James is a brilliant young man, at least going by his contributions in various discussions – from politics, sports to information technology. At 25, he already has three years’ experience – not in any workplace, but experience sitting at home and roaming the streets of Victoria Island, seen as the Wall Street of Nigeria. He graduated four years ago from a top university in South-West Nigeria and he completed his mandatory youth service a year later. Since then, he’s been dropping his CVs off everywhere, from the high-rise buildings of Victoria Island to the “middle-rises” of Ikeja and the bungalow-offices of Lekki. He has applied for countless of advertised and unsolicited vacancies, online and offline, but he has never been called for any job test or interview.

James speaks very fluent English. He is also handsome, to boot. But there has not been any opportunity for James to speak his Queen’s English to the employers. No opportunity to get the recruiters to see how fittingly those suits sit on him and his signature disarming smile cannot help either. The issue here is: Employers look at James’ first degree certificate and see a third class grade. And they have more than enough to choose from, from the pool of applicants with second class upper and first class.

James is one of the thousands of students who were fond of arguing in school that certificates are just papers; that the class of degree does not matter. Isn’t it easier to play safe by proving that one is competitive in the events (academics) leading to the acquisition of that certificate? How will an employer who doesn’t know you from the next person know of your ability if you didn’t do well in your academics? Is it not fair to rely on your past – basically summarised on your certificate – as the record of your worthiness?

If another person bested you in academics, graduating better grades, what will prove to me, the employer that you can do better on the job? How will you convince me that you’re better than that person? Is it economical for the employer to invite the whole world for his job test? There has to be something set so as to prune down the thousands of applications and manage the invited applicants at a cost-effective level? At the entry level, your certificate – which, contrary to popular belief, is not just paper, but a summary of your performance in the higher institution over the last three to six years – is the easiest pointer to your past, the few shortcomings of this approach notwithstanding.

While conceding the fact that certificates do not always correlate with intelligence or smartness, I believe that it does, in most cases, summarises one’s ability to a potential employer. To me, the use of certificates as a basis in shortlisting entry-level candidates for job tests and interviews is still the best approach. The recruitment process will then sieve out the incompetent ones along the way. And if they do manage to beat the recruitment system, they cannot beat the internal performance appraisal system when they finally settle in on the job.

http://www.jarushub.com/certificates-are-just-papers-really/?utm_source=ReviveOldPost&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ReviveOldPost

Life ain't all about being a cooperate slave.

After 4 years of school and 1 year service and you can't find a job with your certificate

I think one of the mistakes undergraduate make is relyin so much on there grades.........although grades in Nigeria are over hype and getting good grade create other advantages....buh av seen people who graduated with low grades getting juicy employment. "connect"!!!....As an undergraduate,,you suld think more on how to solve problems around you.........and get rewarded for it......stop reallying totally on the job you gonna get immediately after school......... what if the job does not come
undergraduate needs to be prepared and preparation starts from your second year in school......

What of me that graduated with first class upper?
Any hope for me?

Word.

We attach so much to certificates and end up not practicing

Having the certificate is just by the way. Application the knowledge acquired is the true display of education.

When work is a pleasure, life is a joy.
When work is duty, life is slavery.

I left my white collar job after my boss taunted me the 2nd time, just because i didn't serve this shithole nation.

Today I've got what my ex boss dreams for.
Fortunately for me, we leave in the same estate currently. He pays me so much respect now.

#TheStreetMadeMe
#Life of a broke chaser

ABILITY is the KEY!!

Not just paper.
Certificate is one of the things bringing food to my table

I think there is no manual to success. All we pray is to get the opportunity and success\failure will be a certainty.

Nice one, op. Certificates may not be everything, but they give you the opportunity to prove yourself. They get you shortlisted. Better grades show your ability to endure all the unfavorable conditions you're met with in school and still succeed.

Getting shortlisted is where it stops, though. Once you're picked to prove your worth, you, the first class graduate, are on the same level with the person who barely made a second class upper. That's what I learned from my boss during my last internship- he had a hand in the recruiting process of the company at a time.

But no one should ever underestimate the worth of a certificate, in getting you picked. Even if you end up as a caterer when you studied engineering, the fact that you're a graduate could make people want to chose you over your competitors- then you have to prove that they made the right choice, by cooking great food.

You need to be the best, with certificate or no certificate I rate people base on their skills, knowledge and experience. Don't rate people base on their grades becuase you don't Know what they past through to earn that.

They are just bloody A4

Though they can still take you places if things are right...

Imagine if Buhari had gone to school....Do you think Nigeria would have been like this?

Sabificate Is What Really Matters, Certificate Is Just A Paper.

Personal skills are more valuable than certificates in Nigeria, developments of entrepreneurial and other vocational skills guarantee a better life than waiting on employment

dlondonbadboy:
Imagine if Buhari had gone to school....Do you think Nigeria would have been like this?

Jonathan went to school and it was downward spiral...though buhari' senselesness takes the biscuit

Grupo:
What of me that graduated with first class upper?
Any hope for me?

Mumu, what is first class upper?

dlondonbadboy:
Imagine if Buhari had gone to school....Do you think Nigeria would have been like this?

But Okorocha and Bello went to school

This thread is for job seekers that have being brainwashed from the uni to search for a non existing job in the nook and crannies of Nigeria.

It is much better you learn a montizeable skill and earn with the skill for life. lnstead of wasting your your money and limited time cramming in the uni and graduating with first class only to end up earning monthly stipend in N-power or getting a uselesss job that earns you less or a little bit higher than your uni lecturers.

Think smart this is 21 century earn more and work less.

certificate is very competitive in a country called Nigeria.

bionixs:
But Okorocha and Bello went to school

Are they not better than Buhari??

Although Certificates does not mean everything I must lend my voice in saying that it means a lot especially at the early stages. Certificate is the first point of contact between an employer and an employee. Certificate is the first method of sorting out boys from men. Jus put yourself in the position of an employer and then you see a first class and a Pass.
I just finished my NYSC and am working now by God's grace at Abuja. My certificate and not even connection got me the job. The first thing I was told in the interview was a compliment on my Certificate and CV content. Please let's study hard in school and know what we are there for.

dlondonbadboy:


Are they not better than Buhari??

How is Okorocha better than Buhari?

dlondonbadboy:

Are they not better than Buhari??

Oga how?

This is just sickening to be honest because i belive that jobs are not just available and the little that usually comes up is mostly gotten by those who are well connected but at the end of the day you cant give up but rather pray hard and work harder, the light at the end of the tunnel might be that job you've been praying for or an incoming train that will smack you to humbleness of learning a trade or starting a business of your own. man must survive sha.