Companies are alarmed at the astounding high proportion of fresh graduates who are totally ill-equipped to hit the ground running. It is a fact that many of today`s graduates from Nigerian Universities are totally inexperienced to face the challenges that real life work environment has for them. Hence, the “near compulsory” in-house training every organization has to give its new recruits to acquaint them with some practicality after a varsity experience of theoretical rote learning. Another reason for this is the inability of applicants seeking employment in Nigeria to find their right career paths. As far as employment is concerned, with the Nigerian job seeker, it’s all about fitting square plugs in round holes.

Never has the saying “doing work you love and enjoy, becomes no longer work, but fun” been more true than at the present, in a Global Economy which is still reeling from the impact of the Global Economic Crunch! Job satisfaction is now a nearly moot factor when considering a job, most especially in Nigeria where the ratio of job-seekers to any available job is around 6:1 or worse. Today the average first Degree graduates, who are trying to make up for “lost time” are too eager to land that one job, that comes with an official car, driver and a fat pay check, first time asking. What the job entails, are they adapted for it or even have the slightest interest in it, are questions hardly ever asked anymore.

Finding the right course of path in employment is unequivocally important not only to the job seeker but also to the eventual organizations which they might become a part of. When a candidate takes an honest look at his/her strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes and makes a career decision based on these standpoints, he/she immediately separates himself from the host of other job applicants who readily apply to a motley of vacancies. The job- seeker who chooses to find his career path and is courageous enough to follow the road it leads, instantly becomes a potential employee of value, the one resource note worthy organizations need in abundance. As soon as a job seeker identifies his career path in the field of employment and takes bold steps to get there, he becomes an employment magnet. He shouldn’t be surprised to see interview appointments filling up his diary dates. As the saying goes “the whole World stands aside for the man who knows where he is going”

What then are these bold steps a job seeker can take in finding the right career path in the field of employment? In the UK, the latest trend for people in-between jobs is to propose to render their services voluntarily without pay for a given duration to a company in the same industry they seek to build their career. Jobseekers in Nigeria, who are very much in need of practical experience, can do similar. The benefits in the long run outweigh the minor inconvenience of working free of charge, as you can claim to have hands on practical experience, you automatically take away weeks and months of just sitting at home playing the waiting game while looking for a job, you can quote your organization as you current employer, you can even get your supervisors to referee your CV and in some cases, you could even be made a permanent full paid staff based on the merit of your work. Another step to take in finding the right career path is to attend seminars, workshops, trainings on topics directly related to your industry and career path. This is called investing in yourself and as a job-seeker; you will always stand to benefit from this.