Shifting gears for a better plan B

The core of Master Your Job Search

Launched at the beginning of this year, Master Your Job Search is a self-led curriculum that covers all of the fundamental soft skills required to achieve greater success in a career. It addresses important topics such as goal setting, developing a growth mindset, personal branding, networking, and applying to new roles.

Since its launch, over 196 learners have benefited from the program. Below, two learners share their experiences.

Seeking a viable plan B

Nafie, a Syrian refugee and pharmaceuticals graduate, arrived in Turkey in 2016. Upon arrival, Nafie realized that his pharmacy degree from Syria may not directly translate to a job, “So I said, ‘ok, I need a plan B for me.’”

Nafie ultimately entered a Master’s degree in management to diversify his background, but found entering the job market was still fraught with uncertainty. “This is the thing, what can I do? What are my options? This is the first question.”

Like many recent graduates, the answer to that question was unclear. “When we are choosing our career path, the choice is not clear for us. We don't even know what to build our choices on.”

Nafie explained that there are no clear paths and ultimately, people rely on others more experienced than themselves for advice. “You need clear instructions. You need to know how to focus your efforts, how to know what to look for, where to apply, how to reflect on your goals.”

But no one can combine them all in one package and just deliver it to you. And this is the interesting thing about this course. It combined all these missing gaps between studying and finding a job.

Understanding yourself for greater success

Looking back on his key takeaways from the course, Nafie shared that the self-reflection segments were often the most useful. “This is the thing you need to contemplate: Where do I want to go? What is my final destination? And then based on this, the course suggests micro-planning.”

“It says that there is no such thing as a five-year plan. I mean, because of the rapid growth of our communities, you cannot set a plan for five years, it's too much. So we need to make a micro plan. Plan a year maybe, or six months, or whatever it is. And then based on this, try to make your journey consistent.”

A mentality shift

Hasan, who is an Iranian asylum seeker, only recently arrived in Turkey and quickly came to realize that the job-seeking experience is certainly different in Turkey than it is in Iran.

“Everything around job discussions and interviews is about 180 degrees different.”

For Hasan, the course helped him orient himself in a new professional arena, “I really feel a change in myself and my thoughts.”

Even his family and friends at home were surprised at some of the course’s insights. Ultimately, “they also changed their views on working in the market and the global economy.”

Mastering their careers

Both Nafie and Hasan found real value in investing their time to complete the Master Your Job Search program. Now, with a few more skills in their toolbelt, they’re both looking to make their next steps.

For Hasan, he’ll be seeking work once his asylum request is processed and putting his newfound interview skills to the test.

Nafie is currently working on his programming skills, networking with individuals working at hiring companies, and following his very own micro-plan, “By the end of this year, hopefully, I’ll have the experience to get into this market.”