₦airaland Forum

Audrey Robinson


Finding out that a recruiter visited your LinkedIn profile can be almost as exciting as seeing that you’re matched with the dreamiest person on a dating website. You’ve been working so hard to find the ideal opportunity, and you might have just observed that opportunity sliding into your grasp. Don’t go all in and cling to the recruiter like you’re a lost puppy trying to find a home – formulate a strategy that sets you up for success.


1. Return the Visit

Look at the recruiter who viewed your profile. It’s an acceptable, normal practice to return visits. You should be able to find some basic information on the recruiter’s profile that would give you an idea about who they might work for. You can’t always assume a recruiter’s intention with absolute accuracy, but you will walk away with a decent idea of what your best case scenario might be.

2. Find Some Chemistry

Look for the dots to connect. Does this recruiter work with a company who constantly launches new products and services? Are you in marketing? There’s where your connection might be. If you work in manufacturing colour cosmetics and the recruiter works for a national pizza chain, you’re probably not a good fit for each other.

3. Get Your Act Together

It’s not too late to update your profile if you feel you’re a bit overdue. Do you have relevant experience that might charm the socks off of that recruiter? Now is the time to make sure that the information your profile presents is clear and accurate. If you continue correspondence, the recruiter will likely look at your profile again. They’ll be able to find what they need. You might also want to update your resume while you’re at it.

4. Do a Little Research

Some recruiters just like to network. It makes their jobs easier in the future, even if they aren’t currently trying to source candidates. If you browse through job boards and see that one of the companies they work for seems to be hiring, that’s a good sign that you were being legitimately checked out. Even if you don’t find that the company is hiring, they might be about to do it soon, or they might be looking to fill a special position they aren’t advertising.

5. Develop a Personal Approach

You don’t want to figure out what you need to say halfway through a conversation. By perfecting your introduction, you’re making the best possible first impression. If you share a relevant experience with this recruiter, be sure to mention it. It might turn into a good starting point for a memorable conversation, and recruiters are people you definitely want to remember you.

6. Make That Connection

If you aren’t already connected to the recruiter, make that connection now. Here’s where you should use that personal approach you formulated – never rely on LinkedIn’s standard generic messages. Mention to the recruiter that you’re on the look out for great opportunities. Don’t aggressively beg for a job – just simply state your interest in productively networking.

7. Start Selling Your Skills
If you wind up developing a relationship with the recruiter, it’s time to start demonstrating your value. What can you provide for that recruiter? Do you know people in an industry they’re trying to reach? Can you play wing-man to help them in their other pursuits? Even if they don’t have a position for you at the moment, if you can do a few small favours for them, they’re going to remember you when they have the chance to do a favour for you.

Hopefully, this recruiter is the recruiter of your dreams. Take a few deep breaths, try not to feel too nervous, and use this strategy to get the ball rolling. Before you know it, you’ll be strategizing for your big interview.

http://www.jarushub.com/a-recruiter-visited-your-linkedin-profile-here-are-7-top-things-to-do-now/

cc: Lalasticlala & Mynd44

Typically, when you apply for a job, you'll be invited for a test to assess your mental capability. However, these tests are not what you were taught in school. For instance, if you read History in school, don't expect to see questions about the history of Nigeria or whatever (the closest will be the current affairs' section).

Passing aptitude tests goes beyond passing academic exams. It's a different ball game entirely. In this game, it doesn't matter if you had a first class/2'1/2'2. If you fail the test, you've failed even before you started the recruitment process. You want that job at First Bank, PwC, Shell, ExxonMobil, Aluko & Oyebode, Friesland Campina or Dangote? You must pass the tests. You want to be paid 250K monthly by Access Bank? You have to ace it clinically without being a doctor.

It's one thing to have the questions, it's another thing to know how to pass the assessment and yet another to know the tricks behind passing it.

P.S. In the game of getting jobs, it's important you know how to pass the tests even before applying.

http://www.jarushub.com/jarushub-aptitude-test-preparation-masterclass/

A leading career guidance and mentoring organization is looking for Aptitude Test Tutors.

Skills
-A good degree or HND/Professional qualifications. Higher qualifications give added advantage.
-Proficiency in SHL, GMAT and Dragnet Tests.
-Ability to impart knowledge on others.
-Available to work on weekdays and weekends (flexible working hours).
-Knowledge of test formats of top companies in Nigeria.

*Living on the Mainland is an added benefit.

How to Apply

Send a detailed cover letter explaining your competencies with CV to jarushub@gmail.com with the title: 'Aptitude Test Tutor'

You are encouraged to apply quickly as positions will be filled as soon as appropriate candidates are identified.

Someone posted this on LinkedIn:

How long until your ‘degree class’ becomes unimportant?…

“It is no longer important to include your ‘degree class’ in your CV after many years of graduation from the university. If you graduate in 2008 (which is 10 years ago!), a prospective employer wouldn’t take you seriously when you emphasize on your CV that you made an Upper Second Class honors degree 10 or 15 years ago. After 10 or 15 years of graduation potential employers are more interested in what you did with your degree in the 10 or 15 years after graduation more than they would care about the class of your degree.

“Of course you can find a space somewhere between ‘education’ and ‘interests and extra-curricular activities’ where you can indicate that you were the best graduating student in your university class, in those days. That might even interest the prospective employer more than your degree class would. But at any rate, after 10 or 15 years of graduation, what you did with your degree since graduation is more important to the prospective employer (and to the society too!) than the ‘weight’ of that same degree when you received it.”

---

We agree with him. It’s actually not rocket science. Your experience over 10 years trumps any education you had in 4 years. However, it may still be a tie breaker. When all candidates perform equally or have almost same strengths, the employer may decide to pick one with better academic background, if only to boast that “First Class works for me” or to love-vendor up their corporate profile on their website etc. Something like “Richard John is our Head of Strategy. He is a First Class graduate of Political Science from…”

This is however largely applicable to Nigerian labour market. It may not at all in many countries, especially in the West. However, school attended (even for just first degree) continues to have value in many countries, especially the US and UK. If you attended an Ivy League university 30 years ago, it will forever continue to be to your advantage. It can be a decider in position today. Interestingly, unlike grade, the reverse of this is the case in Nigeria. After 5 years experience, employers hardly care about your school’s prestige again. When considering an external candidate for Senior Manager in say NNPC, it may not matter whether he attended Ahmadu Bello University or Ado Ekiti Polytechnic, but it may matter whether an external candidate went to Stanford or UNILAG when being considered for a Manager role in Microsoft

http://www.jarushub.com/when-does-your-grade-no-longer-matter-to-employers/

cc: Lalasticlala & Mynd44

CURRENT POSITION

Country Manager, Google Nigeria


PAST POSITIONS

General Manager, Strategic Business Unit, Cham Plc;

Founder, Strategic Insight Consulting Limited, UK;

Program Manager, Microsoft UK;

Business Process Manager, MSN International, Microsoft UK;

Performance Monitoring and Quality Assurance Supervisor, SPDC (Shell)


EXPERTISE

Technology, Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship.


EDUCATION

B.Eng. Computer Engineering (First Class), OAU;

M.Sc. Computer Science, University of Cambridge, UK;

MBA, London Business School;

Recipient London Business School Global Women Scholarship.

A fellow of the Cambridge Society and Selwyn Scholar and Malaysian Commonwealth Scholar.


JarusHub One-Line Description

Nigeria’s Queen of Technology


JarusHub’s Remarks

A tech expert ensuring the availability of affordable internet access in Africa biggest tech market. Had a first class in her undergraduate studies at OAU, one of Nigeria’s most bankable universities and post-graduate degrees in some of the best universities globally. Shell, Microsoft and Google are three of the best places to work in the world. Juliet has worked in all. Now, that’s class.

http://www.jarushub.com/whos-who-in-corporate-nigeria-juliet-ehimuan-chiazor-first-class-beauty-first-class-brain/

Nigeria's most bankable universities: http://www.jarushub.com/top-10-most-bankable-universities-in-nigeria/

cc: Lalasticlala Mynd44

INTRODUCING DIAMOND BANK INTERVIEW COACHING BY JARUSHUB CAREER CONSULTING


JarusHub is Nigeria's leading career consulting firm that has trained over 250 candidates for job interviews and assessment centers of top companies like Shell, NLNG, GTB, PwC, KPMG, MTN etc. The success rate for the candidates has been very impressive. The coaches are top notch professionals and interview experts.

If you have scaled the test stage of the Diamond Bank Graduate Trainee recruitment and got to the interview stage, you can engage the services of JarusHub interview preparation experts to coach you. We offer the best preparation for job interviews in any industry, including banking industry. We have coached more than 250 candidates for interviews and assessment centers of top banks like First Bank, Access Bank, Union Bank, GTB etc

The interview preparation session involves:

Conducting research and sharing useful tips on the interview process for the candidate

Reviewing your CV to anticipate likely questions

Reviewing the banking industry with you sharing information on the industry with you and breaking down technical matters to you to aid your flow in interview

Conducting MOCK INTERVIEW with you where you will sit down with us and we will interview you as though you were having real Diamond Bank interview, asking questions likely to be asked during

Feedback will be provided to you based on your performance and areas that require improvement will be shared with you

Our coaches are experts in the industry.

Benefits of this mock session

1, Deep, first-hand knowledge of banking industry in Nigeria
2, Familiarity with likely questions you will be asked and tips on how to tackle them
3, Boosting your confidence and minimizing the shock factor on the day of actual interview
4, Identifying your weak points and working on it before the actual interview
5, Your interview coaches are experts in interview coaching
6, This is the best preparation you can have for the actual interview

Our fee

PHYSICAL SESSION

(To hold at our office – 60 Moleye Street, off Herbert Macaulay, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos)

Entry level: N5,000

SKYPE SESSION

Entry level: N7,500

Our rates are actually cheap, it goes for as much as $340 (N100,000) in other countries e.g https://www.impactinterview.com/service/interview-coaching-3-hours/

DATE

Pls call or text 08060482880 or 0809952777 to book date and time.

SKYPE SESSION

Date & time to be agreed with client

To book appointment, call or text 08060482880 or 0809952777.

Testimonial

“I’m so grateful to JarusHub. I got a success email after KPMG Assessment Center. Everything you talked about came out, and your coaching was very helpful in my performance. I remembered how you coached me on how to handle group discussion, presentation and panel interview. Wow, I’m so so grateful.”

K. Anyikwe

This is Abdul. I came for interview coaching middle of September (2017) for a job role in MTN. Just to inform you that I got the job, accepted the offer yesterday and I am to resume in 2 weeks time. Thanks for the tips, it was very helpful. Sorry I didn’t contact you after the interview as my phone was stolen, so I was offline since then. Thank you and Best Regards.

Abdul

This interview preparation service is also available for other banks as well as other companies.



JARUSHUB
(www.jarushub.com)

60 Moleye Street, off Herbert Macaulay, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos

Bridging career information gap
See our full INTERVIEW COACHING INFORMATION PAGE http://www.jarushub.com/interview-coaching/

greatfoly:
Thanks Jarus.

This scenario you painted happened to me some months back. After being successful with two tests and an online interview, I was regretted after the second interview. Can I still mail the organization as you suggested in your point 1 above? It's close to 3 months now.

"You can send the firm an email a short while after the rejection mail, where you courteously appreciate them for their time and service, and asking when similar opportunities can be made available".

"Ensure the conversation is concise, professional and appreciative. It is important to note that some recruiters won’t reply any questions, especially if you made it to the interview stage. Others will simply proffer trite statements".

PS. JarusHub, the firm is different from Jarus, the individual.

Regards.

izzou:
Nagode sossai

Your thread has really helped me a lot. Would love to meet you someday and just learn from you.

Whatcha say?

Inquires can be made by visiting our office at 60 Moleye Street, off Herbert Macaulay, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos. Or by contacting us at: info@jarushub.com.

izzou:


Love this

Oga Jarushub, I have an issue

I am about to port to another job I have discussed with the HR and we have even talked about how much I will be taking home

The issue now is that they haven't contacted me yet, even though the period they said I will be contacted has elapsed

My question is Should I contact them? Or should I just let the whole thing die? I really want to work with them and it's kinda making me desperate

Yes, contact them. At most, they will say no and you move on.

You saw the vacancy and its requirements. You are qualified, become ecstatic, and apply. The invite for an online test arrives, you wrote and passed! Yay! You are sent another invite for a “confirmation” test, and passed again. That feeling of being a boss arouses within you. Is it not me again? Then you get called for assessment centre, and you passed – again! Then chat with the executives in the firm. Then the big wait commences. A week after the chat, the mail drops in. “We are sorry to inform you that….” Expectedly, you become devastated about everything. What next? After what I said and demonstrated? The suits and shoes I wore? The plans I had? The money I invested into transport, feeding and accommodation? The pictures to take? What else? Yes, it is never easy to be told you have not succeeded after an interview, especially if it occurs frequently, and worse still at the same firm.

As a seeker who just got “regretted”, you should remember you are not alone. The job market is extremely competitive with recruiters having many well-qualified candidates to choose from. Suffice to say, it is a buyers’ market. At times, it is tedious. Competing in the labour market invariably increases one’s resilience and perseverance. This enables one to cope with the rigorous processes of searching for jobs later on.

Although, being sent a regret mail can be psychologically onerous, it can serve as an invaluable bank of knowledge for further hunts. Don’t give up, be positive. JarusHub reels out three ways you can address the situation:

1. CONTACT THE RECRUITER: You can send the firm an email a short while after the rejection mail, where you courteously appreciate them for their time and service, and asking when similar opportunities can be made available. This could be an opportunity for your details to be kept for future openings. Additionally, you could politely request on how you fared, and where you goofed. This will aid your search – at the firm or elsewhere – next time. Ensure the conversation is concise, professional and appreciative. It is important to note that some recruiters won’t reply any questions, especially if you made it to the interview stage. Others will simply proffer trite statements.

2. IMPROVE YOUR EMPLOYABILITY: Being an unemployed graduate proffers you the time to invest in building your core competencies. Programs that improve employability include but not limited to learning a new but profitable language, volunteering for causes dear to you or becoming an intern for an SME. I suggest an actionable plan of realising your goal. Some of which are:

- Gaining extra work experience.
- Sourcing for new vacancy avenues.
- Refining your CV.
- Adopting a cold-email job-seeking approach.
- Using social media in aiding your search (e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter etc).
- Learn new skills through online education (e.g. Coursera, edx etc).


Another way is through networking (I am not advocating mediocrity), but networking is a way of getting jobs, as most are not advertised. Meeting new people and pitching your profile. Humans give jobs, meet more humans; resourceful ones.


3. REFINE YOUR JOB APPLICATIONS

To advance one’s prospect, it is important to work on the aspects of the application that have been missing. Common reasons for rejection include but not limited to:

- Not including the subject as specified.
- Poor spelling or grammar
- No originality demonstrated.
- Poor research about the firm.
- No value demonstrated in the career history.


There must be self-criticism, this time by doing so from a recruiter’s perspective, and ask very important questions. You should focus on what you can offer the particular employer. Additionally, it is important to apply for roles you are suited for, and not roles that request for minimum of three years’ experience, when you have none. Or roles that request for cognate experience when you possess none. Contrary to most graduates’ expectations, you are not likely to be highly paid in your first job or being assigned complex responsibilities. Rather, your first job should be regarded as paid training – where the biggest reward of all is getting through the competitive recruitment process.

http://www.jarushub.com/got-a-reject-mail-this-is-how-to-respond/

veanevan:
I can relate with most of these points.. Though, first class doesn't guarantee a job, but it sure gives you an advantage over others, of course, if you can defend it..

This can aid your search: https://www.nairaland.com/4368420/hold-first-class-degree-jobless

https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAdJAAAAJGVkMDU0NmFlLWZmMDctNDUzOS05MWFjLTk0MTM2ZGE4OTFkNg.jpg

You’re a second year or third year student who wants to work in finance, but you have no finance experience. Does this means you are out of the race? Certainly not. Investment banking, which is a competitive career choice, can look as impossible to break into; especially with no records of banking internships. But don’t worry, too much. Just because you didn’t get around to applying for the mid-year internship during your first term at university, it doesn’t mean you have to write off investment banking as a career.
You can still get in, but you’ll need to follow the strategies below.

SHOW YOUR INTEREST IN FINANCE
Firstly, you will need to demonstrate financial literacy. Are you trading on your own account? Or spread betting? Have you joined the finance, investment and trading associations at your university? Are you aware of key issues in the industry? Maybe you could even start blogging about finance? Think about taking some online finance courses to supplement your knowledge.


DISTINGUISH YOURSELF
What makes you different to all the other students who want to work in IBanking (and who have experience?). Every serious applicant is going to be academically excellent. Make sure you flag additional achievements, including prizes, particularly high grades and relevant projects. You’re aiming to convince the reader that you have what it takes to succeed in a demanding highly intellectual industry.


EXHIBIT TRANSFERABLE SKILLS YOU HAVE
Without a string of finance-related jobs , you’ll need to use your involvement in sports, student societies and part-time or voluntary work to stress your suitability for banking. Identify examples of situations where you showed the skills banks are looking for: teamwork, leadership, entrepreneurship, resilience and stamina. Any job shadowing or volunteering will have given you plenty of transferable skills. The same goes for drama groups, travel or university projects and internships.
Let’s say, for example, that you played football at university. Did you also have a position on your team committee, organise competitions or train as a referee or coach? Or maybe you enjoyed acting and helped put on a play. Did you fund-raise, manage the accounts or run the publicity? Maybe you were interviewed on local newspaper or negotiated a money-saving deal on costume hire?
Make notes on anything you’ve done that shows you’re an inspiring presenter or are creative at solving problems, finding short cuts to solutions or spotting opportunities. What examples do you have of situations where you’ve shown initiative, leadership and team work? Write them down. The same goes for demonstrations of numeracy, analysis, attention to detail and time management in your project work.
Interests that show your strength of character and resilience are also impressive. Competitive sports and high energy activities (think mountain climbing or long-distance cycling) are a plus.
Banks also like to think they’re hiring entrepreneurs (think intra-entrepreneurship). So, have you (for example), set up your side hustle business, university society, or IT support firm? If you’ve proven yourself in another field – show it. You can’t just say you’re good; you need to give concrete examples.


KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO WORK AND USE THE RIGHT LANGUAGE TO REFERENCE IT
A computer will read your CV first. If your CV doesn’t contain the right kind of keywords for your chosen position, you’ll struggle to get past the computer’s “applicant tracking system.” You’ll need to have a comprehensive understanding of the banking job you’re applying for. It will help, too, if you also understand the phrases that apply to it. If you make it to
interview you’ll be asked some very detailed questions about the role.

DITCH THE CLICHÉS AND BE RELEVANT
No one’s going to be impressed by a CV that says you’re innovative and have a strong work ethic. Instead, start your CV by adding two or three bullet points highlighting the strengths you have that are relevant to the role. As the CV progresses, you’ll need clear bullet points emphasizing tangible, quantifiable achievements. Use active verbs in the past tense. This makes your CV easy to read and shows your clean, uncluttered and decisive approach.

GET THE BASICS RIGHT
Triple check everything. Make sure the formatting is consistent, with clear headings and sub-headings and the same font throughout. No one’s going to be impressed by a CV that’s littered with mistakes.

Source: http://www.jarushub.com/how-to-get-into-investment-banking-without-finance-experience/

If you’re not a confident interviewer, you may feel as if navigating an interview is akin to walking through a minefield—eventually, you’re bound to make an explosive move. But after speaking with several recruiters and hiring managers, we found out that there aren’t many moves you can make that will automatically disqualify you from getting the job. But there is one thing you can do—the No. 1 thing, if you will—that will make any recruiter or hiring manager say sayonara to you. What is it? It’s trashing a previous employer, they say.

“The No. 1 mistake a candidate might make is to disparage his or her prior employer—either the company itself or people who worked there,” says Laura Handrick, who works as FitSmallBusiness’ HR analyst. “No one wants to hire someone who talks badly of others. Employers want team players, not people who carry negative baggage. Plus, negative talk about former coworkers, the company, or a prior supervisor simply serves to make an applicant look like a whiner. A recruiter will see this person as a future ‘problem.’ and in spite of any great qualifications, they’re not likely to get called back for a second interview .”

Jordan Rayboy, CEO of Rayboy Insider Search, agrees. “If a candidate is overly negative about a current or past employer, it plants seeds of doubt in a hiring manager’s mind,” he explains. “First, that the candidate has a negative attitude in general—and no one wants to hire a potential dark cloud onto their team. Next, that the candidate will likely bad-mouth their company in the future if they end up getting hired. And it also shows a lack of good decision-making skills—as in, what to share in certain situations and what not to. Lastly, and most importantly, it’s a sign the candidate tends to blame others when things don’t work out. They don’t take ownership of their share of responsibility for things. It’s always someone else’s fault—like their current or past employer’s fault—that they didn’t hit their numbers, or didn’t last more than a year there, or anything else that may have happened.”

Trashing a previous employer is something recruiters and hiring managers hateso much that they may ask leading questions in order to see if you’re willing to bad-mouth a boss.

“In an interview, I can identify a bad team player right away by asking questions that lead the candidate talk about his previous team experiences,” says Dave Lopes, director of recruiting for Badger Maps. “When the priorities of that individual supersede the priorities and growth of the team or group, you know you’ll have someone who will not fit well.”

What’s more, “interviewers are, typically, good at getting a candidate to open up,” points out Handrick. “And once a candidate feels comfortable, they might be tempted to say something too revealing or disparaging, such as ‘I left my last company because my boss was a jerk who made me work overtime,’ or ‘they didn’t realize how good I was, so I quit when they wouldn’t give me a raise.’” These types of sayings are red flags to recruiters.

You may very well have had a terrible former boss or are leaving a toxic work environment, but the fact is, recruiters and hiring manager don’t want to hear about it. So what should you say instead? “Instead of talking negatively about past or current employers, candidates should focus on what they learned in different scenarios, how they grew, and what they are looking to move towards as opposed to running away from,” Rayboy says. “Most managers prefer hiring candidates that are looking for a launch pad instead of a landing pad.”

Another thing you can try to do, advises Jordan Wu, CEO of CloserIQ, is to “stick to facts, not judgments. You may want to consider saying, ‘I struggled to find exciting career paths for my growth at the company,’ instead of, ‘the company doesn’t promote top performers.’”

source: http://www.jarushub.com/the-number-1-thing-that-disqualifies-candidates-from-first-round-interview/

cc: lalasticlala mynd44

OreoPaschal:
Dear Jarushub,
Please, how can one apply for PhD without going for masters?

This is possible by having a good first degree (preferably a first class), scoring excellently on standardised tests (GRE/GMAT/IELTS/TOEFL), drafting a superb research proposal and personal statement etc. Then you can apply for programs (and scholarships) at universities that accept candidates into their PhD programs without having a masters' degree. Countries nay schools differ, so it is important you research properly. If cost is a deterrent, you can check out countries where it is affordable coupled with top institutions in their locality and minimal immigration hassles.
http://www.jarushub.com/6-countries-you-can-study-at-top-universities-with-affordable-fees-and-minimal-immigration-hassles/

Congrats

6. ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT: Academic environment also helps. In a school where you spend most of your time queuing for water or transport or forced to read with candle, chances of academic success are very low. This is why Nigerian students do well abroad where they have all the facilities and learning is conducive. This is also why schools like OAU, UI and to some extent, Unilag, with strong students body that fight for students welfare like good transport system, power on campus, good water system etc, produce more First Class students. Same for private schools, where there is little or no worry about welfare.


7. COURSE OF STUDY: Course of study is another very important factor. It is better to choose a course you are interested in, not one you are forced to do. Some otherwise brilliant students don’t perform up to potential because they are not interested in what they are studying in the university.


8. THE EARLY YEARS ARE CRITICAL: Some students get taken away by the euphoria of being a university student and spend their first year faffing around. Still, in some schools, year 1 performance is not aggregated as part of the overall grade. For most students, after performing woefully in their first two years, they now grab straw to salvage the situation in the later years. Needless to say, it is most times a futile exercise. But there are cases of great come-backs. The best two students in my class during my undergraduate days were not among top 15 in class after our first semester year 1. They were not even in First Class then. But they came back to overtake all of us early flyers. Well, that means there is still hope if you didn’t do too well after your year 1. But after year 2, the bridge may have fallen.

9. KNOW THYSELF: The problem with many student is they try to ‘copy-cat’. While it is good to learn from the method of another high performer, it is important to know how to adapt it. Some students don’t need to read for more than 3 hours a day before they pass, indeed do excellently well and top the class. Some must read for at least 7 hours a day. I know First Class students that watched football and participated actively in campus religious activities. Some even get involved in departmental politics. It is about knowing oneself. But for most First Class students I know, reading the notes while still hot, and not waiting till they accumulate, is a common denominator.


10 ….AND KNOW THY TEACHER TOO: Knowing how to approach a question in an examination is an art itself. How do you organize your answers? It goes beyond just picking the answer script and writing down what you think is the answer. Know what the lecturer wants. Does he want ‘lengthy story’? Or he wants it ‘short and snappy’? You may have a clue into this through your seniors who had taken the course earlier. First class students study not only the course, but the course-taker.


Ultimately, God is very important. The above are just helpful human factors.

JarusHub wishes our student-readers a successful academic endeavour.

Cc: Lalasticlala and Mynd44.

1 NATURAL BRILLIANCE: There is a minimum level of natural brilliance that is required before a student can think of First Class. I do not intend to put limit to one’s capabilities, for I believe like most people that impossible is nothing. However, realistically speaking, that is an exception to the rule. Most First Class students have a track record from lower levels of education. That is the first foundation.

2, THE POWER OF DREAM: Most first class students dream. I do not mean metaphysical dream, I mean the Luther King definition – vision, forward-looking, even though awake. In secondary school I had a friend who once looked up and said, ‘the last time someone made an aggregate 6 (i.e minimum of 6 A1’s in SSCE) in this school was 12 years ago, I want to be the next’. He made it. Same boy told me he wanted to ‘enter the back of JAMB brochure’, meaning he wanted to be among the top 3 JAMB students in Nigeria (JAMB print at the back of the brochure for a year the names of the best 3 candidates in the prior year’s examinations). He didn’t make it, but he scored 296. When this friend of mine entered Ife, he went to his faculty’s board, where names of best students are engraved every year, looked up and said, ‘when I leave this school after five years I want my name written on this board’. He worked for it. He didn’t make it. But he not only came out with a CGPA north of 4.7 (of the possible 5.0) but he also emerged as one of his faculty’s best. After that, he told someone that he wanted to have his PhD without doing Master’s degree. The person told him it was hardly possibly, and counted on his fingertips the number of Nigerians that performed that feat. My friend proved our doubter wrong. He got the PhD at age 29, skipping Master’s. That is the power of dream.

3. COMPETITION: What most people don’t know is that there is usually a subtle competition among best students in classes. The competition is not necessarily unhealthy. They may be –and in fact usually are – friends, but they compete. In my undergraduate days, story is told of a guy that, at the beginning of every semester, went to ask what X, the best student in the class immediately preceding his, scored in each course and he would tell those that cared to listen to him that he would break the record and score higher than him. He did, most times. Most First Class students compete. Each wants to be the highest scorer in each subject. That is why it is always good to go to a competitive institution, rather than enjoy local championship status without stiff competition.


4. CALCULATION: When you see some students reading a purely theoretical course and having calculator by the side, don’t think they are insane or doing ‘over-syllabus’. No they are just running the permutations – if I score B in this course, what will my CGPA be? What is the worst case scenario? What is the best case scenario? How many A’s do I need to make X-CGPA? etc. These are calculations that go on in their heads. Some don’t even compute their GP’s at the end of a semester, they have the template in their heads already, having done the permutations over and over again even before writing the examinations, and they just insert the course scores into their mental template.


5. OPTIMISTIC MENTALITY: Some students die many times before their academic death. How can a student gain admission into a school and the first thing he hears is, you can never make a First Class, they wont give you. Well, I don’t believe this. This is what kills many students. How can you go to battle with a defeatist mentality and expect to win? Many First Class students defy these “messengers of doom” and pursue their target optimistically. I finished from the Obafemi Awolowo University and this is one thing I must commend students of the school for. As a Jambite, what you hear are stories of one Deji Akere that shattered school records, or one Hammed Shittu that effortlessly broke any record breakable. You even hear of stories of students that had graduated since the 1970s. These are stories that motivate you, not some tale by moonlight about a sadist lecturer denying you First class. This is another very vital feature of First Class students. They don’t believe cock and bull stories.

INTRODUCING GTB INTERVIEW COACHING BY JARUSHUB CAREER CONSULTING


JarusHub is Nigeria's leading career consulting firm that has trained over 250 candidates for job interviews and assessment centers of top companies like Shell, NLNG, GTB, PwC, KPMG, MTN etc. The success rate for the candidates has been very impressive. The coaches are top notch professionals and interview experts.

If you have scaled the test stage of the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Graduate Trainee recruitment and got to the interview stage, you can engage the services of JarusHub interview preparation experts to coach you. We offer the best preparation for job interviews in any industry, including banking industry. We have coached more than 250 candidates for interviews and assessment centers of top banks like First Bank, Access Bank, Union Bank, GTB etc

The interview preparation session involves:

Conducting research and sharing useful tips on the interview process for the candidate

Reviewing your CV to anticipate likely questions

Reviewing the banking industry with you sharing information on the industry with you and breaking down technical matters to you to aid your flow in interview

Conducting MOCK INTERVIEW with you where you will sit down with us and we will interview you as though you were having real GTB interview, asking questions likely to be asked during

Feedback will be provided to you based on your performance and areas that require improvement will be shared with you

Our coaches are experts in the industry.

Benefits of this mock session

1, Deep, first-hand knowledge of banking industry in Nigeria
2, Familiarity with likely questions you will be asked and tips on how to tackle them
3, Boosting your confidence and minimizing the shock factor on the day of actual interview
4, Identifying your weak points and working on it before the actual interview
5, Your interview coaches are experts in interview coaching
6, This is the best preparation you can have for the actual interview

Our fee

PHYSICAL SESSION

(To hold at our office – 60 Moleye Street, off Herbert Macaulay, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos)

Entry level: N5,000

SKYPE SESSION

Entry level: N7,500

Our rates are actually cheap, it goes for as much as $340 (N100,000) in other countries e.g https://www.impactinterview.com/service/interview-coaching-3-hours/

DATE

Pls call or text 08060482880 or 0809952777 to book date and time.

SKYPE SESSION

Date & time to be agreed with client

To book appointment, call or text 08060482880 or 0809952777.

Testimonial

“I’m so grateful to JarusHub. I got a success email after KPMG Assessment Center. Everything you talked about came out, and your coaching was very helpful in my performance. I remembered how you coached me on how to handle group discussion, presentation and panel interview. Wow, I’m so so grateful.”

K. Anyikwe

This is Abdul. I came for interview coaching middle of September (2017) for a job role in MTN. Just to inform you that I got the job, accepted the offer yesterday and I am to resume in 2 weeks time. Thanks for the tips, it was very helpful. Sorry I didn’t contact you after the interview as my phone was stolen, so I was offline since then. Thank you and Best Regards.

Abdul

This interview preparation service is also available for other banks as well as other companies.



JARUSHUB
(www.jarushub.com)

60 Moleye Street, off Herbert Macaulay, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos

Bridging career information gap
See our full INTERVIEW COACHING INFORMATION PAGE http://www.jarushub.com/interview-coaching/

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), an organization set up by the Nigerian government since 1973 to ensure Nigerian students give a mandatory one-year service upon graduation, recently issued out call-up letters to certain individuals who have qualified to join the last batch for the year. However, while these individuals are much elated to get the opportunity, seeing as completing the service year entitles one to employment, a number of them are perturbed as to how to cope with the three weeks “orientation” period spent in a military-controlled boot “camp” away from family and friends. Jumia Travel, therefore, suggests 7 ways prospective youth corpers can maximize their time at the NYSC camp.



1. Join the OBS

The Orientation Broadcasting Service (OBS) is a great way to serve while in the camp. A very important unit of the camp, it will offer you opportunities to not only develop your editorial and media skills, you will get to know the key officers in the camp. It also gives you a measure of authority and allows you to get an exemption from some of the camp activities which you may be averse to.

2. Run a small business

You can actually make money while at the orientation camp. You can offer services such as hair dressing or laundry to others in the camp who need them for a fee or you can rent a stall at the Mami market and sell food items which most corpers need from day to day. It is a great way to hone your business skills before you are launched into the labour market.


3. Do an online course

The orientation period does not have to be all activities and socializing, you can further develop yourself on the side by registering and going through a short online course during your stay. The good thing about online learning is that it is flexible so you can actually plan it around the time that you will be leaving the camp.


4. Socialize and actually meet new people

The NYSC scheme was originally established to encourage oneness among citizens in the country and promote national unity. By sending these individuals to other states, the expectation is that they mix with people of other tribes, social and family backgrounds and learn the culture of the indigenes in the place they are posted. Rather than sticking to yourself all through the orientation process, use your spare time to actually fraternize and get to know the people in your platoon and camp as a whole. You would be surprised how many new things you will learn about Nigeria and what connections you may make for the future.

5. Start applying for jobs

The orientation period is not too early a time to start sending out your CVs to potential employers. The NYSC orientation can actually serve as an avenue for corpers to share job information and career resources, so take advantage of that and start early.

http://www.jarushub.com/5-ways-to-make-the-best-use-of-your-time-at-nysc-camp/

Cc: Lalasticlala & Mynd44.

To aid the discourse:

http://www.jarushub.com/5-ways-to-make-the-best-use-of-your-time-at-nysc-camp/

http://www.jarushub.com/tips-to-making-good-use-of-pre-nysc-period/

http://www.jarushub.com/strong-2-1-no-job-test-invite-after-one-year-post-nysc-what-could-be-wrong/?doing_wp_cron=1518440255.2189779281616210937500

http://www.jarushub.com/making-the-best-of-nysc-service-year/

To aid the discourse:

http://www.jarushub.com/students-10-mistakes-that-can-cost-you-first-class-degree/

The internet does not forget. LOL

Can a First Class graduate be jobless?

Well, yes.

First Class is not an automatic guarantee of job. It will at best get you invite for job tests and/or interviews, it hardly helps you beyond that. If you are not able to defend it or impress your interviewer or do well in the job tests, your class of degree will not help you.

It can however be an advantage and a disadvantage.

An advantage in that it can give you some air of confidence and boost your performance in job interviews. “I have no alternative than to impress”.

A disadvantage in that you are likely to be drilled more than the non-first class graduates in interviews because the expectation will be so high, and any slip will be broadcast.

Joblessness is also time-relative. For how long are we talking about? Not having job within 6 months of finishing youth service (NYSC), irrespective of class of degree, to me, is not a problem. Recruitment process takes months, jobs are not thrown at anybody like that.

I don’t expect anyone that worked his way to having First Class not to be able to defend it anywhere. But, like any other thing, there will always be exceptions.

http://www.jarushub.com/can-you-hold-a-first-class-degree-and-be-jobless/

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

WorldAmbassador:
Good advice, but some of the jobs that I have applied for and got, charges were involved. The Peace Corps job cost me N50,000 plus money for boots and uniform. Still no guarantee that it will take off as PMB has not signed the Bill yet

It is still scam.

The best way to most people’s heart is via good food and entertainment. This is one thing the Yoruba tribe are very good at doing. Yorubas have a number of mouthwatering and finger licking meals that will leave you demanding for more. So, when you find yourself in any part of South West Nigeria where the Yorubas are populated, Jumia Food, Nigeria’s No 1 food ordering platform shares some cuisine to try.

1. Pounded yam and egusi soup

Pounded yam is mostly eaten with egusi (melon soup). Pounded yam is made by boiling yam unsalted and pounding it when it becomes soft. Ondo and Ekiti people are known to be fond of pounded yam.

2. Ewa aganyin

Ewa aganyin is made up of cooked beans and pepper sauce. It is a delicious beans dish, well-known for its softness and tasty sauce. You can eat Ewa Aganyin with bread to savour and appreciate the meal.

3. Adalu

Adalu is a combination of beans and corn, pepper and palm oil cooked together with seasoning and spices. It is quite delicious.

4. Moin Moin

Moin Moin is a Nigerian staple food which is very rich in protein. It is a cooked bean pudding made from a combination of grounded peeled beans, pepper, and onions. It can be eaten with rice, pap and bread.

5. Eba and efo riro

Eba serves as an alternative for pounded yam. People who do not want to go through the stress of pounding yam prefer eating Eba. Eba is usually taken with Efo Riro (Vegetable soup) which makes the meal more delicious and nutritious.

6. Amala, ewedu and gbegiri soup

Amala is made from yam into flour and Ewedu is a leaf blended into watery soup. This delicacy is a local dish of the Oyo state people. Amala is better enjoyed alongside Ewedu and Gbegiri.

http://www.opinions.ng/yoruba-cuisines-try/

To further aid graduates: http://www.jarushub.com/msc-health-economics-or-a-big-4-firm-job/

http://www.jarushub.com/second-class-lower-in-first-degree-distinction-in-masters-how-to-beat-the-2-1-rule/

http://www.jarushub.com/masters-in-petroleum-energy-economics-or-in-accounting-finance/

http://www.jarushub.com/dilemma-he-puts-his-ican-exams-on-hold-for-his-msc-programme-abroad/

http://www.jarushub.com/i-studied-economics-but-i-dont-know-jack-about-all-these-icanacca-talk/

http://www.jarushub.com/bsc-or-mba/

6. YOU DID NOT CONTACT THEM THEY CONTACTED YOU: For recruiter to contact you, you must have some special skills, knowledge and experience that is next to none, this is headhunting. However. in a situation where you are just the usual job seeker out there and some funny ‘firm’ come with the story “we found your resume online” they either offer you a job right away or invite you for their final interview stage right away; in such situations, shine your eyes.

7. SHABBY ENVIRONMENT: Environment says a lot about an organization. If a recruitment firm or company claims to be legal in its operation, one will naturally expect some level of serenity in their location of operation. But in a situation where the office is not too different from a village Head-Master’s office, there is cause for concern. It is likely such entity is not operating legally, or hiding under "legality" to extort unsuspecting innocent citizens.

8. PRODUCT OR SERVICE MARKETING: Any firm which tells you that marketing a product or service (in whatever guise) is a pre-requisite for offering you a job is likely enslaving you so think twice before embarking on such mission. Even if the job you are applying for is for the post of a marketer, ask if there is no probation period in their employment policy and why you have to start working before getting hired.

9. FACELESS OR BAD IMAGE: This being the last is by no means the least; in fact it is one of the key determinants of fake recruitment firms. As soon as you gain access to ANY information about your prospective employer (be it the name of the company or the address of the company), Google it straight away and use the information to know about the company. If they are scammers you will get hint about them on the internet and that should be an eye opener for you to tread with caution, and if throughout your search you still did not get any information about them, then the likelihood of such recruitment firm being fake is high. You can then apply the other yardsticks raised above.

http://www.jarushub.com/how-to-identify-a-fake-recruitment-outfit/

cc: Lalasticlala & Mynd44

One of the many hurdles fresh graduates have to scale through in their quest to getting job is that of fake recruitment outfits. Unfortunately myriad of graduates fall victims to these fraudsters every day. This is, in no small means, affecting the job of Human Resources Professionals, as job seekers occasionally find it difficult to differentiate fake from real recruiters. To help exposed these dubious practitioners, below are some yardsticks.

1. CHARGES: This is the first sign of a fraudulent recruitment. Irrespective of the nomenclature given to collecting money from you, extortion is extortion, either at the beginning of the process, middle or end of the exercise. As soon as you notice any kind of charge in a bid to getting you job, make a U-turn. Some of them hide under the guise of being outsourcing firms and that they run their business with the ‘token’ charged their clients (job seekers). Far from it. REAL outsourcing firms don’t make a dime from job seekers; they make their monies from their clients - employer.


2. LENIENT SCREENING PROCESS: Apart from the usual unprofessional ‘man-know-man’ screening for ‘special’ applicants, in any recruitment screening process where you have a walk over, where everything is waived, and at the end of it, the recruiter still offers you the job; be cautious as such recruiter is a likely suspect of fake agency.


3. MEANS OF APPLICATION: The means of application for job says a lot about the recruiter. You can get to tell a serious recruiter from a fake one through how their adverts expect you to apply for the job. You shouldn’t expect anything serious from a recruiter who requires you to apply for an opening through SMS. Similarly requesting application through any other unconventional way is a sign of fake recruitment outfits. That is not to say all recruitment outfits that require you to apply through the conventional ways are genuine, some of them try as much as possible to imitate the normal recruitment process only to lead you to a point where your moral is at its peak and then demand for some money with pleasant description.


4. CONTENT OF THE INVITE: There is are minimum requirement in the content of any interview invite: The name of the recruiting/employing firm, the position you are being considered for, the location of the interview, the time and date of the interview. Whenever any or some of the above is missing in any job interview invitation you get, please be double sure before you head to such destination. Many job seekers have fallen prey of kidnappers in a bid to earn a livelihood. But with these, you are at least 50% sure of not getting into the wrong hand. That is not to say some scammers won’t scale through this test and that some genuine companies won’t fall short of these minimum requirements due to the ignorance of the person in charge of their recruitment. But with this and other points being considered you are sure of not going wrong.


5. UNPROFESSIONAL CORRESPONDENCE: For those who are used to receiving mail from the internet scammers you will agree with me that one of the ways of identifying that scam mails is through their blunders. They are prone to bad grammar or careless typos. Same thing is applicable to fake recruitment outfits. Because they are not professionals, their correspondences are always fraught with blunders.

Five thousand Naira a day …it does not seem much, yet, over a year of three hundred and sixty-five days, this simple five thousand naira daily will amount to almost two million naira. With the current economic situation in Nigeria, money has not been the easiest to make. However, with a lot of persistence and little bit of creativity, it is possible to make enough money per day here to help you survive and even start up a rainy-day fund . So, how does one possibly do this? Jumia Travel shares a small list of ways you can make at least N5, 000 here in Lagos:

Sell used items

We always have something that we need to get rid of, and a good way to make money off them is by selling them off. You may have a garage sale, depending on the quantity, that way you make decent cash without even leaving your house; or you can also sell them on sites such as Jumia Marketplace, Jiji, or even Amazon. Aside from making extra bucks, it will help keep the clutter in your life to a minimum.

Tutor a student

It may come as a surprise, but tutors can easily make as much as N5, 000 and above per hour. You can either tutor students who are about to take certificate examinations, adults who have a hard time speaking or writing English or even novices who are looking to play a musical instrument (that is in the case you have such musical skills to teach). You can offer your services at churches or youth centers as a start.

Clean someone’s home

A quick way to make N5, 000 a day is by Cleaning a home . A number of people in Lagos work around the clock and do not have the time to clean their homes, so they pay others to clean for them. Some others are tardy and they let the house cleaning go a bit too long. You should be able to pick up N5,000 or more just from cleaning a couple of houses, depending on how extensive the chore is or how large the home is. You can advertise online or via mobile for this kind of job.

Turn your car to a taxi for a day

Another great way of making as much as N5, 000 a day is by turning your car into a taxi for a day. Transportation is a lucrative business in Lagos as people are always on the move. Stop at crowded bus stops and pick up passengers and depending on the distance you go per time, chances are you will make the sum quite easily by the end of the day. With the likes of Uber and Taxify, it just gets easier.

Freelance Writing

The possibility of earning money through writing is endless. A number of sites and blogs are always looking for freelance writers who they can pay for content. While some may be on the search for high quality writing, there are others looking for question and answer type articles. You just need to make sure you meet the deadlines and you get your pay. Some sites pay even much more than N5, 000.

http://www.jarushub.com/5-ways-to-make-n5000-a-day-in-lagos/

This will be a guide:

http://www.jarushub.com/10-tips-for-graduates-with-2-2-and-lower-grades/