ubaobi: Nice thread....been working for the past 6 months as a systems maintenance engineer. though i read Elect/Electronics. wish to up my game though by getting a professional certification. but kinda confused the path to take between MCSA Windows Server 2012 and MCSE Enterprise Desktop Administrator (windows 7) even though there is an upgrade path from the latter to the former. also dont know if i ll venture into windows 8 certification instead of a windows 7 cert given the kind of reception the OS has gotten. appreciate ur advice peeps.

netotse: Hey pple,

Mennnn. . .life outside the maintenance department isn't exactly easy, now ALL, and I mean ALL the people I have to deal with on the other side are senior to me in terms of age and experience so sometimes I feel out of place but for most parts it's rewarding(esp when they aren't making snide remarks. . .lol). I haven't done anything remotely related to electrical engineering in my new role, it's mostly cost management and project stuff.

I had my baptism of fire last month and I tell you it was hell, we had a failure on a gas valve and had to switch fuels and ended up burning a fuel that was more than 5 times more expensive than my fuel of choice, it goes without saying I was sober for a bit , of course it told on my costs for the month but since I was still under budget I only got one mail querying my decision.

These days, the most important thing to me is the unit cost of power for the plants, I barely have the mental fortitude to keep up with the status of individual equipment in the plants, I seriously need advice on multi-tasking, I've taken to carrying an A5 notebook around and jotting stuff down but I've almost lost that book twice. . .smh

where's evryone?

AjanleKoko: Easter time, end-of-year time, performance bonus time

Emperoh: Ok guys, i think a new career era is about to open for me and i am excited about it.
If you look back through my post, or followed through my comments on this topic, you should be able to place where i am coming from.
But for those who don't know, i will do a little chronicle and then allow it dovetail into the current situation.

I graduated in 2006 and finished NYSC at the foremost Newspaper house in Nigeria; 2007.
Almost immediately, i went to work for the Nigerian based alumni association of the most prestigious Business School in the World.
I spent 3 years with them. When i felt chances where passing me by in other sectors, the need to upgrade academically set in.
I left in 2010 to do an M.Sc in Media and Communication with a bias for Marketing Communication at the best PG university in Nigeria
Yes best!! Is it not. . . . cues but we should be able to place it right?

Anyway, fast forward a year later, September 2011 and i was done with my thesis and defended as well
and back i went into the job market, while waiting for the graduation ceremony. I knew it won't be easy but i didn't expect it to be as hard as it became.
I did a couple of consultancies for A media group and the owners of the popular Youths Award brand. I also worked briefly with them in helping with publicity for the launch of a popular satellite music TV channel in Nigeria as well as publicity for a reality TV show.

Well, i had to leave them December last year when i got an adhoc job with a multinational consulting firm.
It was meant to dovetail into a permanent job in a research and market intelligence role since i wrote a test and went through the interview processes.
Well, long story short, after documentation and filing, including continuous submission of my research reports, i was asked to start February 1st but lo, story enter oh
One British Oga, as dem talk, withdrew my offer and they won't be going ahead with recruiting me any more. Devastated? More than. . . but i had to move on.

Little businesses here and there as well a small offer from a relatives agency kept me going while my business proposal was in the works
as well as applications. I also lost another offer with a digital marketing company and turned down 2 offers since it didn't meet my career objectives and target as well.

It all looked like good things were not meant for me until last week, God popped up and said it's my time.
I did a CV broadcast to my 'friend' at the alumni association i worked as well as contacts i met from other companies i worked with during my time there.
Well, one better, past Oga of one of Nigeria's big banks got in touch on Saturday night and asked to see me the following day at his office.
We had a chat (over 2hrs of interview) on Sunday. . . . .i was invited to come and work with him. . . . i picked my offer letter last night and i am going to be working on a brand management role.
What i have always wanted and what i concentrated on in my M.Sc!!

I am really looking forward to the job. The office ambiance, relationship between staff and the whole set-up is just awesome.
I hope the external looks are or can be equated to the internal issues.
I resume Oct. 2nd. . . . . . more gist by then and maybe will answer questions!!

My career story from the post above is yet to end. Maybe from now but at least, i have something i am happy to work at every morning.

Continuing from the above, i have to do some more story telling.
As expected, i resumed on the 2nd of October as my offer letter indicated. And i couldn't have imagine the warm welcome that awaited me. It was as if everyone was waiting on me. Resumption modalities over, i sat down to a heap of documents i had to attend to. Develop or fine tune brand management policies as well set design parameters and bench mark. It was really a challenge. I expected it though.

Monday flew past and Tuesday came. I sat in two meetings including that of a team of sport promoters looking for sponsors for some celebrity athletes coming to Nigeria. Now, within the two days i spent here, i discovered a trend. All decisions even as little as procurement of brand paraphernalia must have the approval of the group Chairman before it flies. I am talking of issues like procurement of banners, roll up banners etc. You just needed to conceptualize it, do a business case for it and send to your supervisor/line manager for approval. This will eventually get to the Chairman. I also realized that in as much he has empowered a lot of young people, he still has the final say. His decisions are also erratic. He could say one thing today and reverse it tomorrow. I also realized that there were 'favoured' employees especially the senior people he brought from the bank where he was last GMD and as if the Nigerian system, everyone worked to please him.

Well, i didn't mind. It is his business and moreover, I had a job to do and i was more than excited about it. Just a brief overview. The group serves as the Chairman's holding company for his interests in the bank he last worked as GMD, his investment in a conglomerate that he also almost owns -at least up to 80 percent- and some other investments unbundled from the bank including real estate, financial markets, oil and gas, Health and Health insurance etc. It was quite big.

Wednesday came and his wife who manages the hospital does a memo to him asking him to help procure medical case note files for the hospital. It's basically a file folder used in keeping record of patients in the hospital. The request goes to my line manager and then as expected, lands on my desk. Now, this wouldn't be a normally difficult task, as i thought. But a couple of things made it hard.

A couple of printer vendors didn't like working with them since they had a high premium on standard and won't pay if you don't meet up. Hence, they will either print from UK or US for external documents. This has cost a couple of the printers to lose money for jobs cancelled. However, this being an internal document and given the urgency of need, i had to do it locally. Well, i called for quotations and got 3 or 5 vendors. I also included the agency i last worked with since they do printing. They submitted theirs. The really good sample designs were expensive and the printer wanted some upfront payment as a security. The not so good ones were ok price wise but the quality wasn't 'world class'.

By Thursday, the pressure was much so i sent in the designs and their prices since my line manager was going to see the Chairman. The files were re-designed by Oga's wife and sent back to me. I contacted the printers notifying them of the change. Prices changed with the new design. In any case, by Friday, after plenty pressure, i recommended the guy with the highest quality and high price, since they know him and have worked with him. My line manager citing the high price said she didn't want to work with the guy and in turn recommended another person to the Chairman copying me in the mail. It turned out it was my former company she recommended.

In between all these, the hospital as of Thursday, sent in a quote from their printer which looked ok price wise but since we hadn't seen their design, we couldn't decide whether to use them. My line manager asked me in a mail, if i had seen their sample design and i responded emphatically, NO!. In that response, i copied the hospital contact person asking him to get the printer to send me a design ASAP. My line manager responds with a warning to me not to CC 'external contacts' in internal mails.

Friday night around 8pm, Chairman responds, asking if we had seen the sample design of the hospital printers. My line manager responds, No! Her response was at about 10pm. 5.00am Saturday morning, Chairman ask that we, 'See hospital printer's sample for completeness'.

We will normally have a knowledge sharing session with the whole group staff members on every first saturday of the month. I arrived the office early and did the set up for the event with the communications assistant. We shared some issues, discussed group problems and also some accomplishments including the issuance of a license for Health Insurance business. I alongside two others where introduced as new staff and was congratulated.

After the event, during the cocktails down stairs, i was on my desk doing some work when the Hospital contact comes in to introduce himself. We exchanged pleasantries and discussed about the sample. I also queried why they needed to
go through us just to procure such a small set of files. We laughed over it and he left. He comes back a couple of minutes later with a disturbing question. That he understood i had made efforts to contact their printer. To which i responded to the negative. This was aside the request i made through him. Sounding surprised he then said that Madam, 'my line manager' - she is also a director in the company so everyone respected her big time - wanted to see me.

Before her, she queried me for giving her the impression that i had samples from the printer whereas i didn't have and as such made her lie to the company chairman that she had the samples. Confusion took over me. I tried to recollect in that instant if i had made any submissions to her to the effect that i had the hospital printer's sample. I couldn't remember and told her as such that i can't remember telling her so. She wasn't satisfied and immediately questioned my integrity and how i may not be a trustworthy person. Hmmm! Well i looked bemused but all the same apologised for the wrong impression assured her i didn't mean any harm. I however suggested that even if i had told her any such thing, it was an honest error as i hadn't. Before her, i asked the Hospital contact to please expedite action. She dismissed us. I thought the case had ended and naively left.

Monday morning which was meant to be induction for new staff. I came in quite early and attended to a few mails including that on medical case files. I saw her enter the office, greeted her and she didn't respond to me. I didn't bother.
9am, i went in for the induction program which is a week long affair. After the first session and mid way into the second, the HR Director comes in and calls me, asking me to come with all my belongings. I thought an urgent external assignment was in the offing. I proudly strutted off the room behind the lady. Only if i knew what awaited me in her office.

In her office, the group COO was seated and motioned me to a seat. He then asked me to recount what went between me and the line manager which i did. Well, they all sounded like i did something wrong; in actual fact, the case was apparently presented like i lied and was covering it up. Well, the worst i suspected at that point was a stern warning. But when the COO asked me to go get company stuff in my possession, i knew the game was up.
I went to my desk, got all their docs and stuff in my possession and handed it over to the COO. And then he goes, 'U are such an intelligent chap and if your interview performance is anything to go by, i know you will go places. Unfortunately, management has decided to terminate your appointment. We wish you all the best. . . . . i didn't pay attention from this point since i was dazed. All i could mutter was; Just like that? No effort to hear my own side of the story? To which he answers, yes, just like that.

Oh well, after a few moments after he left the office, i stood up, took my things and left. Crest fallen, badly shaken and totally bereft of any ideas as to why this was happening to me. I fought back tears particular because i loved the job so so much!!

Three protest letters to the chairman and till date no answer. I counted my losses and moved on. But the shock as yet to leave me. Whatever be the reason is left for you readers to deduce. One thing was clear, my story wasn't complete yet and back into the job market i went.

October flew past, November followed it and then December. How i survived those months, only God knew. After the xmas holidays, i was returning to Lagos with no idea of what could be next. I just trusted God and believed in my abilities. Well, he never fails. Middle of January, browsing through Nairaland, i saw the opening! A popular UK culture and art organization!!!! They were managing a program for DFID and needed someone with my profile. I did the application in 5 days and submitted 5 minutes to deadline. End of January, after i had forgotten, their call email come through inviting for a chat in Abuja. Within the same week, i did two other interviews with LBS and an FMCG conglomerate.

Of all three, two came in successful. I made my choice and relocated to Abuja. Painful as it was leaving Lagos, i had to since the exposure was worth it. I found myself in the developmental and aid sector with plenty foreign aids left right and center. I am currently working on a 5 year DFID funded program managed by the UK organisation with benefits slightly better than the company where i was sacked. But i still think i prefer that job to this one given the large portfolio under me. I also think that job would have given me more opportunities to do new things etc. But who can question God. I am really grateful for where i am and will do my best to discharge this role creditably well.

So for now, my story has an end; i hope!!

AjanleKoko: @Emperoh,
In fact, there's another story of a mass purge of technical staff at that same bank, because the generator gave out one night during a late-night board meeting. The entire technical staff were let go. So, not to worry. If it is the same guy, your case is not the first of its kind.

Table Leg :


Generator packed up and people got fired for that?

Wonderful!!!!

AjanleKoko: @Emperoh,
Pretty sure that the chairman knew nothing about what happened to you, or maybe they put the blame for the whole printing fiasco on you. It's always like that when you work with all these larger-than-life figures. They are always surrounded by sycophants and yes-men.

Not to worry, the best still awaits you. If I guess right, I believe I know that chairman you refer to. A close friend of mine was once fired from his bank (his previous one before he merged it with a bigger legacy one) just because the HR person did not like the look of him. Yes, she said he was smiling too much

In fact, there's another story of a mass purge of technical staff at that same bank, because the generator gave out one night during a late-night board meeting. The entire technical staff were let go. So, not to worry. If it is the same guy, your case is not the first of its kind.

AjanleKoko:

Yep.
It's not really a story. A friend of mine was affected by the mass sack. Happened more than a decade ago.

A lot of these so-called 'business idols' are in reality insecure megalomaniacs.

nitrogen:
When employees (especially local ones) are caressed and controlled with levity hands, we all now the definite consequences on the business and the economy at large.
But his own is too much 'jare'.

Table Leg :


In theory, this sort of treatment is meted out predominantly to local employees right?

AjanleKoko:

Maybe. They are local entrepreneurs. And remember the labour laws in Nigeria don't exactly protect the employee from a lot.

AjanleKoko:
Maybe. They are local entrepreneurs. And remember the labour laws in Nigeria don't exactly protect the employee from a lot.

Emperoh:

U know, at some point i contemplated legal action. Cos i felt the sacking wasn't justified and again, i wasn't given a chance to a hearing. But i was discouraged by two things; the energy expended on the fight could be used in fixing myself up in something else. Again, to what end actually? To retrieve the job? And then get victimized all through your stay or seek compensation? That won't be the likely end. Again, with the prominence of this man, his closeness to the corridors of power and his financial backbone, baring divine intervention, i will be doomed!! Cos I may not win.

Table Leg :


In theory, this sort of treatment is meted out predominantly to local employees right?

AjanleKoko:

Maybe. They are local entrepreneurs. And remember the labour laws in Nigeria don't exactly protect the employee from a lot.

Table Leg :


If everything was set in place (labour laws, employment tribunal etc...) for you to challenge the dismissal, there is no way you wont win!
And you don't need the job back, all you need is a compensation for the unfair dismissal and assurances that they wont be giving you bad references or recommendations ... Simples!
They wont even dare try you if the laws and a tribunal system is in place in the first place ..... They risk the reputational damage, financial loss and any other associated negativity for something trivial ....
You end up on the winning side ........ regardless!

nitrogen:

Oh yes! It is easy to say than to do in Nigeria, when you think of all that will be channelled to the case and what have we, costs, energy, time and others, one can only whine about it, and no action is taken. Wanted to add that one should add the rigours to go through, especially with the incessant adjournment of cases and the corrupt judges........ but when I saw the bolded (particularly the word 'if') then I sensed it that you really did catch the drift.

Quite pathetic! One thing that I know is that we will surely get there someday.