₦airaland Forum

Op, I don't think you should have asked what biz a 'Lady' can start, you should have just asked what biz a 'person' can start. Most of the opinions I see here are really lopsided, not exploring all possibilities. Wish you the very best

I think its just a play with words but note that the word 'cover letter' is not specific to job applications. A covering (cover) letter is basically a letter that introduces the main content of whatever, hence its usually brief and often sets the pace for the main content. Proposals, budgets, financial reports etc usually have covering letters too.

Found this intresting piece on NY times and decided to share. Share your thoughts.
P.S Try at your own risk

In Mandy Len Catron’s Modern Love essay, “To Fall in Love With Anyone, Do This,” she refers to a study by the psychologist Arthur Aron (and others) that explores whether intimacy between two strangers can be accelerated by having them ask each other a specific series of personal questions. The 36 questions in the study are broken up into three sets, with each set intended to be more probing than the previous one.

The idea is that mutual vulnerability fosters closeness. To quote the study’s authors, “One key pattern associated with the development of a close relationship among peers is sustained, escalating, reciprocal, personal self-disclosure.” Allowing oneself to be vulnerable with another person can be exceedingly difficult, so this exercise forces the issue.

The final task Ms. Catron and her friend try — staring into each other’s eyes for four minutes — is less well documented, with the suggested duration ranging from two minutes to four. But Ms. Catron was unequivocal in her recommendation. “Two minutes is just enough to be terrified,” she told me. “Four really goes somewhere.”

Set I

1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?

2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?

3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?

4. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?

5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?

6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?

7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?

8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.

9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?

10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?

11. Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.

12. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?


Set II

13. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?

14. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?

15. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?

16. What do you value most in a friendship?

17. What is your most treasured memory?

18. What is your most terrible memory?

19. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?

20. What does friendship mean to you?

21. What roles do love and affection play in your life?

22. Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five items.

23. How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people’s?

24. How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?

Set III

25. Make three true “we” statements each. For instance, “We are both in this room feeling ... “

26. Complete this sentence: “I wish I had someone with whom I could share ... “

27. If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.


28. Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest this time, saying things that you might not say to someone you’ve just met.

29. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life.

30. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?

31. Tell your partner something that you like about them already.

32. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?

33. If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven’t you told them yet?

34. Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?

35. Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why?

36. Share a personal problem and ask your partner’s advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.

Source: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/fashion/no-37-big-wedding-or-small.html?referrer=&_r=0

Sashafm:
I got a message from dragnet for d kpmg test on Saturday, I have login and printed my slip but there's a mistake in my surname. Pls any advice on what to do?

You should contact KPMG HR to inform them. Don't think its a issue tho.

Permit me to start by thanking Chatham House for the invitation to talk about this important topic at this crucial time. When speaking about Nigeria overseas, I normally prefer to be my country’s public relations and marketing officer, extolling her virtues and hoping to attract investments and tourists. But as we all know, Nigeria is now battling with many challenges, and if I refer to them, I do so only to impress on our friends in the United Kingdom that we are quite aware of our shortcomings and are doing our best to address them.

The 2015 general election in Nigeria is generating a lot of interests within and outside the country. This is understandable. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and largest economy, is at a defining moment, a moment that has great implications beyond the democratic project and beyond the borders of my dear country.

So let me say upfront that the global interest in Nigeria’s landmark election is not misplaced at all and indeed should be commended; for this is an election that has serious import for the world. I urge the international community to continue to focus on Nigeria at this very critical moment. Given increasing global linkages, it is in our collective interests that the postponed elections should hold on the rescheduled dates; that they should be free and fair; that their outcomes should be respected by all parties; and that any form of extension, under whichever guise, is unconstitutional and will not be tolerated.

With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War, democracy became the dominant and most preferred system of government across the globe. That global transition has been aptly captured as the triumph of democracy and the ‘most pre-eminent political idea of our time.’ On a personal note, the phased end of the USSR was a turning point for me. It convinced me that change can be brought about without firing a single shot.

As you all know, I had been a military head of state in Nigeria for twenty months. We intervened because we were unhappy with the state of affairs in our country. We wanted to arrest the drift. Driven by patriotism, influenced by the prevalence and popularity of such drastic measures all over Africa and elsewhere, we fought our way to power. But the global triumph of democracy has shown that another and a preferable path to change is possible. It is an important lesson I have carried with me since, and a lesson that is not lost on the African continent.

In the last two decades, democracy has grown strong roots in Africa. Elections, once so rare, are now so commonplace. As at the time I was a military head of state between 1983 and 1985, only four African countries held regular multi-party elections. But the number of electoral democracies in Africa, according to Freedom House, jumped to 10 in 1992/1993 then to 18 in 1994/1995 and to 24 in 2005/2006. According to the New York Times, 42 of the 48 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa conducted multi-party elections between 1990 and 2002.

The newspaper also reported that between 2000 and 2002, ruling parties in four African countries (Senegal, Mauritius, Ghana and Mali) peacefully handed over power to victorious opposition parties. In addition, the proportion of African countries categorized as not free by Freedom House declined from 59% in 1983 to 35% in 2003. Without doubt, Africa has been part of the current global wave of democratisation.

But the growth of democracy on the continent has been uneven. According to Freedom House, the number of electoral democracies in Africa slipped from 24 in 2007/2008 to 19 in 2011/2012; while the percentage of countries categorised as ‘not free’ assuming for the sake of argument that we accept their definition of “free” increased from 35% in 2003 to 41% in 2013. Also, there have been some reversals at different times in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Mali, Madagascar, Mauritania and Togo. We can choose to look at the glass of democracy in Africa as either half full or half empty.

While you can’t have representative democracy without elections, it is equally important to look at the quality of the elections and to remember that mere elections do not democracy make. It is globally agreed that democracy is not an event, but a journey. And that the destination of that journey is democratic consolidation – that state where democracy has become so rooted and so routine and widely accepted by all actors.

With this important destination in mind, it is clear that though many African countries now hold regular elections, very few of them have consolidated the practice of democracy. It is important to also state at this point that just as with elections, a consolidated democracy cannot be an end by itself. I will argue that it is not enough to hold a series of elections or even to peacefully alternate power among parties.

It is much more important that the promise of democracy goes beyond just allowing people to freely choose their leaders. It is much more important that democracy should deliver on the promise of choice, of freedoms, of security of lives and property, of transparency and accountability, of rule of law, of good governance and of shared prosperity. It is very important that the promise embedded in the concept of democracy, the promise of a better life for the generality of the people, is not delivered in the breach.

Now, let me quickly turn to Nigeria. As you all know, Nigeria’s fourth republic is in its 16th year and this general election will be the fifth in a row. This is a major sign of progress for us, given that our first republic lasted five years and three months, the second republic ended after four years and two months and the third republic was a still-birth. However, longevity is not the only reason why everyone is so interested in this election.

The major difference this time around is that for the very first time since transition to civil rule in 1999, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing its stiffest opposition so far from our party the All Progressives Congress (APC). We once had about 50 political parties, but with no real competition. Now Nigeria is transitioning from a dominant party system to a competitive electoral polity, which is a major marker on the road to democratic consolidation. As you know, peaceful alternation of power through competitive elections have happened in Ghana, Senegal, Malawi and Mauritius in recent times. The prospects of democratic consolidation in Africa will be further brightened when that eventually happens in Nigeria.

But there are other reasons why Nigerians and the whole world are intensely focussed on this year’s elections, chief of which is that the elections are holding in the shadow of huge security, economic and social uncertainties in Africa’s most populous country and largest economy. On insecurity, there is a genuine cause for worry, both within and outside Nigeria. Apart from the civil war era, at no other time in our history has Nigeria been this insecure.

Boko Haram has sadly put Nigeria on the terrorism map, killing more than 13,000 of our nationals, displacing millions internally and externally, and at a time holding on to portions of our territory the size of Belgium. What has been consistently lacking is the required leadership in our battle against insurgency. I, as a retired general and a former head of state, have always known about our soldiers: they are capable, well trained, patriotic, brave and always ready to do their duty in the service of our country.

You all can bear witness to the gallant role of our military in Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Darfur and in many other peacekeeping operations in several parts of the world. But in the matter of this insurgency, our soldiers have neither received the necessary support nor the required incentives to tackle this problem. The government has also failed in any effort towards a multi-dimensional response to this problem leading to a situation in which we have now become dependent on our neighbours to come to our rescue.

Let me assure you that if I am elected president, the world will have no cause to worry about Nigeria as it has had to recently; that Nigeria will return to its stabilising role in West Africa; and that no inch of Nigerian territory will ever be lost to the enemy because we will pay special attention to the welfare of our soldiers in and out of service, we will give them adequate and modern arms and ammunitions to work with, we will improve intelligence gathering and border controls to choke Boko Haram’s financial and equipment channels, we will be tough on terrorism and tough on its root causes by initiating a comprehensive economic development plan promoting infrastructural development, job creation, agriculture and industry in the affected areas. We will always act on time and not allow problems to irresponsibly fester, and I, Muhammadu Buhari, will always lead from the front and return Nigeria to its leadership role in regional and international efforts to combat terrorism.

On the economy, the fall in prices of oil has brought our economic and social stress into full relief. After the rebasing exercise in April 2014, Nigeria overtook South Africa as Africa’s largest economy. Our GDP is now valued at $510 billion and our economy rated 26th in the world. Also on the bright side, inflation has been kept at single digit for a while and our economy has grown at an average of 7% for about a decade.

But it is more of paper growth, a growth that, on account of mismanagement, profligacy and corruption, has not translated to human development or shared prosperity. A development economist once said three questions should be asked about a country’s development: one, what is happening to poverty? Two, what is happening to unemployment? And three, what is happening to inequality?

The answers to these questions in Nigeria show that the current administration has created two economies in one country, a sorry tale of two nations: one economy for a few who have so much in their tiny island of prosperity; and the other economy for the many who have so little in their vast ocean of misery.

Even by official figures, 33.1% of Nigerians live in extreme poverty. That’s at almost 60 million, almost the population of the United Kingdom. There is also the unemployment crisis simmering beneath the surface, ready to explode at the slightest stress, with officially 23.9% of our adult population and almost 60% of our youth unemployed. We also have one of the highest rates of inequalities in the world.

With all these, it is not surprising that our performance on most governance and development indicators (like Mo Ibrahim Index on African Governance and UNDP’s Human Development Index.) are unflattering. With fall in the prices of oil, which accounts for more than 70% of government revenues, and lack of savings from more than a decade of oil boom, the poor will be disproportionately impacted.

In the face of dwindling revenues, a good place to start the repositioning of Nigeria’s economy is to swiftly tackle two ills that have ballooned under the present administration: waste and corruption. And in doing this, I will, if elected, lead the way, with the force of personal example.

On corruption, there will be no confusion as to where I stand. Corruption will have no place and the corrupt will not be appointed into my administration. First and foremost, we will plug the holes in the budgetary process. Revenue producing entities such as NNPC and Customs and Excise will have one set of books only. Their revenues will be publicly disclosed and regularly audited. The institutions of state dedicated to fighting corruption will be given independence and prosecutorial authority without political interference.

But I must emphasise that any war waged on corruption should not be misconstrued as settling old scores or a witch-hunt. I’m running for President to lead Nigeria to prosperity and not adversity.

In reforming the economy, we will use savings that arise from blocking these leakages and the proceeds recovered from corruption to fund our party’s social investments programmes in education, health, and safety nets such as free school meals for children, emergency public works for unemployed youth and pensions for the elderly.

As a progressive party, we must reform our political economy to unleash the pent-up ingenuity and productivity of the Nigerian people thus freeing them from the curse of poverty. We will run a private sector-led economy but maintain an active role for government through strong regulatory oversight and deliberate interventions and incentives to diversify the base of our economy, strengthen productive sectors, improve the productive capacities of our people and create jobs for our teeming youths.

In short, we will run a functional economy driven by a worldview that sees growth not as an end by itself, but as a tool to create a society that works for all, rich and poor alike. On March 28, Nigeria has a decision to make. To vote for the continuity of failure or to elect progressive change. I believe the people will choose wisely.

In sum, I think that given its strategic importance, Nigeria can trigger a wave of democratic consolidation in Africa. But as a starting point we need to get this critical election right by ensuring that they go ahead, and depriving those who want to scuttle it the benefit of derailing our fledgling democracy. That way, we will all see democracy and democratic consolidation as tools for solving pressing problems in a sustainable way, not as ends in themselves.

Permit me to close this discussion on a personal note. I have heard and read references to me as a former dictator in many respected British newspapers including the well regarded Economist. Let me say without sounding defensive that dictatorship goes with military rule, though some might be less dictatorial than others. I take responsibility for whatever happened under my watch.

I cannot change the past. But I can change the present and the future. So before you is a former military ruler and a converted democrat who is ready to operate under democratic norms and is subjecting himself to the rigours of democratic elections for the fourth time.

You may ask: why is he doing this? This is a question I ask myself all the time too. And here is my humble answer: because the work of making Nigeria great is not yet done, because I still believe that change is possible, this time through the ballot, and most importantly, because I still have the capacity and the passion to dream and work for a Nigeria that will be respected again in the comity of nations and that all Nigerians will be proud of.

Source:
http://www.punchng.com/news/buharis-speech-at-chatham-house/

Hello! To those who had their AC this morning, I trust it went well?

Nice one OP but instead of hobbies, I would rather a young graduate state his/her intrests. Intrests like Volunteering, Teaching, Gathering info etc.

Just my opinion tho

Most people think you should stay at Diamond bank. I think you should take on more responsibility by taking the Loan Officer gig. You said you are a contract staff registering people for the bank verification thing- this is the definiton of a dead end job bro, a job that doesn't build you. You will probably be doing the same thing till your contract expires.
The loan officer gig on the other hand will build you and allow you exert yourself the more.

Imagine these 2 instances in your CV
1. KYC Contract Staff
Diamond Bank
Duties
Registered an average of 100 customers daily
Prepared monthly progress reports

2. Loan Officer
XYZ Microfinace bank
Duties
Increased customer base of bank by 15% within 6 months
Consulted with and helped 10 SME customers get loans to enlarge their buisnesses
Met monthly targets of ...
Envisioned and initiated SME loan scheme increasing the amount of people who got loans by 10% in 4months

Which of the 2 makes more sense to you

P.S those achievments are made up, I don't really know what exactly a loan office does.

Cheers

Just like the poster before me said, being a union leader is really no achievement. What you need to do list out what you achieved as the leader, and not just listing it out but putting figures to your achievements. E.G One time union leader in a school of over 5000 students, led a delegate that liased with the school authorities leading to a 15% reduction in the school fees blah blah blah. Something like that.

channelz:
Educative.

I would have said you should have taken your time to write this properly but I guess I should stop expecting perfection

ROTFL

Thophumie:
Please does anyone one have idea on questions asked at the assessment centre. Just got invited.

What dept did you pick as your first choice?

adeaks:
Really? Haven't heard anything. Maybe they have pressing vacancies in Tax. In any case different depts schedule their ACs differently. Let's just keep our fingers crossed. Which dept was ur first choice?

Chose MC as first choice. U?

@adeaks have u heard from KPMG as regards AC. There is a guy on another thread who says he has been invited for tax AC

topeontop:
good day, please I've been scheduled for the assessment centre. I chose tax , pls what should I expect ?

When did you write your test and when is your AC?

Did you get an invite?

It is expected as a lot of foreign investors pulled out of Nigeria with the recent fall in the Naira coupled with the fall in Oil prices. Dangote took the major brunt of this as he owns about 91% of the Dangote group. But he will definitely bounce back eventually probably even bigger. I just hope this doesn't affect the good folks who work for him.

boyabkeye:
Pls beabea5,d mail keeps bouncing,help check if its correct.Thanks in anticipation

Add '.ng' at the end of the address I.e fehintola.sotomi@

mkchims:
Guess dat amount covers both the permanent one if the temporal license expires.

A Drivers license costs between 6 and 7k. You need to register online for it then get a date for capturing. The day you capture is the day you get your temp license. The permanent one comes much later, could be as long as 6 months. If you want to get the temp one, I suggest you start the process asap

Nice one OP. Buh lemme first say that I don't think there are any rules or any general 'things' that recruiters want to see on a CV. Each CV should be unique and tailored to a particular Job vacancy.
As regards the GPA thing, I don't really think it matters much in Nigeira cos recruiters conduct their own tests and all. But you should know that stating that u had 4.85/5.0 could mean the recruiter would probably use that as a benchmark for your performance in an interview or assesment centre.

I think the first thing u should do is define the word 'Millionaire'. Do u want to have at least 1 million Naira in your bank account or you want to have a biz that is worth at least 1 Million? Personally, I don't think its impossible to turn 40k (about $200) into millions of Naira in 6 years. Its just going to take a lot of hard work and dedication. I heard the story of a woman who sells vegetables to the elite on the island twice a week since they can't go through the stress of going to a real market. I would advise you look into offering services in the area of things people don't want to do for themselevs anymore.

Wishing u the very best

Quite intresting, I like the fact that you are not one of those who base their worth on the grade of their degree. A 4.47 in final year... First thing I would ask you is if you have a plan for your life cos that excuse about not being tied down by first class doesn't hold water at all. I would advise that you get the first class at least to see the joy on the face of your parents on the day of your graduation.

Like I said earlier, u need to have a plan. A first class doesn't really do so much in the Nigeria of today due to a serious decline in the quality of our educational system over the years. I must confess that a first class degree gets you some attention and may even open some doors but it won't get you through those door. Add value to yourself beyond the first class.

Wish you the very best

favoured234:
I will disagree with you on this.. Even when age is not indicated on the advert, a huge majority of Nigerian employers have age range that they desire to employ. Adding DOB and sex to a Nigerian CV does not hurt and its not space consuming so its not likely going to make the CV look clumsy, to be on a safe side I will advice everyone adds that to it..

I stand corrected

Mobi47:
ogedanny
so no need for referees, personal details like age; even if the employer states the required age they want? And again wat if one is a fresh graduate without professional experience, but has litle experience maybe as a sales attendant or otherwise, in his or her own shop or elswhere. Shld this also serve as an experience and therefore come before the educational details? Pls answer tnks

If the job requirement states that you be a particular age, it is important to put your DOB on the CV as that might be the first thing the recruiter checks to shortlist the CV.

For fresh graduates without experience, I would advice that you have a heading for your achievements, where you state areas you have used certain skills that are relevant to the job in real life scenerios. These achievements should follow the PAR method. PAR stands for Problem Action Result i.e you are to state the problem, the action you took to solve it and the results obtained. As much as you can, try to put figure on every of your achievements. E.g Led a team of 5 to advocate for blood donation resulting in a 50% decrease in the loss of life due to lack of transfusable blood. Something like that. Cheers

favoured234:
Great CV tips...
But please note that CVs are somehow geographical location specific...
I think that is an ideal UK/Western world CV sample.... The author is probably from that region (no body wants to know about your sex or date of birth)

I know in nja they want to know your sex and date of birth so for our CV I will suggest you just chip in your date of birth and sex somewhere around 1/2....

On the contrary, I don't think things like Sex or DOB are pertinent even in Nigeria except in situations where the Job requirements stipulates it. Please note that the average recruiter won't spend more than 10-30 seconds skimming through your CV looking for something captivating. Hence, it is important to put those things that sell you first and leave things like age and sex till the end of the CV.
Just my Opinion

Nutrition Advisor South West Region, never heard from them, no test no nothing.

Are you sure about that cos I still haven't heard a word from them since I applied.

@kennylicious what kind of interview, is it in sequel to the test of Nov 2014 and essay, if yes what dept did u apply for?

Nice write up OP, biko where did you get those stats from
And by way of addition I want to say that the major issue is not the abscence of jobs but the fact that most young nigerians don't build themselves beyond what they learn in the schools. A wise man once said 'when the world moves away from something, the schools begin to teach it', this saying is actively typified in the Nigerian Education sector which, as far as I am concerned, is a total mess. I want to implore young Nigerians, like myself, to develop themselves beyond what the schools can offer. A lot of employers lament to the fact that young graduates lack the BASIC skills needed in the workplace, such skills as communication, leadership, self management etc. It is said that the success of any establishment depends, to a large extent, on the calibre of its workforce hence employers these days spend a lot of time and resources to ensure they pick only those in whom they see the potential to help their companies grow. Its no more a function of the class of the degree or the calibre of the institution, its now a function of possesing value and being able to communicate that value effectively.

Stellar