Get Guardian on GoogleAs the quest for wealth and influence continues to shape career choices and business opportunities, visibility and networking have been identified as key ingredients for achieving professional and financial success.
This was one of the submissions at the Future of Wealth and Influence Conference held in Yaba, Lagos, on Saturday.
The conference, hosted by Immigify, a US-based immigration technology company, brought together about 100 business owners, creatives, budding entrepreneurs and students to discuss wealth creation, career development and influence in a changing global economy.
In his keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of Immigify, Emma Olorunsheyi, described a career as a launchpad rather than a destination, urging participants to see their professional experiences as assets that could create opportunities beyond their current employment.
He emphasised the importance of building career capital before financial capital, noting that while salaries reward people for the work they do, career capital creates opportunities from the knowledge and experience they acquire.
Olorunsheyi urged participants to treat their workplaces as learning environments where they could acquire valuable business knowledge.
He encouraged workers to study how businesses operate, how teams make decisions and solve problems, and how products and services are developed, noting that the knowledge gained could remain valuable beyond their current employment.
Olorunsheyi also stressed the importance of building relationships with customers, mentors, peers and business partners, explaining that the right connections could open doors to new opportunities. He advised participants to offer specific help and add value to others before seeking favours.
One of the keynote speakers, Oladayo Ogunleye, noted that the relationships people build and the trust they earn could outlast individual opportunities, urging participants to invest in meaningful connections before they needed assistance.
He advised participants to become valuable in their respective fields, associate with the right people, attend relevant events, improve their communication skills and build their personal brands.
Ogunleye also encouraged them to build relationships without constantly asking for favours and to surround themselves with people who support their growth.
The co-founder of Immigify, Deji Adesola, urged participants to engage fully in the discussions and connect with one another to make the most of the gathering.
A question-and-answer session followed, with participants seeking guidance on self-discovery, the place of immigration in career development and how individual talents could attract global opportunities. Olorunsheyi and the other facilitators responded to their questions.
One of the attendees, a product designer, Damilola Akinwande, said the conference had given her a fresh perspective on career development and the importance of networking, building professional visibility and taking on responsibilities beyond her current job role.
