Manar Al Hinai: The best investment is in yourself

Investment is important but not only in the monetary form. Investment in yourself is key if you want to keep your career on the rise.

Wall Street and other renowned stock markets are famous for many things. Some are good, others are ugly, and every now and then they serve as film sets for Hollywood productions starring A-list actors.

Some people hate hearing anything about stock markets after they have lost all their life savings through bad investments, while others preach investment advice everywhere they go. Whichever team you play for, there is one area that bankers get right – they emphasise the importance of investment. And by that I am not only referring to the monetary form.

Our parents invest heavily in us at the beginning of our lives. They enrol us in the best schools, help us choose the best college major and make sure we intern in top companies before we graduate. We then work extremely hard to ensure we land a respectable job in a good organisation.

But then what happens? With time and a good job, many of us slow down.

You see, our stock value points north as long as we continuously invest in ourselves. But as we get comfortable in that well-paying, secure job, we stop developing ourselves. And then what happens to our stock value? It goes down.

As it falls, it does not become appealing to other investors, in this case other recruiters in the market, to invest in that stock. It did not cope with the changing market trends, and is therefore not worth investing in.

A couple of my acquaintances argue that it is a company’s role to develop its employees and make sure they are up to speed with the latest training programmes, as in the end this will serve them most.

I do agree that an organisation is responsible for developing its employees. But if people depend on that alone, then they are harming themselves.

Organisations go through ups and downs, and they often cut back on training spending. Other times they do not offer the type of course that an employee finds beneficial. And that is why it is important to count on yourself in this area.

If it has been a while since you last invested in yourself, then it is time re-strategise. The good thing about it is that some investments do not require a huge amount of money:

• You do not have to go and get that MBA if you cannot afford it. Start by enrolling in training courses that benefit you on the job, whether they have to do with basic Microsoft Office training or a simple project management course.

• Approach a mentor. Is there anyone you admire in your organisation or field of work? Then develop a relationship with them. Find out how you can learn from their experiences and how they can help you out with your goals.

• Read. If you do not have time to attend a course, or do not have the budget for it, then go to the local library or simply surf the internet and learn more about what interests you. Many training sessions are also uploaded online and accessible for free viewing. Sometimes reading alone gives you expertise in some areas and could actually help you with your career.

• Volunteer and acquire new skills. You can start off at your own organisation and ask to take on tasks or start a project that will be beneficial to your company, and to you as a form of acquiring new skills. You can also volunteer for community organisations in a field of your interest, and learn more about it. For instance, if you want to learn about public relations, you can volunteer on the media committee of a charity organisation. Volunteering also helps you network with different people who may help you in your current, or even your future, career.

When it comes to investing our money in the stock market, there is always a risk involved. However, when we invest in ourselves there is nowhere for the arrow to go except up. Simple investment forms such as reading a book or watching an inspiring talk could change the course of our lives forever to the better. Do something today that your future self will thank you for.

Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer based in Abu Dhabi. Follow her on Twitter: @manar_alhinai

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