I have been self employed for the past 3 and a half yrs. I have never thought and would never ever think of employemnt till i die!!! and I'm just 25 yrs . . . self employment pays . . .

and i think the naija uni's are producing graduates strictly for employments not to be job creators . . . this country is messed

Even those who are employed in our country are scared of retirement because most of us are not prepared in anyway for the future.

Many of us bought shares in the capital market with the mind of not eating our future, as you read this, some of us are scared of knowing what the value of our shares are, why ?,  it is heart breaking

If our president is still struggling with 1 out of his embellished 7 point agenda at this hour of his regresseively progressing govt, he would need 20 more year to actualise his wishful dreams.

Crucial Topic,
Good contributions,
Pathetic condition.

How can one pray to GOD to protect one's home when the LANDLORD is an ARMED ROBBER.

uhnn, this is deep!

Isn't it obvious why the poster has not been able to pass any of the aptitude tests? His use of English leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, he may "belief in competency rather than certificate", but he needs to prove that he actually studied for the certificate first.

This contribution is not fair. Can you post an article of just two pages and let's see how good you are.

Having read some of the comments on this thread(especially the beginning part), it's quite ironic how poor the tenses are while questions are being asked about the quality of certificates in Nigerian Institutions.

Please get a good education if you can and not cruise through school hoping that your shortcuts will go
undetected.
Please mind your tenses as i'm sure other countries read these threads.
(pidgin na pidgin but attempts to use english should be well orchestrated.)
Goodluck Smiley

It's obvious you've not been to many foreign thread. People use all sort of languages and jargons to communicate on a lot of thread that I've seen. Anyway, this thread is not about who can write the best of grammar. Just make you contribution as best as you can and geeerrrrooouut!
You can see how bad you are in the use of English. You've made many blunders in few lines of words. Too bad!

una don dey turn dis post into english palava

I wonder o!

@ poster,
If u're an HND holder and u 're carrying anyfn below UPPER CREDIT Certificate about.Na OYO U dey.ok?
Upper Credit OYO? I have Distinction and I am still roaming the street for job. I pray something happen soon. Desperate is an understatement for me now.

I know a guy who actually graduated with LOWER CREDIT in one of the "not too good" polytechnics, and yet he was able to secure a job in one of the oil companies with annual salary over 2m.
HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THAT?

ON OND/HND ISSUE

If you are discriminated as a result of it, you are not meant to be there

, because I've seen people who just have some qualification other than a University/Polythecnic qualification and they are working in big establishments. When your time comes, your employer will employ you because you have thjat qualification with you and that's xactly what he needs. Don't forget we have employers of labour who are also HND graduates.

Do you know the number of Universities we have in Nigeria and the maximum number of students all of them can admit per year. my brother water don pass garri, no be small thing!

It is not a crime to dream big especially as students. During my University days, I had that dream and so many graduates do. Who doesn't want to work with those be companies you mentioned. You can dream but waking up to reality is very essential and that is where a lot of undergraduates get trapped. Most graduates are still leaving in the dream world and unfortunately before most of them wake up to reality, a lot of years has been wasted.
@ poster
The NLC is in charge of labour as much as they might be toothless, they have little or nothing they can do to help unmployed graduates. It's sad and disheartening.
A lot of people even working today, earn salaries that can only take care of their feeding and transport so at the end of the month, they have nothing to themselves. They leave their homes because they can't just be idle. We pray God to take control because apart from God's intervention, the other way out is a revolution.

TRUE TALK!

Simple solution ' BE CREATIVE'. Dont just sit there writing application. There are over 1M people looking for less than 2,000 jobs available daily. There is a very slim chance of picking a job. Just try come up with some ideas. There are over 150 million people in Nigeria. These people have needs. Find out what people need, provide a solution to that, u r made, simple. Nigeria is a large market. I made over a million doing the American visa lottery just because i went into digital passport photography when things got so bad. Even the digital passport thing surprised everyone around me. some said they never knew people need passport photos like that. Now am stepping up into something else, just because i refused to insist on looking for job. Just try something, when it works,please dont fail to hala me o. You might just end up becoming an employer rather than an unemployed. starting something wipes out the HND/BSC issue. It answers all your questions. God bless u as u try.

MY STAND!

Distinguished Graduates of the Federal Republic,

Weep no more. Your liberation is near.

You don't need to work in Exxon Mobil or Chevron to become a successful individual. Look inwards. There is always a need to be fulfilled.
Most of us are really talented. The posts on this board tells me we have a lot of good writers. Tap into that. DBanj is a success today. Mo Abudu is a success today. Chimamanda is a great success today. What about Mikel Obi.
Look for that thing God has created you (and only you) to do. That is what will bring you success.

Remain positive and always stand by what is right.

May God Bless Us All.

The most awful problem is the catch-22. Most companies won't offer fresh graduates employment claiming that they(fresh graduates) lack experience when they know that the fresh graduates won't get the experience without being involved. What they want is peole with experience but won't care to know why they left their jobs. Probably they were sacked maybe for cooking the books or for being incompetent. They may think the experienced ones only posses positive experience thus neglecting the negative experience: altering figures for selfish interest

Globally, no job no where!!!!! But ideas and money everywhere!!!!

Our graduates are mostly not the hardworking type. I have a friend who happens to be an engineer also and he was complaining of joblessness and I called him to be on site with me for a week, and behold, he could not find a day funny because we were not in the airconditioned room drawing and calculating! But I have been on site for some years now, and nothing like job threat or sack. Inshort, I tried to resign to start-off mine, but my boss(financial owner) had to buy me a brand new car increased my benefits and talked to my wife. I actually run the engineering firm while my boss is just the owner and always in abroad.

However, I must still kick off my own soon. How many cars can he buy?

How did I even got the job? I was working on my own idea after graduation, when my boss saw me and invested into the idea. I never looked for any work and i dont have a CV.

Those who are destined to succeed through a paid employment, please intensify your search. But for those potential self-employer, please , pause and think, your job starts in less than 24hours, and for sure the luck comes thereafter.

Dont tell me that Chance is not different from luck. Chance is your first step, while luck is what comes thereafter.

Good luck guys.

Na wa oh, IS there any hope for nigeria?

Do you know that most of the students in institution struggle to pay their school fees themselves, they go for ND after ND the go back struggle for money for HND. polytechnic should not be scrap, but national assembly should look at the issue an adress it , Hnd and bsc should be regarded as one, POLYTECHNIC and others COLLEGES should be upgraded, if you go to polytechnics and colleges and see the numbers of students there i don't think university can accomudate all these people.

hassymo5:

Do you know that most of the students in institution struggle to pay their school fees themselves, they go for ND after ND the go back struggle for money for HND. polytechnic should not be scrap, but national assembly should look at the issue an adress it , Hnd and bsc should be regarded as one, POLYTECHNIC and others COLLEGES should be upgraded, if you go to polytechnics and colleges and see the numbers of students there i don't think university can accomudate all these people.

thats why there r polytechnics!

Unemployed graduates be happy you are not in prison. Things could be worse.

Even some Nigerians abroad are suffering as much as you are. What can I say?

@Poster I've been practising HR and actively involved in recruitment for close to 2 decades so my contribution is coming from an insider.  Here are my responses to the issue you have raised on the fate of fresh graduates (HND and B.Sc. or B.A. holders) in Nigeria point by point

1. The first is the issue of HND and Bsc ,some companies are not even considering the HND graduate while the few once that gives them audience still humiliate them in terms of salary ,since the so call federal govt can not do anything to bridge this gap i think they should scrab the polytechnics so they will not be producing graduate that will not be accepted by the employment society .  All graduates must realise that employers of labour (except government) are in business to make money.  In order to do this they will go for the best candidate in the market according to their own pre-determined standard not yours (fresh graduate).  Some employers depending on the position actually prefer HND graduates to B.Sc. the key thing is what skills do you have to offer?

2.  My second point is about the recruitment process by this so call multi- national companies . They will put you under a very stressful various test and interview at the end they will employ 10% out of 100%.imagine PZ conducting 7 apt test with several interview ,the fact is that i don't what they are looking for ,also the last BAT apt test was held in Zaria (KADUNA) imagine the huge amount of transport fair for people that are  not staying close to kaduna ,just for an apt test which you can not guarantee your self of interview.  My response here is related to that on item 1 above - employers want the best and if it will take 10 aptitude test, psychometric test, behavioural tests, short term projects or divination to ascertain the best candidate so be it.  Graduate/job seeker has absolutely little influence on the choice of location, number of test or interview they will be subjected to before they get the job.  You have a choice - decline to attend!

3.The third issue is about what i call MODERN SLAVE TRADE by the agent and the consulting firm ,they will get you employment but all to their merit collecting 20% of your salary what a grate injustice. Most professional recruitment agencies will not collect a dime from you because they get their fee from the employer when you are hire.  However, like every other thing in Nigeria people capitalised on the malaise of unemployment to do sharp practice.  To avoid exploitation please head hunt your target companies directly do not go through agencies.  In fact, you may limit your search to the net, network and direct contact.

4. my fourth issue is about what i heard few days ago that Nigeria Police Force is asking people to by scratch card before you can apply ,please if govt parastatals like common police is asking people to buy scratch card then what do they expect the non-govt parastatals to be doing to us.  A lot of protest has trailed this issue from the appropriate corner and I'm also not in support of this.

5.  My fifth issue is about grade,HND upper credit and Bsc 2.1 ,but to me i don't think this is a  good yard stick to judge the best among the graduate because i belief in competency rather than certificate . Please refer to my response under item 1 and 2.  It is not the employers fault that you failed to make a first class or a second class upper degree or distinction or upper credit.  There are still multinationals recruiting people with less class of degree if they have the right skill.

In conclusion please do we have NLC at all in this country if yes what is their function is it to go on strike for increment in salary or to cater for both employed and un-employ citizen .  Full name of NLC is Nigerian LABOUR Congress not Nigerian Unemployed Congress even though I know they do take up issues affecting unemployed and retired or sacked people that is not their primary mandate.

In general, most graduate have to develop themselves in this wild wide world.  If you study a professional course, please try to get all the necessary certification.  In fact I will advise you start while in school e.g. Computer Science student should do all their Microsoft certification, oracle etc during their holidays, Accounting student should register for ICAN ATS or ACCA as an undergraduate.  By the time you are a graduate you are distinct from the pack. 

From my experience a lot of fresh graduates are not strategic in their job seearch.  There is no point searching for any type of job when your skills are limited.  Which sector of the economy do you want to work in? what are the skills/qualifications required by your target/desired job(s)? do you have those skills/qualifications? if not how and when can you get those skills/qualifications? what is the reality?  For instance, if your target is to work in a bank and you have HND Lower credit in Business Administration please be realistic, bank job may not be for you! But you may start with a finance house, Microfinance bank, Insurance company to earn an income and then start your professional exams like ICAN, CIBN, ACCA etc One day, you will achieve your dream 

I have also discovered that most people while away the time during NYSC.  Be creative, use the NYSC service year creatively.  For instance, I learn how to drive, sew and swim during my service year in addition to a certificate in Computer appreciation & programming.  While my colleagues were busy attending one party or the other I had a very tight schedule Monday to Saturday.  Consequently, my first job was as a result of my driving and computer skills.

I have also seen countless poorly written CV which will prevent people with even good grades from getting call for interviews.  I'm attaching a write-up on CV writing for interested people. However, like someone said not everyone needs to get a salaried job; look inward and at your environment and see the money-making opportunities available and seize it! My two kobo advice please

9ja graduates wetin. Look inward pls, not every one shud be employed, some have to be employers.

U should take all Iranoladun has highlighted seriously especially wen she sed

"To avoid exploitation please head hunt your target companies directly do not go through agencies. In fact, you may limit your search to the net, network and direct contact".

Most of ur CVs are very poorly written even wen u have smarshing grades. U need to groom urselves well. Know how to prepare for interviews, package ur CVs, network for jobs and most importantly research ur industry or the company u r about jooinning. KNow some thingds about them b4 interview date. Dat way u get to make a good impressionof urself.

If u think u can't take the unemplyement thing any more, create a job for urself.
Good luck,

Nigeria condition is no worse than what we read on dailies. selective pressure is the formular used by employers of labour to recruit their staff. The descrimination line is not only conspicuous on BSc/HND, 1st/2nd degrees, 1,2.1/others but also working experienced and non-experienced. In most cases, you are required to be endorsed by high-profile person that has a strong tie with the company before you will be offered the job despite the rigorous interview that you passed through. I advice every Nigerian graduate to embrace enterpreneurship at the lowest cadre. Yes, go into fish-farming(aquaculture), snail farming(heliculture), cassava cultivation and other agricultural activities that demand minimal capital. set a target and in five years time you will have some graduates working under you.

soludo2008:

Nigeria condition is no worse than what we read on dailies. selective pressure is the formular used by employers of labour to recruit their staff. The descrimination line is not only conspicuous on BSc/HND, 1st/2nd degrees, 1,2.1/others but also working experienced and non-experienced. In most cases, you are required to be endorsed by high-profile person that has a strong tie with the company before you will be offered the job despite the rigorous interview that you passed through. I advice every Nigerian graduate to embrace enterprenuership at the lowest cadre. Yes, go into fish-farming(aquaculture), snail farming(heliculture), cassava cultivation and other agricultural activities that demands minimal capital. set a target and in five years time you will have some graduate working under you.

You are not wrong at all. Long term target should be the main focus, not just having your name to be on staff list of a big company.

I also need to say here that CBN should enforce the microfinance fundamentals. Banks should reserve money for loan to starters.

I show sympathy for all job seekers. May God provide you the support you need. However, Heaven help those who help themselves.

The best answer to all the problem of unemployment, underemployment, low wages, slave wages, etc etc is self employment or entrepreneurship.

It is very sad that many people do not understand the principle of self employment. In Nigeria today, people do not require license and permit to start a one-man business unlike UK, Germany, USA, etc. Unfortunately, some people consider themselves too big to do some types of job. That is the beginning of our problem.

Banks and the government cannot employ every Nigeria graduate, whatever grade they score. That is the reality. People should begin to show initiative and take matters of employment in their own hands by starting a business for themselves.

Fresh graduates need to know that the world of work is not like writing and passing examination. The fact that you have 2.1, first class, 2.2, 3, upper credit or etc does not mean you cannot do well as a business owner.

I can provide any serious person with free advice about self employment depending on the career of the person. Get in touch on my e-mail (bennyowen@email.com). Please only e-mail me if you are serious about starting your own business, no timewasters.

Sorry i will like to add my own problem
pls how on earth do all this company want a fresh graduate to have experience? They are really encouragin us to lie.
Please it is high time they change the rivalry btw HND and BSC it makes polythecnic holder looks unaccepted in labour market, unless you are courageous that is when you take it upon yourself to compete with a graduate. Certificate is certificate
let the company or organization know what they want and go for it
WE ARE PRODUCT OF NIGERIA HIGHER INSTITUTION

dis has been in existans 4 many years nw nd may continue until we as a student of dis great nd wonderful country flushout dis so called leaders of d country d problem can nt b stop tanx

The essence of any educational programme is to make the candidate a functional individual.Now what i mean by that is ,weather poly or uni, you should be able to aquire some basic skills that will make you a job creator and not a job seeker.That is the type of Nigeria we are in today! Employement seldom comes easy nawadays,but man must survive. And if i may ask, Didn't Ola Rotimi in his"The God's Are Not To Blame " novel talk about the struggle of a man, ?

I can recall vividly last 2 years when i gave a testimony about my job offer with US Embassy as a fuel & water attendant despite my HND Upper credit in Mech. Eng., One swine almost cruxified me b/cos of that. Reasons best known to him, but today am betterof. If i had stayed at home waiting for Shell and others i would nt have accomplished what i have achieved today. Yes, as a fuel attendant i earn more than 1millon per annum as my basic salary.
My candid advice is that we should put the issue of HND/ Bsc aside and embrace any oppourtunity that comes ur way, afterall the inventor of HONDA motors was never a graduate.

When the desirable is not available the available becomes the desirable.

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Salary package is quite attractive and among the best in its industry.

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Interested ladies should please send their applications and CVs to akoshile.inkwell@gmail.com before 2 weeks of this advertisement

@Ejikeben,
Not only honda, so many great men of this world never went to any formal higher institution. If you are able to persist an do well in what you do, surely, there will be away out in life.

Check out the words of Calvin Coolidge :

"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race"

I was recently approched by someone I knew as a shop attendant, whom I know for a fact did not go to secondary school but miraculously got an excellent SSCE result and admission into a university. He has graduated now and was asking me to help him get a job. And the question I asked myself was 'in what capacity', he cannot even speak english he communicates in pidgeon English or Igbo. Unfortunately there are many like him in the system and as the saying goes if one finger gets stained with palm oil it will spread to all the others. Any potential employer that meets a candidate like him will be sceptical of all other graduates and will want to be sure of their mettle before employing them. It is unfortunate but our educational system is a mess from the primary school level all the way up. In Ghana, because primary and secondary education are so good, you do not need a degree to make a decent living. They have good vocational schools so if you decide to be a fashion designer or graphic artist or even beauty technician, you are properly trained and employable. In Nigeria they cant even use our so called technical certificates to do anything and so the people fro.m technical colleges AKA polytechics are all fighting for white collar or office jobs and bachelors degree holders are now tailors and mechanics.
Also note that NLC has no business with graduates:- NLC is the trade union for juniorworkers usually non graduates while TUC is the union for senior staff (Graduates).

allycat:

I was recently approched by someone I knew as a shop attendant, whom I know for a fact did not go to secondary school but miraculously got an excellent SSCE result and admission into a university. He has graduated now and was asking me to help him get a job. And the question I asked myself was 'in what capacity', he cannot even speak english he communicates in pidgeon English or Igbo. Unfortunately there are many like him in the system and as the saying goes if one finger gets stained with palm oil it will spread to all the others. Any potential employer that meets a candidate like him will be sceptical of all other graduates and will want to be sure of their mettle before employing them. It is unfortunate but our educational system is a mess from the primary school level all the way up. In Ghana, because primary and secondary education are so good, you do not need a degree to make a decent living. They have good vocational schools so if you decide to be a fashion designer or graphic artist or even beauty technician, you are properly trained and employable. In Nigeria they cant even use our so called technical certificates to do anything and so the people fro.m technical colleges AKA polytechics are all fighting for white collar or office jobs and bachelors degree holders are now tailors and mechanics. 

I am standing beside you. I weep for the academic system that breads these graduates.

may God help us

Solution, be self made. check this out.

My name is Bolodeoku Oladipo Peter, a graduate of Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti., Ekiti State. I finished with HND Upper Credit in Food Science and Technology. I was working before when I resigned and figured that I could make more working for myself with the same amount of time and commitment than working or other people or organizations. Here is the deal:
I[b] have a link to a special shoe polish product that is new in Nigeria. Its called “instant shine, shoe cream”. Its gives your shoe instant shine with just a gentle stroke application of a customized foam that comes with it. It comes in shades of Black, Brown and Neutral which can be used for any shoe colour. Its an opportunity tro make a pioneering fortune before it blows out, as it is still very new in Nigeria. It sells originally for #300 per unit price. I will sell it in packs for a price of #200 per unit. That means you stand to make a profit of #100 or #50 at least per piece depending on your marketing/sales. You can do this either you are employed or not. Targeted markets should be Banks, Corporate Offices, Churches, Ministries, Local Government Offices, Markets e.t.c……….
Now, you can make millions of naira working for your self at your own time and pace.[/b]
contact- Dipo -08054855711 0r 07031001670

A lot has been said on this thread concerning problems facing graduates and the overall (un)employment situation. It is a valuable opportunity to learn about so many opinions and perspectives. I would just like to add one more thing.

I think a gulf has grown between our educational (especially tertiary) institutions and industry (the real world). At this point, I am generally speaking of both the universities and polytechnics, although I'm a little inclined to say the universities are somewhat more blameworthy in this matter (I know many people will say it is cliche, but that is not the point I am making here). I've been privileged to attend both institutions, and what I realised is that the very essence of education is gradually eroding (or has eroded) away. Although there is no doubt in my mind about the intellectual capabilities of the average Nigerian, intellect only has value when there is a goal, a vision to guide it.

In principle, our school semesters have been reduced to a matter of passing exams - even though by perfectly legal means. The fundamental idea behind education is to inculcate a culture, a philosophy, a way of life. The exact details of particular disciplines only follows naturally. I think that this is the root cause of the mindset of graduates today (not that I am any different). The majority go to school to earn certificates, degrees etc., but to put it bluntly, the school does not really go through them because they never absorb the underlying essence of their years in school which as I mentioned earlier, is to develop the kind of culture or tradition or at least grasp the motivation (it nearly borders on the 'spiritual') which drove the great individuals that originally set up the educational system. Most of our lecturers are not helping matters in this case. As a result, when many graduate they believe it is time to 'reap' the fruits of their labour (mostly in the form of paid employment) and therefore get disappointed when the hoped for employment is not forthcoming. But when you deeply reflect on it, what labour? I think it resembles the situation of a child that learns to speak a language expecting to suddenly get rewards for grasping the language, whereas the real value of the language can only be realised by actually using the language.

I know the reaction to this argument will be that the environment is not conducive for any form of application or practice of that which was learned in school, which is true to a large extent and cannot be denied, but then again, who created this environment? People just like us (majority of them educated in this same system too). I know a good number of my colleagues (and many, many other graduates besides) that don't really care (or don't even think) about what value they can add with their education, all they wait for is an employer that will tell them what to do and then they get paid at the end of the day. The fault for this mindset lies with the manner of education, because emphasis has been laid on all the secondary matters (passing exams (anyhow), getting good grades etc) whereas the deeper, primary purpose (developing the individual and his mindset, his way of thinking) has been neglected.

When I was in school, a colleague of mine used to lament that we were never taught 'How to think', we were only taught 'What to think' and now I begin to appreciate everyday his perception. Maybe history lessons that talk about great individuals whose works and ideas we still benefit from today (leaders, scientists, economists, medical practitioners, engineers etc.), their visions and philosophy should be introduced to schools from the secondary level for all classes, so that we can begin to bridge the gap between the real life and the secluded pen and paper life of academia.

The value of education lies only in whatever values it can create, and unfortunately, Nigerian schools and their graduates are still a very long way from this. That is why there will continue to remain a huge imbalance between the number of graduates and employment opportunities; discrimination between HND and BSc graduates and similar issues are only secondary effects.

I wish everyone the best.

Cheers.

@kaymd, u are 100% on point. I am guilty as charged. Going thru university in dis country was a painful experience. How else does one describe d situation where u claim to be learning but all u really do for 5yrs+ is mechanicaly cram and uncram, with ur short-term goal being to pass dis semester's exams and in the long-term finish with at least 2.1 or 2.2. I knw dat i was not really learning, but still i have done my part by getting dat 2.1, and telling me not to expect immediate employment thereafter is asking me to be frustrated.
Or confused.

@kaymd,

It can't be more truthfully said. Well done and God bless you.

hi all, i feel it is time the graduates begin to have a different mind set on the issue of being unemployed. They shuold rather start redirecting their focus on how to be self employed.In some counties , what sustains their economy is the cottage industries and other self motivated, creative works fo graduates who refused to be bogged down by the unemployment syndrome.
You only need to take a look at your env. to know what the society needs and go on to tap into it. guys use your talents, creativity and skills to lift up your life.

I understand now, I just finished NYSC last month and am already tired of staying at home, I begin to wonder how graduates who have been unemployed for a long time usually cope, I dont want to have the same story and I believe by God's grace, I wont

We are hiring marketers, only serious minded hardworking individuals though. You tell us how much you want to earn and that will determine your target. If you are interested, apply to medallionltd@yahoo.com.