4BB AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE MIAMI HERALD MONDAY , JULY 17 , 2017
Millennial
By Gregoire Carter Narcisse
Educa�on – our one true star�ng point as a society – is not given the appropriate respect it deserves . We spend the bulk of our �me reveling in the greatest of many professions , yet not enough �me admiring the vital part educa�on plays into everything . How do we celebrate the inven�on and the inventor , while forge�ng the instructor who taught the inventor and
Career Leadership Development
By Mary V . Davids
Have you ever felt stuck in your career ? Reached a glass ceiling ? Tired of working a dead-end job without being able to see a clear way out ? Don ’ t worry . You ’ re not alone . Feeling burned out and frustrated are normal challenges faced by many professionals within the workforce at some point during their careers .
Back to Basics : Students Must First Learn Life Skills to Succeed
fostered the crea�vity within them to create their inven�on ?
As we celebrate top educators in our community , let us take a step back and evaluate our current teaching curriculum landscape . How are we preparing this genera�on , and those following it , for life ? I won ’ t argue that the Pythagorean theorem and Plato ’ s Allegory of the Cave aren ’ t crucial to understand for me to succeed in everyday life ; however , it ’ s a shame that my genera�on ( I ’ m 22 years old ) was robbed of “ prac�cal ” classes such as shop class , home economics , social studies and civic educa�on . From the ages of 3 to 18 , society ’ s educa�onal standard suggests that our youth be ins�lled with discipline and understand the concepts of literature , mathema�cs , science and history as among the plethora of subjects crammed into their developing brains . What we have forgo�en is the quantum leap that a child is expected to make going from the sheltered culture of primary educa�on to the freedom and liberty of higher educa�on . How do we expect our youth to have the requisite skills and ap�tude to balance life and truly succeed if we , ourselves , do not teach it to them ?
How many teenagers matricula�ng into college do we know that have not the slightest clue how to : balance a checkbook , make simple repairs to a car , understand basic accoun�ng and taxes , cook for themselves , do laundry , and maintain proper fiscal and �me management ? We all can name those select few , but should we not be able to confidently proclaim that the next genera�ons are adequately prepared for life ?
The educators I most revered growing up are those who taught me poignant and prac�cal life skills . The ones who understood that while I need all the general knowledge in the world , it would serve me no good if I had no common sense or basic life skills . We have a responsibility to our future leaders to ensure their development is as thorough as it possibly can be . The purpose of your forma�ve years is not to have a robo�c rank-in-file mentality and to believe that being the most disciplined equates to the most successful . Instead , a child ’ s forma�ve years should see their
5 Ways to Reinvent Your Career Before Year ’ s End
Here are some specific ways in which you can prepare yourself in order to get to that next level within your career and regain control of your legacy .
1 . Take Inventory . Set aside �me to write down the things you like and the things you don ’ t like to do . This simple step will help you discover your limits no ma�er how much money is on the line . Be clear about the things you would love to do if money weren ’ t a factor at all . Deciding what you are willing or not willing to do will help you to clarify what next steps you need to take to have a sa�sfying career and life .
2 . Prepare for the Current Interview Process . When you ’ re comfortable in your posi�on , it is reasonable for you to stay out of touch with interviewing techniques and styles being used in the current job market . In a recent survey of 2,000 bosses , 33 percent indicated they know within the first 90 seconds of an interview if they will hire that candidate . This means it is crucial that you are adequately prepared before you start that interview . Get in touch with a recruiter to learn more about preparing for an interview . As technology and corporate culture desires change , so do interviewing techniques . You will need to be prepared for what the “ new normal ” is so you don ’ t look foolish in front of hiring managers .
3 . Evaluate Your Strengths and Transferable Skills . Knowing the difference between where your skills and knowledge levels are right now and what your prospec�ve employer or industry requires is vital to landing new opportuni�es . Do a comparison , then if necessary , discover how you can get the level of experience and knowledge required to land the posi�on .
4 . Create a Realis�c Plan . I coach dozens of professionals each year who desire to either transi�on into higher level posi�ons or change industries and start their own businesses . I ’ ve found the issue isn ’ t that they don ’ t know how to do the work . It ’ s that most just need help crea�ng a realis�c and clear pathway to get to where they want to go . Once you have a plan and a �meline , you can make serious crea�vity fostered to the fullest , while learning the prac�cal skills needed to survive in this vast world .
To the peak educators who believe in a greater tomorrow and who prepare their students for the world , rather than blindly following a curriculum , I say thank you for your incredible work . Kids should be leaving school with the knowledge base that essen�al life skills were a part of their core curriculum . I want to live in a world where a high school graduate can balance a checkbook , do laundry , change a �re and , in the same breath , figure out A ²+ B ²= C ².
Gregoire Carter Narcisse 954-881-6335 gregoirenarcisse @ gmail . com Gregoire Narcisse attended Florida State University where he became the youngest to ever graduate with a Bachelor ' s Degree , doing so at 18 years of age . Gregoire then went on to pursue his Master of Science in Education at the University of Miami , achieving it at the age of 19 . He is currently a Financial Representative with Northwestern Mutual .
moves within your career .
5 . Leverage Social Media . The people you are connected with on social media o�en have significant value – value that most people never tap into . Just because you know someone in one capacity doesn ’ t mean you know everything about them , who they know , what they ’ ve heard , and how they can become a valuable resource for you to leverage in pursuit of a new career path . Update your profiles to reflect your most recent accomplishments and work experience . When sharing content , instead of sharing without thinking of your brand message , become more strategic by reitera�ng your skills , reminding your contacts of your knowledge and providing valuable �ps they can use based on your experience within the industry .
Mary V . Davids is a Brand Strategist , Career Development Coach and Owner of D & M Consulting Services , LLC . For career tips and advice visit www . marydavids . com or email info @ marydavids . com .