Camera 360 Thousands of people graduate from tertiary institutions every year in Nigeria; most of whom are usually ill- prepared for the ‘real world’. This post is intended to guide all graduates on necessary steps that should be taken in order to secure a good future. It is necessary that all graduates be aware of all these steps so they can have a worry- free ‘after college’ life. Celebrate: Yes o, it is compulsory to celebrate after graduation; if it is cow you want to kill, kill it, if you want to throw a big party, throw it, if you decide to travel abroad for vacation, travel it ( lol). But really, celebration is paramount because you graduate from a tertiary institution for the first time only once ( duh). However, the celebrations will surely come to an end when you remember that B. Sc is now like SSCE in Nigeria these days ( true talk my people). Go for NYSC: In Nigeria, so far you are 30 years old and below, after graduation, it is compulsory that you obey the clarion call and go serve your fatherland or is it motherland? all join as long as you understand what I mean…for one year. NYSC will prepare you for your future jobs as you have to work for a company, school, government parastatal, etc. during your service year. Ignore the headlines, THERE ARE STILL JOBS OUT THERE : A lot of people get discouraged when they hear the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. Most people just assume that there are no available good jobs in Nigeria and just take the first job offer they get even if the pay is appalling. Please, please and please, that notion is very wrong, there are still a lot of available good jobs in Nigeria; in fact new people are employed everyday in Nigeria. Furthering Your Education Is Not The Next Step : A second degree means a better job or better still, it means a better chance of getting a job…Right? WRONG. Think carefully before you apply for an expensive post graduate course that may be of little interest to employers. Remember, Education is a Business Now, so I won’t be surprised if your lecturers don’t agree with me on this. “Many graduate recruiters are happy with an undergraduate degree- few job adverts stipulate a post graduate qualification”- Dan Hawes, head of Marketing at Graduate Recruitment Bureau, UK. Do Professional courses: Instead of spending huge amount of money on a post graduate course immediately after graduation, a cheaper, better and effective option will be to take a professional course. Many companies are more interested in professional courses these days. The truth is that B. Sc is now ’bread and butter’ like I said earlier, so to improve your selling point, find out the professional courses in your field of study and take them. For example, a graduate of accounting without an ICAN certificate is just like a warrior without a sword… oya chill, I don’t know if that makes sense but at least y’all sha got my point. Google Yourself: I do this a lot, even before graduation. You need to know what comes up any time someone types your name on Google and how it makes you look. Potential employers will do this, so correct what needs to be corrected. Set up a LinkedIn account: LinkedIn is a social network that connects Job seekers to potential employers. Every graduate should have a LinkedIn account because you can discover a lot of job opportunities from there. Also, it helps you to showcase your experience and abilities to potential employers. Make a ‘Hit List’: Rather than sending your CVs indiscriminately to every company offering a job to fresh graduates, make a hit- list of key roles to apply for. Concentrate on jobs you really like, jobs you are good at, this would give you a much better chance of being successful. Get Blogging: Setting up a blog is an easy way to show off your written communication skills, your passion and knowledge of certain topics, and your personality. Just make sure your blog posts are well- written and are up to date. This will come in handy when your potential employers are doing a background check on you. It would give you an edge over other job seekers. Nothing like a perfect CV: The perfect CV is a myth. As long as your CV is clear and concise, you are good to go. Tailor your CV: It is very important that you tailor your CV to the company you are applying for. Employers want to know that you have eyes for only them, even if that isn’t true. It also ensures your CV stands out from the crowd. Persistence is Key to Success: Don’t get discouraged if you get rejected from the first 10- 15 jobs you apply for. Yes, I know it can be incredibly frustrating, but don’t let that make you give up on your dream job. Remember, NOTHING GOOD COMES EASY. Further Your Education: After getting a job and working for some years, if you see the need for a second degree, probably for promotion, you can now further your education, maybe doing a part- time masters. Believe you me, if you are good at what you do, your company can even sponsor your Masters Programme. You see…it is a win- win

Hmmmm

Good advice Op...