Career Archives - SISIKUNMI

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the amp domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Notice: Function amp_has_paired_endpoint was called incorrectly. Function cannot be called before services are registered. The service ID "paired_routing" is not recognized and cannot be retrieved. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 2.1.1.) in /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Notice: Function amp_is_available was called incorrectly. `amp_is_available()` (or `amp_is_request()`, formerly `is_amp_endpoint()`) was called too early and so it will not work properly. WordPress is not currently doing any hook. Calling this function before the `wp` action means it will not have access to `WP_Query` and the queried object to determine if it is an AMP response, thus neither the `amp_skip_post()` filter nor the AMP enabled toggle will be considered. The function was called too early (before the plugins_loaded action) to determine the plugin source. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 2.0.0.) in /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Notice: Function amp_has_paired_endpoint was called incorrectly. Function cannot be called before services are registered. The service ID "paired_routing" is not recognized and cannot be retrieved. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 2.1.1.) in /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Notice: Function amp_is_available was called incorrectly. `amp_is_available()` (or `amp_is_request()`, formerly `is_amp_endpoint()`) was called too early and so it will not work properly. WordPress is not currently doing any hook. Calling this function before the `wp` action means it will not have access to `WP_Query` and the queried object to determine if it is an AMP response, thus neither the `amp_skip_post()` filter nor the AMP enabled toggle will be considered. The function was called too early (before the plugins_loaded action) to determine the plugin source. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 2.0.0.) in /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the worth-the-read domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Notice: Function amp_is_available was called incorrectly. `amp_is_available()` (or `amp_is_request()`, formerly `is_amp_endpoint()`) was called too early and so it will not work properly. WordPress is currently doing the `plugins_loaded` hook. Calling this function before the `wp` action means it will not have access to `WP_Query` and the queried object to determine if it is an AMP response, thus neither the `amp_skip_post()` filter nor the AMP enabled toggle will be considered. It appears the plugin with slug `google-analytics-for-wordpress` is responsible; please contact the author. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 2.0.0.) in /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Notice: Function amp_is_available was called incorrectly. `amp_is_available()` (or `amp_is_request()`, formerly `is_amp_endpoint()`) was called too early and so it will not work properly. WordPress is currently doing the `plugins_loaded` hook. Calling this function before the `wp` action means it will not have access to `WP_Query` and the queried object to determine if it is an AMP response, thus neither the `amp_skip_post()` filter nor the AMP enabled toggle will be considered. It appears the plugin with slug `google-analytics-for-wordpress` is responsible; please contact the author. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 2.0.0.) in /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6131) in /home2/sisikunm/public_html/wp-includes/feed-rss2.php on line 8
Career Archives - SISIKUNMI https://www.sisikunmi.com/category/career/ Live. Learn. Inspire Thu, 24 Oct 2024 21:53:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://www.sisikunmi.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cropped-cropped-cropped-wp-1604087001228-1-32x32.png Career Archives - SISIKUNMI https://www.sisikunmi.com/category/career/ 32 32 Becoming an Oxonian: The one where I study at Oxford! https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/becoming-an-oxonian-the-one-where-i-study-at-oxford/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=becoming-an-oxonian-the-one-where-i-study-at-oxford https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/becoming-an-oxonian-the-one-where-i-study-at-oxford/#respond Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:59:11 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/?p=3970 For a while, I considered not sharing this milestone publicly – which is strange considering how much I love to share. Mostly because a part of me realises that an admission for an MSc is not an end in itself – you still have to study to get the degree. Also, successfully completing an MSc is not an automatic pass to a great career. But as I muse about the work ahead, I equally acknowledge that it’s okay to share bits of the journey as I go along. Not just for myself, but for the others that may be inspired. For the next 2 years, I’ll be studying for an MSc in Clinical Trials at the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford! I’ve always wanted to go for postgraduate studies, and reading about the stories of others gave me confidence to pursue this dream not just at any place but at the Number 1 university in the world! Now, I think about what to write or share with prospective applicants and all I can think of is – just put in the work. My first scholarship attempt was for the 2021/2022 academic session. I applied for over 5 scholarships that year and did not get selected for any. It shook my self confidence in ways I didn’t anticipate. I’ve since learnt to handle failures better, and consider them redirections to something different – as I share in this post. In the years between 2021 and 2024, I prioritised personal survival career wise while ensuring I delivered at my best in each role I held – whether or not it felt like a ‘dream job’. I networked and have formed lovely relationships along the way – mentors turned to friends, co-applicants turned to family. In 2019 when I wrote my first 5 year career plan, I never envisaged studying at Oxford, yet alone on a full ride. Yet, here I am. I could never have written this story this way. There’s so much serendipity in life, and I believe the way to make it work in our favour is to stay prepared – by doing all that is within our power and resources. Some dreams can get delayed, or even tweaked from our original plan. The role we play is being prepared, doing the work, and keeping hope alive that the tapestry of our lives would be woven ever so beautifully in the end. The rest of this blog are thoughts I penned down to document my feelings as the months went by prior to resumption. I hope anyone reading this and aiming for something is not only inspired but also moved to take the needed actions to bring to reality those dreams they have. . . . June 2024 My first scholarship attempt was for the 2021/2022 academic session. Being very detail oriented and a top planner (sometimes 😅), I started prepping over a year prior – got my transcript ready, took necessary exams, reached out to past scholars, watched YouTube videos and read articles on personal statements and other needed write ups.I believed I had my arsenal ready and there was no way I would get rejected. I applied for over 5 scholarships that year and did not get selected for any. Prior to then, I had thought up different blog posts I would share on how to make scholarship applications. To say I was shattered by the rejections would be putting it mildly. I could not summon the strength to try again the following year. This year, I applied to only one program and while I really really desired funding. The application process was pretty straightforward, still, I had a lot of anxiety around it. It may have been residual effects from my last experience (I couldn’t bring myself to apply for post graduate studies after the 2021 season). But thankfully, I had an ‘arsenal’ of people around me. With tough love and soothing words when needed, they guided me towards submitting an application worthy of being shortlisted for an interview. When I was called for the interview, everyone around me thought it was a big deal except me. To me, it still wasn’t an assurance of anything just yet. (I now recognise that it still was a big deal considering that applying doesn’t automatically qualify you for an interview). Then I got a conditional offer and everyone thought it was a big deal (again). But somehow, I still couldn’t muster excitement. I remember being out at the time and I had no emotion – I felt blank. There were some other opportunities I wanted at the time which were not coming through so I think that dampened my mood more than I thought it would. Some months after, I got upgraded to an unconditional offer AND got a fully-funded scholarship. I was sufficiently over the events of Q12024 so this time I was elated. But while I screamed and was super excited for this very generous financial support, my mind immediately went to thinking about how hard an MSc is. Let alone an MSc at Oxford while working a full-time job alongside other commitments. It took a few weeks and my friend HassyTee consistently posting about succumbing to joy when it presents itself because sadness will ask for no invite. I sometimes downplay how much effort I put into work but I’m thankful I have friends and mentors who have a front row seat to my life and remind me that I worked for this! And I’m deserving of this merit award and the overall progress I experience in my career. So this is me basking in this moment of intense joy. I’m an Oxford scholar! On a full ride! An Oxonian fr! Whoop whoop 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾 PS: I printed out the scholarship offer letter on the day just so I could believe it was real 😅 I may frame it 🤭🙈 . . . October 2024 It’s been a few weeks since resumption. And it’s been overwhelming. But it has also been exciting. And inspiring. It’s a pot of multiple emotions and experiences, and I’m doing my best (with the help of friends) to hold on to the positives and go through this process with grace. Cheers to the next 2 years! 🎉🎉 Xoxo, Sisikunmi

The post Becoming an Oxonian: The one where I study at Oxford! appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/becoming-an-oxonian-the-one-where-i-study-at-oxford/feed/ 0 New year resolutions: the role of serendipity https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/new-year-resolutions-the-role-of-serendipity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-year-resolutions-the-role-of-serendipity https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/new-year-resolutions-the-role-of-serendipity/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2023 05:11:48 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/?p=2841 Ever so often, we lay down ambitious plans, charting our pathways to get to where we envision ourselves. This is particularly so for very ambitious people - you see the end goal you want and you lay years-long plans to accomplish it. What most of us fail to account for is serendipity, luck, chance and the complete randomness of life. I'll use my current career path as a case study. Come with me.

The post New year resolutions: the role of serendipity appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/new-year-resolutions-the-role-of-serendipity/feed/ 5 What happens when you miss an opportunity you really wanted? https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/what-happens-when-you-miss-an-opportunity-you-really-wanted/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-happens-when-you-miss-an-opportunity-you-really-wanted https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/what-happens-when-you-miss-an-opportunity-you-really-wanted/#respond Sat, 22 May 2021 15:44:56 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/?p=2193 About a week ago, I had the opportunity to be among the 2020 cohort of the Young Professionals Bootcamp (YPB) organized by the Covenant Christian Centre. As at the time I got the acceptance mail, I wasn’t particularly elated. My 2020 YPB application was my 4th time applying for the training program and somehow along the way I had lost my excitement. I almost didn’t apply this year until a friend of mine reached out to me about it. I ended up applying a day before the application closed and I am glad I went through with it. I’ll be sharing my experience and lessons from the 4-day Bootcamp but first I will share the journey to this moment. I heard about YPB for the first time in 2016 when one of my classmates attended it. After she shared her experience, I made a mental note to attend the next edition. When the application opened in 2017, she sent a reminder to me and I applied. I had completely forgotten about my application until some of my classmates started talking about their successful applications. It was then I checked my mailbox and found my acceptance mail in my spam but by then, it was too late for me to acknowledge the acceptance as my spot had been given out (always check your spam box people, especially when you are expecting some news). I was hurt but there was nothing I could do about it. After my final exams in 2018, I applied for another edition of YPB. Sometime in August, I got an acceptance mail. At the time, I was in Osun state on a medical outreach and I couldn’t fund my trip to Lagos and back. It also didn’t help that I would have had to pay another doctor to handle my responsibilities during my time away. In retrospect, I probably didn’t place as much value on the program as I should have but at the time, my financial state didn’t allow me to think in that direction. Fast forward to 2019, I applied to YPB for the third time. I was on my way to Lagos from Akure where I interned when I got a mail from YPB stating that I hadn’t made the cut. At that point, I had so much going on that I actually wasn’t moved. I just read the mail and moved on from it. I told myself that I didn’t need it anyway. In January 2020, I saw the advert for a new YPB cohort. At this point, I was already a bit fagged out and I almost didn’t apply. One thing that made me send in an application was the fact that I had nothing to lose. The worst that could have happened is that I would get another ‘No’ and although I would have been upset this time, I believed it was better than me looking back and wishing I applied. It was also the last time that I would have been eligible to apply based on the age requirement. Having someone else who was applying also gave me some extra ginger to do so. In the application form, there was a question about what my top 3 expectations from YPB were and my response was informative, practical and engaging. I am really thrilled that the Bootcamp was all this and more. I wrote the draft above in Feb/March 2020 when I got my acceptance into the 2020 YPB cohort, before the Bootcamp was to happen. At the time, COVID-19 was still just something China was dealing with and we had not imagined the possibility of a worldwide lockdown. We are all too familiar with how 2020 went – lockdowns, job cuts, programs being cancelled or moved virtually, among others. In the midst of all of this, the 2020 YPB was also put on hold till further notice. It’s been over a year now and the Bootcamp is yet to hold. I don’t know if it would still hold or not. So why am I telling this ‘story’? In recent times, I have not gotten certain opportunities that I have hoped to get. Through my application and waiting process, I had imagined how getting into those programmes would give me a much-needed lift and speed up my career process. So getting rejection mails have made me question whether or not I will still progress as I have hoped. In one of such brooding moments, I remembered the YPB that didn’t hold and I got a lesson I didn’t see prior. One of my reasons for applying to the YPB was to network with other professionals and also the possibility of meeting certain executives. The plan was that those networks would help as I navigate my career as a young graduate. As I look back over the time that has elapsed since YPB was to hold, I realise that I have done some of the things I needed such a professional program without having to go through it. Another ‘lesson’ I got from this is that the fact that you spent a long time waiting for something doesn’t mean that thing will necessarily be the breakthrough you are searching for when it eventually comes. Not all long-suffering yields the fruits we would like. This new insight gives me some peace in that, while certain programs are quite important and can provide great leverage in one’s journey, career success doesn’t have to be tied to one specific program or event. There are limited positions on practically every opportunity that exists so it is probably not feasible that one would get into every single one. While these platforms can serve as springboards, the individual involved is an equally important part of the equation. I want to believe that for people who are determined as individuals to succeed, some way will almost always open eventually. At this moment, I remember Clayton Christensen mentioning his desire to join the World Bank after completing his studies on economic development as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford. At the time when he was applying, the WB was not recruiting from the USA so he couldn’t get in. Even though he never became a full-time employee of the WB, he has still delivered impact in the area he was interested in – development economics. His lectures and books have shaped various conversations and continue to do so even after his death. Losing one or more opportunities is not the end of the journey. There are still many losses ahead, but there are wins as well. And the wins will not come if we stop playing – the more we play, the more our chances of winning increases. It’s not always easy, but it is doable. I will close out with this excerpt from a newsletter I enjoy reading: ‘I will be fine without this job. I will be fine without this Visa. I will be fine without this opportunity. I will be fine if I fail this exam. I will be fine without this person.’ It is extremely difficult to do, and sometimes even I struggle to believe it in the moment. But ultimately as time passes, I have always found it to be true. – Hameed I hope I get out of my current writing slump and show up here more often. It always feels good to write and share. Till next time, Sisikunmi.

The post What happens when you miss an opportunity you really wanted? appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/what-happens-when-you-miss-an-opportunity-you-really-wanted/feed/ 0 On rejections, global competitions and new experiences. https://www.sisikunmi.com/musings/on-rejections-global-competitions-and-new-experiences/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=on-rejections-global-competitions-and-new-experiences https://www.sisikunmi.com/musings/on-rejections-global-competitions-and-new-experiences/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2021 09:18:00 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/?p=2733 Writing this post has been on my mind for a while now, but I was unsure how to write it. I didn’t want it to come across as a sad post or one of self-pity. Different portions of what I would write have drifted in my subconscious for weeks and I decided to just put all of it on paper (even though this isn’t exactly ‘paper’). I spent most of Q4Y2020 searching out opportunities and working on my applications. To be honest, when I started, it was only a casual affair. I really just wanted to cruise through the process. But the more time I spent, the more invested I became and so it went from being casual to being a big deal. In spite of this, I kept reminding myself that there was a chance that I would get rejections. I was giving myself these reminders because I wanted to tame my expectations. I thought it would help make the blows if they did come, easier to bear. Q1Y2021 started with not much excitement. I am not one to believe so much in new year resolutions and all of that, but I acknowledge the sense of newness and the promise of a clean slate that comes with a new year. As much as I tried to turn my focus to work and other distractions, I couldn’t resist refreshing my e-mail and anticipating responses from the applications I made. At the time, I just wanted a response, good or bad, to put an end to my worrying. The first rejection mail came in and it was more shocking than sad. I found myself laughing because I was lowkey stunned. It felt ridiculous to me that I would get a rejection. I got over that and looked forward to other responses. As the weeks went by, more regret emails kept coming in. At that point, it was no longer funny. It actually got sad. I had put in a lot of effort and I had also tried to tame my expectations. I guess I was naive on both fronts. One, the world is competitive and getting into global competitions with equally determined people for limited positions makes it very likely that a rejection would be in play. Secondly, no matter how much expectations are tamed, the fact that a lot of time and energy was put in would make any rejection sting – career, relationships, investments. In all of this, I am trying to find the good in the bad. Getting these rejections have reoriented me in ways that I believe I am better off for. It would definitely have been great to have gotten ‘congratulations’ but I am certain that is in the works in some future applications. For now, this experience has given me a first-hand example of what competing on a global scale entails and eliminating some of my Lucy tendencies. It has also helped me in developing more respect for the base rate. Most importantly, I would say it has also made me realise the need for more work to be done. I know that the more I put myself out there, the more I would get plummeted, but my chances of getting wins also increase as the number of games increase. I won’t lie. I am still quite hurt and recovering from the blows is proving harder than I would have expected. Even the featured image for this post isn’t helping much, even though I know it to be true. Still being in this state makes writing about it not much fun and it’s also harder to point out lessons in it as I normally do with my experiences; I am mostly writing to document these feelings in this moment. I guess it goes to show that we don’t fully know ourselves until we go through certain situations. Maybe this should make us kinder to ourselves, and to others around us as we all journey through life. I hope I get some good news soon to wash away the downs of Q1Y2021. XoXo, Sisikunmi

The post On rejections, global competitions and new experiences. appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/musings/on-rejections-global-competitions-and-new-experiences/feed/ 2 NYSC and the frustrations of a young Nigerian doctor https://www.sisikunmi.com/musings/nysc-and-the-frustrations-of-a-young-nigerian-doctor/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nysc-and-the-frustrations-of-a-young-nigerian-doctor https://www.sisikunmi.com/musings/nysc-and-the-frustrations-of-a-young-nigerian-doctor/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2021 10:07:00 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/?p=2644 NYSC is compulsory for Nigerians graduates. It is a year of service to the nation, but Nigeria doesn't make it easy to serve her.

The post NYSC and the frustrations of a young Nigerian doctor appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/musings/nysc-and-the-frustrations-of-a-young-nigerian-doctor/feed/ 4 Career Lessons from the past year https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/career-lessons-from-the-past-year/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=career-lessons-from-the-past-year https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/career-lessons-from-the-past-year/#comments Wed, 27 Jan 2021 07:00:59 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/?p=2234 As I have progressed on my journey, I have learned some valuable lessons. I started writing them down from the beginning of the year and I am glad I did because I had forgotten I even learnt some of what I shared here.

The post Career Lessons from the past year appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/career-lessons-from-the-past-year/feed/ 2 For the woman at work https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/for-the-woman-at-work-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=for-the-woman-at-work-2 https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/for-the-woman-at-work-2/#respond Mon, 18 Jan 2021 11:18:09 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/for-the-woman-at-work-2/ Excelling in the workplace requires more than your technical skills. There are more nuances to it, especially as a woman in the corporate world.

The post For the woman at work appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/for-the-woman-at-work-2/feed/ 0 6 tips on finding a mentor and making the best of the relationship. https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/mentor-tips/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mentor-tips https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/mentor-tips/#comments Sat, 09 Jan 2021 06:37:38 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/?p=2537 Because I like minimal work, I have chosen to combine finding a mentor and getting the best out of the relationship in a single post. First 2 points will be on getting a mentor while the others will be on making the best of the experience.

The post 6 tips on finding a mentor and making the best of the relationship. appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/mentor-tips/feed/ 2 My experience with mentorship https://www.sisikunmi.com/musings/my-experience-with-mentorship/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-experience-with-mentorship https://www.sisikunmi.com/musings/my-experience-with-mentorship/#respond Thu, 07 Jan 2021 08:46:00 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/?p=2524 Over the years, I have heard people talk about mentorship again and again. Even people in my circle throw in 'my mentor said' once in a while and it used to irk me. In my mind, I was almost always like what's the big deal about mentorship and I had a subconscious plan to 'make it in life' without a mentor.

The post My experience with mentorship appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/musings/my-experience-with-mentorship/feed/ 0 My YALI experience https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/my-yali-experience/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-yali-experience https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/my-yali-experience/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2021 07:35:38 +0000 https://www.sisikunmi.com/?p=2523 I recently completed over 20 weeks of training as a YALI (West Africa Regional Leadership Centre, Accra) trainee. For those who don’t know, YALI is the Young African Leaders Initiative, an initiative of the government of the United States of America that was launched under the leadership of former president Barack Obama. The goal of YALI is to train young Africans to be the next generation of leaders that Africa needs.

The post My YALI experience appeared first on SISIKUNMI.

]]> https://www.sisikunmi.com/career/my-yali-experience/feed/ 5