Nairaland Forum

Saifullah01: ^
I applied through their website (i cant even remember when exactly), then an external recruitment consultant contacted us for app test, after then interviews. then we were invited for interview at Total by their own HR, then medicals and then here I am waiting for the offer!

Good.. But astonishing to know that experienced guys still take test..

T22.

keleto: pls i want someone to help with useful information on this. i just started an engineering programme with the UNISA. (university of south africa).Do uou know if nigeria employers would value d cert?an is it really aceptable jere in naija? also i would love to meet an engineering student on that school

You are asking again? South African Universities are the best in Africa and UNISA is one of the top 10 universities in SA. If employers recognize Ife, Ibadan, UNN, Unilag, Uniben, ABU and others, then it is impossible for them not to recognize UNISA. I mean, UNISA ranks way higher than the best school in Nigeria.

Abeg, go and get 75% and above at UNISA. Employers in naija will more than recognize your degree.

T22

aktunde:

Thanks my brother. You are talking about me here. And this is why my heart never stops bleeding for the youths of Nigeria. Especially those who couldn't find an escape route from such discrimination. Graduated with HND and served in 2006, I faced this discrimination as a job applicant. Universities in Nigeria will also not allow me to go straight for Masters despite my good strong GPA. I tried the PGD route to Masters. I was also frustrated by those seeking bribes which I could neither afford nor give at that time. Button line, I couldn't get a job with the HND, and I couldn't proceed educationally when I wanted to. I got stuck!! I applied for Masters with the same GPA, performed well in the entrance exams and I got admitted into for a Masters program in U.S. My country is too blind to see the potentials in me, but the smart country can see it and accepted me. They gave me all the opportunities, and right now, I am preparing for my Phd. After my Phd, I will rather remain here and show gratitude to the country which sees the potential in me, and gives me all the opportunity than rushing back to a country which almost ruined my potentials. Call it brain drain if you like, I don't care because Nigeria doesn't care about us (the HND Grads, other unemployed grads & the educated hustlers). And to you HND holders, don't let them hold you down. Struggle till you get to the top because they don't care about you. Your destiny is in your hands

I gbadun your story very well. Very, very unbiased indeed. No BSc bashing, which makes the story all the more interesting to read. You even went ahead to provide practical ways of escaping the negative perception.... Power of exposure.

Congrats mhen. Abeg come back O..We still need exposed researchers at our pitiable universities in naija.

T22

figures: I work with total and it isn't abd place 2 wrk. Take for entry is about 4m per annum, there is salary increase every year of not less than 10perecent. Phd in india doesn't sound good to especially in india. Dere are other benefits too . What job were u interviewd 4? I work in finance too.

Lool, I was almost on point .

Could you tell us what the application process looks like?

T22

wakagirl: @tani and others
Just wondering what career lane can get into with a degree in business studies?
Thanks

You just cracked me up with this your question . Almost everything in life is business. She can build a career in almost any area of management. But I think she would have an edge in the business area she has worked in for many years.

T22

^^^^^^

One of the top math guys in my days currently works as a computer programmer/software developer. He gathered most of his skills while taking elective courses at the department of computer science and through self study. He has no degree in computer science.

Well, I think the advantage lies in the fact that you may be able to apply for jobs that specifically require only a BSc/HND in computer science. However, I doubt if such jobs are numerous.

If you are desirous of giving yourself an edge, then try to acquire and develop a professional skill that very few entry level people can boast of. Back this skill up with professional certifications and relevant internships. This way, you will be different from the average fresh graduate on the job market.

T22.

^^^^

There are universities that accept 3rd for master's in the UK. Northumbria is one. I know this because a third class graduate of mech from naija came there to complete a master's degree in the same mech. Today, he works for a MNOC in North America.


T22

OP, which level of school children?

T22.

^^^^

Î meant not less than 4 milla per annum.

The pay should be better than what you can earn at any naija bank.

I guess you interviewed with Total at the same time BIGER BOY( a forum member) interviewed with them.

See, if the job is favorable and the pay is awesome, then abeg forget about the PhD thingy, unless you have a particular non-monetary interest in the PhD. In my view, Total downstream>>>>>>>>PhD in India.

Meanwhile, the moderator asked how you applied. Would you be kind to walk us through from start to finish?

Thanks,
T22.

What did you do at BSc/MSc?

T22

Totaleeeleelelelelel

Tell the PhD people to please give you some time to settle a very important and unexpected issue back home. Wait for the offer from Total. If it is favorable, then regret the PhD offer and run to Total to start your career. Otherwise, thank the PhD people and tell them you will begin your coursework/research with them as soon as possible.

And congrats on both offers. A guy currently working for XYZ Oil and Gas in the Netherlands asked the same question last year. My reply to him at the time was that 'if one had a good grade, one would always get a scholarship offer for further studies'.

Meanwhile, I no fit shout! Totale, congrats man. Your pay should not be less than 4 million. Abi na downstream?

T22.

^^^^

Nice one so far. Keep working intensely, and congrats on your PE 1 and 2 in advance.

T22

^^^^

What are they busy doing besides teaching what they have been teaching for some time...It is not that most of them are busy doing ground breaking research O. It is just the idea of 'you students, don't disturb me'. Some of them even walk students out of their offices for no just reason.

One of the duties of a course advisor is to attend to students. He shouldn't be too busy to do his own job, the job that puts food on his table and salary in his account. But hey, humans can be selfish. That is life!

T22.

tolaniogunniyi: I studied educational management but all job vacancies are not in my favour. I need your advice and counsel on area of employment opportunities

Many employers classify all university graduates as ' BSc degree holders'. To them, a BSc is a degree that all university graduates earn upon completion of studies. So don't expect companies to specifically put B.Ed in an advert.

If you feel you are qualified for a job, then apply for it. If they do not respond positively to you, then just keep applying to other places till you are invited for an assessment. Use the assessment as an opportunity to market yourself.

All the best.

T22.

sofat: what should he do? He is in 300 level in one of the nigeria universities, but he could not afford to pay his school fees again which is highly exorbitant so he intends to quit. However, he has a diploma and he intends to go for HND which he thinks he can afford. THIS MAN NEEDS UR GUIDE.

It would not be helpful and would even mean dragging the situation at hand 3-4 years back if I said 'why would someone enroll in a university (I suspect state or private. I may be wrong) when he/she knew that he/she would not be capable of meeting up with the high financial obligations in the future'. So I desist from making such a statement.

He has gone too far now to back out. If possible, he can defer, work for a few years with his OND (including any menial jobs) and then come back to complete his university education. If he can get someone to see him through the remaining phase of his university education, then that should be very nice.

To others who want to get university admissions at all cost, please think about the pecuniary hindrance you may encounter in the future and factor this into your decision making process today. For me, I paid almost nothing when I attended university in naija.

T22

AjanleKoko:

You need to do some research. You started the topic like you actually knew something about the subject matter, but its turning out like you were just passing on some random gist. Your assertion is fundamentally wrong.

People like Tiger Woods, the Williams sisters, and a host of other sports people, as well as programmers like Bill Gates, have been in special programs since they were little children. Earl Woods started Tiger on golf when he was ONE YEAR OLD, imagine! He was recorded putting on the Bob Hope show at age 2. Bobe Hope, for crying out loud, does that sound like hobbyist golfing? Likewise the Williams sisters and their dad. Bill Gates had amassed over 10,000 hours of programming by the time he was 16. A lot of professional programmers today have not spent that much time programming.
If you want a good example to support your topic, look to European footballers, epecially those who play for France and Holland. A number of them, like Karim Benzema or Robin Van Persie played soccer on the streets of ghettoes and slums. They were not part of any soccer academies or high-performance programs.

The truth is, there is hardly anybody making serious money from their hobbies. Certainly not high-performance sportsmen in the developed world. Many of them have been training in their particular discipline even before they learned to speak properly.

And I don't believe people have hobbies in Nigeria. A hobby is not something you'd like to do if you had the chance, it's something you do actively. T22's love for teaching doesn't sound like a hobby, as I doubt he has spent up to 1,000 hours actively teaching (unless he is actually a teacher!). Most people are not comfortable in Nigeria. If you're not comfortable, you most likely don't have control over resources or time, and therefore are not likely to have any hobbies. Food, sleep, and sex can hardly be referred to as hobbies

I have taught for more than double the number of hours you stated. 3-4 hours each day for a week gives 15-20, for a month gives 60-80, for a year gives 720-960, for more than 5 years gives a minimum of 3600 hours. And yes, I taught actively for these years. It is hard for me to believe too, but that is the fact.

In fact, I started teaching immediately I left high school(I was 'headhunted' by one of my own former high school teachers to teach at his 4-8 evening school). During my university days, I was still in the business. After my university education, I was still in the business. During NYSC, I was completely in the business, teaching for an average of 4.5 hours per day. If all these hours are aggregated, the result would be more than what I stated earlier.

T22

ishmael: Yes, i'm flowing with u. Is the demand and supply for quality or quantity? I still need u to talk more on this issue.

You have asked a very nice and well thought out question. We shall wait for the professional accountants in the house to give a better insight as regards your first submission.

Until then, enjoy!

T22

tobbi1310:

Yes although this may seem to be the case, I doubt it would come to that because 'oyinbos' in general believe in specialization, and the efficiency of division of labor. Each individual role is already highly demanding and time consuming(ridiculous hours) and also quite different, I can't imagine putting all that workload on an individual, so on that note maybe a full CFA designation would be an extreme requirement but at least the level 1 or an undergraduate knowledge of economics and finance should be the minimum accepted requirement. Some institutions base their fin math/engr program in their business schools and generally do a better job of integrating knowledge from all the required fields into their program but in most cases especially in the u.k the program is based in the mathematics department. Also another thing I noticed is that the high dependence on complex mathematics and programming skills turns most candidates with a non-science(i.e finance or eco) background off the course, even a couple of students I met this year studying for a financial mathematics or maths with economics Bsc, all would rather go along the actuarial path or regular banking roles because it is less demanding and not programming based. And this is the main reason why mathematicians and physicists are usually the ones who end up with the degree but it's no excuse not to learn about the environment you plan to build a career in, a passion for the field should drive them to acquiring knowledge

Fair enough. All is to make it big, whether quant or any other.

T22

candylips: ^^^ Quants can take CFA to improve their financial knowledge but i don't think quants will want to work as a financial analyst . The world of fundamental analysis(accounting and economics) is not want interests Quants. The are more interested in mathematics and c++

From my experience, Quants instead usually aspire to be traders because that is where d big bucks is and these are the people that use their models

Hahaha, boredom would kill quants if they did.

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ishmael: For those who think that HND certificate is not equivalent to/ or better than a Bachelor Degree; how comes HND Accountancy graduates do better in ICAN exams than Bsc Accounting graduates? ICAN records show that most HND Acctancy graduates pass and qualify as chartered Acctants more easily than Bsc Acctng graduates. Pls let's get ur opinion on this.

At the end of the day, it is demand that determines the prices of most goods. Even the best of things, if the demand for them is low, then it is just a matter of time, their prices will come down. This explains why many Russian ladies have no guy to call their own even though these girls are crazily hot and are capable of making some ladies elsewhere look unfortunate.

Although I just stated an obviously trivial fact, I will pause here so that my point is not taken out of context. But I am sure you flow with me.

T22.

larion: Tani, pardon me as I beg to differ, I think his chances without connection = bleak

How do I mean? Studying maths is cool in fact I dove my hat for dose in it, buh it has got no particular skill attached to it, even engineering dt has, students don't get necessary skill cos of our kind of university education in ds country, talkless of maths

Apart frm experience y r young grad nt finding jobs if nt lack of skills, finding a job will b hell, trust me I knw wat m talking abt, even with appropriate skills its just a little beta

Wat do I suggest? Forget abt jobs for now n pick a niche n start developing d necessary skills; it cld b database, programming, networking, accounting, safety, just abt anytin, dts d good tin dt study maths is abt, if u knw wat u r doing ur brain is opened more dan d average graduate, its just abt putting sometin good in2 it

Don't b surprised I mentioned accounting n safety, I knw a dude who is to grad ds year in elect elect, during his IT he was preparing for 3rd stage of ICAN, don't knw abt ican buh dts wat he called it, n for safety, u only need to see wat peeps r doing with it in PH, pple don't explore it much cos of ignorance though , every1 is into ccna, A+, oca n d likes

Nurture ur skill now dt u r in skool, maths is cool buh too general, even courses dt r specific like mech n elect r finding it difficult, ds labour market is crazy I tell u.

On a lighter mood u r doing two courses in two different institutions abi? u go dey miss lectures b dt ooooo, anyway if u can cope keep it

Hi, it is very cool to have opposing views. However, I have not seen anything you said that contradicts what I have said or counters the statements I earlier made. Are you sure you read my post?

I am sure I did not say he has great chances of getting a job. I only said his chances are same as those of entry level graduates like him (any entry level graduates in naija). If chances of getting a job are 'bleak' for the said graduates and he (the OP) has the same chances as these graduates, then what can we conclude? Alternatively, if chances of getting a job are auspicious for the said graduates and he (the OP) has the same chances as these graduates, then again what can we conclude?

Omo, you need to check my post very well. All the statements you made did not contradict anything I said.

Again, it is fine to disagree. Even researchers and Nobel laureates still disagree and vigorously argue issues like the equity premium puzzle. However, one's argument must have a bearing and counter a claim previously made.

You may want to carefully read my post again.

T22

Egbonlai: @tanimola, i baggd my B.sc(ed) from TASUED tru Direct Entry 4rm FCE(T)AKOKA...i wuld luv to in d nearest future go in2 the teachin/lecturin line...will it be a good idea to enroll for M.sc Economics at U.i wt a second class lower and nt MBA

Omo, you want to do lecturing in Economics. That is nice. Abeg go the other route. Forget MBA for now.

Make sure you do the MSc Economics well O. Anything above 3.99 (to the nearest 2.dp) is good. Don't worry, I have seen third class degree holders who even made up to 4.5 at Master's level. All you need is intense dedication, you too will do it.

Have you asked if it is possible to go for Master's straight? In my view, I think it is possible only if you did the full undergraduate micro, macro, math for econs and econometrics modules. However, even with these courses under your belt, those naija schools can still be funny for no explainable reason .

See mhen, you have no problem. If it is lecturing you want to do and you can successfully complete your MSc and PhD, then you will actualize your dreams. At this point in time, lecturing in naija is not that competitive compared to getting a private sector job. I even claim that many failures of private sector job hunting are the ones striving to do lecturing jobs nowadays. Of course, I am excluding those older lecturers. I doff my hat for some of them because they never wanted any private sector jobs. I had one then in naija, a graduate of Harvard, who told us that in his days as an undergraduate student, only average students pursued private sector jobs. Imagine what people of nowadays would do if they had degrees from the likes of Harvard and co.

Anyway, the above said is just to let you know that you stand a very high chance in lecturing. To further gladden your heart, there are many successful lecturers who made lower grades than yours. I gave an example of one of them in one of my previous posts. In addition, the person under whose guidance I grew as a young teacher also did NCE+B.Ed(Accounting)+PgDip+ ICAN(chartered 1984 or so)+ MSc(distinction)+M.Ed+PhD. Today, he lectures at one of the very popular universities in naija. I will not give too much information because you would guess the person correctly.

So if you feel you can withstand the rigor of research, then go ahead and pursue a career in academics.

All the best!

T22.

Rawlings120: I am a maths student in one of the federal university, though am also running a hnd in computer programe in a federal poly too sha, and am sure of leaving with a 2.1 in the uni(mathematic) and an upper credit in the poly(computer science) just wanna know ma chances of getting a good job.....

At the entry level, apart from doctors, engineers, lawyers, a few other professionals and other medical graduates, you have the same chance as anyone you can think about.

Meanwhile, instead of pursuing two related degrees, why not focus on the one you consider as the better of the two and then concentrate your remaining energy and resources on a professional exam? Anyway, this is history now. Just apply to as many companies as possible immediately you graduate, during your NYSC and after your NYSC. People desperate for jobs apply to like 4-5 companies everyday or 80-100 companies every month or about above 900 companies in a year.

After graduation, if you have about 6 months before starting NYSC, then it is expected that you will have applied to above 0.5*900+900 immediately after your NYSC. Depending on your motivation for landing a job, this figure may increase by one half to roughly above 1.5(0.5*900+900).

T22

What is the current unemployment rate amongst fresh graduates in Nigeria? I just don't know what the people in charge are doing to improve this condition. Even menial jobs are hard to come by in naija. It is sad that many are unemployed, yet we all hear of some fresh graduates that get more than 2 mad offers after NYSC.

On a last note, people will still have to depend on employment opportunities. Realistically, not everyone can develop creative thinking skills. If it were not so, then gains from creative thinking would have long been diminished. This is why only those who have developed these skills can enjoy the benefits that come with them. I agree that it is really truly very dangerous to graduate and solely depend on getting a professional job. But, in all sincerity, why did many Nigerians acquire higher level education?

T22

tobbi1310:


Very true, from what i understand about the meltdown, it all went ca-boot because the quant guys that built these complex models do not fully understand the market in which they were modelling and the traders that used their models also really did not understand how to make adequate adjustments to take into account the evolving nature of the market, so it became a case of garbage in garbage out. This is why i think it is essential for quants to take exams like the CFA to familiarize themselves with the economy and market structures. It is typical in every bubble, they tend to spiral out to unsustainable heights and players get complacent until the market is forced to react and in this case the result was drastic. RixExpat got it spot on with the comment on professionalism of the field and the vital process of stress testing.

Although this suggestion sounds good, don't you suspect that this may render the regular CFA finance guys useless and jobless? Me thinks that if all quants are made to take the CFA then employers would want to employ them to perform their specialized quant jobs as well as the jobs of a typical CFA holder, all in a bid to cutting cost.

Many people's utility functions are increasing in money, so a lot of people are always ready (or greedy) to make more money, even though this translates to increased professional responsibilities. Employers, on the other hand, would not normally refuse to pay $25 to someone who can successfully perform two functions instead of paying $ 14 and $ 16 to two different people to perform these functions separately.

T22.

jnrremedy:
tanxs a lot for replying
for d cgpa, lose out in d dime minute as at 1st semester 400l i was stil withing d 1st class range(four.four eight) but was down wit an illness in d last semester dat kept me out of skul for 10weeks(d whole semester is 15 weeks) so dat in a way affected my final results(had an e in 3unit course). But i ve put dat behind me i believe i can stil get a good offer even with this cgpa. Thanks for the advice, i hv seen one of ur posts where u buttressed the point of indicating cgpa in cv when one is having a border class cgpa nd i ve taking note of dat
i wil write d gre exam next year is the biochemistry gre part of the general gre or i will have to write that seperatly and wats EMEA u mentioned it in ur post
thanks once again pray God wil continue to bless u nd ur prayers wil not be left unanswered. U re realy torching lives

Yes, your chances of getting something good are very, very far from being low. You are already writing out your statement of purpose. Please include the above in your statement of purpose. It will help explain the E you got.

This is how it works. GRE general--comprises quantitative, verbal and AWA(analytical writing). GRE subject--Biochemistry in your case. Most people don't take the subject test because almost all grad schools just recommend it. This means that it is not necessarily important for admissions and scholarships. However, if you take it and do very well, then many schools will beg you with scholarships. In fact, if you take it and blast it, then there is no need looking at only average schools around the world. You have to go well above average. See http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/biochemistry-rankings and http://www.chem.harvard.edu/academic/FAQ_update_for_2011_12.pdf for you to start dreaming. Mind you, your dream can become reality.

Sorry, EMEA means Europe, Middle East and Africa. See http://support.google.com/adwords/certification/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=29979.

Finally, if you just want scholarships from any universities abroad (minus the US), then begin your search and start applying by August 2012 for September 2013 admissions. You don't need to wait until next year if your plan is not necessarily biased towards North America. See http://www.scholarships-links.com/field/Biochemistry-Scholarships.html. You can begin your application now,now before you even log out.

I am happy to help you design an academic CV. Just use a combo of http://www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/mwinterhalter/CV/CV_TRAN.pdf and http://eecs.wsu.edu/~mehrizi/201205_CV_AliMehrizi-Sani.pdf as a guide to come up with something nice.

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teezlycrest: Am a graduate of Agric. Extension. About to round up my NYSC. Please people, i want to know if i can do my MSc in Economics or Business Administration with that degree course? Thank u all!

For MSc Economics at a reputable naija university, you would normally need a PgDip Economics. Besides LBS, many university owned business schools in naija will admit you into their full time MBA programs. My fear, as professionals have consistently echoed on this forum, is that a Master's in Business Admin may not be right for you now.

T22

mcnepow:
Chairman^2, he said looks shuldnt be d most important. I tink it shuld go dis way - of all d 'chics with looks dat appeal' u come across, pick d most homely n resourcely n every oda tin will be added unto u!

Hmmm, this na strategic strategy O. Thank you. Indeed, I have heard that some people have a good combination of all.

T22

Ijogz K: Kim "Jezebel" Of our world, wouldn't mind aving a taste of her and head to Hell anyway.. Only if I do sha oooooh

lool LMAO, your post is madly weird...

Deprofessional: Bros listen, learn from the elders in this forum, If your money can do all these at the same time, please do them. Otherwise let car be the last thing in that scale. If a girl refuses to marry you because you don't have a car, then she is not your wife.

Please don't forget this, in your search for a wife look for a resourceful woman. Looks does not matter now. What is paramount is a homely and resourceful woman. I did and I have rest of mind. I am still in my honey moon after a year and two months of marriage.

Regards.

But chairman, how can I get attracted to a lady that has got no looks? As in, what first appeals to a guy is a lady's physique, no?

T22

SefB:

Thank you T22,

Can the person be generous enough to let me know what the interview is like?
Thank ou

Hey baby, cool down small now. You really want to make this millions sharp sharp O..

Get invited for interviews first now. You have not even applied for a place sef. hahha

Okay, I will try to gather the interview questions and then let you know. But this may take time.

T22

jnrremedy: @t22
tanks a lot for always responding to questions u ve helped a lot of people wit ur insightful threads.God will also ans u
pls i need ur help. is it compulsory to write gre nd toefl before one can apply for pg scholarships even if it is not in us or canada.i ve not written any of d exams(planned to write dem next year due to financial constraint nau)does dat mean i cant apply for any scholarship now. i am a fresh graduate of biochemistry wit a cgpa of 4.4/5

Hi,

Thank you for noticing and congrats on your huge achievements so far.

No, the tests are not a must. However, without scores from the tests, your reach will mostly be limited to the EMEA and Asian countries. The tests will help you increase the number of places you can send your applications to. And as you know, this also increases your likelihood of being accepted and getting good scholarship offers.

Might I also add that your GPA is what we term 'painfully frontier'. Imagine you not including such a GPA on your CV. You just have to, mhen. If you don't, then you will be doing yourself a huge disfavor. There is statistically no difference between you and another 'I am a first class grad with a GPA of 4.51'. As I remarked in one of my previous posts, many first class people don't include their GPAs on their CV. Have you bothered to ask why? Someone even said including one's GPA on one's CV will cause the assessor to troway the CV in the bin. hahahah. Well, let's not go there. After all, first class na first class, 2.1 na 2.1 and 2.2 na 2.2. But I am sure you get my drift.

Meanwhile, if you can also add the GRE Biochemistry subject test to your list of tests to be taken, then admissions committees, especially those in North America, will love you.. For info on GRE Biochem subject test, please see http://www.ets.org/gre/subject/about/content/biochemistry

Enjoy!
T22