A better career progression in the AI era: Getting ready to pursue a career transformation mentally and professionally for a brighter future
MARLEQ: Welcome to our global team. Tell us what your expectations were while joining the MARLEQ team.
Ayman Rizk: I would like to support everyone around the globe to land their dream job successfully and to teach whoever is interested in pursuing HR as a career the main core stones and build together the right infrastructure that will help them hit the ground running and become up to speed in that particular field.
MARLEQ: Why did you choose the HR sector?
Ayman Rizk: HR was my passion before being my professional career as it can be defined as the science of dealing with people and I am a people person and I like exploring different personalities & cultures, matching the right opportunities to the best fit and great calibers, support people in studying their next move and support employees become better served in their organizations, hence HR was the right career path for me.
MARLEQ: Where have you lived so far and does this help you and your clients?
Ayman Rizk: I lived in my adorable home country Egypt, Tajikistan, Palestine, Syria, Italy, Mozambique and Turkey. It will help both of us as I became familiar with the organization needs in those countries and in other European countries and countries in the Middle East and Africa that I haven’t lived there but served remotely and this made me familiar with the nature, culture and employment criteria needed in those countries which will better help me serve my clients.
MARLEQ: How has your HR Certification helped your clients become more valuable professionals?
Ayman Rizk: As I am certified as a PHRi, SPHRi, holding a Diploma in HRM from Notting Hill College, MBA holder from ESLSCA, France and currently studying CIPD in People Management, Level 7, UK, this helped me a lot in guiding my clients towards all aspects related to their HR career, next Career Step, building their CV, mastering the Interview and finding the right job. It also helped others flourish through their career towards better change management and culture transformation approaches.
MARLEQ: Ideally, who's your target audience and what do they stand to benefit from working with you?
Ayman Rizk: My target audience includes all generations from college students, fresh graduates, seniors & managers & directors regardless of their age. The key benefits include better exploring their capabilities and I will help them thrive in what they do or change to better serve their career.
MARLEQ: What suggestions do you have for professionals who are worried about AI taking over their jobs?
Ayman Rizk: Indeed, AI is dominating and conquering the world so I always advise all professionals to keep on learning besides their job as life is an ongoing learning journey that shouldn’t end, they should also explore other careers besides their own careers as plan B when things hit the fan. Also, they need to read more about AI, explore ChatGPT, and make sure to have it as part of their work and make the most out of it in finalizing their daily tasks, research, and papers. AI is a non-stoppable train so they need to find ways to catch it and never resist change.
MARLEQ: What three career tips do you have for entry-level professionals to accelerate their careers?
Ayman Rizk: 1) Be very flexible, don’t ever complain a lot or say no. Just adapt, say yes, learn and explore. It is too early to be picky.
2) Ask a lot, never be afraid of asking your peers, tutors, direct supervisors, etc.
3) Never stop learning and enhancing your competencies with some theoretical knowledge and brainstorming sessions and workshops, this will also help you open the door for 2 careers instead of one which will serve as a good substitute in case you are forced to leave your job due to downsizing or other reasons.
MARLEQ: How does your service help expatriates settle in corporate Egypt?
Ayman Rizk: It can help them understand the way recruitment is carried on in Egypt and accordingly it will increase their chances of getting shortlisted for international posts advertised in Egypt in different organizations.
MARLEQ: Personally, what has helped you in your career progression so far and how can this help your clients?
Ayman Rizk: Persistence, setting short milestones for myself, setting a longer ambitious plan, eagerness to learn every year or every other year to keep my mindset rolling in terms of innovation and new methodologies introduced, being coached by great leaders, accepting failure, and starting all over again. Mentoring someone is a two-way communication between a mentor and a mentee and I believe both benefits not only the mentee. I am happy to build those areas for my clients and make them set the right plan for themselves.
MARLEQ: How many languages do you speak and how can your clients benefit from this?
Ayman Rizk: Arabic and English, I think those two languages are conquering almost all continents so clients from all over the world can reach out to me for support, especially all Arab countries around the globe including conflict-affected areas whom I will be honored to serve.
MARLEQ: How do you relax after a long week? Share your best quote, book, and movie with us.
Ayman Rizk: I travel back to my hometown Alexandria, have my breakfast and coffee in a place called Sporting Club, my favorite place in Alexandria directly facing the green areas along with my wife and little kid to rewind and enjoy my time with my family, parents and friends. I like walking or jogging to get rid of all negative vibes and get ready for another challenging week. I sometimes play Paddle Tennis as all sports with a racquet are my favorite.
My favorite quote is ''change before you have to''. My favorite movie is ''Independence Day'' and my favorite book is ''The Secret''.
