One of the major reasons why some youths/people remain jobless for so many years despite their good grades, is their inability to serve or learn at free will. There are job opportunities virtually every day but most times with the clause; "with 1, 2, 3 years of experience". But people don't have this required experience and so are not qualified for such opportunities. Have you ever asked yourself how to get the so called experience? I will use my field (Engineering) as an example here, and I hope it will be useful for the younger ones or those still searching for jobs.

Please note, my analysis might not necessarily be applicable to all Unemployed Graduates.

Vacancy!!!
A transmission Engineer is needed in MTN.
Requirements:
1. Must have studied any of the following courses Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Engineering or any other relevant course.
2. Must have 3 years experience in relevant field etc.

Here we go! How will a person that has graduated for the past 3-4 years, studied the required course, willing to work as a transmission Engineer, get such opportunity without haven gained the required experience?

Organizations are no longer interested in using their resources to train graduates. It is you that will forcefully give yourself out "free of charge" to serve or learn on your area of interest and in the process, you keep updating your CV based on the experience you have obtained so far. You will give yourself out to do all sorts of "dirty" jobs assigned to you. You have to be humble and ready to accept whatever comes your way. That is where the experience comes from. That is the GOLD you are looking for. Now you are about to enter the fast lane. It might take you 3 -6 months, 1-2 years depending on how smart or lucky you are to have a good Boss that is ready to teach you the job.

As soon as you are accepted to start learning on the job, you can never be less than what you were at that moment. Why? Because whenever you are asked the question "what can you do for us"? It will be easy for you to start mentioning what you have learnt in your field that will convince the interviewers that to a large extent, you know what the job entails. Now, if you have successfully learnt on the job within 3-6 months and you have graduated for the past 3 years or so, what you have learnt within such period has covered for your period of idleness. You can conveniently convince anyone that you have a couple of years of experience and trust me, you will end up bargaining for your take home pay with a smile. You know why? Because you will be seen as an experienced person not as a graduate trainee any more.

One of my colleagues in the office once told me that he attached himself to his neighbour for complete 8 months without pay just to learn on the job. The first job he got after the 8 months was as an "experienced Engineer" with an official vehicle and a driver attached. Don't forget, get the experience first, then money will follow.

Another friend of mine graduated with a degree in Metallurgical Engineering. He couldn’t secure a job for 4 good years so he decided to go into the business of renting wheelbarrows to Hausa trader in one of the Markets in Lagos. He wasn’t fulfilled with what he was doing until one day he walked up to one of their Church members, who happened to be a Boss in an oil servicing company in PortHarcourt that he was ready to work in their company without pay. After so much plea, he was considered and he worked for the company for 18 months without pay, just for him to gain the needed experience. Today, he is working with TOTAL LNG in Russia, based on his acquired skills. It was possible because he decided to serve free of charge in order for him to gain the needed experience that will catapult him to his promise land.


I am also a living example. I was attached to a sub-contractor in the city of Abuja some years ago. I spent 13 months, with 20k as my take home pay. Of course, anyone would know that, that was not enough for my transportation and feeding in a month. Exactly 6 months into the job, I got an invite for an interview from one of the leading Telecoms Company in Nigeria. In the course of the interview, I was made to realize that my scope of understanding with regards to the job was not wide enough for me to get the position. They mentioned other aspects I needed to know and I wasn't recommended for the position.

I went back home, attached myself for free to learn on those aspects I didn't know and I can tell you that I eventually got the job with same company 2 years after. So please learn to serve in order to add to your value for your better tomorrow. Learn to put the Cart before the Horse and you will be proud of yourself in the nearest future. Experience is the Money you are looking for. Don't wait until you get a job of 200k, 500k before you start doing something.

I hope this will help someone and people in other fields looking for jobs will also apply this technique. Knowing well that all Engineers, Builders, IT professionals, Architects etc. needs to be practically sound in order to make choices when opportunities shows up. I was inspired to write this note because presently we have so many graduates or people with no meaningful jobs who don’t have experience and opportunities keep coming without having those to fill such vacancies because they don't have the requisite experience.

Please note, in the journey of life, people get lost not because they do not know where they are going, people get lost in the journey of life because they lose FOCUS! The strength of destination is in the strength of FOCUS! Do not give up on yourself, no matter what you are going through.

Guys wake up. You are the only ones who can help yourselves. Stop apportioning blame to people for your inabilities to secure jobs or a future for yourselves. Time is no longer anyone's friend and before you say hey, it might be too late to re-adjust. I hope you won't say people are not willing to assist when you yourself have failed to play your part.

God help us.

ThankYou

i understand where u're coming from but u must also know that in this present economy, it'll b difficult for our youths to work for free. cmon, u must buy recharge cards n stuffs u need daily

I'd say work for "almost" free, not totally free. Haba u must at least get tfare and feeding money.

Even the free jobs is not available now. You now need connections to get the free jobs.



Instead of using the connection to get that free job, won't I use it to get a paid job.

I should work for free after school when I ve lots of bills to pay. If you don't have who is supporting you or a reserve of income, you will get frustrated one day.

Motivation is what makes you keep smiling when doing a job. Motivation often comes with incentives.


The problem is that there is no jobs baba. The people conducting the interview were trained by the company yrs back when they got the job.