Xfire's Posts
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SundayPhilip:Piping engineering is good. You get to work in engineering /oil servicing companies that deal with piping designs. What training are you going for specifically? Why not go for an MSc instead? BTW, direct this to any of the several oil and gas related threads. Mention me if you need my assistance. |
It all depends on your discipline, the industry in focus and your career goals. Taking engineering as an example, it is far more preferable in many instances to go for a masters than to get professional certifications. For graduates with zero experience, oil companies will most likely choose masters degree holders over bachelors degree holders with professional certifications (assuming their performances at the interviews are all at par). A few notable firms in Nigeria also favour masters degree holders, eventhough the advert may simply state a minimum of BSc. Adverts doesn't always count. There is usually some level of PR considerations when putting up an advert, especially for big firms. It's the actual recruitment that matters at the end of the whole process. The story is however different if you consider a course like accounting. A graduate with an ICAN or ACCA certification will most likely be placed over masters degree holder in accounting. Another important consideration is that some fields require professional certification to be able to practice. In such fields, a masters may count for nothing. That's why it's wise to consult widely before taking any step rather than making blanket conclusions that professional courses are better than masters degree, or vice versa. |
naijanoni:Hmmmm.....good observation. Make sure you graduate with good grades anyway. You will find it helpful whatever path you may choose to follow. @the bolded. Do that and you will surely be a quintessential mechanical engineer. |
Okay guys / ladies, I have not been on the thread for a few days. I temporarily got some added responsibilities at my workplace and in my personal life. I digress a bit..... Lemme give a brief explanation on the minor challenge at my workplace which has kept me busy for the past few days and has prevented me from updating the thread: My workload has increased over the past few days because my boss has given me some added responsibilities. I am currently working with a colleague on a major assignment with a deadline of December 2014. Unfortunately, my colleague has not been as effective as expected. Thus, my boss has been transferring his/her share of work to me! This has greatly increased my already bloated workload I will also soon start pushing for a change of job role because I want to gain multi-disciplinary engineering experience. I hope my boss and in extension, my department will release me. It may likely be an uphill task and a battle. But I will determined to move. LESSON LEARNT 1: In the workplace, the reward for good work is more work LESSON LEARNT 2: Have your mind set on what you want i.e. Be clear about your career goals, and pursue it wisely I spent my first year in the company trying to understand the organisation and clarifying my career goals. Now I know clearly what I want. Eventhough all is going well with me in the department and boss seems to trust in my ability, I will still request and push for a change in job assignment. Why? Simple, because a change of job role is important and necessary to achieve my career objectives. Over the course of my entire work experience, I see people who get stuck in their career path because they became too comfortable, lethargic and complacent in their current position. Many of them did not utilize early opportunities that were available to them because they became too comfortable at their current level. Now many of them eagerly desire to move ahead but it's almost too late. Though I must add that it's good to be contented with your current position. That's important if you want to live a happy life. But it's also essential that you evaluate your progression periodically. Cheers.......! Note: 1) I will soon post the sample CV's as promised. I am yet to do so because I need adequate time to include some helpful explanations and points as I post them. I will find that time. 2) Misterkay, I see you oo. Forgive my sins. I will give you a call soon, very very very soon! |
Truckpusher:I think the Op was only being figurative and obviously didn't mean it in literal terms. I believe he was trying to deplore the 'desperate' or rather ambitious desire exhibited by graduate engineers to work in the oil and gas industry (which is not bad anyway ). You can't blame us. ![]() The truth is that many engineers in other industries work as hard as their counterparts in the oil industry but get paid less - I believe that was what he was trying to say. And to some extent, he is right. It all depends on what aspect of the oil industry that an engineer finds him/herself. There are some engineers in the industry that work themselves out mentally and physically, while a few do not as much but still earn a lot. Generally, engineers in oil servicing coys work harder than their counterparts in oil producing companies. There are a few exceptions anyway. |
Odunharry:Why not? You can definitely work in a corporate organizations. I hope you know that corporate organizations include banks, FMCG coys, service coys, audit firms, oil coys, etc. Many of these firms only require your BSc degree to qualify. Why CIPM, if I may ask? Do you want to be an HR professional or consultant? It will be easier for you to break into the corporate world as an accountant considering the fact that you are a student of Accounting Education. But that will require you to enrol for a professional accounting certification if you choose to be proactive. You should pursue an ICAN/ACCA certification first before acquiring a Masters since you are educational student. That is a more viable option except you have preferences for CIPM for personal reasons. Cheers.. |
Jasiro:Materials engineer work mostly as corrosion engineers in the industry. But it's almost needless to emphasize that the most important factor is your B.Eng degree. Oil companies usually train and mold their entry level engineers into whatever position that is of business interest. |
fabify:To be candid, there is little demand for mathematicians in the industry except you delve into fields such as IT or further your studies in engineering. |
legendary4luv:I think you should focus on building a career of your choice rather getting fixated on working for a particular industry. While it is very important to consider employment prospects while choosing a career, it will be erroneous to get unnecessarily fixated on one industry except you truly desire a career in the industry. People build successful careers in many other industries, apart from the oil and gas. Think carefully about what you want before making any switch. |
legendary4luv:Better in terms of what? Be more specific please. |
shakol91:With a 2.2, it will most likely be tougher but it isn't ominous. There is always hope in every situation. Many organizations set the bar at 2.1. And 2.2 graduates have significantly fewer job opportunities to pursue irrespective of course of study. That's the reality everywhere, even with a CGPA of 3.49. I will advise you to always include your CGPA on your CV. Knowing the reality will make you toughen up and brace up for the future so that you can take proactive steps towards ameliorating the effect. Knowing what to expect shouldn't make you worried. I once did an article on that on jarushub and I can either provide the link or post it here later. Of course, you can major management at masters level. Management is one of the few career fields that almost every graduate can major in. Many institutions in Nigeria have different management courses. I know Unilag runs a Masters in Management. Some universities also run executive MBA programmes. There are different options available to you. Take time to check out the schools, courses and requirements. You may also not want to limit yourself to Nigerian institutions. Nothing beats work experience so try also to be open employment opportunities too. |
legendary4luv:Why do you want to switch to geology? |
Funny ![]() I am still guilty of No. 6 (texting while driving). I will make effort to stop. |
legendary4luv:Yes to all 3 questions. |
legendary4luv:Yes, to all 3 questions. |
superfavour:I do not understand the question clearly. Kindly explain further in an oil and gas related thread. |
shakol91:You know your intellectual capabilities more than anyone else on this forum. You already have a good knowledge of what accounting is, given the fact that you studied accounting education. Only you can determine whether you can pass ICAN or not. No one else can. It seems you aren't confident of your accounting knowledge and you also aren't interested in education. What then do you want exactly? |
[quote author=tolutweety post=26989924][/quote]I thank God for my parents through whom I came to this world. They are a source of joy for me. Thank God for all training and teachings I got from them. I am so happy that they are still hale and hearty. I thank God for all my siblings, their spouses and their kids. I am always excited when I see my nieces and nephews. I bless God for them. I appreciate God for his mercies over my life. My blessings far outweigh my regrets in all dimensions. It's all about Him. I thank God for using me as a source of inspiration for many on Nairaland. Though I sincerely count myself as an ordinary fellow, I thank God for the positive influence nonetheless. I thank God for all my Nairaland followers and followees. I bless God for friends that stick closer than brothers, especially for my closest friend (I can't mention his name here). I am grateful for the good health given from God. I thank God for my couch and TV that serves me when I really need to relax. I rejoice in Him for giving me the ability to cope with all kinds of work and personal stress. I also remember Him for the many times He has delivered me from both deliberate and indeliberate mistakes I have made. I shall continually thank Him for making me realize that I am nothing without Him. I will be self-centered and ungrateful if I don't pass the baton of gratitude to some other people. I therefore nominate darellrivers, titiluvly, napsbrada, misterkay, missindependent and abdulslutsky. |
didadavid:That's not always true! I know people that have money but still lack the confidence. |
LEERICIST:Lol . You will definitely come over that na . It's just a phase. The only way you overcome is by following your guts and not your mind. Approach ladies and talk to them. The fear to approach will always be there but just ignore it and go ahead. You can only get better with time. Some ladies will reject you but don't let that discourage you. It's pretty normal. Not every girl will give you attention. Also, learn one or 2 start-up lines to initiate a conversation. And smile. Smile has a way of boosting one's confidence...... Too many rules can complicate things. Lemme simplify things. Just make it a practice to approach ladies you like. Believe me, you will be happy with yourself in no distant time. #I was once in your shoes though I never took it to the extreme by thinking I won't get married. Cheers....! |
GoldenPenny:You have tagged me. . Though I am an engineer, you want me to go on a foray into the medical world? Ok o. I got to know a little about anatomy, physiology and biochemistry in my year 1 and 2, as I had roommates who were medical students. They usually take those 3 courses in their 2nd year. I will tell you the little I know. Hopefully, other medical professionals (like pricelessmr) will give you a helping hand and even correct me where I may have veered off: Anatomy is the branch of biological science that studies the physical structure and shape of plants, animals and other organisms. It deals with the structural organization of living things. It is divided mainly into 2 - plant and animal anatomy. I believe you are more interested in human anatomy which the study of the physical structure of humans (bones, respiratory system, immune system, circulatory system, nervous system, etc.) It is almost inseparable from physiology which is the study of functioning of living things - deals with the way the living things function such as metabolism, respiration and reproduction, rather than with their shape or structure (which is anatomy). Physiology can somewhat be called 'functional anatomy'. Anatomists and Physiologists can work in almost the same places - hospitals, research centers and academic institutions. Though due to the nature of the courses (which are branches of science), I think it is easier for them to get jobs in research centres, government agencies and academic institutions than in medical hospitals and facilities. In advance countries, they can work in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries too. I do not think it is easy to stand alone as an anatomist or physiologist. Medical biochemistry is also another branch of biological/medical science that deals with biochemistry and metabolism of human health and disease. Medical biochemists study the causes of disease and possible treatment/therapeutic options. Medical biochemists can easily work as a lab technician in a clinical biochemistry lab. They can also work in hospitals, biotechnology firms, pharmaceutical industries, research and academic institutions. A medical biochemists can be consultant and can even stand alone by setting up a medical laboratory. On which one you should choose, I can not decide that for you. I have laid down all the major facts I know about the 3 courses. You have to make that decision yourself. You may also find this thread useful: www.nairaland.com/898487/human-anatomy-physiology-graduates-lets Cheers.....! |
2sExy1:I wouldn't discourage you from learning these softwares and the relevant engineering practices and codes. If you have a good and low-cost opportunity, please grab it with both hands. |
McWhillion:I think I went through it once. Eventhough I didn't read it in detail, I must still commend your work. And you have also done well to share it with all. Well done. @all I will post the 4 sample CV's with some notes and explanation, hopefully early next week. They are not meant to be used as templates per se. They are to serve as guides to CV writing. CV writing is an art and not a mechanical process. I will attach snapshot copies of the CV here for everyone's use. I will also send MS Word soft copies to napsbrada, McWhillion (those 2 friends have been wonderful here) and 3 other Nairalanders for the purpose of sending to others that may need the soft copies. I want to avoid a situation in which the thread is inundated with excessive requests for the e-copies. @Evergreen4 Forgive me for not responding to you yet. I will do that as soon as I am settled, possibly before the end of the day. Cheers......! |
Jesuspikin7:It's good you went for what you desire. I am elated that you have arrived at a point where you can clearly see future you want for yourself and you are ready to face whatever challenges that may come your way as a result of your decision. That's a resolute mind, which is one of the ingredients for success. I really wish you all the best in your academic endeavour. Cheers.... |
2sexi, 2sexy1, crudedude. Here is the response: 2sexi: I will like to steal this opportunity to ask you this question: if there is any skill that you feel one should acquire to aid his career prospect, what could it be? By God's grace,if I can attain my financial target this year, there will be lots of re-evaluation on my person in the coming year, 2015. That's why I am asking this question. I want to get some skills, not all these paper certifications being peddled around (I have never liked any) and which has no value, because I know their(the organiser's) core intents were mostly money-driven. I am talking about technical skills that I could even use to freelance without a job but which are highly sort after and needed in the oil and gas industry, something I could technically work with my hands.There are so many areas experts/professionals/service providers (both technical and non-technical) can contract for oil companies, though they face stiff competition from other contractors doing similar jobs. But If I get you clearly, you want technical skills, preferably computer related that you can acquire that can make you self-dependent (that you can earn a living from) in the oil industry given your background as a graduate engineer/technologist. (5 key words: technical skills, acquisition/training, self-dependence, oil industry and graduate engineer/technologist). Unfortunately, the industry does not work like that. The oil industry is a well established and knowledge-based industry. The industry relies a lot on experience and technical know-how, and it is difficult, if not impossible to freelance for oil firms without having valuable technical experience, except of course you have the funds to provide resources and you know people in high places. For instance, I will use the example of AutoCAD and PDMS that you talked about. It is not enough to know those softwares. You will need to understand how and when to use and apply them in engineering problems. That comes with experience. Piping design comes with experience. You also have to understand the relevant codes (e.g. ANSI 31.3, ANSI 31.4, ANSI 31.8, API 5L, ASTM A106, etc). You can't learn it all on your own in your room or by going for a training. It takes understanding to know what set of data and code to use and how to use them. It ain't like web design or programming that can be easily learnt off the streets. Having the software is not enough. Remember, it's 'garbage in, garbage out' in the computer world. Moreover, many organizations develop their unique softwares to solve their engineering problems. The industry is technology driven and whoever is ahead in terms of technology makes more profit. For instance, all the most big oil players have their unique reservoir simulation softwares, while some have their own preferences. Same for process simulation softwares, though many firms prefer to use Aspen HYSYS or Aspen Plus. Oil servicing companies generally make more use design softwares such as 2D/3D AutoCAD, PDMS, Caesar II, etc. Oil producing firms do not use them as much. I know a number of technical experts that freelance or consult for different oil firms. Some now have their own servicing companies. None acquired their skills from trainings. The skills were acquired either through years of experience and/or advanced education and research. There are no shortcuts. Work experience is inevitable if you want to be a freelance engineer for 2 reasons: to get the technical know-how and for networking. It is not enough to know the skills. You have to get the jobs! Try to work yourself into getting a job with an engineering servicing company. That's your best bet. Cheers... |
petengine: good morning xfire et al, I hope your night was good.lol. There is no generally accepted line for a 'strong' 2.1. There is no classification called 'strong 2.1'. Probably, the term 'strong 2.1' was coined by graduates who finished with high CGPA's but did not make first class (such as me ) as a form of consolation or marketing on their CV's. Though it works sometimes . It has worked for me . Well, CGPA's and transcript results become more significant in postgraduate applications especially if applying for scholarships. I will personally put it as a CGPA of or above 4.2 / 5.0 though some may be more liberal to have it as a CGPA of or above 4.0 /5.0. A few are more conservative and will put it as a CGPA of or above 4.4 / 5.0. But generally, anything north of 4.0 can be considered strong. Cheers.... |
crudedude: Thank you xfire for you've been an inspiration. While I understand your position on this issue I would have loved to read your response to his question as I'm in a similar state. is it possible to also send this reply to me?OK. I will send it to you if I have your email address. |
petengine: hello xfire et al1. Of course you can. As a matter of fact, the most important applications required by graduates (including engineers) are the MS packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Knowledge of the MS packages is a basic requirement for all graduates. They are the applications mostly used by most employees in corporate organizations. Other job specific softwares can be learnt on the job. I have worked in 3 different corporate organizations and I have used various softwares in the course of my career. And I can tell you categorically that the applications I use most frequently are MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Even as an engineer in an IOC, I spend considerable time working on the MS packages and internet explorer. 2. Well, 3.90 is neither too good nor too bad. It's just somewhere in the middle. It's fine to include on your CGPA. It's a CGPA you can be proud of cos it shows that you comfortably finished with a 2.1. Cheers..... |
ugonology: please am new on this board or forum and would humbly like to seek the undiluted advice of Mr. XFIRE...Am 22 years old, studing geology in a federal university and presently in my final year. Problem is, my cgpa is barely a 3.42. After reading through many of your inspiring posts and topics, i suddenly became aware of the impending disasterous frustration that awaits me in the labour market should i graduate with this class of degree. I actually started poorly(2.74). Now am confused and exhausted, i need atleast a 4.4 to hit the capping cummulative of 3.5 coupled with the fact that i barely have this last semester(about 1 month left). Now my question is, should i fight on? even though it is obvious that my chances are slim, or should i honourably resign to fate....is their any splint of hope for a 3.4 graduate in geology related fields? Or in the general labour market.....am bitterly rottening in a bucket of regret and anger, i honestly crave your words of wisdom on this.Welcome to the career forum. You never give up until the last minute. A former coursemate of mine hit the 3.50 mark in her last semester. Today, she works for an oil servicing company. Another coursemate started his final year with a CGPA of 4.42 and was able to hit the 4.50 mark after his last semester. Please do fight on. One quality they both had was positivity. Be hopeful. No need to be confused. Just see it as an opportunity to surmount. If possible, register some electives that can help you boost your CGPA. You don't have to regret yet. There is a battle to WIN. And what if you don't make it...? What you need right now is to be focused on hitting the mark. So don't dwell on the what-ifs. Just believe and work towards a 3.5. Cheers..... |
Joy83: Doctor!!! Haha, abeg naaaaa.This got me really cracking ![]() Abeg leave the doctor alone oh oh ![]() |
....smh
. It has worked for me