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Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. - Jobs/Vacancies (4) - Nairaland

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Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by Ferdyboss: 7:37pm On Jul 19, 2016
Hello guys, Thanks for your contributions on the career routing discourse, especially from the graduate Engineers.

Here is another question awaiting your invaluable contributions.

Have you ever worked with a nonperforming colleague? How best did you handle it? What approach is most appropriate to making him/her become better at the job?

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Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 8:33pm On Jul 19, 2016
Oooohhh!!!! Ferdy! How did you know what is on my mind? I was just patiently waiting for tomorrow to come here and open the floor but you obviously beat me to it.

I will contribute on this matter!
Very interesting.
Brb.
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 8:48am On Jul 20, 2016
Poor network last night. I'm here now.

I have a colleague who always, always make reference to age when I ask him to kindly perform certain tasks. It worries me when people go that route with me. We are supposed to be working together to achieve a goal but he will keep frustrating all my efforts at getting things done in a timely manner.

With this kind of character display all the time, I've resorted to doing things by myself. If he wants to help get information or help in any other way, fine! If not, I leave the old 'man' to his old age.

2 Likes

Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by yorex2011: 8:57am On Jul 20, 2016
Ferdyboss:
Hello guys, Thanks for your contributions on the career routing discourse, especially from the graduate Engineers.

Here is another question awaiting your invaluable contributions.

Have you ever worked with a nonperforming colleague? How best did you handle it? What approach is most appropriate to making him/her become better at the job?
Non performing in relation to you?
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by Ferdyboss: 4:44pm On Jul 20, 2016
yorex2011:

Non performing in relation to you?

I mean not doing his own part of the job satisfactorily , so you end up doing it all by yourself.
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by Ferdyboss: 4:45pm On Jul 20, 2016
amicable09:
Oooohhh!!!! Ferdy! How did you know what is on my mind? I was just patiently waiting for tomorrow to come here and open the floor but you obviously beat me to it.

I will contribute on this matter!
Very interesting.
Brb.

I read minds grin grin undecided

1 Like

Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 10:26am On Jul 27, 2016
*smiling into thread*
I have an unfinished business here grin

I must finish this project!
Let me go and have a cup of ginger drink. wink

Those following, don't give up cheesy
Stay in touch.
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by BARAJ92(m): 1:26pm On Sep 08, 2016
amicable09:
*smiling into thread* I have an unfinished business here grin
I must finish this project! Let me go and have a cup of ginger drink. wink
Those following, don't give up cheesy Stay in touch.
am waiting for the continuity of the story before the engineers derail the topic
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 5:13pm On Sep 08, 2016
BARAJ92:

am waiting for the continuity of the story before the engineers derail the topic
Oh Oh!
The book of remembrance has been opened before me embarassed
I'll continue. Hopefully tomorrow. I hope I don't forget.
Thanks for stopping by.
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by BARAJ92(m): 11:24pm On Sep 12, 2016
amicable09:
Oh Oh! The book of remembrance has been open before me embarassed I'll continue. Hopefully tomorrow. I hope I don't forget. Thanks for stopping by.
hmmmm, stumbled on this page again

1 Like

Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 7:04pm On Sep 17, 2016
Today, in her office she is expecting a young graduate. She looks at the wall clock as she sips her cocoa drink from her mug. Looking around the office her gaze falls on the adorable frame on her desk. The many plaques hanging on the walls and bookshelf doesn't give her as much pleasure as the satisfaction of beholding the beautifully framed picture of her family. Her father had wanted her to marry his friend's son - Ben who studied Medicine and Surgery in the U.S and was practicing in John Hopkins Hospital. He permitted her to go to school not so that she can practice what she studied but so it can fetch her a good educated husband as that seemed to be in vogue during her time. Educated men married educated women. Elite married elite. That just made sense. For her father, educating Maria (now Mrs. Alabi) when members of his age-group who had daughters and had began inviting him to join them in drinking palm wine from their daughter's suitors was an investment he believed would yield dividends in the nearest future and the nearest future was having his friend ask for his daughter's hand in marriage on behalf of his son as he had come to do.

Mrs. Alabi, much to her parents chagrin turned down the proposal because she was still studying Shorthand and Typewriting in Enugu. Even though then, it didn't look like there was any prospect for typewriters judging by the number of ladies in Institute Of Management and Technology, Enugu studying the course. Her determination to complete her studies and not just eke out a living for herself but starting her own non profit organization and scholarship programme before she clocked 50 was topmost on her mind.

She graduated with her peers, being the best student of her class attracted lots of newspaper houses and Government establishments down to Enugu to look for her. They had a sole purpose in mind - to offer her employment. From her days of starting out as a secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Investment, to joining an International organization where she began to grow to the point of being a consultant hasn't been achieved by wishful thinking. Her profile on LinkedIn is one every jobseeker delights in admiring. She has since lost count of the number of requests for CV reviews she receives from graduates monthly.

Currently at JobLand Consult where she works as the head of Human Resources, her wealth of experience and expertise speaks for itself. She's still always up to date with trends, knowledge of HR software and periodic trainings to stay relevant on her job. You'd expect a woman who studied Shorthand and Typewriting in the 80's to be outdated and no longer relevant in the business world where business engagements have gone beyond the activities that take place within the four walls of a company to the on-goings on the internet but that is not the case with Mrs. Alabi. When asked during interviews what her cutting edge is, she replies by saying her penchant for success and her desire to reach the top keeps her going and makes her stand out.

As she casts her mind back to her humble beginnings, she absentmindedly opens her email and shakes her head in embarrassment at the lack of creativity of the present day youths. 'There's so much for them to learn' she soliloquizes. But how can they learn if they are not taught? undecided
**************************************************************
Audu is overexcited! One look at him and you can tell. Even though he was about 25 minutes behind time, he still was at ease. Lagos traffic as usual is responsible for this and should be blame. If he was made the Minister of Transport, it wouldn't take him more than a month to fix this problem. In theory he knows all the answers to the problems facing his country and the solutions are right at his fingertips. He's very confident that if made the President even for 24 hours only, he'll turn the nation around.

On getting to the company, he couldn't believe his eyes. Young ladies and gents just about his age all suited up. Some as employees, others as prospective employees. He sat by himself and began taking selfies. Moments like this, in magnificent buildings ought to be captured on camera he thought to himself. And so he took three good snapshots and uploaded two instantly on Facebook.

In less than 30 minutes of waiting at the reception, he started shivering. It was a culmination of the cold air and the tension he was beginning to feel as each person got called and was directed to an office. He waited for his turn to be called in. While waiting, a bespectacled young man asked him if he was there for his third interview which if successful will mean him joining the company, since he had not spoken for about 45 minutes since he got there, he found himself struggling with his gritted teeth. The words wouldn't come. His response was hanging in his throat. The more he tried to free his voice, the tighter his teeth gritted.

"Mr. Audu, please come with me."
Was the next thing he heard. An invitation to meet with Mrs. Alabi.


Will he be able to speak? Will he at least be able to say a good morning to the HR Manager? I fear for him.
Ever been embarrassed like Audu during a meeting or an interview?
It happened to me once grin

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Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by we963852: 9:51am On Oct 27, 2016
this thread needs an update please
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 11:14am On Oct 27, 2016
we963852:
this thread needs an update please
cheesy Whenever someone enters this thread and drops a comment, I feel guilty grin.

It's power issue, no light. I have this series well played out in my head but to type it out is the challenge.

It will be updated. Thanks for leaving a comment, I'm encouraged cheesy
*modified*
Updated! wink
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 2:59pm On Oct 27, 2016
Audu didn’t prepare himself well for what he was about to face. He undoubtedly did his research about the company like all the articles on “tips for interviews” adviced. One thing those articles failed to teach him was the popular saying ‘You only have one chance to make a good first impression’. Well, in his case, one question actually not chance.

For starters, his dressing didn’t pass the physical appearance test. It was too tacky and unpleasant to the eyes. For Mrs. Alabi thinking she had seen it all couldn’t hide the disappointment long enough. This is the first of its kind, totally disapproving. Actor Will Smith in the movie ‘Pursuit of Happyness’ didn’t look this dawdy even though he went straight for his interview from jail. This applicant she was sure wasn’t coming from prison. Let’s hope he’ll give Ol’ Will Smith a run for his money with his responses and win the heart of Mrs. Alabi in the process.

From the embarrassment on her face mixed with shock, she forgot to offer him a seat. Her long stare at him in silence lingered for about 55 seconds but for Audu he felt it was the longest silence he had ever heard. It is the type English people will call deafening.

Sweat beads instantly formed around his forehead while his tongue stiffened revealing his front set of teeth while nodding his head for no particular reason as if he was savouring every bit of the office in relish.

Mrs. Alabi was still finding it hard to understand the reason for his awkward smile. Her patience was gradually seeping away. For goodness sake she is dealing with a graduate and not a pupil from primary school who is out on an excursion to her office. Had this meeting not been initiated from LinkedIn, she would have walked this young man out! But seeing that she was on a mission to couch a young graduate who she believed, it was only a matter of time before this young serial job hunter today, a budding CEO tomorrow will be showcased to the world. With that consolation, she conquered the urge to throw him out but resolved within her to be firm with him until her goal is achieved.

“Hello Audu, I am Maria. I've been expecting you and I'm eager to teach you the rudiments of writing a winning CV, prepare you for job tests and interviews. Please have your seat.” She made a gesture with her right hand, her face straight, unsmiling.

Audu, pulling the chair opposite Mrs. Alabi backwards and then sideways thereby creating a wide gap between the table and himself, he sat down and rubbed his palms together. Mrs. Alabi’s eyes had not shifted from the laptop screen where it appeared as though she was busy searching for something very crucial to the meeting. As she did that, Audu’s eyes darted to other fixtures in the office and wondering to himself if he’ll ever own a briefcase like the leather one his eyes has just on.

“Yes Audu!” She called.
He jolted.

“Tell me about yourself, something about you that is not on your LinkedIn profile.”
An opportunity to sell himself had presented itself. He opens his mouth to speak but for reasons unknown to neither of them, his pitch was very high.

“Okay ma. Thank you ma. I am Audu as you know. I was born and bred in Minna. I am the first child of my parents. We are 7 in my family. My poor mother is widowed. She struggled to send me to the University of Nairaland where I bagged a bachelor’s degree. I came to search for a job in Lagos. Currently I live with my friend and we are managing ….”

Mrs Alabi – wide eyed, looked at him obviously revealing her supposed concealed disappointment. Cutting in, she said ‘Alright Audu…’

Audu, mistaking her response for ‘go on’, fired on carelessly, telling her what wasn’t on his LinkedIn profile like she requested.

“… I want you to please give me a job ma, I beg. Please help m…”

“Enough! Enough! Enough!” Mrs. Alabi stopped him. “You are a graduate and not a beggar! You better stop this beggarly act before I send you out never to return! To get a job, you must first be sane. Jobs are not given out of pity! Not here, not anywhere else. Do you understand?” She asked to be sure he understood why she was irritated.

“Now stand up. Walk out!”
Audu was confused. He almost knelt down to beg again, this time gesticulating but just one look at her and he knew it was a bad idea. He'd been traditionally trained by his mum to prostrate when seeking for forgiveness but professionally that was a recipe for disaster. A major blunder! He got up slowly…

“You’ll go out and dump your desperation outside, when you’re sure there’s no ounce of it left on you, you can then come back in here. I need to see a smart and confident graduate. Nothing less”.

2 Likes

Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by Ferdyboss: 5:19pm On Oct 27, 2016
Aunt Amicable09 the script writer grin grin. Let's venture into the movie industry na smiley

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Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 9:10pm On Oct 27, 2016
Ferdyboss:

Aunt Amicable09 the script writer grin grin. Let's venture into the movie industry na smiley
Uncle Ferdy, we'll venture in together cheesy
You'll take the lead role, I'll be the supporting actress grin

1 Like

Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by we963852: 8:01am On Oct 28, 2016
Really Power issue can be frustrating. Its a nice thread and i'll love to know how far the story goes. Now feel more guilt tongue tongue
amicable09:

cheesy Whenever someone enters this thread and drops a comment, I feel guilty grin.

It's power issue, no light. I have this series well played out in my head but to type it out is the challenge.

It will be updated. Thanks for leaving a comment, I'm encouraged cheesy
*modified*
Updated! wink
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 12:29pm On Oct 28, 2016
we963852:
Really Power issue can be frustrating. Its a nice thread and i'll love to know how far the story goes. Now feel more guilt tongue tongue
Lol. Thanks.

*A bucket of guilt poured on me cheesy*
Hopefully it will end soon. I'll try to rush things up a bit more.
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by we963852: 8:59am On Nov 15, 2016
Amicable09 me and u go fight o!!
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 9:57am On Nov 15, 2016
we963852:
Amicable09 me and u go fight o!!
Hahahaha.
I offer you myself to be fought with grin
If I tell you I have plans of updating this thread today, what will you say? cheesy I do. Believe me. I've just been semi occupied for a while now.
Thanks for the reminder. You have spurred me on by this call out. Expect a continuation before noon.
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 12:26pm On Nov 16, 2016
Audu walked out of the office crestfallen. As he strolls along the hallway, a million and one thoughts race through his mind. He thought about calling his friend, Emeka but decided otherwise. He knew his friend would laugh him to scorn while reminding him that entrepreneurship was the way to go. No room for abuse or insults from anyone and you don't get to answer 'Yes Sir, Yes Ma' all the time. Then he thought of calling home, perhaps his mother will offer some words of comfort. Just maybe. Again, he shook off the feeling to do that. What will he tell her? After all he's now an adult and not a crybaby who runs to momma over every little thing.

*throat clears*
'Excuse me'
Interrupting his flow of thoughts was Lucy the company Secretary, she had the most beautiful smile he had seen in months, cautiously she asked if he had seen Mrs. Alabi, not waiting for an answer, she smiled and stated the obvious, 'Yes, you have smiley'. 'She's a great coach and a very lovely lady to work with. She's passionate about seeing everyone under her succeed. Here, we work as teammates'. Audu's eyes brightened at the sound of that. 'But, but... why did she ... send me out... of her ...' Lucy politely cuts in, 'She sent you out but hasn't written you off! Take a breather out here for a few minutes and let me know when you are ready to go back in.'

Audu found it hard it to believe that a staff will empathize with him seeing that he didn't measure up to the standards of the company. His esteem was low and he was almost feeling defeated when he sighted something on the wall. He walks close to it and boldly hanging on the wall was the vision and mission statement of the company. Must have eluded him earlier. It read thus:


Vision:
'To be the best among the pack. Offering Excellent professional services to all our Clients and Shareholders'.

Mission Statement:
'Our mission is to be recognized as the industry leader in all facets, helping individuals and businesses to be as productive and successful by adhering strictly to the philosophy of "Ethics First" in everything we do'.


Immediately he finished reading those words, something hit him! It wasn't physical but twas a mental blow. Instantly he began to see how he fit perfectly into the vision. He'll rather be here than anywhere else. He was confident about himself, more assured than inferior that he deserved to be one of the people making this happen. With his head held high, he walked to Secretary's desk and requested for water. She was surprised at his request and the new way he spoke. Nevertheless, she excused herself from work and showed him to the water dispenser. After having a drink, he smiled and thanked her.

'Can you please inform Mrs. Alabi that I'm ready to see her?' He asked the Secretary, Lucy.
'Yes, of course... I mean, Sure'
'Thank you very much', he said smiling.

Lucy placed a call to Mrs. Alabi's office and informed her of Audu's readiness to see her. Mrs Alabi consented and Lucy quickly alerted Audu of Mrs. Alabi's eagerness to meet with him again. He got up smartly, thanked her and made his way to the office he had once been sent out of, now ready to receive him.

'Good afternoon Mrs. Alabi, thank you for the opportunity to meet with you again', Audu said, extending his hand to give her a firm handshake.
Mrs Alabi, pleased at what she was seeing, took the handshake and smiled.
'You're welcome Audu, please sit down'.
'Thank you ma'. Audu began to speak in a relaxed confident tone, 'I am interested in mentorship. I will like to be the best among the pack. I've had the privilege of going through the company's vision and mission statement and I must say, it has inspired me. Prior to this time, my thinking has been shallow but I have just been awakened by the consciousness of the reality of the spirit in operation at this place. It will be a delight ma, to learn and put into practice everything you teach me today, hoping that in the future I will abide by utmost professional ethics of my profession.' He concluded.

Mrs. Alabi was stunned. She had seen and heard many rehearsed speeches but this, she knew without a shadow of doubt wasn't one of those. Willingly, she set to mentor. The room was full of bright energy and so much enthusiasm as they began to converse. cheesy

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Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by we963852: 12:12pm On Nov 18, 2016
finally!! Ure lucky as i was about dusting my gloves tongue
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 2:53pm On Nov 18, 2016
we963852:
finally!! Ure lucky as i was about dusting my gloves tongue
Lol. Would you have boxed me? grin
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by we963852: 3:57pm On Nov 18, 2016
Well i'm not the poster boy for "gentleman" wink
amicable09:

Lol. Would you have boxed me? grin
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 5:33pm On Nov 18, 2016
we963852:
Well i'm not the poster boy for "gentleman" wink
Hahahaha. That's funny grin grin grin

Are you the poster boy for "Drummer Boy"? cheesy
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by Fkforyou(m): 12:32pm On Nov 22, 2016
amicable09 smiley
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 3:01pm On Nov 22, 2016
Fkforyou:
amicable09 smiley
Wow! It's another week already grin
How time flies! cheesy

I'll be here to update tomorrow please. I've committed myself into engaging in an activity today already.

Thanks for the reminder. I appreciate loads cheesy
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 12:31pm On Nov 23, 2016
The air in the room smelt delicious. The fragrance of Lavender oil was an aroma to perceive! Hunger was causing Audu's brain to register words wrongly and confuse the aroma of perfume for food, which was totally understandable.

Mrs. Alabi is one who is wont to get lost in conversations of this kind. She had been a one time trainer in the company's training School for fresh recruits. Teaching/Coaching is a passion for her and any opportunity to coach is always received with open arms.

She didn't realize that she had been conversing with Audu for the past 90 minutes or more. It felt like she had only spent roughly 90 seconds with him - 1 minute, 30 seconds until she was interrupted by the alarm clock on her desk. It was 2 PM and she had a ritual to perform. While others leave their offices for lunch, she uses a few minutes out of the one hour break to attend to some personal matters.

'Oh! Look what time it is already! The clock, just like birds, also have wings too!' She said in between a mild laughter.

Audu laughed hysterically. He thought of her remark as funny, but it was a relief for him. He didn't want the conversation to come to a close because they were still scratching the surface, she had been sharing nuggets with him and they were all practical experiences from her own career. He wanted a few minutes to absorb what he had learnt so far and digest the teachings. She had so opened his eyes to things he had been blinded by. 10 minutes after she started on 'business communication', he politely requested for a writing pad and pen. After this break, he'll ask her some questions. He'd jotted down a lot! If he was to leave at 2, he no doubt was going to leave feeling like a million bucks.

'You need to grab a bite, Audu. After the break, we'll meet again to see if you have any questions. Be sure to know I'll provide you with answers'.
'Thank you very much ma'am. This day have I become professional both in words and actions. I have learnt a whole lot from you, from here (referring to the business environment) and most importantly, Netiquette which is E-mail Etiquette. I'm grateful for your time and consideration.

'You're welcome. When people talk for so long like you've just done, I know they have questions to ask grin. Lucy is at the reception to lead you to the Hub where you'll be served any meal of your choice. You have 50 minutes left. If I were you, I'll be up and out for lunch'. She said with a tease.

Audu laughed again. This time harder. He could swear her sense of humor was out of this world. One minute she is very serious, dishing out tips, the next minute she's teasing him about food. He smiled to himself, got up excitedly and thanked her for her thoughtfulness.

'While at it, don't soil your clothes!'. They both laughed before he left the office, shutting the door gently behind him.

At the reception, he met Lucy ready to show him the way. Just to be sure he knew what was expected of him at the table, she asked if Mrs. Alabi took him on 'Dining Etiquette Basics'. He smiled and replied in the affirmative.

'Whenever she has a protégé who will be under her mentorship for a day, she never fails to educate them on their composure at a restaurant because as you will soon know, some business meetings are staged at restaurants over a meal'. Lucy said.

'How often does she have young people come for coaching?' Audu asked inquisitively.

'Often. Very often. She's a ... Oh! We're here already. We'll continue this discussion after the meal. I'm famished. You look starved yourself.' Lucy smiled.

Of course he was starved. The last thing he ate that served as food was the night before and it wasn't even a decent meal. He had less than 50 minutes to do justice to this lunch for his stomach's sake and he would do just that!

He recited some basic rules to himself that will guide his conduct at the table.

*I must be polite and ensure that I do not join the queue from the middle or front but from behind.

*My cell phone has no business ringing loudly here. If out of sight really translates to out of mind then, dear phone, stay out of sight.

*I will only choose a meal I'm familiar with. This is not the place to try out a new dish.

*As I take my seat, I ought not to forget to unfold my napkin and place it neatly on my laps and not to stuff it into my clothing. It's not a bib! neither am I a child.

*If I need to leave the table, I shouldn't take the napkin with me or leave it on the table. It's place is on my chair. And if it accidentally falls down, it shouldn't be retrieved.

*My feet must be flat on the floor in front of me.

*Forks to the left, spoons and knives to the right.

*Don't ever blow your food to cool it, Audu.

*Not even the witches in my village must make me scrape my plate with a silverware.

*Never! Never ever! Not even in death should I be caught picking my teeth at the table! All grooming, in whatever form, must be in the bathroom.

Good! After the recitation he felt adequate to eat like everyone else whilst having a feel of what it would be like should he eventually become a part of them.

3 Likes

Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 11:27am On Dec 17, 2016
Oh wow! cheesy
Been a while... To all following ghostly, forgive my inconsistencies. I'll update this thread in no time.

Thanks.

This has officially become my Pet project cheesy
Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 12:50pm On Dec 17, 2016
Audu was back in Mrs. Alabi's office fully reinvigorated. He felt proud of the day's achievement. All thanks to a rare gem who painstakingly put him through the rudiments of Professional Etiquette. His coach be praised!

Before he left, he decided to go over his note/jottings with her to be sure he comprehended everything that was said.

"Email Etiquette ma," he started, "also known as Netiquette is a form of communication in the corporate world. That is not to say friends and family relatives don't write emails to one another but the approach differs."

'That's right', nodding assertively.

Looking into his notepad he continued...
"You gave some very useful tips one needs to take into account. First, you mentioned having a professional sounding email address".

'Yes, I did'. She confirmed. 'Prospective employers and business contacts will not take you serious if your email address is like the one you, Audu currently have'

He laughed bending his head embarrassingly.

"I agree totally ma. You spoke extensively about that earlier and even helped me to create a new email address. I'm very grateful. Now I can proudly present my email address to anyone. For me now I understand it's an image I'm projecting, my email address conveys a message that I've been ignorant of".

'Correct! Remember I used your first and last name together to create this one you now have for you. In cases where your first and last name already exist and belong to other users, one can opt for initials, first letter of first name and last name, etc. Those are safer bets'.

" For instance, Ayokunle Okafor can register as aokafor@email. com".

'Absolutely!' Mrs. Alabi said obviously impressed.

"Thank you ma. Second you mentioned the use of an appropriate subject line".

'I did, Audu. The subject line should be short and to the point. It should describe accurately the subject of the email. " Hello " is not an acceptable subject line for a professional email'.

"Yes ma. The reason why my email landed in your junk folder was for this singular reason. I had no subject line at all".

'Good thing you still remember'. 'The third tip I talked about is the tone of your emails. I cannot overemphasize first of all the power of proofreading. Make sure you proofread your email before sending out. You don't want your tone to come across as rude, disrespectful, demanding and/or aggressive'.

" I found it funny when you said remove emotion and his twin emoticon grin" He laughed. "Youths believe these emoticons express feelings that words alone don't convey".

Mrs. Alabi laughed heartily too because it's trending now on social media. Youths using emoticons wrongly. In fact, bringing it into job applications is the one that baffles her the most. She has received mails with hands clasped together as if in prayer cheesy, making her wonder what that is for. Maybe it just goes to show how religious we are in this clime.

'That's a No-No! not acceptable at all. Let me also add that you don't type in all capital letters. It always come off as though the sender is shouting. Stay away from the use of exclamation marks. Don't abbreviate words (TTYL, U, 2, etc.). Fancy formats, fonts and layouts are distracting. It's not some sort of a show, it is an email therefore it is best to stick to plain text'.

" Yes ma. Can you please go over this point again ma? You said 'Get to the point'. What do you mean by that ma?".

'Good question. I was expecting you to ask then. The body of your email isn't for rambling. Keep it brief as much as you can while going straight to the point. If it's an application, be as persuasive as you can in your presentation and make sure it follows a logical and sequential pattern'.

"Thank you very much ma"

'You're welcome. Lastly, It is also a good idea to have your contact information in your signature. It is a good thing to do'. She said in closing.

"I'm more than grateful ma for everything. Your time and effort in explaining these things to me. These lessons weren't taught in the University by my lecturers, it's a privilege to have you put me through. I'm forever going to be thankful to you for all these".

Mrs Alabi smiled. 'You're welcome. It's a pleasure to have you here. You're a fast learner and a smart fellow. I'll forward you an email address to send an application to. We're hiring!'

Audu almost leaped in excitement. He was expecting to hear something of that sort but didn't want to ask her directly. He planned on asking the Secretary on his way out. He was more than sure that his application will be considered if he puts these lessons today when sending out applications. At least, being shortlisted is the first step in the right direction.

He thanked her. As he made to leave, she told him to see her secretary on his way out. Fortune had smiled on him, he was positive about the 'seeing'. His smile alone was like he won lottery, he thanked her one last time and made for the door.

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Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by Jazmiynne: 6:14am On Dec 19, 2016
Right now I'm wondering where I've been and how come I'm just seeing this

Way to go Girl! wink

#Following

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Re: Backpack To Briefcase Series: Letters and Lessons from a Corporate Desk. by amicable09(f): 9:26pm On Dec 19, 2016
Jazmiynne:
Right now I'm wondering where I've been and how come I'm just seeing this

Way to go Girl! wink

#Following
This is a bad set up ...

You have joined those people who are fanning the embers of the fire I'm trying to put out tongue

Thanks for the support always Sisi cheesy
Always nudging me ... *I think this is the part where I'm supposed to cry* Lol
I'm encouraged to develop the plot grin

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