₦airaland Forum

Gone are the 1980s and 90s when life was smooth for fresh graduates. When plumb jobs were readily available and all that was required for a fresh graduate to get a job was a certificate.

The game has changed since. A smooth life is no longer easy to come by for fresh graduates.
The game has changed because competition has stiffened. The number of ‘qualified’ graduates in need of jobs exceed the number of available jobs.

However, if you want a smooth life after graduation then you need to get at least 3 out of these 4 things right:

#1. Good academic standing
It is absolutely true that ‘having good grades doesn’t necessarily mean having the ability to deliver results’. But on the other hand, having good grades shows that one was able to commit to the exercise of schooling and hard work.

That’s one of the reasons why employers use the academic standing of job applicants to cut down the list of qualified applicants.

This means that graduating with low grades will reduce your chances of getting a job. And the opposite is true; having excellent grades increases your chances.

#2. Hard skill
This is one advice I give every undergraduate I meet. Acquire a hard skill by all means because it will make you better off.

Now in case you are wondering; hard skills are specific abilities that can be define and measured. That which we popular refer to as “hand-work”. It can be sewing, writing, ability to use a software, etc.

Having a hard skill will ensure that you never become jobless after you graduate. So, even while you are still hustling for a job with an oil company, you can be sewing beautiful shirts for sale.

Hope you get the point.

Get these 4 things right and life after graduation will be very smooth for you

#3. Work experience
Students are expected to have gained some level of work experience before graduation; that’s the reason why Industrial Attachment (SIWES or IT if you like) was introduced.

Now, employers know that most students don’t do Industrial Attachment rightly so they no longer take the experience gathered during the period seriously.

Also, student does Industrial Attachment and so it makes no difference if you do too.

However, you can take it further. Asides the usual mandatory Industrial Attachment, you can take up a part time job or internship in an area you’ll love to work after graduation.

Another thing you can do is to start and run a business before graduation.

Imagine the difference it will make if you talk about your part-time job or entrepreneurship experience in your CV. You can include such as your work experience and it will give you an edge over your mates.

#4. Attend to motivational materials
I will tell you a simple truth:

95 percent of my friends who gave time to reading motivational and self-help materials (books, blogs, audio and magazines) are succeeding in their finances, social life and spirituality.

Now, the reason for that is fairly simple:

As students we are made to deal with a lot daily; assignments, group work, the impromptu test you missed, and so on. All of these can wear someone out and cause weariness.

Motivational materials can help you get our mojo back.

They ‘ginger’ us when will feel weary and tired. They remind us to not give up, to be hopeful, and to remain inspired.

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blazer234:
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The complains of Nigerian students are endless.

I hear students regularly complain about the failure of Government, the heartlessness of politicians, the bad economy, the archaic educational system, our wicked lecturers, the horrific conditions of hostels and so on.

Among all these uncountable complains by Nigerian students, there's this particular one I hate to hear; I cringe whenever hear students say it.

Here it is: "Even after you graduate you can’t get a job".

I call this annoying complain 'the silly complain of lazy students'.

It is absolutely true that jobs are scarce and getting a job after graduation is becoming increasingly difficult.

So I’m not at all upset with you if you also make 'the silly complain of lazy students'. But, I'm mad at you if you are saying it and doing nothing about it.

Personally, I hate to complain. And that's why I have written this to advice students who have become perpetual complainers.

Complaining is ugly.

In fact, you are not permitted to complain about anything you can control.

You can't just sit around and blame the government or anyone else because there's high rate of unemployment in the country.

You can't sit around wishing your father or uncle were very rich and connected enough to fix you in a job after you graduate.

There are many students reading this right now who are complaining. They complain because it's easy. Finding solution, on the other hand, is hard.

See, I understand that the Nigerian government has failed in its responsibilities especially in the area of job creation. But, are you just going to complain? If yes, then you are a looser.

You've got to work to fix it.

The real problem is that there are thousands of Nigerian undergraduates who are unsure of what they'll do after they graduate and are just spending their time complaining on nairaland and on every other social network.

They jump at every opportunity to 'throw stones' and complain about how students suffer while in school only to graduate and not get a job. They are not actually trying to solve the very thing they’re complaining about.

In today's Nigeria, it surprises me to see that many undergraduates are still ingrained to expect that the government must create jobs for them.

One major reason for this is laziness and the desire for instant gratification on the part of Nigerian youths generally. Students want to graduate and go straight to an office where they can be receiving fat paychecks.

Students have forgotten that patience and hard work is for real. Are you less than one-hundred-and-one percent sure you'll get a job after graduation? We live in a 24-7 world where you can create employment for you and others. Think about it.

If there is one thing I want you to learn from reading this, it’s that saying things like: "Even after you graduate you can't get a job" has zero value.

No doubt; combining studies with starting and running a business can be very-very tasking. However, the rewards are enormous.

These rewards are long-term and they make up the 2 solid reasons why you should run a business while still in school. They are:

Reason #1 - Opportunity to never experience unemployment

Reason #2 - Employers will fall in love with you.

#1 - Opportunity to never experience unemployment
Moh’m started selling fried yam, egg and soft drinks in a very small shop somewhere around campus while still in 200-level. Now in 400-level, he runs one of the most popular eateries around campus with 5 fulltime employees (4 waiters and 1 professional cook).

I asked Moh’m if he’ll be needing a job after graduation and his response was a NO.

Why should he? He already has one that pays very well. He will rather expand his venture and provide employment for more jobless graduates (by the way his cook is a graduate).

Do you know that many big companies of today were started on campuses by students? Talk of Google, Facebook, Jobberman and so on.

As a Stupreneur, the small business you start on campus today can grow big, making you gainfully employed that you might never need to go searching for a job after graduation.

Here is a good philosophy:

An excellent way to escape the unpleasant joblessness that many Nigerian graduates are in today is to start a business while still in school.

Also, the country is in dire need of entrepreneurs due to the increasing number of unemployed youths in the country.

And the most interesting part is this:

You can be a student who runs a business that employs graduates – trust me; I have seen it.

#2 - Employers will fall in love with you
Yes. Employers (most of them) love a graduate who has got some level of entrepreneurial experience; it tells them you are a go getter and an executor who is hardworking and not scared of challenges.

So if after running a business on campus you discover that you will rather become an employee after graduation, you will sure have a better chance securing a job when you include your experience as a Stupreneur on your CV.

This is so because employers know that running a business must have forced you to spend hours brainstorming since you needed to often times come up with workable ideas for your business.

They know that such brainstorming results to improved creativity; a skill they so much desire.

They can imagine how you had to juggle between academics, every other thing important and your business. So they know you've got some level of management skills.
Lastly:

Starting and running a business while still in school is a win-win. It can put you far ahead of your mates in many ways. It will teach you amazing lessons and the experience will be worthwhile whether the business fails or succeeds.

BimiOne:
Very useful advice

Project400:
Well written

Picture this…

Jude, Joy and Judas graduated the same year. Few months after graduation, Joy was able to secure her dream job and within 2 years, Jude had magically established a succeeding business.

Fast forward to 3 years since they left school and Judas is still unemployed and struggling.

Now, here is the thing:

No student will pray for a situation like that of Judas; rather you wish to be like Joy or Jude.

You’ll like to become successful few months or even few weeks after graduation.

So the question is…


Can a student become successful almost immediately after graduation?


My answer… Yes.

Here’s the deal:

If you're serious about becoming successful almost immediately after graduation, there are 3-steps you need to know:

Step #1: Crave relevant knowledge

Step #2: Thrive

Step #3: Graduate well

Let’s check these steps…

Step #1: Crave relevant knowledge

Relevant knowledge is knowledge that adds real value to you. It is knowledge that helps you make productive decisions and that can help you succeed.

Basically, any knowledge that helps you now or prepares you for the future is relevant.

To you (a student), relevant knowledge must not necessarily be about your course of study.

Essentially, it is you who decides what knowledge is relevant to you. And a key question to ask while deciding is this:

Will it help me succeed now or in the nearest future? If yes, then such knowledge is relevant.

For example:

Knowledge of the latest make-up trend is useful to Ms. Joy; a student of Marketing who wants to be an A-list makeup vendor after graduation.

However, same knowledge is irrelevant to Mr. Titus; an Accounting student who hopes to become a pension broker.

Do you get the point?

Now…

How do you crave relevant knowledge?

First: Deliberately 'dig out' (search for) sources of relevant knowledge.

Such sources can be personal-development coaches, magazines, newspaper columnists, book authors, online training platforms like PushCV Academy, and so on.

Ask friends and people in the know to recommend the sources they know of.

Secondly: Set aside time dedicated to discovering and crunching the relevant knowledge these sources are able to provide with the aim to learn.

Evenings from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm works perfect for me.

Step #2: Thrive

To thrive means to vigorously grow or improve by applying the relevant knowledge you’ve got.

The most effective way to thrive is to: Practice. Practice. And practice some more.

Do your best to put to use, the lessons you come across in Step #1.

For instance:

If you’re aspiring to work in a bank, and you read that "marketing skills make it easy to get and retain a bank job", then you can decide to take up internship or part-time job with a marketing agency even while still a student.

Step #3: Graduate well

Your number one goal as a student should be this:

To graduate well.

In case you’re asking: "What does it mean to graduate well?"

This is my definition:

To graduate well is to finish school equipped with ideas and solutions to the challenges facing our societies using the experiences, knowledge and training you’ve acquired while in school.

The next question is: "How can I graduate well?"

Well, the answer is this…

Crave relevant knowledge, then thrive by deliberately applying it.

In other words, embrace steps #1 and #2 if you want to graduate well. It’s a chain reaction.

This is the summary of everything...

#. It is possible to become successful almost immediately after graduation.

#. You need to crave more of relevant knowledge and pay less attention to the irrelevant.

#. After craving relevant knowledge, thrive by applying the lessons you come across. Practice the ideas you learn.

#. To become successful almost immediately after graduation, you need to graduate well.

So… I hope this post is of value to you. If so I urge you to put it to use.

Now it’s time to hear from you: Let's discuss.

einsteine:
Print media is a shrinking business. If you add the effect of the economic crises, then you will see that investment in print media is an exercise in failure. However, if you can secure top advertisers willing to pay for adverts for up to a year, then your magazine may be able to survive.

Hello Nairalanders. Here is a quick question one of my clients asked and I need your honest answers if you may:

Can someone start a local weekly magazine business and still be profitable in this era of internet and blogs?

By local, I'm referring to covering stories within a certain locality/community; stories that major magazines won't tell probably because such won't be of interest to people outside the localities.

Thanks for your responses.

blazer234:
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kelvinnaira:
lolz.. funny dude. 1k.
ok, let me go straight to the point, there are some people who are new to the whole system and just wants to get money anyhow by doing copy and paste, you might be able to pay those people 1k, nothing spoil.
but if you are looking for quality articles of 1200 words from a guy like me, then have ur 20k ready to pay. some charge up to 50k for 2k words article.. writing is not childs play, it big business, it makes one think and takes quality time to put up quality articles.. if you currently do not have the money to pay writers, then write yourself bro..
Like am currently writing for others and myself on http://www.medianetmashup.com

nne4:
Are you for real 1k for 1500 to 2000 words. India folks better pass you. Why not take the 1k and buy coke and gala then write it yourself.

Many poor performing students wonder how intelligent students appear playful but still get to ace even the difficult courses. So, in a bid to to excuse themselves, they rush to conclude that intelligent students are gifted or blessed with better brains.

But such isn't particularly true in most cases. Hence if you fall in the group of students who study really hard (with little or no play) but still fail in your academics, then I’ll want you to understand that you can up your academic performance the day you know and begin to do what the intelligent students know and do.

One of such things that you need to consider is the need for you to create balance between play and study. Tipping too much towards either of the sides will usually not end well.

Even if your goal is to graduate with the best grade ever in your department you can still live your life to the fullest. Prioritize play just like you do with studies. Close your books and connect with friends and course mates; put play in your timetable or schedule as you would with your courses of study. Socialize with other students, gist and make friends. All of these are also part of the reason the higher institution was initiated.

It is time you revolutionize the way you think about study/play balance. You shouldn’t always be in the library as some of the tips or ideas you will need to become intelligent can come from a social gathering or some other place far from your study area.

This is all about recognizing that reading every now and then does not guarantee that you‘ll perform intelligently nonetheless graduate well.

It turns out that many of the intelligent students I have come across do study hard as well as play hard. They have found balance between these two.

The play should be a deliberate act as it is the study. Deliberately mark out time for playing hard as you do for studies. Play keeps you farther away from feeling overworked and has a positive impact your health and happiness.

Do you agree with this concept? Is it possible to totally shun play and still be academically sound? Join the conversation, share your thoughts.

Most succeeding students act discrete and can be overly protective of the ideas and tricks they employ to succeed. They rarely talk about their plans and goals, you scarcely know when they study and they’ll usually not announce or show off how good they are; we only get to see their results and wonder how they do it.

The truth is intelligent students have techniques and tricks they apply to stay atop of the class but will not readily divulge same to you unless you are a very close friend.

Smart and academically successful students keep calm, talk less about their academic achievements and don’t readily discuss how they do it, because of:

They enjoy the glory and bliss and don’t wish to share
To be viewed as the smartest dude in class causes other students to look up to your for solutions and help to difficult topics. This then comes with a form of glory you enjoy and prefer to not share with any other students.

In simple terms, intelligent students won’t tell you how they do it so you also don’t get to be on the same pedestal with them. They want to be considered superior. Don’t start hating; you will want same if you are in their shoes.

To eliminate Nay-Sayers and negative students
Academically successful students will keep their plans away from you because they don’t trust your judgment. Their plans are always lofty and many other students will laugh at them and talk negative if they get to hear them. So, why should they tell you if they aren’t sure you will think their aspirations are unattainable?

Humility
For some, their secretive attitude is spurred from their humble attitude. They wouldn’t like to appear proud so they keep their tips and techniques to themselves however, they’ll be willing to let you have them if you approach them and ask.

My point here is that, if you aren’t succeeding academically it will be wise for you to approach the smartest kid in your class and sincerely ask her to let you in on how she has been able to amass those ‘A’s that have cumulatively produced a strong grade.

Believe it or not, excellent students have got some tricks or techniques you are yet to know. The day you know and put them to use will mark a significant turn in your academics.

People are secretive when they have secrets!

Think of any other reason why intelligent students are secretive? Let’s have them in the comments:

shikshark:
grade 2 pupils of nowadays can answer those questions..even with facts and figures

alpacino88:
just those?

youngdude1:
sorry I didn't understand anything you wrote up there..

Your actions and the things you give much of your attention to while in school will largely influence how you will turn out after leaving school.

Considering the activities and interests of different students in a typical Nigerian campus setting, students can be grouped into 4 in relation to how we will work or pursue our future careers.

Your duty is to find out which group you belong and migrate to or remain in a more preferred group.

Which of these 4 groups do you belong?

1. "A" students who will work for other students
You belong to this group if you are all for academics and good grades while refusing to pay attention to the other areas of personal development.

2. "A" students who will employ other students
This is the group of students who understand the importance of good grades and also give adequate attention to learning what it takes to create jobs for others.

If your academic performance is great and you are always excited about learning and acquiring entrepreneurial skills then you belong here.

3. "Average" students who will work for other students
This are students who aren’t academically excellent but still don’t give a damn about entrepreneurship.

4. "Average" students who will employ other students
Are you more into personal development and entrepreneurship than you are into your books? If yes, then you belong here.

This is exciting because you can easily tell which one you belong.

Which of these groups do you consider the best and which of them do you belong? Kindly share in the comments.

Many students will love to do some form of business to supplement their pocket monies. I particularly believe that every student in a Nigerian tertiary institution should run a business or be a part of a student led business venture prior to leaving school.

The challenge however, for most students is that of pursuing a business venture while having loads of study work to do. Many of us fear that our academics will suffer if we go in pursuit of money.

And yes I have seen students who engage in entrepreneurial ventures at the expense of their academics; they make the cash but end up with extra semesters. However, smart students can learn how to combine entrepreneurship plus academics & succeed in both.

Here are tried and true tips you can run with:

Be prepared to work harder than others
Preparation will include making up your mind to be successful in both your business and your studies. You’ll need to make up your mind to be disciplined and to work harder -but smarter- than the regular student.

Make the campus your market
Whatever business you’ll do should be such that will target the campus community (students and staff). This is a better approach simply because as a student, the campus is where you spend most of your day; you’ll be able to easily traverse between classes and your business place.

It should be an extracurricular activity
Never neglect your studies. Treat your business venture like you will an extracurricular activity (such like playing football, watching movies, etc.) and a dear hobby; such mindset will help you give your studies a higher priority.

Make it a part time venture
You could pursue a business venture that you can execute on part-time basis. This could be during weekends, holidays or once a week.
Choose a venture that’s easy for you to manage

Don’t pursue a difficult-to-manage business idea. Businesses that are difficult to manage will often require more of your time, late nights and extreme commitment.

Improve your time management skills
Learn to make schedules and keep to them. There is never enough time for a regular student not to mention a student-entrepreneur. Good time management skills will help you accomplish more with the limited time we all have.

With the increasing ‘pressure’ on Nigerian students to embrace entrepreneurship and not rely on the government for jobs, a few students wonder if they are naturally cut-out for entrepreneurship.

Now, whether entrepreneurs are born or made is an argument that can drag for too long even among Nigerian undergrads. To cut short such arguments, here are 4 signs that tell whether an undergrad can become an entrepreneur upon graduation:

1. You have ideas
If you have a notebook of business ideas or spend time dreaming of business ventures that just won’t stop evolving.

When you look at existing businesses and see ways to improve it and opportunities the business owners have missed.

You sometimes wish you can fast-track your academic pursuit so you can get out of school and execute.

2. You have passion and want something different
The norm is a situation where people graduate from school, prepare Resumes and spend months and sometimes years hunting for good jobs.

However, you want something different from the norm. While your mates are submitting job applications, you will want to be receiving job applications. You want to be able to manage your own time and do things your way. You want to be your own boss.

3. You want to do some good
You believe in your ability to do some good like helping other graduates by creating more job opportunities.

You want to create a social enterprise that will add value to the lives of others.

4. Business Awareness
The best way to know that you can become an entrepreneur after graduation is to become aware of how to run a business; a great way to ascertain this is to run a business venture while still in school?

If you have passion, great ideas and some know-how, entrepreneurship is a risk that reaps huge financial returns and amazing lifestyle rewards.

Do you think you can be an entrepreneur after graduation? Share the signs you have noticed that indicate that you can. Also what other signs do you know of that isn’t included in the list.

We all know the stress of schooling in Nigerian universities. We even argue about which university stresses its students the most. Many of us think we would have graduated with first class results if not for all the unnecessary stress our system of education brings upon students.

Regardless of all the stress, we still see a few students excelling academically and in other areas. Here is how most of them do it:

1. They accept that stress is part of life
While others waste time and energy worrying and complaining ‘wicked lecturers’ or how they have decided that no student will ever graduate with a first class, smart students accept the situation and find ways to improve their condition and survive.

2. They see the good in the bad
It is true that our educational system is not the best in the world however, smart students refuse to let the hardship to turn them into bitter or helpless students rather they choose to use stressful circumstances to become stronger and better.

3. They choose to cope in ways that won’t cause more harm
In a bid to cope, some students resort to unhealthy habits and lifestyle like cultism and alcoholism. On the other hand, smart students use healthy activities, like going religious meetings to cope with the enormous stress.

Do you sometimes wonder why a few amongst many of those who have graduated ahead of us seem to find it easy securing good jobs or starting businesses while many more struggle?

After asking a handful of graduates some questions, I have come to see that those who took advantage of certain opportunities while in school entered into the labour market easier than those who didn’t. This write-up is a list of the opportunities they used and how they did it.

Whether your dream is to find a good job or start a good business after you graduate, maximizing these 4 opportunities can go a long way to help you:

1. The opportunity of receiving pocket money
Granted, not all of us get monthly or regular pocket money from home. However, for those of us who do, it is an opportunity we ought to maximize as time will soon come when we will receive such no more.

In maximizing this opportunity, a former student saved 20 percent of his monthly pocket money in a separate account; He graduate after 4 years with a little close to 400,000 naira.

I will usually spend everything I receive but have now decided to save 20 percent to never touch it come rain come shine.

2. The opportunity of internship
While the school system allows for some students to go for 6 months or 1 year Industrial attachment, a majority of students do not maximize the opportunity. Use the opportunity to seek for firms or organizations who can give you a job after you graduate.

A friend did his internship in an organization and made sure he impressed his boss and made connections. After a year, his boss ‘worked’ is National Youth Service to his firm and he has been gainfully employed since then; never testing joblessness.

You can also offer to work for an organization for free as a student. That can eventually stand you out from the rest when it comes to job interviews; I was told employers generally 'love good Samaritans'.

3. The opportunity of building a strong network
Higher institutions present us with different kinds of people from different parts of the country. While others are making friends by chance, you should maximize the opportunity by deliberately making making friends with those who can be of help now and in the future.

A few graduates got very good jobs via their friend’s dad, mom or uncle. If for example you have a politician’s daughter or son in your class or hostel block, I advise you get close; it’s your future we are talking about here.

4. The opportunity of student contests
Do you know that there are plenty of contest and competitions for students of tertiary institutions? One of my mentors had participated in several of them and eventually won one which did provide him with a huge amount of cash to kick of his business venture.

Find out about student competitions and contests, participate in them and even if you do not win, the experience thereof will sure be helpful.



Finally, preparing adequately while still a student can help you achieve your dream and prevent you from struggling in the labour market.

Do you agree with my opinion? What other opportunities are there for students to maximize?

We have seen and will continue to see lecturers who act as though they’ve been sent to the classrooms to make life more difficult for students.

Amongst such group of lecturers is the sadist lecturer. By ‘sadist’ I am referring to someone who never looks happy and enjoys being cruel to students. They seem to take pleasure in seeing students fail. They’ll usually set their exam questions as though to fail students. They seem to hate it when a student performs well in their class.

Recently, a friend asked for my advice on how to survive the tyranny of such a lecturer since he had one. I thought for a while and cranked up these few lines:

A. As much as it depends on you, avoid them totally:
The best thing to do as it concerns lecturers who act as though to frustrate students will be to avoid them by not registering their courses; but that isn’t possible if the courses aren’t elective courses in which case the only solution you should seek for is how to successfully survive their reign.

B. Be humble and shelve your 'guruness':
If you must register their course, then I advise you stay humble in class and never show yourself. Such lecturers are not impressed by gurus who love to show themselves by asking questions in every class.

C. Make up your mind to never miss their class:
They love to give unannounced CA Tests especially when they notice a drop in attendance. After all they’ll love to see massive failure.

D. Give their courses more study time:
Their exam questions are usually very difficult and will require intense understanding of every topic to be able to even score a ‘B’, plus they know how to sadistically set difficult questions.


Those were the advice I came up with but I wish to have more so, kindly share your advice or tip. How should students cope successfully with sadist lecturers?

With the enormous work we are made to do as students, we sometimes need some form of 'energy-boosters' as we push through school. The thoughts we carry about can give us hope and the needed energy to face our daily challenges so, here is a list of a few random thoughts worth thinking about.

Thought 1
Another student’s definition of success will never be appropriate for you. Create your personal picture of a successful student, run with it and stop comparing yourself to other students.

Thought 2
Not all students will turn out to be assets for employers –not all students will be fit for employment after graduation. Therefore, it is only good advice for students yet to advance into the labour market to learn what is needed to emerge employable.

Thought 3
Graduating well is like building a house; your actions or in-actions form the building blocks. What kind of house do you want to build?

Thought 4
You can combine entrepreneurship and academics and succeed in both.

Thought 5
The lessons you will learn as a student-entrepreneur are able to make for a bright future.

Thought 6
To ace the difficult and even the easy courses we are presented with in school, there is need to have confidence in our abilities to succeed. Lack of self-confidence negatively impacts our academic performance.

Thought 7
Smart students don’t just want to graduate like the others; they want to graduate better – they want to graduate well.

Thought 8
No amount of worrying about your grades and the carry-overs you have can make things better. Stop worrying.

Thought 9
If you don’t learn and acquire the set of skills your future employer wants while still in school, you will have to learn them after graduation. Which is better?

Thought 10
Your GPAs isn’t all there is to success. An ‘A’ or an ‘F’ is not a direct reflection of who you will eventually become.
Which of these random thoughts do you agree with the most? Which of them makes more sense to you? Kindly share