soon as you learn something new that could possibly prove useful later, write it down! You will thank yourself.


Leave your image behind


Some of you will come in with rock-star, most-popular-girl-on-campus egos. It does not matter if you are God's gift to mankind and quite frankly, hardly anyone cares. Consider yourself one of the lucky ones, with a golden opportunity this summer; one that potentially may shape the rest of you life. Now is not the time to prove how cool you are, but how efficiently you can handle your job. Get over yourself!


Do company business on company time!


OK; so we all love Facebook, YouTube!, e-mail and text messaging, but the workplace is no place to engage in online or mobile social networking. Should you choose to engage in this practice, it will most certainly be to your own detriment. Additionally, no company will tolerate you treating yourself to a three hour lunch break, or spending most of your day on your beloved cell phone.

Get to know your co-workers ( Network! Network! Network!)


You will be spending at least eight hours a day with them, for the time of your summer job. It is a good idea to start making some new acquaintances. It is frequently said that in relationships that 'it's the little things that count'. The same holds true at the workplace. For example, remember to say hello and smile to the receptionist and cleaning lady on your floor. Be nice to the secretarial staff. These things may not guarantee a good performance review, but they definitely will not hurt! Take the initiative to meet people within your department and other departments. While you meet with all these people, let them know about the work you're doing and the impact it is having on the company. Don't boast or flaunt, but make sure people know what you're working on, what skills you're garnering, and how you're adding value to the company's bottom line. Always remember to keep your work relationships professional. If you happen to attend any social event hosted by your company, remember social events are not parties, they are work functions. Bear in mind that you are socialising with your colleagues, not your friends. Just because you're not in the office, it doesn't mean you're not at work. And just because alcohol is served at the event, it does not mean you must drink.


Be Proactive


Achieving success in a job is not based on your IQ, or your academic scores. It's all about how you proactively use your skills and abilities combined with your knowledge to create value and make a difference for your supervisor, team and organisation. Always ask yourself, "What else can I do to make this company better?" Be a step or two ahead of your supervisor at all times. Develop an ability to anticipate what needs to be done and do it. Also, identify what you can do to make your supervisor's job easier. Remember, the more successful you make your boss, the more success you will enjoy.


When it's all done


Now it's your last day of work; there are at a couple things that you must do before you leave. Ask your supervisor his/her permission to be used as a reference Before you use your supervisor's name on a resume, it is common courtesy to ask them first. Ask your supervisor for a performance evaluation There are some companies that do this automatically, but if this isn't the case, you should ask for this specifically. Although this might sound intimidating, doing this is important so you can identify the strengths and weaknesses in your work habits that you can work on improving. This will impact your performance at future jobs. A summer job can be one of the most exciting, and rewarding experiences of your career. It's also a very short time to begin to learn about all of the opportunities available to you in the future.

Make the most of your opportunity and try to have fun while you're at it too!





To view article online, visit http://www.go-jamaica.com/jobsmart/view_article_details.php?id=280

YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP - Tool for Productivity

Aldain Reid Gleaner Contributor

Jamaica has long demonstrated a distinct propensity for high levels of entrepreneurship. The most recently published 'Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report' (GEM) has classified Jamaica as having one of the highest levels of entrepreneurial activity in the world.
The report said 17 per cent of the country's adult population were actively planning or had recently established a new business.
Jamaica's overall rate of entrepreneurial activity compares favourably with New Zealand, who in 2005 was considered among "the world's most entrepreneurial countries".
It is still early days, we should be able to translate early stage entrepreneurship into established business activity.
This is significant as the data would seem to suggest that Jamaica; although having a high incidence of early stage entrepreneurial activity, does not have a good enough record in transforming this into established business ownership.
Even as the crucial role, played by entrepreneurship in driving economic development and job creation, is increasingly understood, there has not been commensurate effort placed on looking at entrepreneurship from a youth perspective.
There are too few employers and hence too few job opportunities in the world. However it is a fact that cumbersome procedures and regulations hamper the start-up of new businesses. Jamaica has been affected by this paradigm, and as a result, has had to review, rethink and reorient its legal and institutional framework for business to make it easier for its citizens to start and run their own enterprises.
The major difficulty still seems to be the lack of access to start-up financing or seed funding. As young people often have neither business experience nor any valuable assets they are viewed as too risky investments by commercial or self-sustaining sources of finance.
The majority of business start-ups are therefore funded from informal sources such as family or personal contacts. But even these sources of financing are often unavailable to young people, particularly to those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds.

RESOURCES
Over the years there have been number of programmes initiated, mainly thorough family support, churches and non government organisations. There are various agencies are helping youth to set up and run their businesses.

The National Centre for Youth Development
The National Centre for Youth Development, the youth division of the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports has continued to empower Jamaican youth in the areas of leadership and entrepreneurship. The Centre has initiated programmes to engage both attached and unattached youth to build their capacity to lead, to make rational decisions, and to contribute meaningfully to the country. One of the mechanisms through which this is achieved, is the provision of access to information through the establishment of Youth Information Centres across the island and the provision of officers who work with these youth in obtaining information on employment and training opportunities: These officers also facilitate the formation and strengthening of youth clubs.

The National Youth Council and Youth Clubs
The National Youth Council (NYC) supports youth clubs through the development of income generating projects for youths. Through these projects, young people earn income while sharpening their leadership skills. Jamaica has approximately 400 youth clubs which provide a source of empowerment and encouragement to a number of unattached youth. These organisations have ventured into inner city communities with their youth development programmes, and have reaped relatively good success.

The Jamaica Youth Ambassadors Programme
The Jamaica Youth Ambassadors' Programme (JAYAP) programme allows youth to become ambassadors to advocate for their peers at the national and international level. The youth ambassadors are expected to be people in whom other young people can feel proud and draw inspiration from their work The full participation of young people in decision making at all levels is encouraged. Jamaica's young people have continued to represent the country across the world.

The National Youth Service
The National Youth Service (NYS) programme was established in 1973 and was intended to re-socialise youth in the age group 17 - 29 to an alternative to crime and violence, even while providing for them opportunities to be re-engaged as positive members of society. As its mandate, the NYS continues to focus on the increasing antisocial behaviour and poor attitudes among Jamaican youth, the general lack of economic opportunities and the deficiencies in their exposure to relevant training and education.

The Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica
The Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica (YEA), formed in January 2006 provides a platform for young entrepreneurs across Jamaica to network and expand growth options for their business. The comprehensive approach to promoting entrepreneurship must work on three levels - individual, firm and society. Firstly, to motivate young people to become entrepreneurs, they should be made aware of the concept of 'entrepreneurship', and this should be made a sufficiently attractive option. They should be equipped with the right skills to turn ambitions into successful ventures. Secondly, for entrepreneurial ventures to develop into healthy firms, supportive framework conditions are essential. These should allow firms to develop and grow, and not unduly contract and exit. Entrepreneurial activity depends on a positive appreciation of entrepreneurs in society. Entrepreneurial success should be valued and the stigma of failure reduced.

ATTITUDE
Building an entrepreneurial society involves everyone. Attitudes towards entrepreneurial initiative, and failure, must be made more positive. To appreciate entrepreneurship, society must value and celebrate successful entrepreneurs and tolerate failure. Finally, the promotion of Entrepreneurship among our youth requires a coordinated approach because of its horizontal nature. Policy development should therefore embrace all the influential elements within the relevant policy areas, to allow them to act in a mutually reinforcing way.

To view article online, please visit http://go-jamaica.com/jobsmart/view_article_details.php?id=273

Creating a world without Poverty

by Aldain Reid

I had the distinct priviledge of attending a recent luncheon hosted by Scotiabank.
The special guest presenter was Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate and founder of the world renown, Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. (The word Grameen means rural)
Established in 1983, the Grameen Bank was founded on the basic principle that credit is a human right, regardless of one's economic circumstances.


Poverty alleviation was his fundamental objective, and through the bank he has provided loans to over 7 million customers on suitable terms, in addition to providing solid financial advice.
Recognized worldwide as one of the most successful international development projects, the Grameen model provides people the resources and the opportunity to do what they choose, and development follows.
He shared his story with the captivated audience at the Jamaica Pegasus about how this phenomenon started.
It was while teaching at a University in the US in the 1970s during a time of great change in his homeland Pakistan' (Pakistan was split to form Bangladesh) that Yunus found himself a citizen of Bangladesh.
Poverty was rife and he felt a burning desire to play an active role in improving the lives of his fellowmen. So he moved back home with a big vision of transformation.
He found that most rural folk, particularly the women, needed only a very small amount of capital to get them started in a business, but had tremendous difficulty accessing finance.
The banks ignored him when he tried to get them to lend money to the poor. `We can't do that. They have no collateral,' was the response.
Finally, after a few years of battling the beauracrats, Yunus was able to set up his own bank. The customers, mainly women, can borrow for up to a year at 20 per cent interest. The default rate is lower than that experienced by most commercial banks, now only about two per cent.














Professor Muhammad Yunus signing his book "Creating a world without poverty; Social business and the future of capitalism"

Its no surprise therefore, that conventional bankers are beginning to take notice. Scotiabank's invitation is proof of this.
Many countries have applied the philosophy of the Grameen Bank with great success.
Yunus insists that his bank is restricted his to rural areas so it would not be taken over by urban interests. `We fill the gap that is left by the conventional financial institutions,' he says.
From listening to his speech, I was convinced that Prof. Yunus's satisfaction, however, does not come from the financial success of his bank but from what it has done for the women of Bangladesh. Millions, formerly without status and with little opportunity, are becoming entrepreneurs, shareholders in a bank, homeowners, contributing to the growth of their country.
The lesson from the Grameen Bank experience appears to be that the traditional banking industry is lending to the wrong people.