MainAttraction:

It's probably both. But I knew that with this degree, there is no way I can stop at just a bachelor's and make a good living, so I've already begun applying to grad school's-joint JD/PhD.

What is your degree(s) in?

Logistics Engineering. So what are you planning for a grad degree?

MainAttraction: I just recently (Dec 16) graduated with a B.S in Psychology and Biology, and it really is true that finding a job in this market is tough. I'm not in Nigeria, but where I live, entry level jobs for recent college grads are hard to come by. I really do wish I had paid more attention to the first point listed and searched for degreed jobs earlier.

This is a quote I read on a blog and it's so true: "It was a rude awakening. It's like going to college, and then having everything hand fed to you, only to get out into the real world to apply for a job, only to realize that 30 other people have a lot more experience than you. Even though you have all of these great degrees, you still have to go out and prove yourself."

I would think differently about your situation. It is either the combination of your degree is giving you a hard time finding your true calling.
Or
Your location is not working for you. But then you are a new grad, so it is not yet a full blown disaster for you yet.

I am saying this from experience.

^^^^ Oga mi sir, I think you are right, but I will still disagree with you, reason is that for those stated up there, like six or seven out of them are relevant, how? Let's take them one by one:

1.I would have started looking for jobs earlier.

Seriously, like one's year 4 and 5 can be good times for this, at least we have some that got jobs before graduation. Okay, it is a 20-80 situation, so, its out.

How many people get good jobs without NYSC? Like who cares about a non-degree holder?

2.I would have actually networked.

Please what do you think about this? Since networking gives 60% assurance of jobs. Knowing the right people and believe me, this can be done in school, just be dilligent and know how to mix with people, both mates and those established.

With who? IF only you went to Babcock, Covenant and the likes

3.I would have taken on a job or an internship in addition to my course-load.

This is possible in Nigeria, just that it won't be easy, but I think with lots of searching on the students side and the willingness of employers, then it is feasible. Btw, most multinational coys and firms give chances to students as regards that.

Well you faced the fact

4. I would have gotten more involved in career-relevant extracurricular activities.

Of course! This will go a long way esp. When looking for jobs after school. It will tell employers somethings about the jobseeker. It is very simple to do.

5. I would have applied to more jobs, earlier.

This with no 1 are quite tough anyway, but a trial might bring something positive.

6. I would have focused more on becoming professional.

Oga me sir, no need to do justice to this, except for the sake of those still in school. Professionalism is the best.

quote]
7. I would have done more to figure out what my career goals were.

This is something personal, we can say personal discovery and development.
[/quote]

Maybe Guidance and Counselling section in Universities would help cure this horrible

8. I would have gone to the career center.

There are non in our universities, but uncles and brothers that have experience can help out here, just to guide them.

9. I would have kept better track of my achievements.

Whaoh! This is quite important especially if you want to get into this multinationals and big coys.

Maybe a First class is enough? or debate competition, essay?

10. I would have focused more on developing relevant skills.

Seriously, this is very very important, as in, development of skills is quite necessary and it will go a long way, no need to explain further because it is always stressed here on nairaland. You can do this in many ways when in school.

Yeah, now possible in a more global environment. Thanks to computers

Wallie: I guess I didn't answer the question!

There's no way I'll give in right a way to a child that wants to study anything that I feel is a waste of the child's potential! Am I a typical Nigerian? Yep, and I'm unapologetic.

In today's world, I feel every professional should have some foundation that allows them to converse with or, at the very least, understand the technical crowd. Technology will very much control the future and will determine who leads and who follows. There's nothing wrong with following someone else’s lead but I have a problem with someone capable of being a leader lazily settling to become a follower.

For a first degree, I will bark at anything that’s not science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. For a second degree, the child can go study whatever he/she likes even making pottery. But I can almost guarantee that his pots will be second to none.

A child of mine that refuses to go to college will get written off and ignored. That’s how strongly I believe in education.

What if he blows up like Justin Bieber? or drafted into Barcelona's first team at 17 like Bojan?

I have seen someone share his story on Nairaland about using his HND from Nigeria to continue to PhD after his Masters in the US. So i would agree that HND graduates from Nigeria don't have it that bad after all. Just run away for a masters program and kill HND stigma for life.

ayobase:

Seriously?

Our elders have placed too much emphasis on education that we have no other direction to look at than go get those papers and feel bloated like AJ said. But things are changing. You can see that from the many stories about Nigerian graduates especially from abroad doing something other than that they studied at the University. That is called expression but we usually don't get it from a young age because we are not living in a secured society.

As smart as Mark(facebook) was, do you think it would have gone down well if his parents were the average Nigerian?

I have a cousin studying in the U.S and also making music. He has been tipped for greatness in the Nigerian industry but at the moment silent because he has to get that degree or else he will be disowned

Sagamite:

You want comparable data?

That is not too hard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_average_wage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_in_Europe_by_minimum_wage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_in_Europe_by_net_average_wage


Honestly, this is not rocket science. It is very easy to ratiocinate it. I did not even check the salaries before I made the assumption because it is so obvious.

It is like me wasting my time checking if Brazil has one of the highest number of win ratios in the history of Copa America.

There is a reason why all the Poles, Romanians, Lithuaians etc head for the UK.

Guy, you see some arguments are not easy to end. I will just have to agree with you after all. I too be London boy you know

^ Good to know. I Wish you good luck.

Sagamite:

This still does not prove graduates or even people in Europe on average make more than people in the UK.

It is obvious, and based on your quoted point, that the UK is more capitalist than most European countries, if not even the most capitalist. They practice more free-market economy than command market economy.

One of the key advantages of free-market economies over command economies is they generate more aggregate wealth for the economy and people. Command economies only distribute what is there more equally to ensure the welfare of all but what is there is normally less than what is in free market economies.

Moreover, the UK is one of the top 3 economic giants amongst the 27 EU countries.

So I really don't see how anyone can think average wages of the citizens or graduates in Europe is higher than in the UK.

Hence why I used the UK as a benchmark £29K as minimum is impossible in Europe when it is impossible in the UK.

This argument would have been made easier if we had data to look at. But i'd be surprised if the U.K. is really up there as you have explained looking at the average.

Sagamite:

Plausible but I doubt it.



So you are telling me what?

People in Europe make more on average than the UK?

Well depends on how you look at it. Some very strict countries have unions that determine what you earn in a particular field. Be it recent graduate or not. But then, as wage disparity is very big in the U.K. some people have to be at the receiving end of the problem.

Sagamite:

You honestly don't know the answer to that or is it me you are suppose to be directing that question to?

I am asking you because you used the U.K as the benchmark for salaries in Europe, which should not be so.

AjanleKoko:

Yes, really.
It's their life to live, not mine. I am already living mine.
So long as I am able to teach them how to be responsible and make something of their lives. How they go about it is going to be entirely up to them.

An aberration from the average Nigerian mindset. I actually think that is the way to go. All this Engineering, Medicine, Accountancy thing even kills creativity from young age.

AjanleKoko:

Yes, really.
It's their life to live, not mine. I am already living mine.
So long as I am able to teach them how to be responsible and make something of their lives. How they go about it is going to be entirely up to them.

An aberration from the average Nigerian mindset. I actually think that is the way to go. All this Engineering, Medicine, Accountancy thing even kill creativity from young age.

Sagamite:

What utter rubbish?

Graduates in Europe make about 2800 euros per month?

Let me calculate that at £1 = 1.15 euros. That is roughly £29K a year as minimum annual income of a fresh graduate in Europe?

Absolute junk.

Even the Big 4 accountancy firms don't pay that to fresh graduates talkless of it being minimum for graduate.

Even the UK graduates don't have that as minimum, talkless of across Europe.

Is the U.K the whole of Europe?

jp philips:


are you kidding there are advanced corrosion courses you can attend or better still get full range QaQC certifications like
lucrative API's and three or four NDT methods, damn!! you really don't know what you ve got.

there are big laboratory jobs in the oil and gas industry that pay well, ICH or PICH is their basic qualification.

do you know that oil is treated before it is sold (additives)?? it means that every oil producing or production servicing companies utilize labs, what about petroleum importers and tank farm owners. other sectors too like breweries utilize labs.

didn't you go for excursions while in school?

how did you end up studying a course you know nothing about?

too much questions bro.. you wan choke am?

Yvete: Hi Yall,
This is an interesting thread. I'm currently pursuing a MS in Supply Chain & Logistics Technology in the US. Its nice that we can share ideas on how to improve logistics in Nigeria irrespective of lack of adequate infrastructure.

Why does your MS have Technology? How is it different if it were Supply Chain Management or Engineering?

Would you want to enlighten me?

AjanleKoko:

the jobless youth that opened this thread?

lol... has he been dreaming of you?

So where did you finally settle for your masters?

Both of you should stop this puerile altercation. At least now we know you both attending universities from God knows where in the U.S.

Just go settle this over a bottle of beer somewhere and move on.

Frank-C:
For those that just activated #Nigeria_bashing mode, please note that Airtel just appointed one Mr Segun as her MD and Mr Segus just have a Bachelors Degree from University of Ife according to the report.
You can't finish B.Sc. Rush to UK and runa six straight year program from M.Sc to PhD and expect to come back and take the job of a man who has been with PWC or Accenture or even MTN for the same lenght of time.
While i agree that the unemployment rate is high, i also think that individual decisions are important.

You think most of the guys rushing to the UK left their jobs in Nigeria? A lot of these people apparently could not get a job in Nigeria. So don't use one Airtel guy as an example for the sorry state Nigeria finds herself

hardbody:

God bless you for that observation. Meanwhile, for whatever it is worth, I would not spend time in any state Uni. That is not to say you don't get brilliant chaps graduating from there, but heck, you also get a lot of guys whose foundations are weak because they actually bought the admissions in the first instance. All my degrees are from fed Universities and I am aiming to acquire more.

Another Masters degree in Ignorance? Dare i say that comment was dumb

I feel for you Op. Since i can't say how you fared with your interviews and tests, it is difficult to come to a conclusion on your job chances.

Have you tried other things like studying for a masters? maybe it will improve your chances in the labour market. Best of luck!

Welcome to Nigeria!

My advice to you, keep applying for jobs and don't turn a blind eye on a Masters degree abroad in fact aim for schorlarhip, partial or full from a good school.

When you are done with your masters, they won't look down on you anymore.

As for which is better state or federal, you definitely won't win those folks just trying to make themselves happy.

ruffgem: Please everyone i am a nigeria right now i am in iraq but in the hotel since i came here i have not have
any contact with any black i have not see any black working in street can any one help to derite me where can i see
any black so he could help me here get a job iraq is a very nice place i am still in the hotel i really need help
before my visa expire.

Are you for real or a joke? You don't look like you need a job anyway.

AjanleKoko:

See your mouth like make millions. Mumu

lol...

Wallie: "Having money isn't everything, not having it is." Kanye

Before traveling abroad in the early 90s, I had fantasized about eating a whole roasted chicken by myself. Once abroad, one of the first few things I did with my money was to buy a whole roasted chicken. For whatever reason, the derived satisfaction I got didn't seem to match up with the cravings in my fantasy!

We tend to ascribe exaggerated worth to things of real/perceived value that we lack. As a person, I tend to desire and value things just out of reach than things within reach. It’s like a rat race; always trying to reach for the next step! Some might define that as having ambition but when does it end, if ever? Sounds like I’m ranting and off topic!

Anyway, I do agree with previous posters that money or what we perceive to lack is not everything!

Maslow said it all. People will always want more.

Nigeria is one of those countries where been average is getting dated.

The first thing i learnt when i started my B.Sc was where i can function with the degree i was working towards. This includes the industries where i can work and the various titles that i can hold with my degree. So i am here thinking this should be same for you.

@AJ, we are on the same page in some your assertions. My point is, most guys complaining about the U.K in some cases are really not appreciative of what they have got. I know Nigeria cannot solve all our problems just the same way there is no room for all of us abroad.

But i disagree on the 3 points about how Nigeria is not an exception.

The most important thing is to have a vision, work towards it and see it to fruition rather than incessantly whine over an already structured and unchanging system.

^^ A good view from deenee but as the title only mentioned the UK, i think there is no need to go further in comparisons to other EU countries but i will give it a shot.

The U.K. is the only country amongst other high ranking European countries where you pay as much as 9,000 pounds a year as tuition fee. House rents in the U.K especially in the highly populated areas like the London radius can also be expensive. Transportation is not the cheapest as well as their energy bills.

Now, wage earnings in the U.K is not necessarily different from what is obtainable in other countries like Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Nordic etc. When you assess these countries i have listed, there is no single one of them that charge a tuition fee of 2000 euros a year from their students. And also their students earn monthly stipend from their respective government to study.

If you were a parent living in these countries i have listed above what you will find out is that, most of your earnings will go into housing, food and transportation. You won't need to worry about tuition for your child in a year. Lets take it that you earn 2000 euros net and your wife earns the same. You have a rent or mortgage of 1500 a month to pay as well as car. 500 for transportation and food. You still have 2000 euros left from one parent. Let us divide this 2000 between the partners.

Now, the system works that both parent contribute to the family. A Nigerian will send money home every now and then, travel almost every year to Nigeria, acquire a land and start a building project and pathetically in some situations send money to a girl friend. All these i will consider as part of ones savings and not necessarily liquid cash. But you hear all these rants from Nigerians that you can save more in Nigeria is not well thought out.

I am saying this because i think we as a people are always asking for more when necessarily we have not done much for ourselves. What major manufacturing is going on? what innovative things are we exporting to the world? have we earned the most from our natural resources? What about the money lost to corruption? You imagine me earning 1 million naira a month in Nigeria where the vast majority of the populace with a meager salary always complaining about how they can't pay their wards school fees, house rent and so on. That is not the Nigeria i will want to live in. Of course, if there was a sincere effort by the government to reduce the sufferings of the very poor, i may want to care less.

Like one poster said in one of the early pages, the individual decision is more emotional than rational. You will either prefer to live in peace than to witness all sort of chaos in daily life. You will either not want to worry about people suffering than want to be the millionaire among a bunch of unfortunate denizens in your community.

flexyonline:

The bolded above is the part that I quarrel with. Is that also not a defeatist attitude?

Definitely not, we all want to do in Nigeria what we can't do elsewhere.

obadiah777: LOL SERIALLINK WETIN DEY SHELE

ANYWAY, BILLYONAIRE NOT EVERYONE IS OBSESSED WITH MONEY. SOME PEOPLE DONT USE MONEY TO MEASURE THEIR SUCCESS AND HUMANITY. MONEY IS JUST A MEANS TO GET WHAT YOU WANT. LETS NOT MAKE IT THE BE ALL AND END ALL OF LIFE CUZ IT AINT. ITS THAT MENTALITY THAT HAS NIGERIA THE WAY IT IS TODAY. IF I HAD YOUR MENTALITY THAT I AM A FAILURE BECAUSE I AM CONTENT WITH WHAT I HAVE, THEN IF I ASSUME GOVT POSITIONS WOULDNT I BE A FAILURE IF I DONT STEAL BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ? AFTER-ALL MONEY IS THE MEASURE OF A MANS HUMANITY ?

ANYWAY I DIGRESS

ENGLAND IS A DREAM-KILLER AND A LEVELLER. DEPENDS ON YOUR PERSONALITY. IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO JUST VALUES THE BASIC IN LIFE WHICH YOU NEVER HAD IN NIGERIA THEN IT IS A LEVELLER. MEANING IT PULLS YOU UP TO THE SAME LEVEL EVERYONE IS ON.

HOWEVER IF YOU ARE AN AMBITIOUS PERSON, ENGLAND IS A DREAM KILLER. THERE IS THIS GUY CALLED DEJI AKINYANJU. LIVED IN LONDON FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS. DUDE WAS ROASTING JUST LIKE MOST PEOPLE IN ENGLAND. ONE DAY HE WAS LIKE, I CANT KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS. HE PACKED HIS BAGS AND RETURNED TO NIGERIA WITH ABSOLUTELY ALMOST NOTHING. TODAY HE IS A MULTIMILLIONAIRE IN POUNDS AFTER ONLY 5 YEARS IN NIGERIA. HE OWNS ALL THE CHICKEN REPUBLIC STORES IN NIGERIA AMONGST MANY OTHER BUSINESSES. YOU CAN SEE HIM BEING INTERVIEWED ON CNBC AND CNN ABOUT MARKET TRENDS. THE POINT HERE IS IF YOU ARE AN AMBITIOUS PERSON, LONDON IS NOT FOR YOU. IT IS A DREAM KILLER. HOWEVER IF THE ONLY THING IN LIFE THAT MATTERS TO YOU IS CONSTANT ELECTRICITY AND STABILITY, THEN IT IS FOR YOU.

How can you mention someone who got seed funding worth 2 million pounds from friends and family to start a business? How many returnee can raise a tenth of that amount? They will rather give those back home money on their arrival in Naija.