• Other

Shaping the nation

Octavia Tsibes





With over eight years of experience, the founder of HR Line, Carmen Lemos, is determined to make an impact.

Lemos worked oversees for years and upon her return to Namibia she noticed that young people are looking for jobs.

“The truth is that most of the resumes are all unsatisfactory. People are chasing vacancies as opposed to their dreams. This is evident from the quality of resumes human resources (HR) professionals receive, to the interviews, to the outcome, getting a job and performance,” Lemos said.

She says she observed a lack of essential skills, including when it comes to emails, Excel, professional writing, self-awareness and HR awareness.

“No one seems to have the tools and resources in place to help individuals with their careers,” she added.

According to Lemos there are employees who are mistreated and underpaid, and who are stuck and unhappy in their jobs.

“Bad service and hygiene is directly correlated to the human resources of the country,” she says.

There were times when Lemos desperately needed an affordable coach to help her with her career in Namibia, but she couldn’t find one. When she couldn’t find someone to assist her, she took it upon herself to establish HR Line.

Lemos says it’s really important to create a culture and put processes in place to ensure that information sharing and decision-making are done in manner that accommodates all.

“When I began this venture I really had to come to terms with the fact that HR Line is not about me or my ego, it’s about its mission, vision and values. I want HR Line to go far and I know that to do so I cannot do it alone,” she said.

Lemos added that part of HR Line’s expansion plan is to “grow through our very own hosted six-month experience programme in marketing, IT and human resources”.

“Those who partake in the experience programme will get the opportunity to pick one of our social projects which most resonates with them.

“Youth will learn skills on the job but also by planning the project launches; they will learn skills that will help aspiring entrepreneurs (to partake in the mentorship programme as mentors). Those who complete the experience programme in HR successfully, will be responsible for their own social project launching and management,” she adds.

Mentorship

HR Line will be launching social projects this year.

“The mentorship programme connects people who have specific skills and knowledge (mentors) with individuals (mentees) who need or want the same skills and advantages to move up in their career, skill level or performance,” Lemos said.

She further explains that mentoring and coaching, although similar, are different. “What I love about coaching is that the relationship is non-hierarchical and it’s assumed that the individual being coached has all of his or her answers, and not the more experienced mentor.

The coach uses tools, techniques and processes to help the client explore different lenses and perspectives to their goals, reality, opportunities and the ways forward.

“It’s much more empowering which is why we have planned to use both alongside in our experience programmes,” Lemos added.