I'm in a quagmire as regards my career at the moment. I have recently gotten admission to a school in Scotland to do my MSC in a very promising field in ICT and just yesterday got a Job Offer from one of the foremost insurance firms in the country(In their IT department). Quickly pounced on the offer cos i have been out of sorts in my current place and the benefits are very good though the pay could be better. Kinda confused on whether to just defer the admission indefinitely till further notice or plunge into the deep and head out for the MSC. . What do you think guys?

Double N:

I'm in a quagmire as regards my career at the moment. I have recently gotten admission to a school in Scotland to do my MSC in a very promising field in ICT and just yesterday got a Job Offer from one of the foremost insurance firms in the country(In their IT department). Quickly pounced on the offer cos i have been out of sorts in my current place and the benefits are very good though the pay could be better. Kinda confused on whether to just defer the admission indefinitely till further notice or plunge into the deep and head out for the MSC. . What do you think guys?

this depends on how old you are and what your definition of acceptable risk is. . . I would consider career growth, I'm wary about working in organisations where you are not part of the "core business" because when push comes to shove you aren't really vital for the company to survive although these days IT is becoming core to just about any industry.

Double N:

I'm in a quagmire as regards my career at the moment. I have recently gotten admission to a school in Scotland to do my MSC in a very promising field in ICT and just yesterday got a Job Offer from one of the foremost insurance firms in the country(In their IT department). Quickly pounced on the offer cos i have been out of sorts in my current place and the benefits are very good though the pay could be better. Kinda confused on whether to just defer the admission indefinitely till further notice or plunge into the deep and head out for the MSC. . What do you think guys?

It all depends on you.
I'd say experience is a lot more valuable than academics> I'd say defer for a year and get the work experience, then see how things go.
Are you degree qualified in IT? Why do you want to do an Msc? Just curious.

netotse:

this depends on how old you are and what your definition of acceptable risk is. . . I would consider career growth, I'm wary about working in organisations where you are not part of the "core business" because when push comes to shove you aren't really vital for the company to survive although these days IT is becoming core to just about any industry.

I am in the later part of my twenties and not shy of taking risks. The Organisation in question is on the verge of hopping on the e-business train and sees IT as a key component needed to achieve its goals.

AjanleKoko:

It all depends on you.
I'd say experience is a lot more valuable than academics> I'd say defer for a year and get the work experience, then see how things go.
Are you degree qualified in IT? Why do you want to do an Msc? Just curious.

I am not degree qualified in IT,i read one of dem Biological sciences in school and had a year of training in one of those Indian run 'IT schools'. What makes me relevant is that i have managed to acquire some very important IT certifications (With Hand's on Knowledge). As for the Msc in IT, the reason i choose to proceed with it was in order to get some knowledge and exposure i might not get in my immediate environment. Also to shoot my self up the Pecking order.

Like Netostse and Ajanlekoko it sounds to me like pursuing a career is the way to go. If I were in your shoes, I'd definitely pick the career path.
Hands on experience over 'books' anytime. You must know, or have heard, about a number of people who spent hard earned money on so called foreign degrees and came back to lanu si ategun i.e no promising jobs.

If you weren't gainfully employed, I would have said yes go for the degree.
So stick with your career, if it's a correct place as you have implied, you would get to go on trainings and if your heart still yearns after the books, you could take a study leave after a couple of years (depending on your org) or look into distance learning.

tollu:

Like Netostse and Ajanlekoko it sounds to me like pursuing a career is the way to go. If I were in your shoes, I'd definitely pick the career path.
Hands on experience over 'books' anytime. You must know, or have heard, about a number of people who spent hard earned money on so called foreign degrees and came back to lanu si ategun i.e no promising jobs.

If you weren't gainfully employed, I would have said yes go for the degree.
So stick with your career, if it's a correct place as you have implied, you would get to go on trainings and if your heart still yearns after the books, you could take a study leave after a couple of years (depending on your org) or look into distance learning.

Thanks for the advice.

Double N:

I'm in a quagmire as regards my career at the moment. I have recently gotten admission to a school in Scotland to do my MSC in a very promising field in ICT and just yesterday got a Job Offer from one of the foremost insurance firms in the country(In their IT department). Quickly pounced on the offer cos i have been out of sorts in my current place and the benefits are very good though the pay could be better. Kinda confused on whether to just defer the admission indefinitely till further notice or plunge into the deep and head out for the MSC. . What do you think guys?

My tuppence worth here, since you are not degree qualified in IT, this p/g course might actually help you get a stronghold in the field; 'cause at the end of the day when you are up against people who are IT qualified and with equal/similar level of experience for a job that might actually count against you.

lol-ade:

My tuppence worth here, since you are not degree qualified in IT, [s]this p/g course might actually help you get a stronghold in the field[/s]; 'cause at the end of the day when you are up against people who are IT qualified and with equal/similar level of experience for a job that might actually count against you.

Nah it won't.
All that's needed in IT is, Experience and certifications.

jay bee:

Nah it won't.
All that's needed in IT is, Experience and certifications.

Really, i thought it it was the same as other disciplines

Good day guys.

Am urgently in need of some professional IT books.

Where can I see good bookshops in Lagos.

The books include one on Business Information Systems.

Thanks

Double N:

I'm in a quagmire as regards my career at the moment. I have recently gotten admission to a school in Scotland to do my MSC in a very promising field in ICT and just yesterday got a Job Offer from one of the foremost insurance firms in the country(In their IT department). Quickly pounced on the offer cos i have been out of sorts in my current place and the benefits are very good though the pay could be better. Kinda confused on whether to just defer the admission indefinitely till further notice or plunge into the deep and head out for the MSC. . What do you think guys?

Defer your admission for 1 year and take the job.  If you don't like it then you can leave after 1 year.  If you do like it, figure out how long you can defer your admission for and if your firm grants study leave after a number of years.  You just might be able to defer your admission long enough for you to enjoy the best of both worlds (attend the school while on study leave)

Chybyke07:

Good day guys.

Am urgently in need of some professional IT books.

Where can I see good bookshops in Lagos.

The books include one on Business Information Systems.

Thanks

Check out either CSS Bookstore, Silverbird Lifestyle store, or Jeff & O'Brien (dunno if they are still in biz, they used to be on Unity Road Ikeja).

Thanks guys for all the advice,i have decided to take up the new Job. The MSC is a no no now because i still have to make the initial deposit before i can defer the admission. . i can't afford to tie up such huge amount of money (2,500GBP)! so its a no go for now. Thanks once again for the advice pips.

^^^^
Good decision.
Foreign degree is no longer as hyped over here as before.

We have tons of jobless foreign degree holders in Naija.
Your experience is what really counts these days.

BlueDiva:

^^^^
Good decision.
Foreign degree is no longer as hyped over here as before.

We have tons of jobless foreign degree holders in Naija.
Your experience is what really counts these days.

BD,
Where have you been?

Just spent 8 days working in the desert at one of the gas processing facilities. . . .mehn those guys working permanently there deserve every penny of the armed robber salaries they get paid. Spending just one week there has made me blacker than charcoal and I think I actually felt my brain cells being roasted after a while.

I've always suspected deserts aren't flat and just sand dunes like we see in the movies and I've confirmed that now - the landscape is simply breathtaking at some points. Seeing the sun rise with nothing in the way is just awesome. . . . till it starts to roast you and you run inside for cover.

Got introduced to like 50 different people - i'm sure I've forgotten 90% of the names already. One of the great things about this job is the variety of people you meet - Romanians, Filipinos, Bosnians, Norwegians, Americans, Frenchies, Ecuadorians, name it.

A downside is all the politics - almost every group has an agenda and you need to understand it first of all and then find a way to convince them to to get your own work to proceed.

I did enjoy getting out of the office for a while, but I am glad to go back to my normal 8 or 9 hour days - those 12 hour shifts are a killer.

debosky:

Just spent 8 days working in the desert at one of the gas processing facilities. . . .mehn those guys working permanently there deserve every penny of the armed robber salaries they get paid. Spending just one week there has made me blacker than charcoal and I think I actually felt my brain cells being roasted after a while.

I've always suspected deserts aren't flat and just sand dunes like we see in the movies and I've confirmed that now - the landscape is simply breathtaking at some points. Seeing the sun rise with nothing in the way is just awesome. . . . till it starts to roast you and you run inside for cover.

Got introduced to like 50 different people - i'm sure I've forgotten 90% of the names already. One of the great things about this job is the variety of people you meet - Romanians, Filipinos, Bosnians, Norwegians, Americans, Frenchies, Ecuadorians, name it.

A downside is all the politics - almost every group has an agenda and you need to understand it first of all and then find a way to convince them to to get your own work to proceed.

I did enjoy getting out of the office for a while, but I am glad to go back to my normal 8 or 9 hour days - those 12 hour shifts are a killer.

take away the desert and you're welcome to my world (minus the armed robber salary ). . .


@thread
today is my confirmation interview. . .it's been postponed thrice (once at my instance), I just dey wait make them ask me "do you have any questions or comments about the company?". . .

BlueDiva:

^^^^
Good decision.
Foreign degree is no longer as hyped over here as before.

We have tons of jobless foreign degree holders in Naija.
Your experience is what really counts these days.

i thought i was the only one that has been observing this in recent time. I had a chat few days ago with 2 ex-classmates of mine who left their banking jobs to do their Masters in UK. They have been back for few months now and still looking for job.

But in my own company, you stand high chance of being re-absorbed after going for Masters abroad, especially if your made it clearn that your going was for study leave.

Meanwhile, on a personal note, yours sincerely got his first Accounting professional qualification(ACA) last week. Add 3+ years experience in Accounting to that, and I'm still not convinced Accounting job is my career destination. Economics(where i had my first degree and planning to have further degrees) still remains my first love. I just wrote ICAN to keep myself busy and perhaps to be competitive where i find myself(Accouting job). I will be through with CITN(Tax) too shortly by God's grace. But despite all these, I'm still pushing for an institution where Economics, more than Accounting, will be what I'll be doing/using on operational basis.

debosky:

Just spent 8 days working in the desert at one of the gas processing facilities. . . .mehn those guys working permanently there deserve every penny of the armed robber salaries they get paid.[b] Spending just one week there has made me blacker than charcoal [/b]and I think I actually felt my brain cells being roasted after a while.

You need to wear sunscreen!

After following this thread for long, i make a debut. Though activities here are no longer beehive. I work with a commercial bank

BlueDiva:

^^^^
Good decision.
Foreign degree is no longer as hyped over here as before.

We have tons of jobless foreign degree holders in Naija.
Your experience is what really counts these days.

Foreign degrees have never been overhyped. Back in the days, there were few of them who when competing with local degree holders always have the edge of attending foreign schools. And even till date, they are still preferred ahead of our local graduates, but, there have been a surge in the number of foreign graduates. Add this to the skyrocketing unemployment rate and you can only imagine.
Just a thougth: do you remember the last Zenith, FBN, UBA, and co yearly recruitment exercise? For all i know, its only PWC that has been consistent and a little transparent in the yearly recruitment exercise thing. And this is just for entry level graduates.

Jarus,
Why aren't you pursuing a postgrad in economics?

AjanleKoko:

Jarus,
Why aren't you pursuing a postgrad in economics?

sure. that's been in the cards for long. got durham msc econs admission in 2007, but kept deferring due to work.

already settled for same course in Lag later this year, on part time basis

Personal advice- if you are going to leave Nigeria to go abroad for a grad degree, make sure its a school that worth its name, not all these 'gbarogudu' schools in the UK (and there are a lot of them). And all the better if you can get a scholarship, so you are not spending your own money!

shilling:

You need to wear sunscreen!

Dunno if sunscreen would work on the type of sun in this place. . . .your skin gets so hot you can fry eggs on it.

Big congrats to oga Jarus - have a few drinks (non-alcoholic of course ) on me.

netotse:

take away the desert and you're welcome to my world (minus the armed robber salary ). . .

I'm still thinking of applying to work there full time, though I doubt the management will agree to that move, regardless of the cash.

@thread
today is my confirmation interview. . .it's been postponed thrice (once at my instance), I just dey wait make them ask me "do you have any questions or comments about the company?". . .

I have a question you could've asked - why do you tell lies to the press by announcing the plant is completed while we're still carrying out commissioning?

Jarus:

sure. that's been in the cards for long. got durham msc econs admission in 2007, but kept deferring due to work.

already settled for same course in Lag later this year, on part time basis

Or you could go for a masters in finance, since you're already beating a path down that track. Economics might be too theoretical for industry.

Try this:-

http://www.perpetual20.com/?id=ngochiana2011

@Topic,
Work is  . . . well, work. Same old same old.
Just back from a short break, and already hankering to go on leave again

loma:

Personal advice- if you are going to leave Nigeria to go abroad for a grad degree, make sure its a school that worth its name, not all these 'gbarogudu' schools in the UK (and there are a lot of them). And all the better if you can get a scholarship, so you are not spending your own money!

Yes Boss!

enrol in a rubbish school, get admission, borrow to pay, if you come back here, OYO LO WA

nothing for you


@Topic
same ol same

Left IB for personal runs and its been helluva work. cash wise, its been better tho but now i know to be a man, its not even a years job.

aside my personal engagements, ill be working with some PE guys from the US on a project in the North. 18months of Lagos-Abuja-Jo'bourg in the offing This would start in September but the prob now is how to combine my personal runs with this. The experience, emoluments and the calibre of people on the project would not make me say NO

ive got about 30 days to clear my head and be sure of what i want

aside career, the race to get married is gathering momentum. watch this space oh

Senıor TKB, I was about openıng a thread, askıng 'where ıs TKB?.

Good to know you've left IB for personal runs. Very decısıve.

Jarus:

Senıor TKB, I was about openıng a thread, askıng 'where ıs TKB?.

Good to know you've left IB for personal runs. Very decısıve.

Jarus the Genius!

Yeah, very decisive. had to do it . Thats the only way i can ever be fulfilled as an individual

how is ur Iyawo?

tkb417:

@Topic
same ol same

Left IB for personal runs and its been helluva work. cash wise, its been better tho but now i know to be a man, its not even a years job.

aside my personal engagements, ill be working with some PE guys from the US on a project in the North. 18months of Lagos-Abuja-Jo'bourg in the offing This would start in September but the prob now is how to combine my personal runs with this. The experience, emoluments and the calibre of people on the project would not make me say NO

ive got about 30 days to clear my head and be sure of what i want

aside career, the race to get married is gathering momentum. watch this space oh

Nice one tkb,
Was wondering where you had gotten to.
Personal runs is always the most rewarding.
We should talk sometime.

A wa pa jare.