Must Everybody Work In A Bank?

Hi forumites,it is really obvious that unemployment is biting hard on our youth and this has contributed in no small measure to countless cases of crime in the country.I observed that every graduating youth wishes to  work in a bank ,oil company or a government office.

Many are now aspiring to become politicians,even when they lackthe credentials  to lead, What actually are the causes of this and is there no other way the average Nigerian youth can make it big in life without been a politician,banker or an oil company staff?

What are the good alternatives that will absorb our graduates,creat wealth,good life and reduce the overemphasis on the above jobs? And please how do we get this information across to our youths?I am sincerely worried whenever i see youth corpers in our area.Many of them will be unemployed and grind it tough for the next 3,4,5 unless they started something on their own.Whats the way out,somebody help!

Ya right, look inwards but also look outwards. Our problem in Nigeria is the lack of condusive business environment for young enterpreneurs.

Enterprenurial Development is the Answer to your Question Bro . We can't all Work in a Bank its Not Possible . Youths Should Find Something Doing Instead Of Waiting for Employment that is not Forth Coming .But the Problem We have In Nigeria Is that there are No youth Empowerement Programmes Organised By the Government , Instead of they Keep Syphoning the Public Funds and Deliberate Hw Issues That Will make them Get Rich the More . I am Sure an Era Will Come that The Youths Will Just Have to Stand Up and Get the Ground From this Old Thieves .

l personaaly dont too fancy bank job, there are better pays elsewhere than bank and yet you will still have your time. Banks will use you, and use you and use you. Abeggg

Much as I personally don't fancy bank work, I wonder what unemployment situation would have been in Nigeria without banks, and indeed financial system in general. I just wonder. Maybe we will have graduate cleaners or even graduate agberos.
This sector is the largest absorber of labour in Nigeria. And their pay is not bad. It is therefore only natural that everybody wants to join this system, at least that is where hope seems to be.

On the oil company stuff, this is more of wishful thinking and for most people, it doesn't go beyond talk. In school, everybody wanted to work in 'oyel' company simply because that is the highest paying sector. But the reality is, unlike banks, getting jobs in oil companies is very competitive and not as easy as people dream.

On working in government office you mentioned, this is quite strange to me. In fact, what I do hear is that people run away from government establishments except of course organized and high paying ones like CBN, NNPC,DPR etc.

And on the self-employment thing, much as I agree that self-employment is no doubt the best form of employment, I think self-employemnt argument is way oversimplified. The earlier poster that said he resigned to start his own business belittled the part that he had worked under somebody, rising to the position of BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER. Of course, the capital he's using to start his business were gotten from working for another person. So, expecting a fresh graduate to start his own business, even if he is ideas personified, is not as easy as the self-employment advocates amke us believe. I'm not saying it's not possible. Afterall, the likes of Dangote did it, but it involves uncommon risk-seeking mind in addition to the primary constraint of capital.

My own idea is: Work with/for others for sometime while have mindset to establish your own later, accumulate something, then take the decisive pull-out.

Its quite painful that because of Govt attitude the major recruiters in Nigeria are banks. As an Engineering graduate, I have over the years watched my mates branch and change career due to the little opportunities in engineering sector. High cost of maintainng a generating set has also reduced the number of manufacturing firms we have and contributes to disuading start ups.

In addition to what everyone above has said, I will suggest young engineers especially those still in school who have the means to go into manufacturing. This is because Nigeria as it is at the moment is a very fertile land for this. The challenges though are much. Power is one of it but with prudence, the business can grow over the years. It definitely will not bring you millions in one year or make you retire at age 30, like some inspirational speakers tell you, but for me, the joy of seeing my products in the market is an added incentive.

On what to manufacture, the market is high. Nigeria virtually imports everything! And you won't believe the low cost involved in producing some of these things at home even if at low quantity. Cutlery, packaging bags, etc are just some of these things. The main thing is to look inside.

However, if you cannot handle challenges (there are loads of them!), Il suggest you stick to the banks!