My Career Planning Journey

Part 1

Stage 1-Knowing Myself

1. My Vision

Currently, I residein one of the most fantastic cities in the world, Abu Dhabi. I love this city because it is among the best cities. I also moved here because of its opportunities, especially forbusiness professionals like me. Working in Abu Dhabi has been very beneficial because of the higher salary and financial incentives, such as having a non-taxable income. Most people assume that Abu Dhabi is only great for touring, but it also has a lucrative job market. Living in this city has been a good experience because I get to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures. I have interacted and networked with more people from other countries than UAE citizens. This experience has opened my eyes and given me a global perspective on the world of business administration. I spend most of my time at work, and when I am not working, I am either playing Hockey or exploring the city. The city has developed into a modern playground with numerous activities such as riding the fastest roller-coaster at Ferrari World and visiting theme parks.

I secured a job at Etimad Holding-Al Fahad Security Systems as a business administration operator. The company I work for deals with security systems solutions and services. As an operator, I ensure that business operations are streamlined by providing administrative support such as answering phones and keeping clients’ records. I am also tasked with maintaining financial records and keeping track of the inventory. I work a maximum of eight hours daily, making it at least 48 hours at the end of the week. However, during Ramadan, the labor law allows us to work for at least 6 hours per day. I love working at my current job because I work alongside high-skilled people. I love my workplace because the company has cultivated a transparent working environment. Additionally, my managers are very supportive and have an open communication policy which is important in achieving my daily objectives. I derive my job satisfaction from my good relationship with co-workers and the appreciation I get from my work. My achievements also contribute to my happiness in life.

• Education and Work

As an undergraduate from the school of business administration, my interest liesin human resources. The business administration human resources management course is my favorite because it focuses on the human aspect of business administration. I love working with and meeting new people. That is why I enrolled in a course in human resourcesto gain more knowledge on how to deal with people. Subsequently, taking this course has enabled me to contribute to people-friendly programs, thus benefiting society. I enjoyed taking this course because I learned about myself in the process. The course enabled me to be aware of my management style as an HR personnel. This course provides me with numerous job prospects since it applies to any business. I must say the challenges that I faced prepared me to be a competent employee. At the beginning of my course, I found the workload overwhelming due to the many projects and assignments. However, I learned how to balance my studies and workload to beat the tight deadlines. I embraced my challenges, which enabled me to balance high work volume in my workplace.

My favorite position has to be the role of operation at Amasser Company. The position provided me with an opportunity to put my coursework into practice. I liked working at this company because I helped others navigate their careers. I feel like I made an immerse contribution to this job through the various projects I worked on, such as training and development. One role I did not enjoy was dealing with terminating employees. The process can be stressful because it elicits negative and angry feedback from employees.

• Values

As a professional, I am guided by career values that steer me in the direction I want my career to take. My top values are as follows

• Autonomy-This work value is very important to me because it allows me to work with minimum supervision and gives me independence. It will also allow me to be part of the decision-making process(National Center for O*NET Development, 2022).
• Financial benefits– This value puts me in a position to be financially rewarded for my time, skills, and job performance(University of Manitoba, 2022). It gives me a sense of security since I can meet my needs and live according to my standards.
• Working conditions– This work value enables me to work in a friendly and healthy working environment(National Center for O*NET Development, 2022). The work environment directly influences job performance; hence I seek a job with good working conditions.
• Achievement-Being recognized for your abilities and contribution towards the success of the company. I am a result-oriented professional, and this work value allows me to cultivate and improve my abilities
• Leadership– This work value puts me in a position to be responsible for others and leads them toward the company’s success. It puts me in a managerial position.
• Work/Life balance: The value allows me to balance my work and social life, like spending time with my family(University of Manitoba, 2022). It also creates room for personal development, such as going back to school or participating in recreational activities. It draws a boundary between my work and non-work life.

Based on the above-mentioned work values, I think the following occupations will suit me better.

• A Payroll Specialist– This occupation requires me to manage employees’ payroll. It puts me in charge of the financial aspect of human resources. As a payroll specialist, I am tasked with conducting payroll records audits, answering any payroll-related questions, and maintainingthe records (Goleta, City of (CA), 2022). The job suits me because it aligns with most of my work values, such as management, autonomy, and financial benefits.
• A Recruitment Consultant– As a recruitment consultant, my task is to attract and match potential employees with companies. This occupation will fit me based on my work values. It provides me with autonomy since I will be working as a consultant(Prospects, 2022). It also provides a work/life balance because I work as a consultant and not as a full-time employee. The occupations attract good financial benefits that will allow me to meet my needs.
• Training Operations Coordinator-The role is in alignment with my work values and hence suitable for me. It gives me the responsibilities of coordinating training programs and creating training events. It is a remote job, thus giving me full control of my work responsible. It allows me to work with minimum supervision remotely (Tesla, 2022). It fulfills a lot of my work values such as working conditions, work/life balance, and autonomy.
• An HR Officer– The role is suitable for me based on my skills, knowledge, and work values. As an HR Officer, it is my task to manage human capital, assist other departments and implement HR policies (Naukrigulf.com, 2022). This is a suitable job for me based on the responsibilities. It puts me in a managerial position and allows me to curate the working conditions. The job provides financial incentives such as medical insurance, retirement benefits, and an attractive monthly salary that ranges from $1,000 to $3,000.
• My Interests

My biggest interest lies in Hockey. I spend most of my time playing Hockey, especially during the weekends. It is a sport that I started playing when I was young, and I still enjoy playing it. As the team captain for the UAE storms Hockey team, I take pride in my position to lead the team. It is one of the activities that I cannot imagine not doing. It fuels me as an athlete, and gives me the discipline to perform for my team and fan base. Playing Hockey has cultivated my autonomy and independence. The sport gives players control of the game unlike other sports. It has taught me to be in control at all times, something that corresponds with my work experiences.

According to the Holland Codeassessment, my scores are as follows. Realistic: 28, Investigative: 28, Artistic: 20, Social: 34, Enterprising: 39, and Conventional: 35(O*NET Interest Profiler, 2022). Based on my interests, the following occupations suit me, Human Resource Administrative Assistant, Tax examiner & Revenue agent, Administrative services managers, Compliance Officer, and Administrative secretary(O*NET Interest Profiler, 2022). The above jobs have been selected based on my scores. It denotes that I am an organized and structured person. I am also practical and hands-on in my work. My social scores also indicate that I am a people person, and I love helping others.

• Personality

My personality type is ESTJ-The Supervisor(Truity, 2021). Mt traits include working hard and taking charge of projects and people. I tend to be systematic and organized in the way I do things. Based on my personality, occupations with managerial functions suit me best. I would also fit well in occupations that allow me to interact with people.

• Strengths

The following stories reflect my accomplishments

1. Due to my interest and ability to play Hockey, I was among the selected participants to attend an International Hockey training in Belarus. Additionally, I was chosen as the UAE storms hockey team’s team captain based on my performance as a player.
2. Joining the UAE national service in 2017 is one of my proudest moments. Serving in the national service improved my time-management skills and organizational skills. The strict routines helped me become a focused person, and it is a lesson I have carried with me ever since.
3. My first day on campus will always be memorable. At first, I was anxious and excited by the many structures and students on campus. I can say I was naïve and had a feeling of uncertainty. However, after a few weeks, I was settling in and created a balanced study routine to help me manage my time better.
4. Working in operation at Amasser Company has enabled me to cultivate my strength in people skills. My position has enabled me to connect and work with people from different backgrounds. 
5. When I was young, I performed poorly in one subject, and I was afraid of showing my parents my results. Therefore, I decided to hide all my exam results and planned to lie about those that were not given. When my mother asked me about my exam results, I wanted to lie as I had planned, but I could not. I told her the truth about hiding my results because I failed. During the holidays, she coached me on my failed subject, and on the next exam, my performance was better. I learned that honesty is the best policy.

Based on the above activity, my top strengths include honesty, people skills, leadership skills, and being highly organized and a performer.

Stage 2- Explore/Research Occupations

1. Work Type Options

My first work option is working a full-time job because it comes with a sense of stability and security. Working full time requires me to work five days a week and 8 hours a day. My second option is part-time work. This type of work has less commitment, allowing me to commit to other aspects of my life.

• Work Environment and Occupation

Based on The National occupational Classification Guide (NOC), the working environment that best suits me is conventional and social (Canada.ca, 2021). Firstly, the conventional work environment is perfect for me because it is a highly organized and structured environment. This environment is characterized by routine and well-defined procedures. A social working environment is also suitable for me as it involves interacting with others.

Stage 3-Make Decisions

1. Decision-Making

Based on the Career Decision Making Profile, the technique I have chosen to help me in decision-making is the Work Orientation Questionnaire (WOQ) (The CDDQ.ORG, 2022). Based on the WOQ, the occupations that best fit me should provide personal development or be a stepping stone to future advancement. My future occupation should have social embeddedness and provide a sense of fulfillment.

Stage 4-Set Goals

My goal is to graduate and land a job in the human resource department. The following are my SMART GOALS

Major task 1-Pass all my units for my course. Passing my units will contribute to me graduating with a good grade. The estimated time I expect the task to take is at least taking 2 hours daily to study and revise my notes. The resources I require for this task include course materials, stationeries, and access to the school library.

Major task 2-Gain Working experience. Having a work experience in human resource will place me in a better position in the job market. It also provides me with an opportunity to practice my coursework. The estimated time for this task varies with the type of employment or volunteering opportunity I get. However, I dedicate the weekends to volunteering. The resources required for this task include having access to the internet so that I can search for job opportunities.

Major Task 3– Getting my dream job. To land a position in the HR department, I need to actively seek opportunities and attend interviews. Some of the resources I need include a platform for job seeking, such as Indeed.

Stage 5-Implement Plans

1. Assessing support

In order to achieve my career goals, I need support from others in order to gain more perspective on my career path. One way of getting this support is by having career conversations with someone in my profession. Having a mentor who has advanced in their career is a suitable support system. Additionally, I rely on my family to provide emotional support, especially when searching for a job. Organizations such as the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) support professionals such as me who are trying to navigate through their careers.

• Moving Forward

Everyone has a unique career journey due to having different interests and passions. Thus, I acknowledge that choosing a career path in Human resources is not the final decision but the start of making career decisions. My career journey requires me to build skills, network with people in my industry and search for suitable jobs. I can build my skills in various ways, such as volunteering, attending webinars, and taking short courses online. Networking allows me to learn more about my career from the experiences of others. It also sheds more light on the industry I have chosen and how to navigate its hurdles. Additionally, participating in Hockey will contribute to my career journey by developing soft and hard skills. Some of the skills that I have sharpened as a hockey player include leadership skills, meeting my expectations, and being disciplined. Since we are living in the digital age, my job search will be majorly on online engines. Using online search guides is effective since it matches me with the jobs I qualify for. It is also less time-consuming compared to taking my applications physically to the respective companies that I would want to work for.

Part 2

Interview Questions for applicants

1. How did you hear about this opportunity? I was scrolling through my LinkedIn page, and I saw an ad your company had placed about this role.
2. Why do you want to work here? I would like to join your team because of the high performance it has been registering for the past years.
3. Are you a leader? I can describe myself as a leader. I have been in several leadership positions since I was in high school.
4. Are you happy with your career path? Yes, I love the career I chose because it enables me to work with people and help them. My happiness comes from helping others.
5. Why did you leave your previous work? I left my previous work because it was time for me to grow career-wise, and your company provides a suitable opportunity for that. I need more challenges, responsibilities, and a change of environment.
6. Why should we consider your application? I believe that my experience, education, and skills fit the role I am applying for.
7. What is your greatest achievement to date? My greatest achievement is leading projects in my previous work that improved employees’ job performance and increased the company’s profits.
8. Do you prefer to work alone or in a group? It depends on the assigned duties. Some responsibilities are better when working alone, while others require the support of a team. Overall, I prefer working with others.
9. What do you do in your spare time? I am a hockey fanatic, and when I am not working, I will be practicing Hockey or spending time with my family.
10. Do you have any questions? Yes, I do. My questions revolve around the career progression of this role, the training opportunities you offer, and employee benefits.

The following are some of the popular job portals in GCC

1. Monster Gulf
2. Bayt.com
3. CareerJet Dubai
4. Naukri Gulf
5. Dubizzle

The sites are popular and effective in the Gulf region because they classify jobs that are within this region. Others provide career resources for job seekers and consultants.

LinkedIn profile

My resume

Sultan Nasser Mohammed Somer

Tel: 0545052920

Email:[email protected]

UAE National

Career objective

A conscientious and reliable person who is currently seeking a job.

A highly organized and efficient individual, who is thorough and precise approach to projects, has yielded excellent results.

Education

• High School Diploma, Literature Stream (2016)

Certificates and achievements

(IELTS) – International English language testing system certificate (2015)

• Band 5, British counsel
•  Joined UAE national service (Tagned) 2017

Qualifications and skills

• Microsoft word, Microsoft excel, PowerPoint outlook, and movie maker
• Keyboarding (Arabic & English), Windows XP and Vista
• Ability to work under pressure and time management

Languages

• Fluent Arabic and proficient English, both written and spoken

Hobbies and interests

• Team captain in UAE storms Hockey team
• Participated in an international Hockey training in Belarus 

Careers:

1. Amasser company I worked operation for security stuff since 2019 till now

Cover letter

Sultan Nasser Mohammed Somer

Abu Dhabi,

Tel: 0545052920

Email:[email protected]

Thursday, May 19, 2022

To the hiring committee,

I am a graduate of Business Administration from Aldar University. I have acquired knowledge in HR policies, human capital management, general administration, training and development, labor laws, and relations. As indicated in my resume, I have amassed real work-life experience during my previous roles in operations. I have performed administrative work while working at Amasser Company. I also collaborated with the relevant teams and departments to ensure the company’s overall success.

I would be delighted to join a reputable company and gain meaningful work experience. I delight in working with others and industry leaders to achieve the set objectives. I believe that my knowledge, experience, and skills will be beneficial.

Thank you for your forthcoming response and your consideration as a suitable candidate. Please peruse my resume for additional information.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Sultan Nasser Mohammed Somer

References

Canada.ca. (2021, December 15). About the national occupational classification. National Occupational Classification – Canada.ca. https://noc.esdc.gc.ca/Home/AboutTheNoc.

Goleta, City of (CA). (2022). Payroll specialist. GovernmentJobs | City, State, Federal & Public Sector Jobs. https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/goletaca/jobs/3559748/payroll-specialist.

National Center for O*NET Development. Browse by Work Values. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://www.onetonline.org/find/descriptor/browse/1.B.2/.

Naukrigulf.com. (2022, May 13). HR Officer First Select International. https://www.naukrigulf.com/hr-officer-jobs-in-abu-dhabi-uae-in-first-select-international-3-to-8-years-n-cd-41731-jid-130522000029.

O*NET Interest Profiler. (2022, April 19). O*NET interest profiler at My Next Move. My Next Move. https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip.

Prospects. (2022). Recruitment consultant. Prospects.ac.uk. https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/recruitment-consultant.

Tesla. (2022). Training operations coordinator. Tesla Careers. https://www.tesla.com/careers/search/job/training-operationscoordinator-120994?source=Indeed&tags=organicjob?source=Indeed&tags=organicjob.

The CDDQ.ORG. (2022). Cddq. כיוונים לעתיד. https://kivunim.huji.ac.il/cddq/

Truity. (2021, February 3). Myers & Briggs’ 16 personality types. https://www.truity.com/page/16-personality-types-myers-briggs.

University of Manitoba. (2022). CAREER MENTOR PROGRAM HANDBOOK FOR STUDENTS. https://www.umanitoba.ca/career-services/sites/career-services/files/2021-05/student-handbook-cmp-2020-2021.pdf.