She kept pronouncing it as
“Kola”, so don’t blame me. I attended a career conference in Abuja and got to
learn a lot from the Hausa woman who gave a lecture. One of the flaws of fresh
unemployed Nigerian graduates is the lust for white kola (collar) jobs or
nothing else. Everybody wants to be in an office, without wanting to explore
the very wide range of options they have.
1. Studies
On finishing your youth service, you could immediately start furthering your
studies with not just a masters degree but professional training. This does
not just boost your CV but also gives you an edge over the competition as one
would have much more to talk about during an interview and also have the
opportunity for team work and leadership positions, especially if missed out on
during previous years.
2. Get doing
(Entrepreneurship)
Another angle of attack for a fresh graduate is entrepreneurship. I could go on
and keep talking career talk that you have probably heard many times, but the
fact remains: You can never become a BILLIONAIRE with PAID EMPLOYMENT. Yes,
there. I said it. Quote me anytime, any day. That would only happen if the value
of the naira drops to that of Zimbabwe's currency.
3. Aim for the knowledge,
not just money.
This is Nigeria, and unlike
some thirty years back when having a degree more or less guarantees you a job,
you have to fight tooth and nail for it. The truth is, no matter how qualified
you are for any position, you do not have a 100 percent guarantee because of the
competition. You could also be applying for more internship. Yes the money is
little, more reason for them to hire you. This will not just keep you busy, but
get your CV running on experience unlike your idle counterparts. This also puts
you in a better position for employment, especially within that particular
organisation.
Having said all these, don’t
forget we have baba God in heaven. Best of Luck!
Written by
Amerigo Bonasera
Labels: Guest post, Life and Inspiration
