Career tips from a human resource officer

In the current economic lockdown, even stay-at-home mothers have home businesses. How can we find a balance between family and work?
It is a challenge because the 21st century woman has many responsibilities. Some women prioritise career over family and others prefer the opposite. Whatever your priority, it is important that a balance is reached because a time will come when your brand – children, husband, parents – will officially hire you for life.
That is, when you retire. Do not wait to retire to have a relationship with your family, because your children will have moved on by then. If you never had a relationship with them, do not expect to find one. The same is true for your husband. He should be your friend. If you miss out on building that friendship because you are busy building a career, where will you end up when you retire?

Some women wake up to discover they have spent 10 years in the wrong career. The need for change is there, but where do they begin?
When you make that discovery, sit down and evaluate yourself. Find out your strengths, weaknesses, the opportunities available to you, and the threats against you. Ask yourself questions, such as, ‘Where do I need to improve? What should I focus on?’ This evaluation should be honest and objective because you are not going to lie to yourself. If you can lie to yourself, then there is a bigger problem which you have to deal with – yourself.
Come up with a clear purpose of your life. What is your passion? People are happier doing things they are passionate about. Your passion will guide you in making the right decision before you change careers.

How can I know I am in the wrong job?
You have to get some things right in the beginning because when you miss out on them, you fall into the unhappiness trap. How is your performance? Do you have the required competences, skills, and knowledge? If not, what are you doing about it? If you have them, then why are you unhappy?
Maybe you were not cut out for that particular role. Your passion for what you are doing can help you gauge whether you are meant for that job. Of course, external factors also come into play but the mistake we make is focusing on them, and neglecting to work on our inside.
You may say your boss does not like you, but could it be because of your character or because you miss deadlines. Work on the external factors. If you are still unhappy, then clearly, you are in the wrong job.

Today, women are free to pursue any career. Why do they clog the mid-level when they can rise to the top?
It takes courage, determination and resilience to reach the top.

Some women fail to juggle the responsibilities in their lives. If you treasure family over career you will remain in the mid-level.
The important thing is to be clear about what you want. If you focus on your goal, you will sacrifice everything to achieve it. I once lost my ability to talk and I had to learn all over again. Where would I be if I had not had the courage to ignore what people said?

When I attend conferences, I boldly pick up the microphone to make my point. I see them looking at themselves, wondering what is wrong with my speech. But, I have a reason to pursue what I set out to do.

Is it true that women are more affected by stress than men?
We get emotionally attached to everything, so anything which destabilises our emotions will affect us. For instance, if my child is admitted in hospital, that can be very stressful, whereas a man will be normal about it. The awareness of your emotions can help you contain the stress levels. Sometimes, it is advisable to let yourself go but within an acceptable limit.

How should we dissociate?
There are two systems in a working woman’s life – the family system and the work system. It is up to her to make those two systems work concurrently. Make sure that before you leave home, there is clear communication to the maid on what needs to be done, and that she is well trained.
She will know what to do when your child suddenly falls sick. If she is not well trained and your communication is poor, chances are that you will receive a call which will destabilise you. When the family system is dysfunctional, a woman’s career is at stake.
The work system has to be functioning as well. That is when teamwork comes in handy. If your family system is having a problem and you have a good working system, you can delegate your roles and run out to sort the mess at home.
If you are not a good team player or not on talking terms with your boss, when you receive that call from home that requires your personal presence, what will you do?

Why do people remain in careers they hate?
They like to remain in their comfort zones. If you are not happy, take the bold step forward and try new and interesting things. Nobody should stay in a job they hate because it destroys you. You will not perform to your best. It all goes back to self-evaluation. Why are you not happy in your career? Many times we blame external factors for making us unhappy but we must turn the mirror on ourselves. Maybe, you made a mistake in choosing a career. At the end of the day, your destiny lies within you so you have to be deliberate about pursuing it. It is something you cannot delegate.

Against all odds

You need patience if you are going to benefit from an interaction with Betty Ogiel. Her words come out slowly and at first, I wondered what was wrong with her.

It was only towards the end of our conversation that I learned how this woman has fought misfortune to stand tall enough to be awarded the Human Resource Excellence Award 2016 by the Human Resource Manager’s Association of Uganda.

“I was born in Katakwi District, in a polygamous family,” says the 38-year-old mother of three. “My mother has seven children of whom I’m the fifth. When I was three years old, my father was poisoned. After the burial, we were paraded before the clan for selection. My father’s younger brother chose me.” Ogiel’s uncle got a teaching job in Amudat when she was seven. Together, they relocated to Karamoja and Ogiel enrolled at Kalas Girls Primary School. Her uncle married and as the couple expanded their family, it became harder to eke a living. At this point, in 1992, Ogiel had joined Senior One at Arengasiep Secondary School in Nabilatuk. “It was a boarding school.

Abandoned
One day, I returned for the holidays to find my uncle and his entire family gone. The house was empty. I had been abandoned without a single coin.”

She could not return to Katakwi because she did not know the location of her home. Besides, there was almost no public transport and Karamoja was insecure.

Once, Ogiel and her uncle had almost been caught in a cattle rustlers’ ambush. “There was nothing for me in Katakwi. Of my mother’s seven children, I was the only one in school. I decided to remain in that house. I borrowed money, took the half sack of maize my uncle had left to the grinding mill, borrowed more money and bought sorghum and yeast. Then, I went into business, brewing kwete and waragi (local beer). I saved the profits to pay my school fees.”

At the end of the holidays, she locked the house and returned to school. In Senior Two, she joined Kangole Girls Senior Secondary School in Moroto, administered by The Society of Sacred Heart Sisters. In the second term, she failed to complete the school fees, and the nuns, seeing her determination took over her education.

“I was an athlete and that helped pay for part of my education. Without training, I could run 100metres in 13 seconds. For O’Level, I joined St Charles Lwanga Kalungu GTC in Masaka, run by the same nuns. In 1998, I missed government sponsorship at Makerere University by 0.01 points. I applied to study Social Sciences (Social Administration and Psychology) and I paid my tuition by doing casual jobs at the university. Between the jobs and athletics, I managed to complete the first year.”

In the second year, Prof Justin Epelu Opio paid her tuition. She began her career as a trainee at Ernst & Young in July 2003 and joined Total Uganda in May 2005.
Life almost comes to an end
On October 9, 2006, Ogiel was driving along Tirinyi Road when she got an accident in Namutumba. She broke her neck, got a cerebral contusion (brain damage), and completely lost her speech. She suffered total paralysis on her right side. “Imagine an athlete reduced to a paralytic. I could not even eat.

I spent six months in hospital. Total Uganda was compassionate. I had only been working with them for one year, but they waited for me. I had to learn how to use my left hand, talk and walk again.”

When Ogiel returned to work, she could not talk because her tongue was still paralysed. One word would take her a full minute to construct. “My employer and family supported me. However, after a while, I stopped the speech therapy.

Adult speech therapy is not easy to find in Uganda. I had to train myself. It bothered me when people wondered why I took so long to make out one word. I knew what I wanted to say but it could not come out. It was frustrating. I would listen to people talking and know that I could have expressed what they were saying better. But now, I am past that.”
Living thankfully
Today, Ogiel’s speech is still slightly slower than normal and her right hand cannot perform fine movements. She relies on her left hand, which she calls her magic hand. With one hand, she still drives to her village in Katakwi. Before her accident, she had had her first son. However, after the accident, she met her husband, Julius Abunga Rubanga.
“My second pregnancy and delivery were normal. But I began crying when I realised I could not hold my baby properly or bathe him. I had not really thought about caring for a child using one hand. But I learnt to cope.” Ogiel has authored a book about her life, Against All Odds, now available in book stores.