How to carefully navigate your career options

After an intensive interview process I have been made an official job offer with a great company, however they have offered me less than I am currently earning. How do I handle this?

Negotiating a salary that you are comfortable with can be complicated if you don’t have your priorities straight. At this critical stage of a job offer, you have some leverage to present a counteroffer in terms of what you want to earn that is in line with the employer’s budget.

Remember that your remuneration package may include other benefits/perks that when quantified boost your salary considerably. For example, the employer may provide lunch to all staff (this would be a huge saving for you and means not having to dip into your salary to eat on the job); or there may be other allowances on top of the salary to cover transportation, housing or health.

Run the numbers carefully, but also ask yourself what non-monetary benefits there may be with this employer. Training opportunities, succession plans, or increased responsibility may all be intangible benefits of the job that pay off in a big way further down the road.

Bottom line: your entry into a company provides a unique opportunity to negotiate a comfortable package, it is far more difficult to raise this subject a few months later. All the best!

I’ve been working as an accountant for 7 years at a stable company that provides me with an adequate package; but I have no room to grow from here. I feel bored and uninspired – how can I rekindle my spark?

I’m going to throw the following questions back to you: what made you become an accountant in the first place? Think back to when you still had your sparkle, what excited you about your work? What can you do change the status quo? Change/Growth is inevitable; if we aren’t rolling with the times we may as well be dead!

Constantly strive to invest in yourself. It is your job to keep yourself inspired and to keep developing yourself, not your employer’s. Life-long learning is critical – enroll in a professional development course; read more industry-specific books; challenge your ability to lead; get clear feedback from your line manager, colleagues and team members to find out what your areas of development are (then work on mitigating them). There may be other activities you can engage in at work – volunteering to work on additional committees; leading on staff welfare initiatives; planning the end of year party; creating a staff SACCO at work; starting an extra-curricular sports team or exercise club. The possibilities are endless. If you have tried all these options and still feel uninspired; it may be time to seek ‘greener pastures.’

I am 17 years old and currently deciding what to study at University. My parents want me to do a Law degree but I really love the arts. My ideal programme would be in Marketing or Sociology. How do I explain this to them?

Tell your parents we have too many lawyers in the country as is! University degrees won’t necessarily guarantee what you end up doing professionally after you graduate. I personally know senior HR professionals with chemistry degrees and Finance Directors with engineering qualifications. The possibilities are endless. Attending university teaches us some overarching life lessons applicable to all professions: time management, research techniques, interpersonal skills and (if you live away from home) how to survive in the big bad world on your own. Try and explain your passion to your parents in a strategic way – show them you have thought things out thoroughly and where you see yourself going in future. If you have really strict parents (a common phenomenon) you can pursue a Law degree and volunteer/work alongside your studies doing something you are passionate about. At the end of the day, understanding the law will inevitably help you in future regardless of the career path you choose.