₦airaland Forum

. The question now is, which one will be a better option to choose from, been a prospective lecturer or seeking for job and why? Thanks..

which one provides the most satisfaction; Apple Juice or Goat meat?

I should point out that for me, money is not the objective. Not at all.

Bro, have you ever been broke in your adult life? I would advise you experience being broke before considering what your position is on this specific statement.

sisieko2001: Besides, do you know that such UN, EU jobs can be boring? I had a brief stint with one of such organisations. it was the most boringggggggggg job i had ever had.

This statement is very true. Those places are nice if you are looking for somewhere to sit your bum down till retirement. Yes, it makes you think somewhere in your mind that "you are giving something to humanity"...but in reality, and considering the enormous amounts of bureaucracy/red tapes before simple projects get approved, you are merely another pawn in a game played by selfish politicians. If you are truly looking to contribute to humanity, get a machine gun and head down to the house of assembly.

I'd really like people to please say a thing or two about this. I'd like to know exactly how difficult it could get abroad. Does having a scholarship do anything to mitigate the difficulties one may experience? What exactly is the possibility of making a career in foreign land?

How difficult?: VERY difficult!...much more difficult if you study in a non English speaking country....extremely difficult if the country is in Europe where unemployment figures keep reaching new highs.

Scholarship: Yes, your scholarship will mitigate a lot issues commonly encountered by most people. Fees, accommodation and living costs being paid for?..You are kidding!..you must be bloody kidding!!

Possibilities of making a career: Very Possible!!!...Just tough!...It may be easier to for three camels to go through the eye of a needle at once.

In addition, is there really anything achieveable in the O&G industry besides making a lot of money?

People are motivated by different factors. I think for me, I'm a bit more motivated by money than the average bloke and naturally, i have always tend to hold on to the belief that more money is better than less. For one, it makes my life easier.Perhaps it isn't the same for you. Then i see why you must be so frustrated to find yourself in an industry that keeps doling out quids in a way that probably makes your stomach churn.

There's an easy solution to this, however, why not apply for jobs at state primary schools? Trust me when i say you won't have to worry for a bit about being overpaid, plus you get the added benefit of making other people's lives better like you've always wanted.

Fiesty!

[quote author=yemmy_ma]Good response,

What happens when you are competing for a prize? for instance when you are desperately in need of that job? want that scholarship prize? get that good looking girl?

If improving one's personal best never get him or her any reward/recognition, do you still consider that winning?[/quote]I think that, life will always find a way to reward those that continue to win by challenging their own ultimate limits. For such people, winning is a continuous idea. There's always a goal to beat...

I have come to understand that I can't always have all the things i want. Still, not getting the things i want doesn't necessarily make me a loser. Not trying hard enough to be the better version of who i used to be makes me a Loser.

Sometime ago when i started applying for graduate jobs in the UK, i sent out loads of application documents, got invited to more than 7 assessment centers, 4 of which led to final interviews and eventually two offers from which i chose 1. Obviously someone else got those jobs i couldn't. But the mere fact that i have gone further than i used to gives me a winning feel!

Winning makes absolutely no sense if you only benchmark yourself against other people's ability and it shouldn't necessarily be about being the best in a team or a group. Winning for me is being able to challenge and beat what I've previously considered my ultimate limits.


I did come up tops in my undergraduate class, but the driving factor for me then as it is now, wasn't because i thought i was doing better than someone else, but the push to do better than i had previously done...I still try to apply this same principle in every other aspect of my life including when giving presentations, working on projects,applying for new jobs, picking up girls ...!


Usain Bolt isn't just interested in giving an extraordinary performance, he also runs to beat his own best records!!...that for me is the true spirit of a winner and there can be more than one winner in any game.

What are you doing at the moment?

What other options do you have?

What industrial sectors are in demand for your skills?

How have you contributed to the profitability of your current company?

If the MD is the accountant, marketer, HR, gateman, etc...then what do you do? Have you volunteered to take more responsibilities than what you are currently taking? Like including Marketing to your responsibilities? Why should anyone pay you more if they are going to have to do majority of the income generating parts of the jobs themselves?

I know this may not be what you wanted to hear, but sometimes, you've got to find opportunities in your own environment and think of how you can contribute to the bottom line. This is what makes you an important resource for the company and that ensures that you are treated so. I have recently volunteered to attend some client meetings along with the sales guys at my office. This is not my responsibility, but the head of my department is glad that I will be going with the boys just in case a client asks a technical question.

It's really sad that you are frustrated with your current job, but sometimes you may need to examine your own work ethics to find where the problem is. If you are making strong and valid contributions to the bottom line, your employer will not be stupid enough to ignore the high chances that you may be snapped away by a competitor.

Seriously? Am i reading what i think I'm reading or have i had too much wine tonight?

Yeah right, you are off the shores of Nigeria and have seen how sane things are done where you reside. So i think it is fairly human of me to tell the dude to go and experience the same things and when he is satisfied he can choose to return to Nigeria and enjoy the Nigerian dream.

My Post was made while i was merely thinking aloud and would prefer that it's not taken out of context

Second, advising people to travel out for opportunities isn't necessarily a bad idea, but you neglect to balance it with the much realistic view of the environment they are likely to find themselves. Employment aren't readily available abroad like your post seem to suggest. In UK and much of Europe, there are millions of equally smart graduates seeking job opportunities at the moment...At least in Naija where the "smart candidates" pool isn't very occupied, you can afford to wow people with your impressive performance at interviews and job assessments. In the UK, Europe and much of the West, you will be needing more than that, as there are people, probably with higher qualifications than yours seeking for the same positions with the same pay and who probably have native skills and the confidence that comes with it.

Travelling out to further your studies when you have the money is a great thing. One must however learn to manage his or her expectations and dislodge the belief that living somewhere offshore will automatically advance your career prospects in some way!...Most people end up getting sourly disappointed.

.

Chylo: Thanx a lot man. Please can you advice on how to go about getting into the CBN or ADB? Thanx

Most people i know that work in these places got in through their networks. Unfortunately, i don't know of hard and fast routes. (Peharps reading the CBN thread may give you some insights into this ??)

I'd go on google and type in "Development Specialist, Central Bank of Nigeria, LinkedIn". You will likely come up with names of people worth networking with. If you can get them on your LinkedIn network, then you can send them a private email introducing yourself and stating what your objectives are.

Make sure you don't grovel too much. Your line of email should go something like:

"You are a bright ambitious graduate with interest in economic development and research. You have succeeded in building your knowledge on global economic dynamics and now wish to contribute that knowledge within a practical framework. You can't think of a better way to do this than being at home and gaining expertise from working with experienced specialists on difficult developmental challenges facing the country and how they are practically tackled. You are happy to work just for the sake of learning and wouldn't mind getting your hands dirty right away and all for free. You intend to further your education immediately after the internship and you already have strong prospects for a Phd program in one of the World leading Universities"....blah blah

Just something to show that you really have something in you that differentiates you from the other 5 million Nigerians who will happily sell their right arms to get to CBN if given the chance.

Another NGO you can look at is MercyCorps. They are a UK based company but with field offices in Abuja. You could send an email directly to them stating your intention to work with their economic advisers in Nigeria for a brief internship.

in your emails, make sure you always mention that you are "bright and ambitious" and make sure you always put it in the first few lines. In the last few lines, make sure you always mention that you have good prospects of furthering your academics at the doctoral level at one of the global brands. The first few lines does the trick with first impressions, the last few lines ensures that those first impressions are ingrained on the mind.

Goodluck!

What school allowed you to graduate with a Chemistry degree?

Graduating with a first class in mathematics tells me you are smart. Typing on a forum with all caps tells me you have an attitude problem and aren't sensible.

Of what use is smartness without senses?

I agree I was quite harsh. Deservedly so. I'm no cyber bully, but I think a number of our youth need to be knocked upside the head with a 2 by 4, so they can wake up.
This is why i was harsh.

True this!...but i honestly think there's a growing societal problem that makes people really confused at the start of their careers. Schools ought to be more active on providing guidance to students about what their expectations should be and how they can better prepare themselves for the "crazy world"...I think schools have failed in this singular aspect (not as though they have done very well in any other aspect), and i think the societal norm where people get dictated to rather than be allowed to choose freely for themselves is seriously damaging!

If the OP was my aburo, and I was responsible for his education, i would flog him, or at least hit him over the head with something. If he has spent almost 5 years in school and cannot say with a certainty what he would likely end up with (by way of graduating degree), he suppose chop cane.

I find that a bit weird as well. It does come up with the nonchalant tone of someone who couldn't be bothered about his grades.

Chylo: Thanx Violent, but I know all these organisations have field offices in Nigeria. Are you saying it is impossible to get a placement with any of them? I have been told about CBN and such, but my dream is really not finance based but, actual development work based. Please advice.

Not saying it's impossible, just a bit tough! The WBG "attempts" to always select applicants in an open, fair, merit based environment. So most positions including local hires come with Job codes and has to be advertised on their region specific internship site, if a position is not advertised, it cannot be filled. This is just saying from what i think i know.

That said, there's nothing to lose by preparing a sound application and sending it directly to someone who has enough authority to determine who gets hired and who doesn't. It may be a bad idea to flood their office with application letters as that may easily put you in a "desperate bucket" which will mean that even future applications may be ignored. While you can, you should also try to network with people from the Bank via linkedin.

CBN isn't completely finance based. A huge department at CBN is actually dedicated to developmental activities. Getting into CBN will provide you with a rich developmental experience to back your studies and i'm inclined to believe it's actually more realistic to get than WBG.


On the other hand, you may also give African Development bank a shot. I know a friend who got a job there recently, although in the UK. I get a feeling that they may be looking to fill a few roles.

World Bank internships are mostly offered in Washington. Not only are they extremely competitive, they are also very specific. For the moment, i would advise that you network your way into the CBN, in departments that involve Policy and administration.

AjanleKoko: @OP,
Sounds like you're a regular Nigerian graduate stereotype. Shiftless, and indolent.
Wonder why anyone would want to sponsor you. Well, good luck to them and their wasted money.

Bros, I think your response is a bit on the harsh side. I went through the post again and I'm not sure what may have made you reply with a hard tone. I think most people will at one time or the other, have to make difficult decisions about their career and it's usually a lot more difficult in an environment that provides little to no guidance for career starters. I will also believe that this section of Nairaland was created to address such challenges and so that more experienced people like you could provide better guidance.

All of that said, I'm all in for flogging errant youngsters who should learn to put their posts and questions in a much more polite manner that makes it easy for anyone to help with sound opinion.



@OP

I think you will have to realize at some point that the decisions about your career is yours and yours alone to make. And i think the sooner you make your sponsor realize it, the better for all parties in the long run. I'm also hoping that your sponsor is someone close, like your dad, who is flexible enough to not force an opinion on you....if not, tough luck mate!
Questions like yours are not unusual, as a matter of fact, if you take a quick look around, you will be surprised to find a number of posts similar to yours.

First, there's no such thing as "an area which is not common but yet in demand"....the only area i can think, off on top of my head, that fits this description is being a time traveler...as you will find more people willing to pay to fix the mistakes of the past or getting a sneak peak into the future.
Jokes aside, think about it for a second. If everyone is willing to pay a million dollars for the services of a Barber, then why would anyone who is financially motivated choose to become a medical doctor?

Second, You must accept the reality that life doesn't give out free lunches. It's a Jungle son, you fight for your keep. Whichever way your career takes, there are very high chances that you wouldn't get your dream job or position immediately on graduation --- all that, you have to work for!..The world is getting more competitive and there are more people with great degrees looking for a job, this is where the law of the jungle comes in, you will have to fight for you keep

Third, In my thinking, there are about 3 ways to become successful notwithstanding which path you take

a) By being extremely Lucky / the God factor
b) By being incredibly smart, having a ruthless unyielding personality and a strong convincing character.
c) By the quality of your network (or your parent's network)
(having good looks, great smile, good accent etc, helps a great deal too)

You will have to find out which of the three works most for you and then maximize it!!!

Fourth, Your choice of "which area" should eventually be based on what resources (outside of the knowledge gained in classrooms) are available for you to succeed.

Fifth, taking a four to five year view on you career may include considering geographic dynamics. If for instance, you believe that Nigeria may eventually become Africa's next financial hub, then you may wish to carve out a niche for yourself in Finance. If you think the country may at some point stop relying on oil and gas and focus on Agriculture, then you may wish to consider a career in an area such as Agriculture Development. Whatever you do, it's always best to build your decisions around your own convictions......here's probably the best time to ask the question: Why renewable energy?

Sixth, the choice of career involves an element of risk. You just have to take the plunge and stick with it!!!...In many cases, you have to learn to trust your own gut feelings. My dad seriously wanted me to become a surgeon, but i refused flatly based on the simple fact that it's just not what i wanted for myself. You will have to define your own life, and you will have to learn to take responsibility for those choices you make.


Sorry if my post doesn't really help in terms of specific questions you are hoping to get answers for, but then, hopefully you may have gained an insight or two. Plus it will help me to easily copy and paste whenever someone else comes up to ask "What should i do with my life".

kvolander: I WILL LIKE TO APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT ADVISED ME HERE IN THIS THREAD DURING MY TRYING TIMES.

TEARS ALMOST ROLLED DOWN MY EYES AS I WENT THROUGH THIS THREAD BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ADVISE I GOT FROM YOU GUYS WAS IMPLEMENTED ESPECIALLY THE VERY LAST ONE BY BABYGURL19. IT WAS AT MFM THAT GOD CHANGED MY STORY LAST YEAR (2011) OCTOBER.BETWEEN OCT 2011 AND APRIL 2012, I HAVE WORKED IN THREE DIFFERENT COMPANIES (A MULTINATIONAL AUDIT FIRM(ONE OF THE BIG 4), AN ENERGY TRAINING COMPANY, AND THE BIGGEST OF THE 3 WHERE I AM CURRENTLY, A SPECIAL AND ENVIABLE POSITION IN A VERY BIG OIL AND GAS COMPANY AS A CHEMICAL ENGINEER).

I WISH TO ENCOURAGE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE STILL BELIEVING GOD TO KEEP TRUSTING HIM.
DON'T GIVE UP, YOUR MIRACLE IS ON THE WAY.

LOVE YOU.

This is very inspiring. Goodluck man!

Kobojunkie: I still ask this. Did Nigeria outsource it's justice system or what? Why is Akingbola being tried in London when this issue happened here in Nigeria? Why is Sanusi in London commenting on this case?

If part of his stolen loots were used to purchase assets or conduct business in the UK, then he may be in breach of UK criminal and money laundering laws.

The job you were offered would have had skills requirement and ordinarily the source of your self confidence would have been that strong belief that you fit into their requirement and can fill the skill gap.
Self confidence has it sources hence it can't be viewed in isolation

The debate is on the need to gain competence in order to become self confidence and the argument against this view has been that while ability/competence is a good thing, it isn't necessarily a step towards self confidence.

Ordinarily, one may build his own self confidence by reassuring himself constantly, that he has got the biggest di*k in the world!...That's not competence, that's simply self awareness which will naturally project through the way he carries himself!

Woe betide whoever embezzled funds allocated for the development of Nigeria's educational system.

Why, is spelling "Liar", now such an immensely difficult thing to do?

If you can, GET URSELF A GUN!

Your advise was great until this point! You can't shoot your way out of such situations if you are all alone!...plus they've got an element of surprise which you don't

Rossikk: The question now is, are you going to sit on the sidelines worshipping India and co or are you going to dust your kneecaps, get on your bike, and become a functional, productive participant in the Nigerian Economic Revolution?

THAT'S THE QUESTION.

People like you have a brain of a fish. You believe everything and anything on the world wide web.

Katsumoto:

I am sure if you looked hard enough, you will find an economist who will state that Nigeria outgrew the US over the last 50 years.

I have found from reading many commentaries that almost any economist that is worth his salt can do what you mentioned. What i probably find more amusing sometimes, is how the actual figures tend to vary largely around some of these estimates.

JP morgan estimated UK to shrink by 0.4% in the second quarter and the consensus was 0.2 percent. I wondered what the look on some of these guys was when the actual figure came out at 0.7%.

You can imagine how silly it must then sound that someone with a small mind and brain comes with a single view made at least 4 months ago to argue a certain point.

Present your statistics, calculations, and sources in black and white. Don't expect us to take your word for it. Indian doormats don't get much credibility on THIS thread.

You are a lunatic!..did you not see the source i gave above? here's the link again mad boy, you can once more feel free to pretend you were inflicted with some sort of unexplained blindness

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/nigeria/gdp-per-capita

Take up your argument with Renaissance Capital. Unlike your jobless self, these are actual economists:

''The west African nations of Ghana and Nigeria are expected to be among the world’s fastest growing economies in 2012, according to an emailed research note by Charles Robertson, global chief economist at Renaissance Capital.
Robertson’s data comprises consensus forecasts and the latest estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) growth figures.
In 2011, Ghana was the fastest growing economy from a total of 43 markets included in Renaissance’s graphs. This growth was largely off the back of Ghana’s new oil industry. Nigeria had the 6th highest GDP growth, ahead of India...

However, next year Ghana’s growth will slow down, while Nigeria is likely to remain in 4th position.''

You are a foooool and you have absolutely no idea how growth estimate are generated or the need to put so much argument into what is mostly considered a "view". Most reasonable people compare at least 5 or 6 estimates from "leading" economists to arrive at their own conclusions not just copy and paste a certain view only to bark on like a rabid dog. This year alone, JPMorgan, UBS and Merryl lynch have all revised their growth forecast for different economies by at least 3 times. Of course you won't know that, you probably think those economist have a blue ball from which they see all and can tell all....learn foool, learn!

^^^

The dude has a lazy mental capacity.

Rossikk: What is this one rambling like a mad man for? India's population is ten times that of Nigeria and you're comparing their GDP? That makes you insane.. Not sure why you're bringing up SA, Brazil, Iran etc. You can name any one of those countries and we can discuss them, not bundle them all up together like some coc.k-starved she-goat.

You are a blithering i[i]d[/i]iot, that's probably why you failed to understand my post. It also probably strengthens my argument on the decaying educational structures in this country. You are a good example of such as you have failed to employ any means of common sense in your arguments and the quality of your post reflects that of someone with a mental age of 10.

let's adjust both countries GDP for the size of their population and factor out inflation rate, figures from reputable sources still show that Nigeria is still way behind India at 562 dollars compared to India's 838 dollars. (http://www.tradingeconomics.com/nigeria/gdp-per-capita)

Your argument about Nigeria being one of the fastest growing economies also shows that you are probably not very gifted at studying economic realities. Nigeria's economy is completely tied to the price of crude exports with 95% of it's revenues coming from Oil and gas and the picture of a fast growing economy is only reflective of a regime of rising oil prices. A sharp drop in global oil price is doom for the country. Did you or did you not hear your Finance minister prophecy gloomy days ahead for the country? Did she not receive the memo of the country being one of the fastest growing economies?

You in your complete utter idiotic glory compare this economy with India where export only accounts for 22 percent of it's GDP and it's completely self sufficient on the output of it's industrial sector? What Industrial sectors do you have in Nigeria aside from Dangote and a few names?


You are completely and utterly sick in the mind. I wonder what the future holds for this country when people like you continue to forcefully pollute this country's gene pool with offsprings of your kind. More than 3000 people have been killed in various bomb blasts that your government considered a "normal thing" and you don't see anything sickening in this country? You sir, are a shame!!....you should cower your head in your own fecal matter for even attempting a nonsensical argument as this......When was the last time you heard of a bomb blast in India despite their population? It's called SECURITY!!...that's the same country you claim spends to show off. What, pray tell does your own country spend on?

Considering she has 1.1 billion people, it's no surprise she has a bigger economy than Nigeria. What a doofus. If you want to compare GDP, you should compare India with Africa, not Nigeria. And Africa's GPD is roughly the same as India's, probably more, since India is poorer than Africa, as shown by the latest studies. (See page 1 of this thread).

Oh! which country then shall we compare Nigeria's GDP with? South Africa? hang on, that's smaller than Nigeria, so it's no surprise she has a bigger economy!...okay, let's do Iran? but erhm, that's still smaller than Nigeria, it's totally not comparable!!....Mexico? No way, that's still about 60 million people smaller than Nigeria!!!!

Okay Okay, let's do Brazil? Brazil's population is bigger than Nigeria, it's no surprise she has a bigger GDP!

Have you seen how senseless your argument is yet? Population of a country wouldn't matter much if majority of it's people are unproductive or the environment does not allow for much room to thrive, learn that doofos!

This is just silly and childish!...i can't find better words to describe it.

India is the 10th biggest economy in the world with a GDP that is 8 times as big as Nigeria's GDP!...

67.9% of Nigerians live just under 1.25 dollars a day. This means 200 naira is considered a luxury by 7 in 10 Nigerians, despite their country being one of the biggest 10 oil exporting nations. In India, just 28 percent of the entire population live below 1.25 dollars a day!!!!...You should be ashamed of yourself by even attempting a comparison! Your Senators keep stashing loots abroad while you come here foaming easily in a shameful attempt to defend the indefensible.

On corruption, the latest figures on Global Corruption Perception Index puts Nigeria at 143 in the same league with Russia and below countries like Syria...all countries in which the people have stood up in their thousands against their government to protest years of misrule! In Nigeria, we have people like you instead, hoping to give shyt a new name. shyt will always be shyt my friend!...And just in case you wondered, India is perceived to be way less corrupt by the world as it stands at 95, . . . . .48 countries above Nigeria.

Want more? Your country that you will have us believe is soooo great is yet to attract foreign investors in droves and has not been listed on a single emerging market index. Most people still perceive, and rightly so, Nigeria as a frontier market. Just a tiny economy that can be really ignored!

India may have problems of power outage at the moment, but then, peharps Nigerians will be far more grateful if our problems were limited to a power outage and a corrupt political system. The educational system in Nigeria is an absolute disgrace!..People continue to live in constant fear of being smoked out and hacked to death in their own homes!....More Nigerians have been killed by the Police than even Armed assassins. Life expectancy in India beats Nigeria hands down!!!!

If you don't have smart things to talk about, then it may be wiser to keep your mouth shut!

maclatunji: My post wasn't personal, I was speaking in general terms. Confidence without competence is not worth much. I guess we're saying the same thing but from different perspectives. The article assumes that you will be confident about some things but seeks to teach how to build confidence in areas were you lack it.

If your claims of confidence over ability are true, you will be static and cannot grow much. Yes! This one is addressed to you. #Hehe

It's like saying as a baby, you didn't learn how to walk. You were so confident that you started walking Jiga-Jiga Jiga! Haba!

I'm not arguing the superiority of confidence over ability, i'm merely pointing out that the latter does not necessarily lead to the former. In reality, there are probably a thousand and one areas that you may never be competent at. Knowledge of these subjects is never a waste, but then again, it is not a precursor to developing self confidence.

Self confidence is when you are only good at fixing bikes and yet you can sit comfortably in a room full of 1000 nuclear scientists. You know you have no idea on nuclear science, you know you can't be bothered with atomic fusion, but somewhere in you, you believe you are a demi-god at bikes....and maybe even at picking girls. And that self awareness is enough to make you strut your shoulder and probably look down at every other person in the room.

It is not your ability to fix bikes or pick girls that gives you the confidence you have, it is your awareness that you are something different and your belief that even with their IQs, no one else in that room can ever be you.

maclatunji: That will only buy you some time. It won't be long before people including yourself realise that you are a flop and your confidence will erode you.

You don't have to make this about me man. Most people, me including, understand that it isn't realistically possible for an individual to be competent at everything, so i don't try to. But when it comes to the things I'm good at, i make sure i do them to the best of my ability.

My mate once made a joke to an audience about his poor public speaking talents right before he dived in to deliver a great presentation. The audience was already enthralled by his personality and confidence from the beginning such that his little flaws went unnoticed.

It's all about feeling comfortable in your own skin and not trying to be what others want you to be.

maclatunji: They say a certain degree of arrogance comes with competence. If you're not competent, you cannot be truly confident and if you're not confident, you cannot be arrogant.

Yes, I agree some people are bold naturally but their confidence will be drained once they find that they cannot perform on any issue as they are expected to.

People that are confident carry themselves in such a way that their incompetence is easily ignored by the system. They don't do stuff simply to impress other people and are also usually the first to make a good joke and laugh at their own incompetence; therein lies the strength of the confidence they've got in themselves.

maclatunji: This not a well thought-out statement. "The best way to build self confidence is actually building yourself ..."

Please, what is the process of achieving the above that does not involve getting information/gaining knowledge and building capacity?

Probably not the best use of words, but definitely a well thought-out statement nonetheless.

Self confidence is an inherent awareness of your own presence by yourself. This has nothing to do with the sorts of skills or knowledge you've got, but the constant awareness and reassurance that there's only one god, and he's the dude standing in the mirror....Self confidence is believing, not in your skills, knowledge or capacity, but in your person.

Self confidence is a personality and some of the first points to achieving that personality is enshrining on yourself the belief;

-that no one owns you
-that you will take responsibility for the things you do wrong
-that you will not shy away from receiving praise for the things you do right
-that you write your own rules and live by them
-that you only apologize when it's absolutely necessary to do so
-that you are not afraid to get into a fight to protect the things you hold dear
-that the world is a jungle and those who can't fight for their place get eaten
-that if you have problems (everybody does), then it's your responsibility to fix it. Stop asking people for answers you know they won't give
-that you must have clear boundaries...and if people step over your boundaries, you are willing to punish them for doing so.
-that no one is smarter or better than you.

I could go on and write all day, but I'm sure you get the point I'm trying to make.