a program of the International Youth Foundation
Internship Programme
Foundation Training
Participant’s Manual
This publication was made possible in part by the generous support of the American People through
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Cooperative Agreement Number
AID-OAA-LA-10-00010. The views expressed by the author of this publication do not necessarily
reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States
Government.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction ______________________________________________ iv
Module 1: Life skills _________________________________________ 1
SESSION 1: Self-awareness and values ___________________________________________2
Personal values _________________________________________________ 2
Role models and mentors __________________________________________ 4
Personal skills and talent ___________________________________________ 4
SESSION 2: Interpersonal skills ____________________________________________________8
Communication skills _____________________________________________ 8
Empathy and cross-cultural skills _____________________________________10
Negotiation skills ________________________________________________11
SESSION 3: Critical and creative thinking _______________________________________ 12
Thinking critically _______________________________________________12
Thinking creatively ______________________________________________13
SESSION 4: Decision making, problem solving and conflict resolution_____________ 14
Self-reflection and self-initiative ______________________________________15
Decision making ________________________________________________15
Problem solving_________________________________________________16
Conflict resolution _______________________________________________17
SESSION 5: Self-esteem and stress management ________________________________ 19
Self-esteem ____________________________________________________19
Assertiveness __________________________________________________20
Stress management_______________________________________________21
SESSION 6: Healthy lifestyle ____________________________________________________ 23
Importance of nutrition and exercise ___________________________________23
Substance abuse ________________________________________________24
Hygiene and professional image ______________________________________25
SESSION 7: Leadership ________________________________________________________ 27
Qualities of an effective leader _______________________________________27
Civic leadership ________________________________________________28
Responsibilities of a leader__________________________________________29
Leadership versus management ______________________________________30
Participant’s Manual Life Skills
i3
Module 2: Workplace skills ___________________________________ 31
SESSION 1: Time management and goal setting ________________________________ 32
Goal setting ___________________________________________________32
Time management _______________________________________________34
SESSION 2: Work ethics and professionalism ____________________________________ 36
Professionalism ________________________________________________
Ethics _____________________________________________________
Your rights in the workplace ________________________________________
Sexual harassment ______________________________________________
37
37
38
39
SESSION 3: Effective written communication____________________________________ 41
Writing styles _________________________________________________ 41
Correct use of grammar, spelling and punctuation _________________________ 42
SESSION 4: Information Technology and Personal finance _______________________ 44
Microsoft word ________________________________________________
The internet as a resource _________________________________________
Microsoft powerpoint ____________________________________________
Email basics __________________________________________________
Personal finance _______________________________________________
44
45
45
46
46
SESSION 5: Project Planning and Team Building _________________________________ 49
Teamwork ___________________________________________________ 49
Effective meetings ______________________________________________ 50
Project planning _______________________________________________ 51
4 ii
Participant’s Manual
Module 3: Career development skills ___________________________ 53
SESSION 1: Career Planning ___________________________________________________ 54
Mapping skills to match careers _____________________________________ 54
Internship experience ____________________________________________ 55
Lifelong learning _______________________________________________ 56
SESSION 2: Career Networking and Job Search tools ____________________________ 57
Networking __________________________________________________ 57
Job search tools ________________________________________________ 59
SESSION 3: CV, cover letter and application form development _________________ 61
CV writing ___________________________________________________ 61
Cover letter and application ________________________________________ 64
SESSION 4: Interview techniques _______________________________________________ 65
Interview preparation ____________________________________________ 65
Interview behavior _____________________________________________ 68
Participant’s Manual
iii5
INTRODUCTION TO
Participant’s Manual
Dear Participant,
Welcome to the YouthMap Uganda Internship Programme and specifically, your two week foundation training.
YouthMap is a four-year regional program involving an assessment of youth circumstances and support for promising
youth development programs in eight African countries. An initiative of the International Youth Foundation (IYF),
YouthMap is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The YouthMap Internship Programme will equip you and your fellow participants with the practical skills and
work experience to work, lead, and contribute to broader development efforts. A key part of the programme is this
foundation training which is divided into three core modules: life skills; workplace skills; and career development
skills. Make sure you refer to your handbook as it contains information and activities related to each training session.
I hope you enjoy the training and wish you good luck with your internship placement. I encourage you to make the
most of this fantastic opportunity to build your career. Below is a quote from Steve Jobs, the very successful CEO of
Apple Computer. I hope you find it as inspirational as I do!
“Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life… Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out
your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow
already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Best wishes,
Jessica Greenhalf
Country Director,
Restless Development
iv Participant’s Manual
Module 1: Life
Skills
Introduction
Life skills, as defined by UNICEF, are the psychological and social abilities for adaptive and positive behavior
that enable people to deal effectively with challenges of everyday life. In other words, life skills are the mental
and social abilities that help people to adjust to new and sometimes difficult conditions in a positive way. For example,
they include the skills needed to understand and use information, to act responsibly, and to communicate
clearly and positively.
The life-skills explored in this module include self awareness; personal values and goals; problem solving;
conflict resolution; critical and creative thinking; interpersonal communication and negotiation skills; coping
and stress management; leadership; proper workplace behavior; and healthy living.
Life skills are also called transferable skills because they are used in many types of professions. Put simply,
being a skilled mechanic is a technical skill, but that mechanic will be unemployed if he can’t get to work on
time or is rude to customers. Life skills provide people with the tools to make informed choices that help
them take better control of their own lives and that promote healthy and positive social relationships, both in
and outside of the workplace.
Module Objectives
1
Understand what life skills are and how they relate to real-life situations in and outside of the workplace
2
Develop attitudes and behavior that will lead to a better quality of life and work performance
3
Gain skills to overcome life challenges in and out of the workplace
The following icons are used throughout the manual to signify additional resources and activities:
Tips and tricks: Extra pointers to help enrich your internship and future professional life.
Record: A space to write down important exercises so that you can refelct on them later.
Reflect: Questions or quotes to help further your understanding of the topic.
Resources: Online resources and other means of getting information to help you along your way.
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
1
SESSION 1
Self-awareness and values
Introduction
When you need to get somewhere you’ve never been before, usually you make
to get directions or look at a map. So why is it that we don’t typically do the
it comes to planning our future? Many times we haven’t even taken the time to
where it is we’re trying to get to, much less the road map or steps to get there.
an effort
same when
decide
In this session we will explore our personal passions and motivation. We are all
unique,
and while we may have similar desires, such as good health, financial wellbeing,
and happiness – the ways we achieve these goals might vary vastly from one
person to the other. As we explore our deepest beliefs, values, passions and talents, we will put these ideas on
paper in the form of our own Personal Mission Statement. This should serve as not only a guiding document
for this course and your internship, but also for your life. You will create a first draft today, but this is a “living
document,” meaning that you can return to it from time to time to revise it and reflect on it.
Definitions
Self-awareness:
The ability to recognize aspects of your personality, behavior, emotions,
motivations, and thought process that make you an individual. Self-awareness
distinguishes humans from most other species.
Mission:
A task, together with a purpose, that clearly indicates the steps you must take to
reach your goal.
Values:
Beliefs and ideas that a person thinks are important and that define who they are.
They are not based on facts, but rather on emotions and perspective.
Goals:
Something you are trying to do or achieve over the short or long term.
Role model:
A person who others look to for guidance. Role models send messages about their
beliefs through what they do and say.
Mentorship:
A personal developmental relationship in which a more knowledgeable person
(mentor) helps to guide a less experienced person (mentee).
Personal values
Why do we need values?
Every day, we each experience life situations that require thought, opinion giving, decision-making and
action. Choices made are based on conscious or unconscious beliefs, attitudes and values. Ideally, choices a
person makes should be based on values they hold, but frequently a person is unclear about their own values.
Some examples include race, leisure and personal tastes, war and peace, love and sex, authority and politics,
material possessions, and/or work and money.
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Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
Values give people’s lives purpose and direction. However, it is important to remember that
values are personal and each person has different perceptions of what is important in life. Judging
others for their values has been the cause of many conflicts around the world and in the home.
Try not to judge others for their values, and similarly, don’t allow yourself to be influenced
because someone does not value what you do.
Your values
Value 1: ..........................................................................................................
For this value, success to me means ......................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
Value 2: ..........................................................................................................
For this value, success to me means ......................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
Value 3: ..........................................................................................................
For this value, success to me means ......................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
Value 4: ..........................................................................................................
For this value, success to me means ......................................................................
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Value 5: ..........................................................................................................
For this value, success to me means. .....................................................................
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Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
3
Role models and mentors
Why do we need role models?
Role models help guide us through life as we mature and begin to make important decisions that affect the
rest of our lives. A good role model:
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The mentorship relationship
A mentorship is a personal developmental relationship in which a more knowledgeable person (mentor)
helps to guide a less experienced person (mentee).
To get the most out of the mentorship relationship you should:
1 Establish communication methods and frequency of contact. If your mentor is unable to meet in
person, maybe you can communicate through email or phone.
2 Establish goals for the relationship. Discuss and agree on the goals of the relationship and what you
hope to gain, using your personal development plan as a guide. Review the goals from time to time.
3 Be respectful of their time. Show up on time and try not to cancel unless it’s an emergency.
4 Prepare. Go into your conversation with some ideas and questions you would like to discuss, but don’t
be afraid to stray off course.
5 Listen effectively. Be open to feedback rather than be defensive.
6 Take your time. It’s like any relationship, so take your time to establish trust and openness.
7 Express your gratitude. Tell your mentor that you value and appreciate their guidance.
Personal skills & talent
What makes you unique?
“Does anybody really think that they didn’t get what they had because they didn’t have the
talent or the strength or the endurance or the commitment?” Nelson Mandela
We all have special and unique talents and skills to offer the world! The main obstacle is knowing what they
are. We can’t all be experts in everything, but we can use our skills and talents to help others and develop
ourselves. Start searching, think big, go back to your past and reflect. What makes you unique?
4
Participant’s Manual module 1 Life skills draft
Your skills and talents
Skill 1:
I will continue to develop this skill by
Skill 2:
I will continue to develop this skill by
Skill 3:
I will continue to develop this skill by
Skill 4:
I will continue to develop this skill by
Skill 5:
I will continue to develop this skill bye
Putting it all together: Your personal mission statement
A personal mission statement provides clarity and gives you a sense of purpose. It helps define who you are
and how you will live. It is a guide to help you down the road of life, so if it’s meaningful to you, that’s all that
matters, therefore there is no right or wrong way to write it.
Writing an effective personal mission statement requires deep self-reflection and honesty. It can
be changed and refined as you grow, learn and further define what’s important to you. Refer back
to it frequently over the coming years, and re-write if need be.
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
5
Personal mission statement - Final draft
6
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
Three things to better align you with your mission statement
1...................................................................................................................
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2...................................................................................................................
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3...................................................................................................................
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Might this have been Mother Theresa’s mission statement?
“People are often unreasonable, irrational and self-centered. Forgive them
anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind
anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere
anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.“
(It was, by the way!)
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
7
SESSION 2
Interpersonal skills
Introduction
Our relationships with family, friends, co-workers and all
the other people we meet help shape who we are and give
meaning to our lives. It is necessary then, that we strengthen
those skills that make relationships strong and healthy. Many
misunderstandings and arguments we have in our relationships
are due to the inability to communicate well or not having empathy. Negotiation skills are also important, as
the ability to compromise is vital to building and maintaining relationships.
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Communication:
The act of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange
information or to express your ideas, thoughts and feelings to someone else.
Sympathy:
The ability to recognize another person’s emotional hardships and provide
comfort and assurance.
Empathy:
The ability to understand what others are feeling because you have experienced it
yourself or can put yourself in their situation.
Negotiation:
The ability to compromise on issues (i.e. reach a solution that will best benefit
everyone’s needs) without compromising one’s principles, or the ability to create
win-win situations.
Rapport:
A relationship of mutual understanding or trust and agreement between people.
Communication skills
Interpersonal relationships are associations between individuals or groups of people within different
contexts. They are dynamic, which means that they are always changing. In order to have healthy and
meaningful relationships with others, whether colleagues or friends, requires the ability to communicate
clearly. Lack of, or unclear communication could lead to misunderstanding or conflict.
Two types of communication
1. Verbal communication is when a person talks and others listen and react.
2. Non-verbal communication is body language and gives further meaning to what is said either negatively
or positively. It includes:
8
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Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
Feedback
Feedback completes the process of communication. It is important when putting together a response to think
of a STOP sign:
Step back
Think
Organize thoughts
Proceed
Tips for being a good listener
✓ Give your full attention on the person who is speaking. Don’t look out the window or at what
else is going on in the room.
✓ Make sure your mind is focused. It can be easy to let your mind wander if you think you know
what the person is going to say next, but you might be wrong! If you feel your mind wandering,
sit up straighter and try to concentrate.
✓ You can’t listen if you are busy thinking about what you want to say next.
List 3 ways that you can improve your listening skills
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2...................................................................................................................
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3...................................................................................................................
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Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
9
Empathy & Cross-cultural skills
Understanding a person’s thoughts and feelings by imagining yourself in their position is the ability to
empathise. Empathy is different from sympathy in that it involves a deeper level of feeling and understanding
for another person, to the point that you can imagine being that person. The ability to empathise is important
for being a good person and also an effective communicator. To increase your ability to empathize:
1. Discover what you have in common with the other person, rather than what is different. It is common to
define ourselves in contrast to others. Try finding something you have in common instead.
2. Listen carefully and open up. It’s important to listen, but you also should try and open up and be honest
about your own experiences and beliefs.
3. Use your imagination. We need to empathize with people we don’t like or whose ideas we don’t share.
Imagine you were raised in a different country, with a different family, how would that change who you
are or what you believe?
During your internship, and beyond it, you will be required to communicate with someone from
a different culture than yours. While every culture is different, and we can’t treat every foreigner
the same way, there are some common business practices that have become normal in most
cultures. If you find it difficult to understand, try using empathy:
✓ Be on time. People in offices are busy with many meetings and deadlines. Show respect for
their time by showing up when agreed.
✓ Silence phones in meetings. Remember to put phones on silent, and never pick up your phone
during a meeting. If it is an emergency, excuse yourself and take it outside, but remember, not
everything is an emergency!
✓ Make eye contact. Not making eye contact might be considered a show of respect to your
elders, but it is very important to make eye contact in the business world. It gives the
impression of honesty, understanding, and attention.
✓ Level of voice. Practice speaking up a little. Have a clear and steady tone of voice.
✓ Use proper body language. When in meetings or one-on-ones, have good posture, look at the
speaker, and lean forward in your chair to communicate interest to the speaker.
How to build rapport
You have rapport with someone when there is a natural liking or trust. You may have noticed that
there are some people who just seem to get along with everyone. This is because they know the
secrets of building rapport. People are generally more open to people like themselves.
There are easy ways to build rapport with someone instantly:
✓ Find common ground. Ask open-ended questions to find out more about someone to see what
you have in common. Maybe you know the same people, lived in the same town or like the
same sports team.
✓ Don’t forget the basics:
— Shaking hands firmly
— Smiling
— Holding your head up and maintaining good posture and eye contact
— Be sincere. Most people have a sense if someone is genuine or not.
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Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
Mahatma Gandhi is famous for his views on peace and non-violence. He also helped lead
India to independence in 1947. He thought that empathizing with “enemies” is also a way to
social tolerance. That was Gandhi’s thinking during the conflicts between Muslims and Hindus
leading up to independence when he declared, “I am a Muslim! And a Hindu, and a Christian
and a Jew.”
Think about the above statement. Can you understand why Gandhi would say that?
How do you feel when a friend or family member tells you
that they “know how you feel”?
Negotiation skills
Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more people who intend to reach an understanding or compromise.
Being able to effectively negotiate is an important interpersonal skills as it requires patience, understanding,
diplomacy and good listening and organizational skills.
The keys to successful negotiation are:
✓ Have good communication skills
✓ Be prepared and know what you want
✓ Have a positive and open mind
✓ Listen carefully
✓ Ask for their advice
✓ Aim for compromise and not victory
✓ Show respect for other points of view
For more information on communication for business and personal relationships, go to
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/effective_communication_skills.htm
For more information on negotiation, go to
http://www.managementstudyguide.com/negotiation.htm
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
11
SESSION 3
Critical & creative thinking
Introduction
Now that we know the basics of effective communication, it
is time to learn new ways of solving problems and generating
ideas. Critical and creative thinking are important for all types of
work, as is the ability to prioritize. In critical thinking we try to
understand the reasoning and evidence for an issue. In creative
thinking we come up with different ideas about a subject and/or
solutions to a problem.
Prioritise
Brains
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Definitions
Critical thinking:
To analyse the merits and faults of an idea, situation, document, etc. to form an
opinion or judgment.
Prioritise:
To organize tasks or ideas so that the most important thing is dealt with first.
Creative thinking:
To think about any subject or problem where you improves the quality of their
thinking by looking at things from a fresh and unique perspective.
Thinking critically
Qualities of critical thinkers
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— See the problem as an opportunity
— Gather information about the problem
— Prepare a list of possible solutions to consider
— Work through the list until an appropriate solution is found
Importance of prioritising
1 We need to recognize the difference between urgent and important.
2 In work you will have many different tasks to get done in one day, and you must be able to decide which
ones must get done now and which can be done later.
3 Priorities are also related to values. For example, if spending time with your family is a value, then you
must make sure to prioritize spending time with them rather than, for example, going to watch football
with your friends.
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Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
Be creative
To make better use of your time:
✓ Take 15 minutes at the end of each day to plan for the next day
✓ Make a “to-do” list, but keep it small – no more than 8 – 10 tasks
✓ 3Prioritize your to-do list by marking each task with “A”, “B”, or “C”, depending on its importance. “B” tasks
should be done only after you are finished with the most important “A” tasks
Thinking creatively
Thinking creatively is important for your work and personal life because we are often placed in unexpected
situations where thinking “outside of the box” is needed to make a choice or solve a problem. It leads to
finding better ways of doing something. An example is a unique business approach, such as a rolex stand that
offers a variety of ingredients to make it stand out from the competition.
Brainstorming is an excellent idea-generating technique. Its main goals are to:
1 Break a person out of their usual way of thinking about things. (For example, your mother taught you
how to make chapatti and now you think there is only one way to make chapatti, when in reality there are
many.)
2 Produce a set of ideas that a person can choose from. No one wants to have a choice of only one product
when buying a drink or even soap, so why have a choice of only one solution when working on a
problem?
Your mind is like any other muscle – if you do not exercise it, it will not grow stronger.
Creativity is the same. Practice brainstorming even when you don’t need to, and you’ll find that
when you do need to, it will be much easier.
What are 3 things that you learned in this session that you could use in every
day life?
1...................................................................................................................
2...................................................................................................................
3...................................................................................................................
www.coursera.org is a website where you can sign up to take FREE online courses from
universities all over the world, covering many different subjects.
For more information on critical thinking and reflection, go to:
http://learnhigher.ac.uk/Students/Critical-thinking-and-reflection.html
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
13
SESSION 4
Decision making, problem
solving and conflict
resolution
Introduction
Each and every day, we must make decisions. “Should I take a taxi or a boda?”
This is a relatively simple decision that may not critically affect our life.
However, an individual is frequently confronted with serious decisions in
regards to relationships, work, etc. There are frequently conflicting demands,
all of which cannot be met at the same time. We must make a choice based on
the information we have, remaining aware of the possible consequences of that
choice. Problem solving is necessary for conflict resolution. It is important for a
person to have conflict resolution skills so that they have the ability to manage
situations calmly and peacefully.
Definitions
6HOIUHÁHFWLRQ
Careful thought about your own behavior and beliefs.
Self-initiative:
The energy, desire and opportunity to do something before others tell you to.
Problem solving:
The ability to identify, cope with, and find solutions to difficult or challenging
situations. It requires critical thinking skills.
Decision-making:
The process of making an informed and critical choice between two or more
options.
&RQÁLFWUHVROXWLRQ The process of ending a disagreement between two or more people in a
constructive way for everyone involved. It requires empathy, as well as effective
communication and negotiation skills.
Self-reflection & self-initiative
Self-reflection and self-initiative are important qualities for effective problem solving, decision-making and
conflict resolution. To to be aware of your thoughts, feelings, wants and opinions and to work towards your
goals with without others telling you to, are personal characteristics that you can learn and practice and which
help you succeed in your personal and professional lives. They require that you ask yourself questions, such
as:
1 How did I experience the situation in terms of thinking, feeling and behaving? (For example, after an
argument with a friend, how am I feeling? How did I act during the argument? Is my thinking different
now that I’ve calmed down?)
2 What have I learned about myself? (For example, I learned that I have a short temper and I need to take
deep breaths before responding.)
3 What would I do differently or the same the next time a similar situation occurs?
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Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
Self-initiative is doing things without having to be told or learning a new task without having to be directed
to do so. It requires self-reflection to know your strengths and weaknesses, as well as critical and creative
thinking to know what is the right action to take in order to improve something on your own. For example:
1 Starting a new student group, society or club at work or in your town.
2 Doing work you know needs to be done before your boss has to ask you.
3 Going online to learn a new task that can be applied to your job.
4 Helping a new employee use the copy machine without being asked.
Write down 3 things you could do to show self-initiative
1...................................................................................................................
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2...................................................................................................................
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3...................................................................................................................
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Decision-making
There are different approaches to decision making and problem solving that help simplify the process. For
example:
1 Rational decisions involve thinking about options and making a choice based on the careful
consideration of the consequences of each alternative.
2 Emotional decisions are typically made very quickly and based on a feeling or desire.
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
15
The 4 C’s of decision making
CHALLENGE: Describe the (problem, situation, or issue) being faced.
CHOICES: List the realistic options available.
CONSEQUENCES: Consider the positive and negative of each choice.
CHOOSE: Select the decision that seems the most appropriate.
Think of a time when you have made a decision based on your emotions? How do you think
it would have turned out differently if you had made that decision based on rational decisionmaking?
Problem solving
The 7 steps of PROBLEM solving
The PROBLEM solving approach requires people to explore their experiences, analyze causes
and effects, identify solutions and then implement them.
P = PROBLEM
R = RESULTS
O = OPEN A FILE
B = BRAINSTORM
L = LOOK FOR CONSEQUENCES
E = EVALUATE, DECIDE, AND ACT
M = MAKE SURE IT HAS WORKED
16
What is the problem?
What do you want to happen?
What information do you need to collect?
What options are there? Think critically and creatively!
What would happen by following each option?
Which is the best choice? Make it!
Did you get what you wanted?
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
There is a famous Sudanese proverb, “Patience is the key which solves all problems.”
Remember this when attempting to solve difficult problems!
Conflict resolution
1 Unresolved anger or conflict can cause personal distress that can result in damaged relationships and
being left out socially (due to rejection, teasing, and humiliation).
2 Non-violent conflict resolution aims to avoid conflict where possible and respectfully resolve conflict
where it does happen as quickly and smoothly as possible.
3 Conflict management also involves acknowledging that some disagreements can be normal and healthy it
depends on how we handle them.
Conflict can occur between individuals, between groups of people, or even within a group itself.
Self-awareness, teamwork, and cooperation are all necessary skills for managing and minimising
negative conflict outcomes. However, where situations do get out of hand, the below techniques
can help resolve the issue:
✓ Remain calm. Arguing is not useful because it creates more anger.
✓ Let the other person do the talking. Sometimes all the other person needs is to feel heard and
valued.
✓ Consider the other person’s point of view. Imagine yourself in her shoes. Never say, “you’re
wrong.” Instead, look for areas to agree on and build on them.
✓ If you are wrong, quickly admit it and take responsibility.
Both parties can be right! A majority of conflicts come from a difference in values, perceptions
and attitudes. This means that there will never be a clear cut “right or wrong,” it is simply a
different way of looking at a situation. Always try to see the situation from the other person’s
point of view, or “walk a mile in his shoes.” This will lead to a greater ability to compromise.
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
17
5 things you learned in this session that will help you with your internship
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2...................................................................................................................
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3...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
4...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
5...................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................
How do you usually deal with conflict? Conflicts continue to grow when ignored. You should
address such issues as they occur rather than ignoring them. They often become worse if we wait.
If you are feeling threatened you might find it difficult to deal with the problem in a healthy way.
You might shut down or blow up in anger. Remember that some conflict in life is normal. Take
deep breaths until you feel yourself calm down and try to be as understanding as possible towards
the other person.
For further information on building conflict resolution skills, go to the internet and type in the
following web address: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eq8_conflict_resolution. htm
If you are having a conflict in your internship, and have tried to solve it on your own and failed, or
you are uncomfortable for whatever reason, please contact:
Joshua Wakabi - Programme Coordinator of Youth Livelihoods at Restless Development
Tel (Office): +256 334476185; Mob: 256 775 653999; Email: [email protected]
18
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
I am
generous!
SESSION 5
Self-esteem&
stress management
I am smart!
I love myself
and others!
Introduction
High self-esteem, assertiveness and stress management are
important qualities to learn and be aware of as you enter the
workforce, and certainly as you go through life. These qualities
can affect the way others perceive us as well. As we go through the
session, be sure to reflect on how you can improve your own selfesteem, assertiveness and stress management.
Definitions
Self-esteem:
A judgement of yourself and an attitude towards yourself. It is your opinion of
your own worth.
Aggression:
Verbal or physical behaviour that demonstrates forcefulness and/or hostility
and can lead to angry and/or violent actions.
Assertiveness:
The ability to express yourself openly and honestly while still respecting others.
In most Western cultures it is seen as a positive quality. In some other cultures,
submissiveness or being indirect is preferred.
Stress management: Techniques that people use to control or cope with the physical and emotional
effects of pressure from everyday life.
Self-esteem
We each have an opinion about the type of person we are and how other people perceive us. These opinions
are at the heart of self-esteem and they affect how you feel about and value yourself and others. Self-esteem
is not fixed; your feelings about yourself can change throughout your life as a result of experiences. Low selfesteem is associated with negative feelings because you may focus on what you feel are your weaknesses, and
the mistakes that you have made in the past.
To improve self-esteem:
✓ Don’t compare yourself with others. Set your own goals and do not compare yourself with
someone else’s achievements.
✓ Think about the kind of person you are and your best qualities. What do you like about
yourself? (e.g. generous, funny, smart)
✓ Think about the things you would like to improve about yourself without being overly critical.
✓ Stay away from people who damage your self-esteem, especially if they do it on purpose.
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
19
List 3 qualities about yourself that you like and admire:
1...................................................................................................................
2...................................................................................................................
3...................................................................................................................
Assertiveness
Assertiveness is the ability to express yourself openly and honestly while still respecting others. In most
Western cultures it is seen as a positive quality. In other cultures, submissiveness, or being indirect, is preferred.
Assertiveness is important for effective communication and decision-making.
The following table highlights the differences between passive, assertive and aggressive styles of
communication and behavior and gives examples of each. Which one are you?
r
r
PASSIVE
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
ASSERTIVE
r
r
r
r
AGGRESSIVE
r
r
r
r
20
Giving in to the will of others
Inability to communicate what you want or
feel
Leaving it to others to decide on your behalf
Being submissive and apologizing a lot
Talking quietly, giggling, looking down or
away.
Avoiding disagreements
Low self-confidence
Examples:
Telling someone exactly what you want in a
way that does not seem rude or threatening
Standing up for your rights
Knowing your needs and wants
Expressing yourself with “I” statements (e.g.,
“I feel” not “You…”)
Looking people in the eye
Standing your ground
Examples:
Expressing your feelings in a way that
threatens or punishes others
Insisting on your rights,while denying the
rights of others
Dominating, shouting demanding and not
listening
Looking down on people
Saying others are wrong
Blaming, threatening, or fighting with others
Examples:
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
Giving in to pressure
from friends when you
aren’t comfortable
Lending a friend money
even if you know they
won’t pay it back
Shying away from a
disagreement
Say “NO” without feeling
guilty
Disagree without feeling
angry
Ask for help when you
need it
Have more honest
friendships and
relationships
Demanding that a friend
does what you ask
Threatening behavior,
shouting and banging the
door, table, etc.
To handle aggressive people:
✓ Give the other person time to cool down.
✓ Tell them directly and calmly that there’s no need to get angry. Recognize their feelings and
show that you care. For example: “I understand you’re angry. Now let’s work out what we’re
going to do.”
✓ Don’t fight. Never engage aggressive behavior with more aggressive behavior. Stay calm and
try to remain in control of your feelings.
Stress management
Stress will always happen in life. Sometimes stress can be a positive thing, because it forces you to focus on
what you’re doing and respond. However, stress is not good if it’s too big to handle or remains for too long.
To manage stress:
✓ Take a deep breath. Try taking a minute to slow down and breathe slowly. Breathe in through
your nose and count as you breathe out through your mouth.
✓ Talk it out. Try to express your feelings to a friend of family member or church leader.
Keeping feelings inside can increase stress. If you’re not comfortable talking to someone,
writing down thoughts and feelings can help you see the issue in a different way.
✓ Take a ‘minute’ holiday. Create a quiet place in your mind. You cannot always run away, but
you can dream. Imagining a peaceful place can take you out of a stressful situation. Close your
eyes and imagine a place where you feel relaxed and comfortable.
✓ Move! When you feel nervous, angry, or upset, release the pressure through exercise or
physical activity. Try to find something you enjoy and make regular time for it. Running,
walking or dancing can be done anywhere.
✓ Look for the good things in your life. It is easy to see only the negative when you are stressed.
Decide to notice five good things around you. These may seem like small things or events,
but as these good things add up they can give you energy, lift your spirits and help you see the
causes of your stress in a new and more balanced way.
✓ Manage time well. One of the biggest causes of stress is not managing your time. If you keep
putting things off that you don’t want to do until a later time, you will be overwhelmed and
will most likely perform poorly. Dedicate time for work and play, and then stick to it!
How do you usually deal with stress? Do you get tense and angry? Does it affect how you treat
the people around you? Stress is known as the greatest cause of illness! Take steps to create a
balanced life before you get too stressed.
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
21
List 5 ways you will manage and prevent stress
1...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
2...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
3...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
4...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
5...................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................
Need more ways to deal with stress? Visit the stress help guide:
http://www.helpguide.org/topics/stress.htm
Not sure about your self-esteem? Take this online quiz that will tell you if you might have low selfesteem: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/interactive/interactivetests/selfesteem.php
22
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
SESSION 6
Healthy lifestyle
Introduction
How you take care of yourself matters not only for your health (so that you don’t fall sick), but also for how
productive you are at work. If you don’t treat your body well, you will feel tired and as a result you may
underperform at work. If your body is feeling unwell, chances are your mind is too. As you go through this
session think about your current lifestyle, whether or not it is healthy for your mind and body and what you
can do to lead a happier and healthier life.
Definitions
Diet:
The kind of food that a person usually eats on a daily basis.
Substance abuse:
Using too much of a drug that is considered harmful and can cause addiction.
Hygiene:
Conditions or practices that maintain health and preventi disease, especially
through cleanliness.
Perception:
The way you think about or understand someone or something.
Importance of nutrition and exercise
Eating healthy and exercising regularly helps your body fight off sickness before they start. You wouldn’t put
diesel fuel in a car designed for petrol and expect it to run well, would you? The same applies to your body. If
you only put unhealthy foods in, it won’t keep running for long.
Fruits and vegetables are natural vitamins and medicine for our bodies and can help you fight off sickness.
If your diet is lacking in a variety of fruits and vegetables, then your body will weaken, you will become sick
more easily, and you will take longer to recover. This can have negative effects on your personal life and
career. The same is true for lack of exercise. The less your body moves and is exerted, the weaker it becomes,
and you become more prone to sickness and premature aging.
1. Benefits of exercise
Try to move your body at least 45 minutes a day, four times a week. Studies show that in Africa we
spend more time than that on Facebook alone! Fast walking or running is the perfect way to get
exercise as it’s free and you can do it anywhere. Try it with a friend to stay motivated.
Exercise helps:
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Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
23
2. A nutritious and varied diet
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you to feel tired because your body gets a quick burst of energy and then has to recover, leaving you
feeling more drained.
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wiki, papaya, green pepper, avocado, etc.
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heart because they can cause fat deposits, which reduce blood flow in your body.
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your body working properly.
List 3 things you can do to live a healthier life.
1...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
2...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
3...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
Substance abuse
Stress, depression and low self-esteem can all lead to substance abuse. Examples of abused substances, are
alcohol, illegal drugs, cigarettes and prescription or over-the-counter medicine. By using and/or over-using
these substances you can worsen the stress, depression and low self-estemm that may have caused you to use
them in the first place.
24
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
Sometimes the line between substance “use” and “abuse” is not clear, here are some signs it might
be abuse:
✓ Your use of one of the above substances has increased over the past year.
✓ You have attempted to cut down on a substance, but have not been consistent.
✓ You have lied to family or friends about how much or how often you take a substance.
✓ In the last year you have missed work or school because of a substance.
Hygiene and professional image
Hygiene
Proper hygiene is important not only for good health, since cleanliness will reduces your risk of becoming
sick, but also because at work you will interact closely with colleagues, and you have to be clean for everyone’s
comfort.
✓ Wash your hands every time you use the bathroom and before eating. Use soap and warm
water, and spend at least 15-20 seconds.
✓ Use deodorant or at least make sure you shower every morning before work.
✓ Brush your teeth at least twice a day - not doing so can lead to bad breath and health
problems.
✓ Avoid wearing too much perfume or cologne. Though it may smell nice to you, it can irritate
other people.
Appearance
For women: Avoid short skirts, revealing shirts, very tight clothing, very high heels and overdone makeup.
For men: Most jobs don’t require you to wear a suit everyday, but if you do, make sure it is well fitted. Invest
in a tailor to make sure it’s not too big.
The best tip for both is to look for the most well respected person in your office, and see how that person
dresses and presents him or herself.
In the workplace:
✓ Always be on time.
✓ Have a clean desk or workspace.
✓ Meet deadlines.
✓ 4 Have a positive attitude. Be helpful, focus on good things, rather than negative and smile even
when you don’t want to.
✓ Follow company policies. Use the right procedures and forms.
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
25
There is a saying “fake it until you make it.” The idea here is that even if you are faking something
(like being happy because you’re really sad) eventually you will start to feel that way. So even
if you have to force a smile or laugh, you may soon find yourself actually happy and enjoying
yourself. What other scenarios might this work for?
When meeting a new person, we instantly have a perception of them based on their appearance
and attitude. List 3 positive things you want to portray when you meet someone for the first time.
1...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
2...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
3...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
More on healthy eating: http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm
Free exercise videos and healthy living resource:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos.asp
26
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
SESSION 7
Leadership
Introduction
Anyone can be a leader. Each of us has the capacity to make
a positive difference in the world. By living your life guided
by values and a vision, you can lead others by example. In
that way you become a source of inspiration and guidance.
Leadership isn’t about outcomes. It is about setting the right
course and inspiring hope and conviction in others. In this
session you will explore different kinds of leadership and the
practical ways you can cultivate your strengths to be a leader
in your community, at work and beyond.
Justice Julia Sebutinde
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Definitions
Leadership:
The process of showing responsibility and the ability to get others to work with
you to serve a common purpose.
Civic leadership:
Being a leader in one’s community; a person who guides or inspires others to
improve the quality of life in their community.
Management:
The act or skill of controlling and making decisions about a business, department,
sports team, etc.
Empowerment:
The process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and
to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes.
Entrepreneur:
A person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money.
Qualities of an effective leader
A good leader is:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Confident, but humble
Flexible
Good listener
Respectful
Trustworthy
Open-minded
–
–
–
–
–
–
Visionary
Interested in feedback
Consistent
Ambitious
Enthusiastic and positive
Lifelong learner
1 Learn to lead yourself, before leading others. To lead yourself, you must believe in yourself, but be honest
about your weaknesses. You must always look ahead and make decisions with long-term and collective
benefits in mind.
2 Lead with a purpose. If you have no reason or passion for what you’re doing, it will be difficult for others
to trust your guidance.
3 Be persistent. Don’t give up because you fail the first time. None of us are perfect. Leaders are the ones
who get back up and try again.
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
27
Civic leadership
Civic leaders are able to:
1 Recognize inequality and injustice in their society and empathize with those affected.
2 Feel a sense of responsibility to stand up for what they believe in.
3 Come up with practical strategies to create both small and large-scale change in their communities.
List ways you can be a civic leader in your community:
1...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
2...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
3...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
4...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
5...................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................
28
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
Responsibilities of a leader
No one is perfect. Each of us have positive and negative aspects of our personalities. The
important thing is to be aware of them, so that you can continue to make improvements
throughout your life. We are all working towards the most perfect version of ourselves. A good
leader is mindful of this. To achieve this it is important to:
1 Set and achieve goals. A leader thinks about the future and has vision.
2 Be innovative. You think about new ways to improve the ways things are.
3 Solve problems and make decisions.
4 Set priorities.
5 Focus and concentrate. Focus means you are absolutely clear of the most important thing to do and
concentration means you discipline yourself to work just on that.
6 Set an example to others. Try to behave as if you are being watched.
7 Lead by influence and the strength of character, not by force.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the current President of Liberia, and the first female elected head of state
in Africa. In 2011 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She said:
“The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do
not scare you, they are not big enough.”
List 3 qualities that make you a good leader and 3 qualities that you can
improve:
POSITIVE
NEED TO IMPROVE
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Participant’s Manual Module 1: Life Skills
29
Leadership versus management
Leadership versus management
Leadership and management are not the same, but they are complementary. Ideally, a person in a position
of authority, such as a manager, strives to lead by example in the workplace and encourages employees to
perform well through inspiration, not fear. This is not always the case.
Often the biggest difference between a leader and a manager is in the way people are motivated to work
for or follow them. Traditionally, the role of a manager was seen as to assign tasks and to ensure deadlines
or bottom lines are met. Typically they were seen as more concerned with outcomes, than the people
and processes required to achieve them. Yet, people and institutions are realizing that the most effective
organizations are those with happy, confident and fulfilled employees. One way this is acheived is through
leadership-style management. This is characterized by coaching staff and promoting teamwork. In this way
managers are not just organizing staff, they are developing their skills and encouraging self-motivation in the
workplace.
“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory
when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will
appreciate your leadership.”
- Nelson Mandela
Talk to your mentor about your leadership strengths and weaknesses. Ask for suggestions on how
to improve your weaknesses and highlight your strengths in an appropriate way.
Take a practical leadership course, free online, at: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-ofmanagement/15-974-practical-leadership-fall-2004/index.htm
30
Participants manual module 1 Life skills draft
Module 2: Workplace Skills
Introduction
Workplace skills are the core skills that employees need to do their jobs successfully. These skills are critical
to the success of modern businesses. They are the core knowledge, behaviors and attitudes that allow workers
to understand instructions, solve problems and get along well with co-workers and clients. Gaining basic
workplace skills also has a positive impact on employees’ attitudes and behaviors, which is often just as
valuable to employers as the skills gained themselves.
The workplace skills we will cover include:
1 Time management and goal setting
2 Work ethics and professionalism
3 Information technology and personal finance
4 Effective written communication
5 Financial literacy
6 Project planning and team building
Module Objectives
1 Understand what workplace skills are and how they benefit the workplace
2 Demonstrate comprehension in the 6 core areas
3 Gain skills to overcome challenges in the workplace and set a foundation for further job skill learning
Participants manual Module 2 Workplace Skills draft
31
SESSION 1
Time management
and goal setting
Introduction
Time management is managing time effectively so that the
Effective time management = Healthy balance between your
right amount of time is given to the right activity. You can
professional and personal life
manage your time well by setting goals. By setting specific,
measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.) goals you can better manage your time,
thereby reducing stress. You can improve your work performance, while maintaining a healthy balance
between your professional and personal life.
Definitions
Time management:
The practices of making better or more efficient use of your time by prioritizing
tasks. The goal is to allocate the right time to the right activity.
Willpower:
The ability to control yourself; strong determination which allows you to do
something difficult.
Champion:
Someone who speaks in support of a person, cause or belief.
Goal setting
S.M.A.R.T. goal setting
You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows
you to carry out those steps. The SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound) method
can help you set personal and workplace goals that you will be able to achieve.
32
SMART Goals
Goal Needs Work
Goal is Much Better
Goals should be specific.
I want to work with people.
I want to plan social and educational
programs for children and
adolescents.
Goals should be measurable.
I want to do well in my classes.
I want to earn at least a Distinction 2
in all my classes.
Goals should be attainable
(challenging yet realistic).
I want to be promoted to manager
within one year of my employment.
I want to be promoted to manager
within 3 years of employment.
Goals should be relevant (make sure I wish to thoroughly review each
each goal is consistent with other
career listed in the Occupational
Handbook from the HR
goals you have established).
department.
I will spend time researching
career options associated with my
Communications major.
Goals should be time bound (give
yourself time to achieve your goals).
I will earn my Masters in Business
Administration in 3 years by taking
night classes.
I will earn my Masters in Business
Administration.
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
The following list can work for both personal and work goals:
✓ DO create a plan. Knowing what you want to do and how to achieve it is the first step. Have a
clear idea of what resources you’ll need and who can help.
✓ DON’T focus on too many things at once. Try focusing on one goal at a time. Take a small
goal you know you can do every day for the next two weeks, such as writing and following a
to-do list, and then build that habit to boost confidence.
✓ DON’T forget to write it down.Writing down your goal and the time you want to achieve it
by will keep you motivated. Post it somewhere you look frequently.
✓ DON’T be discouragedby failure. We are all human, and sometimes we don’t reach our goals.
Focus on what you are doing wrong and use the failure to reevaluate your goals.
Short, medium and long-term goals
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for your education.
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even extend several years. For example, enrolling in an MBA course at the University.
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example, becoming a manager at your job.
Practicing willpower
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you will be encouraged to continue with your good habits.
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you focus on exercising 5 days a week for 2 months and are able to stick with it, you will most likely find
that your consumption of unhealthy food decreases, your TV watching will reduce and studying increase.
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Sharing your goals with friends and family can increase the likelihood that you achieve them.
Ask the people closest to you to support you. For instance, if you are trying to exercise more, ask
a friend to join you.
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
33
Record your goals here after the activity you did in your session. Medium and short-term goals
should relate to the long-term goal listed at the top
Long Term Goal #1
Long Term Goal #2
Long Term Goal #3
Medium Term Goals
Medium Term Goals
Medium Term Goals
Short Term Goals
Short Term Goals
Short Term Goals
Time management
Now that you understand the steps to setting achievable goals, what is one of the most important aspects of
achieving goals? The answer is TIME. Without learning how to successfully manage time, goals might remain
out of reach because we don’t know how to make the appropriate room for them in our lives.To manage your
time wisely you should:
1 Plan effectively. Carefully schedule your time and you will have more time. Plan your day in advance.
Prepare a to-do list and make sure you finish the tasks in the time frame you’ve assigned.
2 Set goals and objectives. Set targets for yourself and make sure they are realistic to achieve.
3 Know yourself. Are you a morning or evening person? Typically, we have more energy at certain times of
the day. Become familiar of when this is for you and schedule your most demanding tasks then.
4 Set deadlines. Set deadlines for yourself and work hard to complete tasks ahead of them. Do not wait for
your superiors to ask you to finish.
5 Learn to say “no” and ask for help. Don’t accept a task that you know you can’t complete or you don’t
know how to do on your own. Be honest with others and yourself about your abilities. By taking on too
much you will become overworked, get less sleep and lose time with family.
6 Prioritize tasks. Know the difference between important and urgent work and prioritize accordingly.
7 Do not misuse time. Do not waste time by gossiping with colleagues or spending time on Facebook.
Practice self-discipline and concentrate on your work and finish assignments on time.
8 Schedule time for yourself. Taking care of yourself is important too! Regular exercise, nutritious meals,
time with friends and family and opportunities for continuous learning should be part of your schedule.
34
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
Being on time to work and meetings is a key aspect of professionalism. Keep in mind that:
✓ Arriving and leaving work at the correct time is extremely important. Things happen to all of
us that sometimes cause us to delay, however occurrences like the rain, traffic, etc. need to be
planned for. Give yourself plenty of time to get to work.
✓ Keeping time is a way of showing respect for others. If you show up late you are giving the
impression that you don’t care about other people’s time or priorities for the day.
List your top 3 time wasters, and what you will do to try and fix them:
1...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
2...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
3...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
Need help with time management?
Visit http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_HTE.htm
More information on goal setting:
http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
35
SESSION 2
Work ethics &
professionalism
Introduction
Your level professionalism not only reflects on you. Besides
boosting your self-esteem through respect shown from
coworkers, it also reflects well on the company you work for.
It can increase respect from clients and improve future business opportunities.
Strong ethics is also an aspect of professionalism. An organization known for strong ethical practices is generally
more respected by the public. Trustworthiness increases sales because customers will come back if they know they
will get a fair price or don’t have to deal with corruption. Knowing your rights in the workplace is also important,
as it prevents your professionalism and ethics from being tarnished.
'HÀQLWLRQV
Professionalism:
The skills, good judgment, and polite behavior that is expected from a
person who is trained to do a job well.
Ethics:
Rules of behavior based on ideas about what is morally good or bad.
&RQÀGHQWLDOLW\
The state of being private.
Human resource policy:
An organizational document that outlines what is acceptable and
unacceptable behavior at work and their consequences as well as
information about pay, benefits, training, etc.
Plagiarism:
Submitting someone else’s written work as your own, copying
information from the Internet and/or not documenting references.
Jargon:
The language used for by a particular group of people that may not be
understood by people outside of that group.
Sexual harassment:
Uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature,
especially by a person of authority toward a subordinate.
36
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
Professionalism
What is professionalism?
1 How we interact with others.
2 Whether we respect timeliness and deadlines.
3 Dressing “appropriately”.
4 Showing respect for others.
5 Maintaining calm emotions.
6 Acting in a fair manner.
During your activities in class, what other lessons did you learn about
professionalism?
Ethics
Morals and ethics are closely related, but there is a basic difference. Morals define personal character, while
ethics stress a social system in which those morals are applied. Ethics relate to standards or codes of behavior
expected by the group to which the individual belongs (for example, a workplace or family). While your
morals may be unchanging, ethics depend on a group. An example is your moral may be that you don’t
believe in using contraceptives in family planning, however you work for a non-profit organization that
distributes contraception freely to villages. Professional ethics requires that you set aside your personal
morals while in the workplace and commit yourself to the ethical guidelines in place at your organization.
Ethics are about behavior. In the face of dilemma, ethics will most likely determine what we decide to do.
It ties in closely with values because values drive our behavior. Accountability and honesty are two very
important factors in ethics.
1. Accountability
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2. Honesty
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to a full days work
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Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
37
3. Making ethical decisions
If you are unsure about the ethics of a situation it may help to ask yourself the following questions:
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4. Confidentiality at work
Confidentiality is extremely important, and it’s the employee’s responsibility to treat all information in
the workplace with care and caution. Confidential information at the workplace includes:
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Treat all company information in a sensitive manner unless otherwise instructed. Many
organizations have policies and procedures in their Human Resources handbook. If you are not
sure, make sure you ask!
Your rights in the workplace
Occasionally, even if you find that your ethics and behavior in the workplace is appropriate, other people’s
ethics may not be, and in some cases it may even be your superiors. This section covers what to do in those
situations. It is important to be familiar with your organization’s human resource policies.
Human resource policies allow an organization to be clear with employees on:
1 The nature of the organization.
2 What they should expect from the organization.
3 What the organization expects from them.
4 How policies and procedures work.
5 What is acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
6 The consequences of unacceptable behavior.
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Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
Examples of unacceptable behavour include:
– Jokes about someone’s gender, race, cultural background, religion or other personal characteristics.
– Touching someone else’s body or making comments that are sexual in any way.
– Using alcohol or abusing drugs or other substances at the workplace.
– Dating among colleagues is usually inappropriate. However, this depends on the company. In most cases
though, relationships between a manager and an employee are definitely inappropriate.
– Pushing religion in the workplace.
How do you feel when someone makes a joke that makes you uncomfortable? It’s possible that
what you are comfortable with makes someone else uncomfortable. Try to practice your skills of
empathy.
Sexual harassment
Types of sexual harassment include:
r Gender harassment: General sexist statements and behavior that include insulting remarks, obscene
jokes or humor about sex in general.
r Seductive behavior: Unwanted and inappropriate sexual invitations, frequent requests for dinner or
dates, persistent letters, phone calls, etc.
r Sexual bribery: Offering sexual activity or other sex-linked behavior by promise of reward.
r Sexual coercion: Demanding sexual activity or sex-linked behavior by threat of punishment; e.g.
negative performance evaluations, withholding of promotions, threat of termination.
What can you do if you are sexualy harassed?
✓ Say NO to the harasser. Be direct.
✓ Keep a record of what happened and when. Include dates, times, places, names of persons
involved and witnesses.
✓ Tell someone. Chances are you aren’t the only victim of our harasser.
✓ Find out who is responsible for dealing with harassment in your organization and whether
you can talk in confidence to that person. Almost all organizations have sexual harassment
policies.
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
39
Myths and realities
Myth
Fact
Only women can be victims of sexual
harassment.
Men can also be victims of sexual harassment. However,
some men do not report sexual harassment because of
embarrassment or shame.
Sexual harassment is rare.
Sexual harassment is extremely widespread. Roughly 40
to 60 percent of working women are harassed.
The seriousness of sexual harassment has
been exaggerated; it is usually harmless.
Sexual harassment can be devastating. Studies indicate
that most harassment has nothing to do with “flirtation”.
Rather, it is offensive, frightening and insulting.
People who are sexually harassed generally
provoke harassment by the way they look,
dress and behave.
Harassment does not occur because people dress
provocatively or initiate sexual activity in the hope of
getting promoted. They can be threatened with the loss
of their job if they fail to agree to the sexual demands of
a superior.
If you ignore harassment, it will go away.
It will not. Research has shown that ignoring the
behavior doesn’t work. Ignoring such behavior may even
be seen as agreement or encouragement.
What will you do if someone says or physically does something that makes you feel
uncomfortable? Have a plan in place!
1...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
2...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
3...................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
If you feel you are being harassed or bullied at work and have not been able to handle it in your
place of work, or are uncomfortable doing so, the next step is to contact:
Joshua Wakabi, Programme Coordinator, Youth Livelihoods
Tel (Office): +256 334476185
Mobile: +256 775 653999 Email:[email protected]
Learn more about professionalism at:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/professionalism.htm
40
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
SESSION 3
Effective written communication
Introduction
The success of businesses and organizations depends on efficient and effective written communication.
E-mail is now the most common way to communicate in the workplace. Written communication can be
more effective than spoken because you have time to prepare what you will write, the recipient can review
it more than once and there is a record of the communication. However, as it is missing the non-verbal cues
you get from verbal communication such as body language, facial expressions and eye contact, it is critical to
use the right vocabulary and tone, or it can lead to misunderstandings or incomplete information.
Writing styles
1 Use the active voice, not the passive:
a. Active: “The council made a decision.”
b. Passive: “The decision was made by the council.”
2 Avoid wordy phrases:
a. Wordy: “This paper will discuss issues concerning the matter of the girl child in Uganda.”
b. Less wordy: “This paper will discuss the state of girls in Uganda.”
3 Singular vs. plural for generalizations:
a. Correct: “Women had few rights in this period.”
b. Incorrect: “Woman had few rights.”
4 Pay attention to tenses. Stay consistent.
a. Correct: I ate offal. I got sick.
b. Incorrect: I eat offal. I got sick.
For effective written communication:
✓ Organize your thoughts beforehand. Whether it’s a short email to your boss or a long report,
outline your main ideas to ensure your communication is clear and concise.
✓ Make your messages short and to the point. This will ensure the recipient reads everything
you have written.
✓ Review all written communication before you submit it. Check for incorrect grammar,
spelling and other flaws. Rightly or wrongly, people with good writing skills are generally seen
as more capable and intelligent.
✓ Consider the knowledge of your audience. Explain any foreign or industry related terms. Spell
out acronyms and simplify “jargon”. For example, use “plan” instead of “strategize”.
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
41
Correct use of grammar, spelling and punctuation
5 Common grammatical errors
1
Affect/effect
– “Affect” is a verb meaning to influence. (Example: The economic forecast will affect our projected
income.)
– “Effect” is a noun meaning the result or outcome. (Example: What is the effect of the proposal?)
2
Then/than
– “Then” is typically an adverb indicating a sequence in time. (Example: We went to dinner, then we
saw a movie.)
– “Than” is a conjunction used for comparison. (Example: The dinner was more expensive than the
movie.)
3
Your/you’re
– “Your” is a possessive. (Example: Is that your file?)
– “You’re” is a contraction of “you are”. (Example: You’re the new manager.)
Note: Also watch out for other common homophones (words that sound alike but have different
spellings and meanings) – such as their/they’re/there, to/too/two, and so on.
4
Its/it’s
– “Its” is a possessive. (Example: Is that its motor?)
– “It’s” is a contraction of “It is”. (Example: It’s often that heavy.)
Note: Apostrophes indicate letters taken out of words in contractions:
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5
Possessives versus plural
– “Company’s” indicates possession (Example: The company’s trucks hadn’t been maintained
properly.)
– “Companies” is plural. (Example: The companies in this industry are suffering.) or
– “We went to dinner at the Nsubugas” NOT “We went to dinner at the Nsubuga’s”.
To improve your spelling:
✓ Use spell check on your computer, but don’t rely on it! Spell check can miss errors, especially
when you’ve used the wrong word but spelled it correctly.
✓ Use a dictionary. Any time you are unsure if you are using a word correctly, look it up. If you
are on the computer, it’s very easy. Otherwise keep a dictionary on your desk.
✓ Read a lot! Many words become familiar to us because we see them often. The more you read,
the more words you will memorize.
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Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
Being able to write a proper email is very important, not only professionally, but in
your personal life. Compare the following “good” and “bad” emails. Do you see the the
importance of writing clearly and without grammar mistakes? Make sure before you write
an email that you think about or outline what it is you want to say. And always check your
spelling and grammar before sending.
Bad Email
Good Email
Don’t know how to spell something, or don’t know the complete meaning of a word? Use:
http://www.merriam-webster. com You can also sign up to have automatic emails sent to you of
new words every day so you can expand your vocabulary!
Want to test your grammar with quizzes and learn more about English grammar?
Visit http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
43
SESSION 4
Information technology
and personal finance
Introduction
Employers increasingly value strong technological skills. In recent
surveys, computer literacy is among the top 3 abilities wanted in an
employee. In fact, jobs that once required no computer skills at all, such as truck driving or food service, now
commonly require computers for communicating with other employees, filing progress reports or submitting
timecards for payroll processing.
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A suite of products that includes Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint as well as
other programs. Each program serves a different purpose. It is the most commonly
used word processing software.
Internet:
A global information network that allows the exchange of data, news and opinions.
Gross Income:
Salary before taxes and other deductions.
Net Income:
Salary after taxes and other deductions.
Microsoft word
Microsoft Word is a word-processing program that allows the user to create, format, edit, save and print
electronic documents. It has a variety of useful features such as the dictionary option. Without leaving your
document you highlight the word you want defined and then right click. Choose the “look up” option and
you have the definition. The thesaurus option is like a dictionary, except it helps you find similar words to the
one you have. To use it, highlight the word and press Shift+F7. See the end of this session for online resources
that can guide you on how to use Microsoft Word.
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Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
The internet as a resource
The Internet is a great resource for finding and learning about information related to just about anything.
However, it is also a public forum where anyone can make a claim, whether true or false. If you find an
article or document that provides relevant information for a topic you’re researching, you should take care to
investigate the source to make sure it’s valid and reliable. make sure to:
1 Stay away from Internet information that doesn’t list an author. While the information you find may be
true, it is more difficult to validate if you don’t know the author.
2 If the information is linked to an organization, try to determine the reliability of it. One tip is the url
ending. If the site name ends with .edu, it is most likely an educational institution. If it ends in .gov, it is
most likely a reliable government website. Sites that end in .org are usually non-profit organizations. They
can be good or poor sources, so you have to research the organizations’ or institutions’ possible biases.
3 Every television and print news source has a web site. You can rely on the most trusted news sources, but
you should not rely on them alone. Almost all news sources are, to some extent, a form of entertainment
and biased. Think of them as a stepping-stone to more reliable sources.
4 Be specific when typing in a search topic, and try different ways of phrasing the same thing. For example,
the search topic “Find work in Uganda” will return different results than “Engineering job opportunities
in Kampala.”
5 And the number one tip: Just because it’s at the top of the Google search list, doesn’t make it reliable!
To cite your sources is to include in your reports where you found your information. It allows
your readers to find and verify the information you’ve used. It is important to know that certain
organizations and schools consider plagiarizing sources a reason for dismissal. To protect
yourself, cite your sources!
Microsoft powerpoint
PowerPoint is a presentation program that allows you to create slides, handouts, notes and outlines. It
incorporates text, graphics and video. To create a clear effective powerpoint presentation:
1 KISS: Keep It Straight and Simple. Keywords only; no sentences; never read your slides, talk freely.
2 Have more images in your slides than text where applicable. Don’t use images that don’t relate to the topic
or that just to make the slide look good.
3 Keep your audience in mind. What do they know already? What do you need to tell them? What will be
interesting to them? What will keep them focused?
4 Practice! Don’t speak too fast, maintain eye contact with the audience; know your slides and the topic
well.
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
45
Email basics
E-mail is a system for sending messages from one individual to another via telecommunications links
between computers. Basic tips for email include:
1 Make the “subject line” simple and to the point. Try not to be vague or misleading.
2 Stay organized. Once you find you are getting a large amount of e-mail, take advantage of the folders and
use them to sort by subject, sender or other criteria so you can keep track of it all.
3 Keep your inbox clean. Trash SPAM emails or any other emails that you no longer need once they are
read.
4 Know what NOT to include. While we like to think email is safe all the time, certain information
should be left out of emails. Never give bank account information, Western Union transfer information,
passwords, etc on e-mail.
5 Change your password often. Remember to sign out when using a public computer.
For professional e-mails:
✓ Never write in ALL CAPS.
✓ Before you “reply all” in an email thread, make sure it is necessary that each person listed
really needs to be included.
✓ Use the ‘cc’ box to include people who only need to read the email, or be aware, but do not
need to respond to it.
✓ Use ‘bcc’ if you are sending a message to many different people, and it would be inappropriate
for all of the email addresses to be seen.
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Before we continue on to another important computer software, Excel, which is a great tool for dealing
with anything numbers related, we will discuss personal finance. Anyone, at any income level can become
financially prosperous. However it is not without a little work and sacrifice. The most important aspect is
to use the skill we learned earlier, self-awareness, to become very conscious of where our money goes, and
decide if we are investing wisely in our future and ourselves. Basic strategies for better managing your money
include:
1 Save 10%. Take 10% directly out of your paycheck every time you get it and put it in savings immediately.
This is before anything else, even before family commitments. Pretend it isn’t even there.
2 Track how you spend. For at least a month, keep track of exactly where each shilling goes. Write it down
and then review your spending. Where can you cut back?
3 When you budget, do so for the year and put some money aside for the unexpected, unplanned and
seasonal expenses (this should not come out of the 10% you immediately save).
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Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
1. Needs versus wants
Some people think that if you don’t make a lot of money then you can’t save any. But the fact of the
matter is, unless you develop a savings habit, no matter how much money you make, you will spend it
all. Needs versus wants seem pretty simple at first, until you set yourself free in a shopping mall.
Needs
Wants
A house
A bigger, fancier house
Enough food and water to be healthy
Ice cream and soda, lunch out with friends
Basics hygiene products and health care
Mobile phone, going out to the club with your friends
Basic clothing
Name-brand clothes, 10 pairs of shoes
Does this mean you should only buy the things you need? Not at all, life is meant to be lived, so treat yourself
along the way, but also try this: divide all of your spending into needs and wants, and then make a deal with
yourself – for every 1,000 shilling you spend on a want, put a 1,000 shilling into savings for the future, and
watch how it adds up!
2. NSSF and URA – Where your money goes
After you receive your first paycheck, you may realize that there has been money taken out without you
ever seeing it!
NSSF is the National Social Security Fund, which is a forced savings for retirement purposes for any
organization with 5 or more permanent employees (greater than 6 months counts as permanent).
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URA is the Uganda Revenue Authority responsible for collecting taxes. They do this in the form of
PAYE (Pay As You Earn). PAYE is calculated based on the full gross taxable salary. The table below
shows different rates for different brackets of a monthly salary.
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Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
47
3. Tax rates:
Gross monthly salary
Tax rate
Ushs 0-235,000
0%
Ushs 235,000-335,000
10%
Ushs 335,000-410,000
20%
Above Ushs 410,000
30%
4. Sample pay slip:
Position
YouthMap
Intern
Gross
Pay
(Ugx)
NSSF
Employer
Contribution
(10%)
NSSF
Employee
Contribution
(5%)
Total NSSF
(per month)
Taxable
Income
(per month)
PAYE
660,000
66,000
33,000
99,000
660,000
100,000
Net Pay
527,000
5. Microsoft Excel
Excel is part of Microsoft Office and it allows you to organize, format and calculate data with formulas
using a spreadsheet system that is broken up into rows and columns. It is useful for managing your
personal finances.
Find helpful Excel tutorials online:
http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/excel101/a/Excel_beg_guide.htm
For help with Microsoft Word:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2387073,00.asp
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/21-great-tips-using-microsoft-word-20072010.htm
For free Powerpoint tutorials on this site: http://www.electricteacher.com/tutorial3.htm
48
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
SESSION 5
Project planning
and team building
Introduction
Project planning skills and the ability to work with a team
are essential for success in many work environments.
This session will pull together concepts and skills you’ve
learned from previous sessions in leadership, decisionmaking, problem solving and creative and critical thinking,
to demonstrate how these skills are vital for success in the
workplace.
Definitions
Work team:
A group of people who work together, each contributing something to the team
and who share a common goal.
Meeting minutes:
The instant written record of a meeting. They give an overview of the structure and
key points of the meeting.
Project planning:
A discipline for stating how to complete a project within a certain timeframe, using
set resources. It includes: setting objectives, identifying deliverables, planning
schedules and making plans.
Teamwork
Teamwork involves building relationships and working with other people using a number of important skills
and habits, such as:
— Working cooperatively.
— Contributing ideas, suggestions and effort.
— Speaking and listening effectively.
— Taking responsibility.
— Respecting other people’s opinions, customs and individual preferences.
— Effectively participating in group decision-making.
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
49
Employers expect to see team work in many different ways. For example:
✓ Even when you don’t get assigned the work that is your first choice, you do it with limited
complaints.
✓ You participate respectfully in discussion and carry out assigned tasks on time.
✓ Once the roles and tasks are assigned, you carry your own out with the best interest of the
team and project goal in mind.
As you’ve learned in past sessions, everyone brings different skills and attributes to a team.
Reflect for a moment about yours.
List the qualities that you bring to a team environment:
1.
2
3.
4.
Being able to get along as a team is important, but it’s also important to move along decision making as a
group to be able to get something accomplished, otherwise you may not ever succeed at your task. In the next
section, the topic of effective meetings will be discussed. It’s essential you can work as a team as well as make
decisions in order to make a meeting effective.
Effective meetings
It seems no other single activity consumes as much time in today’s working world as meetings. Therefore, it
is very important that we plan and conduct meetings in a way that accomplishes what they intend to and in a
timely manner.
A meeting may be thought of as a three-stage process – before, during and after. Following are suggestions for
making each stage effective:
BEFORE the meeting:
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be commented on).
50
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
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include: attendees, key points discussed and decisions made, who is responsible for what follow-up action
and by when.
GROUND RULES:
1. Everyone turns off their cell phones.
2. Attendees pay attention and avoid doing other things on their computers.
3. The meeting begins and ends on time.
4. Information shared in meetings can be shared with others unless a member asks that it be kept
confidential.
Project planning
A manager is not the only person to handle project managing and planning. Everyone needs to know what
it takes to successfully carry out a project. To understand project planning, it is important to understand the
two characteristics that define a project:
— Projects have a beginning and an end. The beginning may be somewhat fuzzy as the idea evolves into
a project. The end goal, however, should be clearly defined so that all project participants agree on what
it means to be complete.
— Project management is usually associated with planning and managing change and organizing, but a
project can also be unrelated to work, such as planning a wedding.
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
51
1. Project management steps
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project aims to achieve, including participants, budgets and time frame.
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tip is to work backwards from the end and to use brainstorming. Make sure you have a clear goal.
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room for error.
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Fishbone diagrams are also useful.
2. Project budgeting
One of the key elements of any project is the project budget. Some tips to remember:
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a. Employee costs (salaries, benefits or other incentives not reflected in their pay)
b. Contract services (outsourced workers, such as consultants)
c. Equipment/supplies (office supplies, telephone, computers, equipment repair, etc.)
d. Travel expenses (air travel, transport, parking, fuel, etc.)
e. Overhead or indirect costs (allows the project to bear a portion of the day to day costs of
operation. E.g. a percentage of the office rent costs may go into this category)
Need more information on project management?
Visit http://www.staffkit.com/free/project-management-training.htm
52
Participant’s Manual Module 2: Workplace Skills
Module 3: Career
Development Skills
Introduction
Career development is the lifelong process of managing your knowledge and skills to enhance your
performance and growth in a given field or profession. As your values, competencies, attitude and knowledge
evolve and expand with work and life experiences, so do your career opportunities.
The career development skills we will cover include:
1 Career planning
2 Networking and job search tools
3 CV, cover letter and application form development
4 Interview techniques
Module Objectives
1 Understand how to develop a chosen career path through skills development and continued learning
2 Create successful tools to be used in a job search
3 Gain the ability to network and interview with confidence
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
53
Career planning
Introduction
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SESSION 1
A career describes the sum total of paid and unpaid work,
learning and different roles and responsibilities you undertake
throughout your life. Career planning includes the activities and
actions that you take to achieve individual career goals. It is a
road map for choosing an occupation to becoming employed in
that occupation to reaching your long-term career goals.
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Mapping skills to match careers
In the previous sessions you have thought about your professional skills
and goals. Most likely you have an idea of a few career paths you’d like
to be on. You are most likely to succeed in life if you use your talents to
their fullest extent. Similarly, you’ll have fewer problems if you know
what your weaknesses are.
From your SWOT analysis completed in class, which weaknesses or
threats can you work on? What will you do to address them?
54
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
ent
fid wee
Contervie
n
i
skills
b search
Good jo
Strong CV
Internship experience
Now that you understand your SWOT, it’s important to start putting together a plan for how you will
strengthen your weaknesses and expand on your strengths through lifelong learning and experience as an
intern. To get the most from your internship:
1 Keep a “skills diary” during your internship. Note down all of the specialized tasks you carry out,
trainings you receive, software you learn, etc. Identify skills learned and difficulties faced. Draw on this for
future interviews and CV development.
2 Ask questions. You are there to learn so don’t be afraid to ask if you don’t understand something. Well
thought out questions can show an employer that you are inquisitive and eager to learn.
3 Pay attention to attributes that make to a healthy, functional organization:
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After the internship:
1 Discuss with your supervisor what you have achieved. Get feedback on what you did well and areas you
could improve on.
2 Make a portfolio of the work you have done so you have examples to provide future employers.
3 Follow up your internship with an email or letter thanking your supervisor for their time and guidance.
List 10 things you want to take away from your internship experience:
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
55
Lifelong learning
Lifelong learning is the ongoing, voluntary and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or
professional reasons. It enhances competiveness and employability.
r -FBSOJOHJTOPUSFTUSJDUFEUPZPVUIPSUIFDMBTTSPPN*UUBLFTQMBDFUISPVHIPVUMJGFBOEJOBSBOHFPG
situations from formal education to our daily interactions with others and the world around us.
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yourself what you’ve learned, and commit it to memory.
Different types of learning:
1 Brain fitness through activities that involve planning ahead, like chess; activities like dance or basketball
which require spatial skills; activities like learning a new language or painting which require the
coordination of multiple regions of the brain.
2 Physical fitness is not only good for the body, but for the brain as well. It enhances memory, reasoning
and problem-solving abilities.
3 E-learning is a combination of audio, video and text education on the internet and it is often free of
charge.
Think about the following quote by Louis Pasteur: “Chance favors the prepared mind”
What does this mean to you?
Need further career direction? Go to:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_97.htm
56
Participants manual Module 3 Career development Skills draft
SESSION 2
Career networking
and job search tools
Introduction
Working in a competitive job market, such as Uganda,
makes having good networking and job search skills
very important. The following sections will give you
the resources and knowledge to succeed at job-hunting
and network building.
'HÀQLWLRQV
Networking:
To exchange information, contacts and experience for professional or social
purposes.
LISTSERV:
An electronic mailing list of people who wish to receive specified information from
the Internet.
Networking
It is often said that landing a job is all about who you know and, to some extent, this is true. A high percentage
of job seekers find their positions through referrals. People do business with people they know and like. The
key is to expand your network to include people outside of your current friends and family. You already know
how to network; it’s nothing more than getting to know people. However, there are some tricks:
1 Be interested in other people’s experiences and advice. Ask people about themselves and find common
areas of interest to develop rapport. Remember the communication session!
2 Know what you want before you start networking. Be specific. Describe your goals and ask for specific
information or leads.
3 Ask for advice, not a job, as that request comes with a lot of pressure.
4 During your internship, meet as many people as you can and ask them insightful questions about their
work. Use informal chats over lunch to ask co-workers about their background.
5 If you are invited to a social event, go along.
6 Join career-specific groups, such as professional associations.
7 Join online career networking sites, such as www.linkedin.com.
Participants manual Module 3 Career development Skills draft
57
If you’re nervous about making contact, try to keep the following in mind:
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✓ Don’t be a hit-and-run networker, which is to connect, get what you want, and then disappear
- not to be heard from until the next time you need something. Invest in your network by
following up and providing feedback to those who were kind enough to offer their help. Thank
them for their referral and assistance. Let them know whether you got the interview or the job.
✓ Always remember that successful networking is a two-way street. Your ultimate goal is to
cultivate mutually beneficial relationships. That means giving as well as receiving. Send
a thank-you note, email an article you think they might be interested in, and check in
periodically to see how they’re doing.
Record your next 6-month networking plan. Include people you will invite out for coffee or lunch,
people you might see at weddings, birthday parties, etc or events and conferences you plan to
attend
Month
People
Actions
1
2
3
4
5
6
58
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
Job search tools
The process of looking for a job can be stressful and confusing at times. There are many different resources for
job positions and often times advertisements aren’t clear . Knowing where to find job openings within your
field is a skill that improves the more you search. Understanding how job adertisements are written and the
key information to look out for are also importnat skills. Some general tips include:
1 If there is a company bulletin board at your internship, monitor it, as jobs may be posted internally before
being sent externally.
2 Create a list of target companies that match your interests, skills and values and research each
organization to find career opportunities.
3 Be open-minded. Although you may have a certain degree or have your heart set on working in a certain
city, be open to possibilities in other sectors or regions.
Different sources
There are many different resources for job hunting:
r Radio: Programs often broadcast job openings at a certain time everyday.
r Newspapers: These are obvious, but also look for industry newsletters or job boards
r LISTSERV: If you know someone in the industry you’re interested in, ask if there are any e-mail
LISTSERVs you could join, as many times they send around job opportunities
r Online resources
How to read an advert
Reading a job advert may seem like a simple task, but they are often unclear, and difficult to understand. Here
are some tips:
1 Company title - Make sure it’s a valid company. Scam artists sometimes post that if you pay a certain
amount of money, they can guarantee you a job. Reputable companies don’t engage in these types of
practices.
2 Job title– Different companies have different names for the same job.
3 Job description – This is what you need to concentrate on, you want to make sure you’re applying for the
right kind of position and that the requirements correspond with your skills and experience.
4 Essential/necessary requirements – All job adverts specify qualifications and/or number of years of
experience needed. Words like “must have” “you need” “necessary” are the words that indicate this. If you
don’t fulfill these criteria, you can stop pursuing this advert. However, think critically – if a job requires
you have a PhD in a certain field, but you have no PhD but 20 years of experience in the field, it makes
sense for you to apply and mention that in the cover letter.
5 Preferred qualifications – There is usually a statement that has words like “preferred” “desired” “ideally”,
these indicate qualifications that aren’t necessary for the candidate to have, but are an advantage.
6 Key statements – Read the advert closely and note key statements. If it specifies “negotiation skills” then
you should mention this in your CV or cover letter.
7 Special instructions – If the ad says, “apply by email within three days,” then you must do exactly that.
Don’t show up at their office with a CV.
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
59
Is it a valid
company?
Do you understand
the job position?
Are you willing
to relocate?
Do you have the
right academic
background?
Do the job responsibilities
match your experience and
interests?
Do your skills
align with those the
company is seeking?
Online job websites to check out:
http://www.ugandaonline.net/jobs
http://ugandajobbank.com
http://jobs.classifieds1000.com/Uganda
http://ugandajobline.com
http://www.eajobboard.com
http://www.eastafricajobsline.com
http://www.eastafricajobscareer.com
60
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
SESSION 3
CV, cover letter and application
form development
Introduction
CVs, cover letters and application forms are all pieces of the same puzzle. They are all a way for you to present
yourself to a future employer; in essence, a marketing document of what makes you uniquely qualified for the
position you are seeking.
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Curriculum Vitae:
A brief account of a person’s education, qualifications, and previous experience. In
Latin it means ‘course of life.’
Cover letter:
A letter sent with, and explaining the contents of, another document.
Cliché:
A phrase or opinion that is overused and lacks original thought.
Applicable:
Relevant or appropriate.
CV writing
Do’s and don’ts of CV writing
Do's
Dont's
r Use a confident tone and positive language.
Use action words to start each sentence, such
as initiated, improved, introduced, developed,
negotiated, created, delivered, increased, saved, etc.
r Lie or embellish the truth. If you get a job based on a
qualification you don’t have or something you didn’t do,
you can get caught. Not only is it wrong, it will hurt your
chances of finding a job in the future.
r Focus on your achievements, not your
r List everything; keep information relevant and to the
responsibilities. List things you have done, such as,
point.
”increased sales”. Quote figures whenever possible.
For example, “Increased sales by 100% over 2
years.”
r Rise above the competition. Make sure you include r Use elaborate fonts and colors to make your CV stand out.
other skills that could set you apart from other
This can look unprofessional and detract from the content
candidates, such as language and IT skills.
of your CV.
r Keep to the point. Keep your CV to a maximum
of two pages. Only very experienced, senior
executives may have more.
r Start sentences in the first person. Use phrasing such as
“Selected to manage the companies online marketing
spend of ushs 20,000,000.”
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
61
Do’s
Dont’s
r Check, check and check again for spelling and
grammar mistakes. Spotting errors is a quick and
easy way of weeding out weaker candidates when
faced with a mountain of CVs to read. Don’t
just rely on your computers spellchecker but get
someone else to check it.
r Use clichés. Phrases such as, “highly motivated
individual”, “excellent communication skills” and “work
well on my own or in a team”, are overused. Make yourself
stand out with carefully worded phrasing that is factual
and catches the employer’s attention.
r Customize your CV for each employer you send it
to. Highlight those skills and experiences that they
have specified in the job advert.
r Include all of your references, diplomas, certificates,
picture of yourself, etc., in an initial submission of your
CV, unless it’s asked for.
r Put your jobs in reverse chronological order,
with your most recent job listed first. Education
experience comes after job experience, except if
you’ve had very little work experience.
CV Action Verbs
62
Management skills
Communication skills
Clerical or detailed skills
analyzed
assigned
attained
contracted
coordinated
delegated
developed
directed
evaluated
executed
improved
increased
organized
oversaw
planned
prioritized
produced
recommended
reviewed
scheduled
strengthened
supervised
addressed
arranged
authored
corresponded
developed
directed
drafted
edited
formulated
influenced
interpreted
lectured
motivated
negotiated
persuaded
promoted
publicized
reconciled
recruited
spoke
translated
wrote
approved
arranged
collected
compiled
dispatched
executed
generated
implemented
monitored
operated
organized
prepared
organized
prepared
processed
purchased
recorded
retrieved
screened
specified
systematized
validated
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
Research skills
Technical skills
Teaching skills
clarified
collected
critiqued
diagnosed
evaluated
examined
extracted
identified
inspected
interpreted
interviewed
investigated
organized
reviewed
summarized
surveyed
systematized
assembled
built
calculated
computed
designed
devised
engineered
fabricated
maintained
operated
overhauled
programmed
remodeled
repair
solved
trained
upgraded
adapted
advised
clarified
coached
communicated
coordinated
developed
enabled
encouraged
evaluated
explained
facilitated
guided
informed
initiated
instructed
persuaded
Financial skills
Creative skills
Helping skills
administered
allocated
analyzed
appraised
audited
balanced
budgeted
calculated
developed
forecasted
managed
marketed
planned
projected
researched
conceptualized
created
designed
developed
directed
established
founded
illustrated
integrated
introduced
invented
originated
performed
planned
shaped
assessed
assisted
clarified
coached
counseled
demonstrated
diagnosed
educated
expedited
facilitated
familiarized
guided
referred
rehabilitated
represented
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
63
Cover letter & application
What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a letter of introduction that highlights your key accomplishments and suitability for a
job opening. It adds focus to your CV. A well-written cover letter demonstrates your communication and
organizational skills and explains things your CV can’t, like large gaps in employment history or changing
focus in your career. Explain such circumstances in a positive way.
Remember:
✓ Each cover letter must be tailored to each position and each employer.
✓ Whenever possible, address your cover letter to a named individual.
✓ Highlight your 3 or 4 key accomplishments/skills/experiences.
✓ Focus on the fit between your qualifications and the job requirements.
✓ Write with the employer’s needs in mind, not your own.
✓ End your letter by requesting an interview.
✓ Cover letters should be kept to under one page and typed.
How to fill out a job application form
Occasionally, organizations will require you to fill out a job application rather than send in a CV or they ask
for both, particularly public sector jobs. These are easier for employers to compare because, unlike CVs, they
follow an identical format. If this is the case, remember these tips:
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you.
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r 3FBEUIFGPSNDBSFGVMMZJODMVEJOHTQFDJBMJOTUSVDUJPOT'PSFYBNQMFVTFCMPDLDBQJUBMMFĨFSTJGUIFGPSN
asks you to. Employers sometimes include specific instructions to see if applicants can follow directions
correctly.
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name, job title or connection to you and contact information. Bring your CV with you, so the information
you enter is accurate.
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64
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
SESSION 4
Interview techniques
Introduction
Interviewing is the last stage in selecting a candidate for a potential job. Employers use interviewing styles
that assist in revealing those attributes of a candidate that are most essential for the job. Interviews can be
conducted one-on- one, with a panel or as a group. They can be in person, over the phone or on skype.
They can be formal or informal, directed or undirected.
'HÀQLWLRQV
Job interview:
A conversation which occurs between a potential employer and a job applicant,
where the employer hopes to determine whether or not the applicant is suitable
for the job, while the applicant tries to learn more about the position while also
impressing the employer.
Paraphrase:
Express the meaning of the writer or speaker using different words, usually to
achieve greater clarity.
Interview preparation
Do your research
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organization supplies and what the role involves.
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r 7JTJUUIFDPNQBOZTPđDFJGQPTTJCMFBOEUBMLUPQFPQMFJOWPMWFE'PSFYBNQMFJGBQQMZJOHUPBOBUJPOBM
organization, be sure to visit their local office, if possible, and talk to the staff.
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some understanding of their business, its size, products/services and the sector in which it operates.
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Prepare possible questions
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company brochure or website.
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specifically asked what your salary requirements are. ALWAYS be prepared to answer this question with
an actual figure that is in the range of what that role should be.
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
65
Do your research on how much someone with your experience and education typically gets paid
for the role you’re applying for. Always come with a number in mind. It’s fine to shoot a little high
in beginning negotiations, but don’t start with a number so high that the employer won’t take
you seriously.
Common interview questions
1 Tell me about yourself.
2 What was the most enjoyable part of your past job?
3 Tell us about the biggest challenge you have faced in your career?
4 Why did you leave your last job?
5 What was your last boss like?
6 What do you think this job involves?
7 What do you know about this organization?
8 What made you apply for this job and why do you want it?
9 What qualities do you think you can bring to this job position?
10 How long would you expect to work for our organization?
11 What is your greatest strength?
12 What is your biggest weakness?
13 Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
14 What interests do you have outside of work?
15 How would your friends describe you?
Unusual interview questions
1 What animal would you like to be?
2 Tell me a joke.
3 If you were having a dinner party and could invite 3 famous people, who would they be?
These types of questions are used to see how you react “on your feet”. There are no right or wrong answers,
but interviewers will be looking to find out about your values and how you think critically.
66
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
Were there other possible questions that came up during class? If yes, record them here so you can
practice them later.
For a successful interview:
✓ Listen to the question carefully. Sometimes interview questions can be long and vague,
for example: “Good problem solving often includes a careful review of facts and weighing
of options before making a decision. Give me an example of how you reached a practical
business decision by weighing options.”
✓ Ensure you understand the question before you begin to answer. You may paraphrase the
question back to the interviewer and ask if you understand it correctly.
✓ Organize your answer. Allow yourself 5 to 8 seconds to collect your thoughts and structure
your answer.
✓ As you answer, use the STAR technique:
S is for Situation This is where you set the scene for your answer. Don’t take too long here,
but briefly outline where you were working and what the situation was that
you had to resolve.
T is for Task
After setting the scene, explain what your role was, the obstacles you knew
you had to overcome and what you were planning to do in that situation.
A is for Action
Here is your chance to shine. Explain what action you took to fix the
problem, add value or build better relationships. Be specific.
R is for Result
Explain the outcome of your efforts. Explain what you learned through the
experience as well, displaying the ability to continue to grow and develop.
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
67
Interview behavior
1. During the interview
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weakness of character.
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8FBS
underarm deodorant.
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inconvenience for your interviewers.
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mouth dry. If water is an option, choose that instead.
2. After the interview
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handwritten.
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would contact you, it’s okay to call or send a letter of inquiry asking about your status. One round of
calls or letters is sufficient.
3. Negotiations
You should be prepared at any time past the first interview to discuss salary and benefits when you are
next called to come in. Here are some questions to ask:
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not accept if you’re not completely sure you will take the job.
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If you quit a job based on the verbal promise of a new job that then falls through, you won’t be in a
good situation.
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rather than coming off unemployment, build in time to close out your existing job. Most employers
will appreciate you not wanting to leave your former job without notice.
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68
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
4. Overcoming interview nervousness
Everyone experiences some nervousness when interviewing, and most interviewers will empathize, but
it’s important that you’re not so nervous that you aren’t able to give a good reflection of yourself. Here
are some tips:
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in the interview. This is the same technique elite athletes use before competitions to improve
performance.
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exhale. Do this a few times to calm your heart rate.
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answering complex questions.
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decide on the best example to share.”
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react. Just be honest and try to gracefully redirect the question toward a similar topic you are familiar
with.
r -BTUMZJGZPVTUBSUGFFMJOHOFSWPVTEVSJOHUIFJOUFSWJFXJUTPLUPBENJUJU*GZPVTUBSUUPTUVNCMFTBZ
something like, “I apologize, I’m extremely nervous.”
Want to practice interviewing even more? Take a look at these free videos online where you can
practice answering interview questions. http://www.jobsite.co.uk/bemyinterviewer/
Participant’s Manual Module 3: Career Development Skills
69
Restless Development is the leading youth-led development agency.
Our mission is to place young people at the forefront of change and
development. Our strength comes from being led by young people
and young professionals, from the boardroom right through to the
field. We have been working hard since 1985 and over the past 27
years, our programmes have reached over 7 million young people.
Restless Development works full-time in India, Nepal, Sierra Leone,
South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. We have
been supporting youth-focussed programming in Uganda for over
15 years We also have international offices in London and Delhi.
Restless Development (Uganda)
Plot 6 Acacia Rd, Jinja
Phone: +256 334476185
www.restlessdevelopment.org
The International Youth Foundation (IYF) invests in the
extraordinary potential of young people. Founded in 1990, IYF builds
and maintains a worldwide community of businesses, governments,
and civil-society organizations committed to empowering youth
to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens. IYF programs
are catalysts of change that help young people obtain a quality
education, gain employability skills, make healthy choices, and
improve their communities. To learn more visit www.iyfnet.org.
International Youth Foundation
32 South Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202, USA
Phone: +1 410 951 1500
Fax: +1 410 347 1188
www.iyfnet.org
Designed and illustrated by Mango Tree
www.mangotreeuganda.org