Being in the right place at the right Time

Our sponsor had made provision for me in his chartered accountancy office, but I felt my more corporate orientation didn’t make me a suitable prospect for working predominantly with small businesses. (I later changed my mind, when I became better acquainted with this segment.) He accepted this with good grace and shortly after came into the office one morning with the announcement “I think I have found the right niche for you. My next door neighbour is the retiring administrator of the New Zealand Dental Association, (which happens to be the oldest in the British Commonwealth). They have decided to upgrade the position in the recruitment of a successor to that of General Secretary. I mentioned to him that you had been involved in two professional organisations in an honorary capacity in South Africa. You are invited to put your hat in the ring.” There were nine other applicants - all New Zealand born and bred. I put in my CV, presented my application and prepared for the selection interview with trepidation to see what would happen. Exceeding my expectations here was I, three months off the boat, with very little New Zealand experience, being offered the position. I said to myself “this is a very fair country: it would not have happened elsewhere in the world.” What was not conveyed to me during the selection interview was an expectation of me to organise a Pan-Pacific Dental Congress at short notice. I somehow managed to put it together with a successful result.

Shortly after my arrival I introduced myself to the chief executive of the New Zealand Division of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, who provided me with helpful advice and assistance in preparation for my professional deployment in the new country. This led to active participation as a member of the Auckland Branch committee in several stimulating projects. Among them was a hands-on practical course for Club Managers, where I could draw on my previous experience in the delivery of small business training in the black townships of South Africa. Another membership benefit was participation in one of two focus groups led by an inspirational national president. It involved members from diverse business and professional backgrounds to discuss and resolve current issues and challenges in their respective work situations under Chatham House rules.

My search for a society representing marketing managers was met by the New Zealand Institute of Management, which at that time had an active special interest group catering for the marketing discipline. I progressively advanced through the grades of membership to achieve fellowship status.

Outcomes achieved: It strengthened my belief in the value of membership affiliations as means of value creation that is relevant in the workplace.

Entering the Big League

My appointment at The New Zealand Dental Association led to my next career move. The Association maintained a group medical insurance scheme for its members with the Southern Cross Healthcare Society, a Friendly Society owned by its members. As part of my executive duties I administered the scheme on behalf of the dental profession. This gave me an introduction to the senior managers of Southern Cross. After some time, I received an invitation to meet the Chief Executive. He informed me that the Society was undergoing rapid growth, necessitating the computerisation of membership data and billing. It needed somebody, who had an understanding of professional and other special interest groups, which he thought I had, and asked whether I would consider joining the Society. In a sense I felt beholden to the Dental Association and sad after a two year period to take such a decision. However, my dental employers were very understanding and could see that this move was very good for my career.

So I joined Southern Cross Medical Care Society, the second biggest New Zealand membership organisation, after the Automobile Association, as Group Administration Manager.

Three-quarters of the way through my six-year term with the Society, I could not resist the temptation to return to a marketing role. The position of Marketing Services Manager was created for me, where I could apply the experience gained in my last South African appointment.

I had met many chief executives of member collective organisations, particularly in the area of trades, business and professions, who maintained group schemes with the society. My understanding of voluntary associations was perceived by some as a source of advice and I received requests for paid assistance. This placed me in a quandary considering my first responsibility to Southern Cross. With these types of requests coming in, my superiors, particularly the General Marketing Manager, could see benefits in strengthened relationships with these groups and therefore was agreeable to support me in providing a part time advisory service. This carried on for a while, but it grew to where the demands on my spare time were increasing. I again consulted with my immediate superior with the information that I had almost reached the position, where I could see the possibility of providing this service full-time. With this kind of understanding my boss said “We can see that this presents opportunities and we are prepared to support this by offering you six months leave of absence. You go ahead, but on the understanding that you can return to us within that period.” He would ring me up from time to time to invite me to lunch, where he quizzed me on my ability to earn a living by my own endeavours.

It is worth noting that whenever I made a career change I left my employer on good terms and maintained an informal relationship that I could draw on with an eye on the future. The benefit of this can be measured in Markad (Pty) Ltd acquiring the BMW motor cycle account based on my previous employment.

In typical small enterprise fashion I set up an office in a wing of the family residence in a suburban location on Auckland’s North Shore. As the business grew we added a free standing annex to accommodate me and a full-time assistant. R U Penning and Associates, as we were known, increasingly provided secretariat services to a succession of incorporated societies and eventually out-grew the extended domestic location.

Anybody contemplating setting up a home based business must consider being accessible to clients virtually around the clock and the effects on members of the family. This necessitated taking up rented office space within walking distance from home and the employment of more staff. I progressively served sixteen incorporated society clients as chief executive and the less formal associateship structure no longer suited a growing business. Through these relationships I also received calls for assistance from association members, mainly small businesses, but found it increasingly difficult to accommodate two business sectors without a conflict of interest. I took the strategic decision to concentrate on the collective membership segment with the incorporation of a private company, establishing Business Professional Services Limited, a typical small to medium enterprise (SME). After four relocations to cope with growth in stature, my wife and I developed a new site in a preferred location as the company’s permanent home.

My SME advisory service had led me to join the Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand (SEAANZ) and I was co-opted to the Committee. This organisation’s New Zealand Chapter became a client and I was involved in managing two Australasian conferences.

I also realised that my professional concentration on the business side of the voluntary sector needed a balance with a solid dose of active involvement in the implementation. My wife would caution me on not leaning over too much in the latter direction at the expense of earning a decent living.

Outcomes achieved: Second successful start-up of a new business, this time without assistance from external sources and realising the importance of thinking strategically with forward planning.

Shortcut to Integration

My prescription for early assimilation in a new society is rooted in a sense of belonging. A shortcut to acceptance is through joining clubs and societies in matters of common interest. One organisation of local interest was a travel club, where I could share my experiences. It brought me onto contact with its president, a retired senior airline captain, who was also an executive board member of the Takapuna- based North Shore Chamber of Commerce which, so happened, to be in need of a secretary. Without much ado I volunteered for the position. In the course of my membership I rose to the position of President. At that point we considered, in consultation with other Chambers in the Auckland region, to consolidate into a regional structure, which reflected my own attitude to amalgamation. Many meetings in the lead-up to a merger were held at the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, where I met my second wife.

Originating from a multicultural country I saw a need to be acquainted with Maori as first nation, but lacked a facilitator to introduce me. This came about in a businesswoman of Ngati Porou iwi joining the newly constituted Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce, who accepted me as a mentee. She in turn brought me to the attention of the wider Maori business community intent on economic development. When my previous experience in the advancement of African commerce became known, I was invited to assume an advisory position in the formation of a Mangere based Kokiri Economic Development initiative. Meetings to progress the project were held on the Hoani Waititi Marae and introduced me to a form of consensus decision making that, while more time consuming, ensured total buy-in of all vested interests in the venture. My cultural awareness also played a role in several professional assignments involving Maori in Northland and in advising on the establishment of a Samoan Congregational Christian Church and community centre in Birkdale.

Several years later I was able to draw on these relationship with Tangata Whenua, when I was instrumental in arranging a formal welcome for new settlers from South Africa in my capacity as chairman of the SANZ Charitable Trust. I was honoured on that occasion by being invited to take a seat among the host elders and to regard the host facility also as my marae.

Outcomes achieved: Acquiring cultural awareness and the ability to work in accordance with a diverse governance protocol.

Charitable Orientation

My introduction to the charity sector arose at an executive committee meeting of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, where we received a request from the vice-president of the Hearing Association. He addressed us and said “You business people also have a social responsibility – how do you meet it? “ We replied with “What are your needs?” It turned out that they required someone to look after the administrative aspect of the association, in other words they needed an Honorary National Secretary. There were a few murmurs around the table and someone pointed in my direction and said “Well, Ralph has quite a bit of experience in this area and he does a good job for us in this role”

Well, I drew the short straw, and became the secretary of the Hearing Association of New Zealand, which had at that time twenty- three branches all over the country. So there was quite a step up for me in a part time capacity. Growing into the position I could see the needs that existed with a better understanding of the effects and the wider social consequences of hearing loss in later years. An example of the Association’s functions were deliverables that included equipping public buildings and providing facilities to make them more accessible to the hearing impaired. The organisational part was the support structure required for therapists and maintaining relationships with health professionals and government submissions. For me this opened a completely new vista into the area of health, welfare and rehabilitation.

Outcomes achieved: Multi-functional management of a major charity in the health, welfare and rehabilitation sector.

Collaboration and Mergers

In spite of my disqualification as a normal hearing person I was requested to stand for elected office in the organisation. I was humbled by this confidence in me to lead the national organisation, when I was elected to the position of Vice President and later became the National President. It also gave me the opportunity to appreciate the wider picture of hearing impairment and all the various bodies and associations catering for this impairment affecting one in fifteen New Zealanders. It led to the incorporation of the National Foundation for the Deaf as the national coordinating body. I was one of the founders representing the Hearing Association with the other constituent bodies that were participating in the establishment of this top tier organisation. This development was based on an early acceptance that we are too fragmented in the representation of impairment and disadvantage to achieve the desired outcomes on behalf of our beneficiaries in New Zealand.

Cancer can serve as a typical example, where in excess of forty New Zealand related charities are vying for attention and funding. We are inclined to set up new charities that are specific to one sub-set or aspect of a deserving cause that is better served by one strong organisation. In the process we also distort public profile with reduced ability to fundraise and provide effective advocacy.

Outcomes achieved: Replicating previous experience at a lower level on a broader base involving greater number of constituents.

Working on the Coalface

During my six year stint with Southern Cross I became a member of the New Zealand Institute of Health Administrators. I joined, because I have always believed that skills and competency can be enhanced by having a body of knowledge that can provide opportunities for professional development. A fellow member was the practice manager of a general medical centre in the western suburbs. He approached me with “My wife and I have always promised ourselves an extended overseas trip that had to be deferred after my retirement from a public service position, in order to help my son-in-law and his partners in the management of their medical practice. I need someone to step into my shoes for the period of our absence. Could you spare some time to do this for me?” I relied with “It will be a tight fit into my other commitments, but it will be an interesting experience”.

The assignment that was intended to be for six months turned into eighteen. The benefit in this, in spite of its demanding nature, was that it gave me a very broad insight into the provision of primary healthcare in New Zealand. Later in life it stood me in good stead, because I could see health and rehabilitation from a practitioner perspective and the referral services provided by voluntary organisations that support it. The Blockhouse Bay Medical Centre operated a branch in Avondale and we acquired a second clinic in Lynfield during my term of appointment. I was closely involved converting the practice from a partnership into an associateship to accommodate younger doctors, who did not fit the buy-in model of ownership.

The introduction with my involvement of time and revenue based practitioner remuneration, triage patient care involving nurses aided by computerisation made this practice a role model in primary health care. While grateful for the experience, the time came when I felt hopelessly overcommitted and had to step out of it.

My accumulated experience in matters medical led to my appointment to a sub-committees of the Arthritis Foundation, not knowing at that time that arthritis was something that would affect me in later life. It involved travelling to Wellington once a month to attend meetings. Undoubtedly this experience had a beneficial effect in that it widened my knowledge, particularly in the area of collective action.

Participating in the health, welfare and rehabilitation voluntary sector in a leadership or professional capacity without being directly affected, has its merits in terms of objective judgement and decision making. However, it requires a real understanding of the consequences and treatment on those directly affected, who are the ultimate beneficiaries. This was brought home to me when I had a cycling accident resulting in a spinal neck injury. The outcome of it was quite dramatic, but could have been much worse. Suddenly I found myself in a position, where I was irrevocably impaired. The sustaining influence and inspiration of a partially paralysed neighbour in my younger years, who outlawed the term “disabled” as a derogatory relegation to uselessness, came into play. I concentrated with ACC financial assistance on my partial rehabilitation. It presented me with a set of circumstances that brought me in close touch with the realities facing a substantial number of my fellow citizens in a peer environment that I had not previously been conscious of in an organisational role.

I had to question, from the very beginning of my career in the voluntary sector, why many people with good intentions give money, are very well qualified, but disinclined to be directly involved in the delivery of charitable services? Working on the coalface or devoting their competencies and experience to their chosen cause, in my experience is more meaningful and rewarding. While very conscious that money is a very essential ingredient, I am also aware that many of these organisations require, but are lacking in effective leadership and good governance. That has been a constant in my career. The outcome of this growing awareness over time is one of the prompts that shaped my life. It constantly reminded me that, if I had been concentrating on one area in a single minded commercial career, I would have failed in giving meaning and purpose to my training as a governance and compliance specialist. With so much need and disadvantage all around us it requires competent direction and management in the delivery of meaningful help and assistance. With this in mind I decided to stand back from the company that I founded, and is now directed by my second wife, to concentrate more on the charitable beneficial aspects of my profession.

I did this in the full knowledge that my work for and on behalf membership based trade, industry and professional associations has enabled me to be more generous in my time allocation to charitable causes. While both sectors have similar needs for good governance and execution, they play different roles in the national economy. Without occupational and commercial collective organisations providing guidance, education and self-regulation to their members, consumer interests could be adversely affected. As good examples I single out the New Zealand Collision Repairers Association, whose grading system supported by I-Car Advances Trade Training, ensures high performance standards. Similar credits are due to the New Zealand Human Resources Institute, Designers Institute of New Zealand and Marketing Association for ensuring that their members are well equipped to serve their clients’ interest with beneficial outcomes further down to consumers. The same can be said for the New Zealand Automobile Association and Consumers Institute, who not only represent their members, but ensure ethical business practices. There are many others, too numerous to mention. All these associations deserve serious consideration as employers. In the course of my self-employed career I served sixteen incorporated societies as chief executive with a great degree of professional satisfaction.

R U Penning and Associates revisited

I joined the New Zealand Trustees Association and I am a New Zealand Registered Trustee. In this capacity I have been instrumental in the setting up of twenty one charitable trusts with clear objectives in mind. All pass the public benefit test and are enabled to function with procedures and governance structures in place that ensure their continued existence and fitness for purpose. There are many aspects involved in this. It is always rewarding to see what goes on following incorporation and to follow their progress. A recent example of this is a charitable trust that I helped set up that ticks all the boxes in providing creative outlets for children beset by terminal illness.

Certainly, part of what I have been doing is to encourage and advise people not only to serve but to enhance their knowledge. What matters most to me is that we create a fairer society. Unfortunately, there are never enough hands and we also know there is never enough money, and too many government agencies to deal with. We are confronted by untold challenges and more questions than answers. We have to acknowledge that it requires a greater element of foresight and direction that depends on a combination of voluntary, professional and public services to get us where we need to be. At the end of the equation we are all our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. It is something that cannot be abrogated to international aid agencies and government ministries. What it comes down to is a shared responsibility involving each and every one of us.

The Value of Kinship and giving back

In terms of my own personal development I valued the kinship, and the shared experiences that I have enjoyed over the years with colleagues in Australia, the United States and England, where I have maintained peer relationships. Much of this has been channelled back to the New Zealand Association Resource Centre Trust, registered as an educational charity with its main purpose to provide guidance and information to people working in the association and charity voluntary sector. As its name implies, it is not a membership composed organisation, but a charitable trust board. The trustees arrange training seminars, maintain a help-line and serve as an information hub to these organisations. This has occupied a fair share of my time in an advisory capacity.

Over the years I have made strenuous efforts to groom younger people for careers in the voluntary sector and I can identify several former employees, who have blossomed in their subsequent careers. We need people, who are well qualified, have the capabilities and the resources to come to the fore and to step up to the line. We also have to look very closely, and that is one of my major concerns, to be more rationalising, to reduce the number of competing charities, because we need stronger, capable organisations. We must be very conscious of how organisations run their affairs, because that is the picture they present to the outside world.

I see good models from personal experience in Hospice North Shore, the Cancer Society and Presbyterian Support among other outstanding examples.

Of all the organisations I have devoted time to on the board as a director, Abilities North Shore stands out. To me that was a particularly rewarding experience time wise. Here is a social enterprise, an incorporated society with charitable status that is owned by its member employees and competes successfully with the private sector. It has a corporate structure that I would strongly recommend as an employer to public spirited young persons in search of a meaningful career. It is another in the line of the causes I have devoted some time to that gave me an immense sense of personal satisfaction. I was inspired by my fellow board members and the results that were achieved, because at the end of the day we were not looking for outputs, but outcomes to create a better community.

Room for Improvement

My involvement in the voluntary sector has made me very conscious of the major deficiencies and shortcomings that still exist in our society, which cannot be overcome by enthusiasm for the cause or a belief system alone. To be credible and meaningful we cannot ignore that any such organisation has to be based on sound business principles of good governance and management. With this in mind, I became one of the founders of the New Zealand Association of Resource Centre Trust.

At the time of writing there are over sixty thousand incorporated entities on the official New Zealand registers. They are managed, very often, by dedicated individuals for little reward other than a sense of great achievement. Many are lacking the support structure, including a help desk, to assist them in performing their daily tasks to the betterment of their members, users or beneficiaries. The deficiency that stands out at the upper end of the scale is capable governance provided by volunteers, which, depending on the size, credibility and stature of the organisation, is still seen by some as a badge of honour, and by others as a thankless task.

Management is not a stand-alone function and without the direction, support and guidance of a properly constituted governance board association chief executives can become the de facto leader of the organisation with a self-assumed mandate. The implications of this are a concentration of power in one individual without any critical oversight, regardless of the credential of the person. I have also noticed over the years a disinclination on the part of many association executives to take full advantage of all available information sources to remain fully au fait with every aspect of business practice pertaining to the voluntary sector. Indicative of this is the low uptake of a recently published text book that deals with the future of associations. Failing to be visionary, anticipate and prepare for impending and unavoidable changes will be the death-knell for many associations.

There can never be too many initiatives to address existing needs, but it also points to the fact that in New Zealand, like Australia, we are very fragmented in providing social assistance and benefits. A variety of organisations that individually struggle to achieve measurable outcomes, would be better placed if they were structured on a more collaborative model. Under such an arrangement they can share the administrative costs, employ competent staff and also provide their professional executives with the opportunity to meet and mingle, share their experiences and learn from each other. This is one concept that still has not found full acceptance in New Zealand, but has been implemented by several merged Australasian professional associations with a presence in both countries. A good example is the Australasian Society of Association Executives that is the result of the merger of the New Zealand society, of which I was a founding member, and its Australian counterpart. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand also comes to mind. This model deserves wider consideration and implementation.

I had the advantage through the United Way to visit its Australian Head Office, which was at that time based in Geelong, Victoria. During the visit, I inspected that city’s Community Centre, which accommodated various health, welfare and rehabilitation charitable organisations enabling cooperation, sharing of accommodation and management expenses, as well as enabling professional collaboration.

Because of the small size of many voluntary agencies overall there is still not a clear career structure on offer to encourage young people to enter this industry. (I call it an industry, because we are comprised of innovate industrious people). Our existence relies very much on the inputs of mature and older people, sometimes in second careers, to provide management and governance and is in crying need of succession. Having a better age representation is essential for better engagement with our respective constituencies of stakeholders.

On the very positive side, where there is noticeable gender and age discrimination in the for-profit corporate sector, many of our outstanding voluntary organisations have female chief executives and board members. They are role models for younger people in senior positions that young women in particular can aspire to. We need conduits to career development, which should be advanced at an early stage, probably with career advice in secondary and tertiary education. Too often professional services in the voluntary sector are still regarded as a second option, lacking the same profile that a commercial career would offer. So in many ways there is a lot to be done, because we need capable people with hearts, who have the intellectual capacity and business acumen to lead and direct our voluntary sector organisations. High achievers in such roles are able to attract young graduates, intent of making our sector their career. I would be delighted if my example were to serve as an influencing factor.

The rewards I have previously mentioned may not always be in financial terms, although depending on profile and size, non-profits compare salary wise with for-profit employment.

The real rewards are in the form of recognition and awards that can be aspired to. I am very appreciative that I have achieved some of them in my fulfilment of my elected offices and appointments. Outstanding among them was peer recognition of Trustee of the Year, Life Membership of the Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand and Fellowship of the New Zealand Institute of Management. These very often only arise very late in years and may not always appeal to those, who are in a hurry to build their profile. To be valued by members and beneficiaries, whom we have devoted our lives to, is the final and most rewarding accolade.

Highlights during my career were my attendance of major conferences in places as far apart as Chicago, Adelaide, Istanbul, Minneapolis, Sydney and Wellington.

Out of all my life experiences came some very personal lessons, which I am very pleased to pass on. Starting early in my life there were certain inherited traits and perhaps some examples that I could see in my father plus other relationship based experiences and models. A major trait inherited from my father is to be self-organised with a prescription to have a place for everything and everything in its place. This organisational model suits me well as a professional administrator. Taking it to the next stage results in systemisation, which in turn can lead to ISO accreditation. We followed this path with Business Professional Services Limited, which is Q-Base certified with a requirement to have all practices and procedures documented, implemented and audited.

1. 
   The most important personal lesson came out of my participation in my first JC Chapter from one of my fellow members, who was a young Jewish business man from a prominent family in Pretoria. We sat down in his office before a Chapter meeting late one afternoon. I was engaged in extra-mural studies in preparation for qualifying as a chartered secretary. He told me that one thing he learned early in life was that you can’t be an expert in everything. His father took him aside and said “Son, there are two essential ingredients in running a business. The first one is you have to intimately know the product or the service that you are providing. The second step is you have to understand your customers, the people who you depend on for your livelihood. It is quite a gigantic task to acquire the skills and knowledge that are inherent in those two criteria. It will leave you little time to get to grips with the other business disciplines you will need. So my advice to you my son, is that at all times you surround yourself with qualified advisors in the form of a good lawyer and chartered accountant by your side in all major decisions that you take, regard them like partners in your business and reward them handsomely.” It is worth reporting that the ‘Abro’ formula has been successfully applied by my son Nolan, with the addition of gaining an Honours degree in his chosen discipline, before pursuing his dream with corporate brand management experience and then establishing his own business. I recently reviewed his personal life plan to find that he had achieved all his objectives with one omission, the attainment of a postgraduate degree from a foreign university. But he has time on his side to achieve this.
   

2. 
   The second lesson is that we live in a fluid environment that should not put us in the position, where we are too reliant on one culture or one language. I was privileged to grow up with three languages and am relatively fluent in all. The language skills enabled me to work in different work situations where the relevant language became important and assisted me in my career advancement. I am delighted to say that in New Zealand school students are encouraged to acquire a second language. It also helps to be culturally adaptive. Most western countries are becoming increasingly ethnic diverse. Being able to relate to people from different background and nationalities is assuming greater importance to maintain harmonious relationships in our civil society.
   

3. 
   The third lesson that comes out of my journey through life is that in order to be successful in any form of career demands the ability to communicate effectively and to be inter-personally skilled. Some people are born extroverts, while others have to work to acquire the skill.
   

Let us start with formal education. In past times greater reliance was placed on secondary schooling. This is no longer sufficient and further study is required. , Many people have undertaken technical training advancing to vocational education, and then built on this by going to university to achieve higher qualifications. You first become a technician with a lower level of tertiary education to meet your immediate needs.

Gaining practical experience before engaging in further tertiary study to ensure relevance of formal qualifications to the workplace was my chosen option and certainly stood me in good stead. There were two need dictated occasions when I resorted to further tertiary education to advance my career. My excursion into marketing communications made me very aware of a deficiency in subject knowledge. The University of South Africa offered a certificated course in Market Research and Advertising, to which I added an English paper for greater substance in my portfolio of qualification. Coming to New Zealand I was conscious that my Roman-Dutch law based knowledge was of little relevance under an English legal system. I remedied this with enrolment at Auckland University, where I completed two law papers to qualify me for my first professional appointment. I have to admit that I could have done better, and full-time study would have been my preferred option for part of the way.

Making the right Choice

Tertiary education certainly has to be seen as an industry and there is an oversupply of courses these days with too many offerings. Many young people, who are uncertain about what they want to do with their lives, enrol at an institute of higher learning or university and during the first year of study find that they made the wrong choice. While this year is not entirely wasted it adds to their student loan commitments, because many undergraduate degrees these days require a four year commitment.

My response to young people seeking my opinion is to enquire into their real interests with encouragement to study what really tickles their fancy before specialising with an eye on employment. My daughter Joelle chose an arts degree in political studies and history. With the addition of diplomas in public relations and computer graphics she is fully employable and can regard herself as tertiary trained and educated. Tertiary education with an eye on employment alone deprives the graduate of the life enriching acquisition of knowledge that extends into other intellectual pursuits outside work.

Sometimes it is better to first go out into the work force, call it a gap year, to work in something that you feel you really want and test your assumptions. People who are technically orientated normally have an advantage. Engineering and surgery for instance, have several branches and you not only have to have the inclination, but there has to be an inherent talent for these professions. Finding and settling into an occupation that suits one’s temperament and talents and matching the work experience with suitable tertiary education would be my recommendation.

Throughout your life you should never rely on that first degree alone. Learning has to be an ongoing process. It is the prescription for membership of several professional bodies in the form of CPD (continuing professional development). Several non-traditional professions don’t give you this benefit and it is easy to fall behind. It requires a continuous learning process and you have to accommodate this in your daily life to maintain competitive advantage. An increasing number of graduates, who are not readily employable these days, engage in further study leading to a masters or post-graduate diploma with the aim to improve their chances. This is not necessarily the best approach, as it raises the expectations of employers without sufficient financial return for overqualified job seekers. In respect of gaining an advanced degree that has relevance to most careers, an Executive MBA is worth the effort. It is not only for its own sake, but also in respect of making valuable connections with other aspiring students, who are likely to turn into high achievers.

There are other aspects that contribute to your employability and certainly life style has a lot to do with it. It is tempting early in one’s career and with the benefit of a decent pay packet, to pursue the better things in life to the detriment of saving for a rainy day. Good health plays an important role that cannot be achieved with a total reliance on the public system and ACC. Private health insurance is an absolute must and my Southern Cross cover has been an indispensable safeguard for me since arriving in New Zealand.

Networks and Contacts count

To develop and maintain networks and contacts, some participation in sport and being a member of voluntary organisations are effective for building relationships. Your own professional society and your employer’s industry organisation or trade association together with the likes of Rotary are always on the lookout for talented people. They all provide payback, for while you are volunteering you meet interesting folk, and in some organisations you interact with influential individuals. We all need references throughout life. It is not always what we know, but who we know; because credible endorsement from people well known in their professions or industry can be valuable influencers. That may sound very selfish, but intermediaries can play an enormous role in your success. People you know, respect and hold in high regard are often happy to share their knowledge and never resent it if you ask for their advice and recommendations.

As an NZIM Accredited Management Mentor I have been the recipient of much privileged information that gave me a good insight into some of our major corporations with the ability to add value to their HR practices. I provided the bridge to better understanding and appreciation between the mentee and the employing organisation.

Getting the right Advice

That brings me to the next step, and that is that there is an awful lot of what is promoted as professional advice, but must be regarded with a certain degree of reservation. It is reasonable to ask why, because they are so good at telling others, they are not practising what they are professing? To take such advice I always like to be guided by the consultant’s own success in a business other than their consultancy practice to take them seriously. Unfortunately there are a lot of consultants who hold themselves out as having special knowledge and experience, which does not always work out in practice. The problem is you cannot call them to account if their advice does not turn into a success story from your own perspective.

There is another aspect, and that is a general interest in people. In meeting and befriending strangers I first establish what we have in common. I invariable discover at least two common interests that bind us. Human relations depend on personal interface. You cannot afford be too self-centred, particularly in the present environment, where there is a high reliance on technological advances and an inclination for people to use digital forms of communication. To stay on top depends on good peer relationships. It should not overrule the need to have friendships outside your work or profession. The desire to meet on a regular basis with people that you like and are friendly with it may just involve a chat over coffee to bounce a few ideas around. This is something I have done throughout my life. It very often results in seeing something from a different perspective and it gives you a network of reliance that is unrelated to your occupational existence.

The advice I have passed on to our graduate interns is based on my own career path. My first observation is that many of the major companies as we know them today will not materially change. Although manufacturing processes and supply lines may change, there is still a need for goods and services to be provided. I am a firm believer that these major corporates are a good grooming area for young people, who want to take their first steps in the direction of building a career. It stood me in very good stead, because these organisations are well proven entities. They are systemised and at the same time you learn to work in a hierarchical environment. Although management structures are flattening out there will always be a pecking order remaining in them. I speak from experience and it is something that I also passed on to my son. First begin by working yourself up to the second level in a few multinationals. It looks good on your CV regardless of your chosen employment direction, which can take the form of starting your own business or becoming a portfolio entrepreneur and drawing on the experience you gained as a corporate employee.