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Notey Akpotive is a certified Human Resources professional with over 13 years of experience across industries, including healthcare, oil and gas, Tech and even power at General Electric. In this interview, she shares her professional experience, writing, travelling, relocating to Canada, new experiences and other interests beyond HR management. Enjoy reading!
Please tell us about yourself – what you do, your educational and career background, and your particular interests.
My name is Notey Akpotive, and I help people shape their careers. I have a bachelor’s degree in English and a Professional HR International (PHRi) Certificate from HRCI, USA. I love writing and travelling, among other interests.
How and why did you choose a career in Human Resources?
The journey began when I was studying at the University of Lagos. One of those days in my first year, I walked past a group of young people dancing to coordinated steps, and when I enquired, they told me they were members of AIESEC. AIESEC is the largest student organisation working with young people across the world to develop their leadership skills and travel the world. I joined them in my second year and worked in their Talent Development function. I was later elected Vice President in my final year at the University. My tenure as VP of Talent Development was the best and worst 12 months of my life. I laughed, I cried, and we successfully organised a 3-day recruiting event for team members at Sea School, Apapa. That spiked my love for human resources, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What are some of the most important roles and responsibilities of an HR Manager; which personal characteristics make one a good HR professional?
The HR Manager should know and promote their talent. S/he must not be afraid of learning how to use data to make organisational decisions. You must be an advocate for your employees and your employer. As an HR manager, you’ve got to be ethical and fair to set the standards for the organisation. You must be open-minded and accessible yet firm where it is required. Your clients and customers need to trust that you will be there to support them through the challenges they face in their employee life cycle.
How do you find and identify talented people for your organisation, and what are some of the most important lessons you have learnt in your career so far?
You assess talents from three broad perspectives: technical abilities, soft skills, and cultural fit. The technical side is often a no-brainer, and all organisations test on this. Several organisations erroneously pass up on testing for soft skills and culture fit, thereby creating an unfavourable environment for their employees and watering down their culture. One important lesson I’ve learned in my career is being honest and giving insights as quickly as possible to employees and the employer. As culture shapers, we see and observe toxic behaviours in the workplace, and we need to speak up and address them as they arise. If we let them fester, we still have to deal with them, but this time on a more critical scale.
What are some common mistakes applicants tend to make when applying for jobs – CV/resume, cover letter, interviews, etc.?
Some mistakes I’ve seen applicants make are around their CVs/resumes not representing the full scope of their abilities. Some candidates will send you half-written CVs with grammatical errors, expecting you to recognise they fit the job instantly. Some other mistakes are around professionalism — candidates ask their parents or someone they know to influence the hiring process without trusting that their competencies would enable them to get the job. Sometimes, candidates lie/grossly exaggerate their achievements on their resumes. All these behaviours create a negative perception in the mind of the recruiter/hiring manager and reduce one’s chances of getting their dream job.
Why is employee training necessary for an organisation?
Training employees can be summed up in a write-up I read sometime back and paraphrased. A COO tells his CEO, “What if we train our employees and they leave?” The CEO responds, “What if we don’t train these same employees, and they remain?” Employee training is critical for the survival of any organisation. Training your employees on the technical aspects of the only is the fastest way to create distrust and disengaged employees. Train for technical and soft skills.
What are your thoughts about employee motivation? What role does it play in the workplace, and in what ways can organisations and leaders motivate their teams?
Motivation is essential for any company, both employees and even employers. It is like the canvas, where if you have the right formula and the right number of painting components, you will emerge with a masterpiece. Employee motivation is one of those things you never score yourself 100% on because there is always room for improvement. The starting point for any workplace is showing respect for their employees. Say thank you when they do well and mean it; celebrate mistakes, take learnings, and direct energy to fixing issues and ensure the same mistake is not repeated again and again. It is genuinely very easy to recognise an organisation where people are valued. When you walk in, you instantly sense it.
What are your reflections/thoughts on working in the same organisation for over five years? How would you advise younger professionals?
Working at GE for five years as a full-time employee and for 18 months before that as a contractor just sort of happened. In total, I worked for almost seven years at GE. I stayed because I kept learning and adding value, and that value also resulted in more work, more responsibilities, and being promoted to the next level. If I hadn’t thought there were opportunities for me to grow at GE, I would have left earlier. Employees should do what they believe works best for them and their careers. They should not respond out of fear for their future or because the last career article they have read has advised them to change jobs every three years. A lot of it boils down to finding enjoyment in your work, adding value there, and being financially compensated adequately for your job. That can happen by staying with one company for many years or moving to other companies in the same sector or different sectors.
What are some of the critical certifications anyone looking to build a career in HR should plan to attempt? Why and how are these professional certifications and memberships relevant?
There’s the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) in Nigeria, the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) in the US, and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) in the UK. There’s also the HR Professional Association (HRPA) in Ontario, Canada, and it’s equivalent in other Provinces in Canada for many Nigerian folks moving this way. All these organisations have various certifications that interested parties can apply for. Within the HR field, all these certifications constitute a strong foundation for an HR professional, but nothing trumps experience.
You relocated to Canada and took on new interests. What inspired this move? What has the experience been like, and how would you advise readers looking to relocate elsewhere for work and study?
For the cliche reason of ‘a better life’ 😀 Opportunities to excel further in my career, to go back to school, and enjoy the benefits of a world-class education, to challenge my worldview, to re-examine myself, my identity and my goals. So far, so good. One of my biggest lessons here has been learning new life tools to thrive here. The lifestyle is very different from Nigeria, and to bloom, you must be highly adaptable.
It has been a very humbling and enriching experience. Anything you have to do that will stretch you and take you out of your comfort zone will also help you grow. You must grow through the good and bad days, whether you like it or not. Before my move to Canada, I said I was going to treat the entire experience as an adventure, and it sure has been one. I’m thankful because I am learning every day and spending time growing my network here.
In spite of hectic days and busy schedules, what do you do for fun and relaxation? What else are you passionate about?
I’m such an artsy person, so my interests outside work are around music, dance, stage plays, spoken word poetry, books, art shows and food. All these things relax me. I’m also passionate about travelling, and I blog at www.noteyscribbles.wordpress.com.
What are your middle and long-term career goals?
Generally, I am working towards achieving greater strides in my career and more balance in the other aspects of my life: spirituality, finances, family, health and recreation. My mid-term goals are to continue to build expertise in People and Culture matters and harnessing my strengths in facilitating and being a catalyst for positive change in organisations and the society. Long term, I need to be more financially secure and lead a balanced family life. Today, I am building solid foundations for my long-term goals.
Tell us something about yourself…something we won’t find on your blog and on social media!
I love plantain; I really, really do! In all shapes and forms — ripe, unripe, boiled, fried, dried, cooked in pepper soup. Plantain is a staple food in the South-South region of Nigeria where I am from and I have so many happy memories stemming from eating plantain. Plantain truly makes everything better!
Is there anything else you would like to add/share with us?
Own your truth and speak it as often as you can. This way, you find your place in this world, and you are not ashamed to be your true and authentic self.