Are you Unemployed or Unemployable? 😔😞😩

Nigeria they say is a land flowing with milk and honey. But is it ? We are told to come home because the opportunities are endless. However day in day out, more graduates are released into the streets, they fill up the buses in their corper uniforms,  some are fortunate enough to have cars to drive them to interviews, however how many graduates actually get jobs? Not just jobs but good paying,needs - satisfying jobs?

A friend of mine complained to me that the issue with jobs is how many years work experience the companies are asking for. Some ask for 5 years, some ask for seven, some ask for three, however, how are we supposed to get work experience if we are not even given a break?

As I wondered and pondered on the next step of action to take with this generation of mine  I realized how many of us are actually employable? How many of us fit the requirements? What do we have to bring to the table apart from a B.SC, L.L.B, M.S.C. 

I saw a Broadcast message on whatsapp that triggered me to  share this piece of information I was fortunate to have been blessed with. Firstly, the world is moving forward, we are in an IT generation, many of us tweet and share pictures without knowing that employers actually go to our pages to check out our substance. For some of us there is nothing of substantial value there. Mostly it is subs ( this is a slang), foul language, clique fights, sex. We need to realize that what we put out there for the public has an impact in our lives long after the 24 hours on snapchat.

I remember many of my classmates saying after our last paper they will never carry a book again. How do u expect to be given a job if you are not willing to read? A saying goes the best way to hide something from an African is to put it in a book. The mind is only as powerful as you exercise it. Interviews are not just limited to what u were thought in school, what u have learnt outside school is substance. Stop filling your mind with just music lyrics ( which is good ) fill your mind with books, poems, articles, publications. 

It is quite surprising that we spend so much time on our gadgets but we are not conversant with power point, Microsoft Excel, e.t.c. For any employer to take you serious you need to be equipped with these skills, this is a basic requirement.

Professional competence? No matter the course you read in school there is always room for improvement, there is always an exam you can take to place you above your peers. Now a University degree does not cut it. We have ICAN, ACCA, B.L, CIARBNIGERIA, ICMC, Project Management, etc. Register for a professional course today, don't just register! Excel! 

Etiquette!!! This is missing in our generation. many of us have poor time management, poor decision making in picking the right outfit for a working environment, lack of respect for our superiors, poor accountability skills, how do we expect to be offered a well paying job if we don't have these skills?

NEWS!! Not just local news but international news. Are you aware with what is going on outside the four walls of your room. What is your take on the Kaduna Crisis? ISIS? ISREAL moving its capital to Jerusalem, The Syria War. The Ripple effects of Great Britain leaving European Union?

Enough Chastising! What is the way forward? The most important step is to open our minds. We need to realize graduation is not the final bus stop. It is just the beginning of a looooooooonnnnggg road. Keep yourself positively busy, read books ( motivational and inspiring books, learn a trade or enhance your skill, learn how to use Microsoft Office, publish articles, take Professional exams, sharpen your etiquette. 

Many of us might not want to hear this but a 9- 5 is not the only road. Entrepreneurship is slowly taking over our economy. Search inward and find what you are good at, perfect it and start up a business, no matter how small. This can be done alongside your office job or full time. The point is don't keep waiting for a job! Create your own job. 

Lastly, INTERNSHIPS!!!! Internships are so important and often overlooked. So many companies are offering graduate internships. Some pay while some don't. I understand why many of us do not want to work for free ( who will pay for transport, feeding, data?) however, the truth is we are not aware that experience cannot be bought with money, many individuals started off volunteering and ended up getting a job offer, some learnt on the job and went on to be qualified for other jobs. 

Don't Sit at home and Complain that Nigeria is bad, no matter how bad it is people are thriving. Be the change you want to see, make yourself ready! So when that job comes around the question will not be are u qualified for the job? Instead the question will be is the job good enough for you? 

Communication Series : Technology, a blessing or a curse

Technology they say has propelled us in the right direction, sadly we have lost touch with certain parts that make us human.

I remember when my friend sent me a message saying " so you can't check up on me, you can't pick my calls ? Answer me" first thing that came to my mind was why is this one fighting? Later on I realized that she didn't mean it in the tone I read it. The cellphone might be a sharper and faster mode of communication but does it actually pass on the message? 

The world has made it easy with Whatsapp, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, LinkedIN and many more. Truth be told none of this equals actually CALLING and hearing the VOICE of the other party, none is as strong as actual PHYSICAL CONTACT! many of us have lost simple communication etiquette due to this. Can anything be done to remedy this? 

Firstly, we need to get rid of PROXIMITY WITHOUT PRESENCE. It's easy to see a family relaxing in the living room and everyone is busy on their gadgets. They are close together but they  don't communicate. Everyone is busy chatting, calling, tweeting. The next time your with your family or your Significant Other take note of how much time is spent on gadgets. You will be surprised what you will notice. 

SECONDLY, the importance of Saying Sorry. When you hurt someone, it's easy to leave chat and later on just message like nothing ever happened. many of us believe we should just move on from the scenario, little do we realize the scars of our action still resents in the victim. Learning how to apologize isn't a sign of Weakness, on the contrary it is a sign of strength. It takes guts and letting go of pride. When next you owe someone an apology don't "text" it, Say it! It shows sincerity and remorsefulness. 

The Generation of today have issues with expressing how they feel. You hear phrases like "and everything" " you get" "he was like", " Cash me Ousside" this isn't proper expression. The lack of actually speaking and spending more time texting has a negative effect on many of us. When you can't express yourself you have issues with letting the other side understand your point of view. This is why parents have more fights with their kids, husbands with wives and even bosses with their surbordinate.

An English Lecturer once said the problem with the essays of the youth today is they fail to differentiate chatting from actual composition. You see individuals in the office, in projects typing words like "tym", "wat" "GM ( means good morning". This isn't adequate. Communication is not just speaking out but writing or typing properly.

Are you still having doubts as to how you use your gadgets? Answer this question; if you see a fire outbreak or a robbery or a car jacking what will be your first reaction? Is it recording the incident, posting it on snapchat and showing friends or actually using the phone to CALL the appropriate authority? 

The world we live in today is so competitive. Only the best survive. Although Technology came to improve our way of life, it should not be used for self destruction. Take time out to ask yourself  'Is Technology  aiding my communication or depleting it?'