The Nation Newspaper

Category: Jobs

  • Creating wealth, jobs with charcoal

    Creating wealth, jobs with charcoal

    Charcoal is a multi-billion dollar industry, with a lot of potential, but many investors do not know this.The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) says over 40 million metric tonnes of charcoal is consumed globally. Nigeria supplies the product to about 2.4 billion worldwide who rely on wood and charcoal for fuel.Those in search of jobs do not have to look far, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    Oloye Seyi Gbadamosi, an interna-tional trader and agribusiness consultant, has struck gold. Four years ago, he won a contract to supply charcoal to Poland for nine months at 72,000 euros (N15.9million) per month).The business development and e-technology consultant and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Farm Produce got the contract through information researching. But things were not easy before he got his big break in 2011.

    Gbadamosi said: “72,000 Euros monthly for nine months is what I have. November 2011 to July 2012 is the duration. I have been running this contract sending charcoal to Poland from Lagos Port. Friends, it’s easier to run this business when you have the right information. See me in a t-shirt supervising workers loading charcoal ready for Lagos port. I practise what I preach. I don’t just say it. It’s easier for anyone to sell information without practising the business, but how will that person mentor you rightly if he is not into the business? I am a charcoal exporter as you can see. Here are the loaders in action.”

    According to CharcoalExport.tripod.com, charcoal is an essential commodity in Africa and a multi-billion dollar industry and money spinner for interested investors. It stated that the United Kingdom alone consumes more than 60 metric tonnes yearly, out of which about 70 per cent comes from tropical Africa. As a result, the demand for charcoal, Gbadamosi said, is high especially from Nigeria whose charcoal has one of the best qualities needed at the international market. “Nigeria’s wood charcoal is of good quality. And it’s widely demanded in European countries like Belgium, Poland, Italy, Holland and Germany. These are the major buyers of Nigeria charcoal and they in turn supply other European countries. Nigeria’s Charcoal is heavy as compared to other competing countries and that is why our charcoal is in high demand,” he said.

    While the prices of charcoal in the international market is between 170 Euros and 190 Euros, Gbadamosi said the total cost for completing each ton of charcoal is about N28,260. “The selling price to the buyer is at 180 Euros per ton. Let’s use N220 to a Euros so that we don’t get too excited and miss it. That will give us N39,600. That’s a profit of N11,340. You, then, multiply it by the number of tons you are sending to the buyer. In this case if you have very quality and heavy charcoal that gives you 23 tons, it will give you a profit of N260,820,” he said.

    He noted that besides selling, another way of making money in the business is through export brokerage. “The number two way of making money in this business is the export brokerage. You stand in gap for the exporter (local supplier) and the importer (the buyer in Europe). This is the easiest way to make money to start doing bigger export contracts. Some investors just have money and looking for where to invest, so I get connected or someone connects us and he/she gets paid instantly,” he explained.

    He said to succeed in the business, interested candidates should have the right mentorship, or else, the capital invested in the business might go down the drain. “This business is very lucrative. But you can only succeed in it only if you have the right mentorship. That is my candid opinion about any business,” he warned.

    He, however, said charcoal business in Africa is worth more than $1 billion a year in terms of income for market participants, rural livelihood and the wider economy. As an essential commodity in Africa and one of the most important sources of alternative fuel across Europe, he said the consumption is about eight million pellets per annum.

    Also, Proshare, quoting the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), said over 40 million metric tonnes is consumed globally with about 2.4 billion people relying on wood and charcoal for their daily fuel, hence, it has capacity to employ over a million jobless youths.

     

    The business

    According to Gbadamosi, there are two basic opportunities available for entrepreneurs: The entrepreneur with no capital and entrepreneur with capital. “The entrepreneur with no capital can still run an export business (not restricted to charcoal alone). You can run as an export agent and make cool money. All you need do is to get properly trained and know the nitty-gritty of the export business. Once you know this, then you begin to rake in cool cash without capital. You will need a considerable level of marketing skill here. This can be easily acquired with proper practical training which we offer. Most exporters don’t have the time to look for buyers of the product. You can just create the time and get paid on the spot,” said Gbadamosi.

     

    Skills needed

    For an entrepreneur with the capital, having about N750,000 is not enough to strike the gold in charcoal business but other skills are needed to step on the green land. “An investor with capital can start with N750,000 but that is not enough. He must acquire skills to make the capital produce profits. The skills we are talking about here are very important. The difference between a success and a failure in any business is the quality of time spent in learning the process of that trade. Many underestimate the importance of knowledge and run into trouble when in business.

     

    Risk

    Gbadamosi said one of the greatest risks of charcoal business is the fluctuation of foreign exchange.“Changes in foreign exchange could increase or decrease the profit. Euro/Naira since January has been between N219 and N225,” he said.

     

    Planning

    Gbadamosi said an average Nigerian would not take planning seriously citing an experience of his friend whose investment failed as a result of lack of planning. He said: “My very good friend went to the village and got charcoal and loaded it only to wait for over two months to get the shipping schedule. Oh it’s easy to criticise others until you start the business. You see many successful people making cool Euros around and the next thing is that you rush into it without plan. As a result, he said proper planning is needed to succeed in the business.

    He also noted that investors should have an understanding of proper management in the area of logistics, forwarding agents, among others.  He also noted that investors should ensure that the charcoals are properly loaded. “Many fail because of this. Charcoal has its quality and quantity specified on the contract paper. Failure to plan and meet the specific standard required would lead to failure. Everyone can go to the bush and make wood charcoal, but not everyone making noise about its potentials can source for the right quality and quantity. You need an experienced trader beside you to achieve this,” he said.

     

    Mentoring

    Before venturing into the business with capital or no capital, Gbadamosi advised prospective candidates to employ mentors.  He said with the success he had recorded in the business, he now mentors prospects through his company. “Never take mentoring for granted. That is the bedrock of any successful businessman. I make money from this business and in spite of that, I still have mentors. Getting started at this point is a very easy thing to do,” he advised.

     

    Where to get charcoal

    Charcoal is virtually available all over Nigeria as many local communities have perfected the technology of charcoal production. Some known charcoal depots are found in places, such as Oyo, Isheyin, Saki Igbo-Ora, Ogbomoso – all in the western part of the country. There are also depots in Jebba, Omu Aran, Egbe, Kabba in the northcentral states. Charcoal is found in abundance; also in Minna, Jos and Kaduna. Besides, an individual can produce his own charcoal wherever he/she is located.

     

    When to sell

    Charcoal is a seasonal business. According to exporters, the season differs from one country to another. For instance, in Belgium, United Kingdom, Holland, France, Germany and Denmark, the season is from May through August because that is their summer time. Europeans give out their orders from September to May of the following year. In countries like Kuwait, Israel and other Asian countries, it is all-year round and order is placed from January through December.

    However, there are some big time importers in Europe who also order all year round. Companies like Big K Charcoal Limited and Diamond Fuel, among others in the United Kingdom order all year round.

    There are certain standard requirements to be met in charcoal exports; parameters like fix carbon, ash content, volatile matter, moisture content need to meet buyers’ specification. Some of the buyers use their local agents to inspect here when loading. Others sometimes request for presentation of sample of the product before shipment.

    “Packaging of charcoal is usually done to the specification of the buyer. Some want bulk packaging, in which case, the charcoal is tipped into open high cube containers while others prefer packaging into finished packs such as 3kg, 5kg, 10kg and 15kg. Shipping is done through a reputable forwarding company and Terms of Trade can either be by letter of credit or cash against document. The latter is however easier and less costly than the former,” experts said.

     

     

  • Six Ps of job search

    Six Ps of job search

    Job hunting has striking similarities to marketing a product. Like the four Ps of branding, the “P”-words for a successful campaign are positioning, process, and persistence followed closely by performance, personality, and pricing. The product is the candidate.

    In order for a candidate to have the opportunity to sell his value to the targeted buyer/employer, the strategy driving the search has to be effective which means choosing the correct focus and developing the right approach.

    Your job search project may be one of the most demanding, and rewarding campaigns you will ever manage. Let’s look at the ways you can improve odds in your favour through savvy job hunting and best practices in job search implementation skills.

    Positioning

     The first step to launching a successful campaign and propelling it forward is to identify what makes you a unique candidate. With such stiff competition, it is imperative that candidates distinguish themselves. This means creating a message or an identity that is remarkable and memorable, one that will separate you from the pack of resumes hitting recruiters’ desks.

    It is sometimes difficult to develop this for yourself especially if your career has depended on doing this for others. You may want to seek advice and counsel to establish your value objectively. What is it that you do better than others? What is it about you that enables you to succeed where others don’t? Is there something in your background that others easily remember? This bit of specialised, personal data is your tagline.

    If you get the positioning targeted correctly, your campaign will be focused on the right employer market with a message that the buyer will value generating more employer interest. Once you have captured an employer’s attention, then you have created a chance to demonstrate your abilities that eventually may produce a job offer, the goal of your job search campaign project.

    Process

     The swiftest route to a new opportunity is to identify your target employers and then address their needs in terms of how you can meet them better than anyone else. Don’t wait around for a company to advertise for a job that is perfect for you. Rather, go out there and seek out a company where you are confident you can make a positive impact, especially one measurable in dollars saved or made.

    Double back to ensure that your positioning vis a vis your target employers is consistent with your most outstanding ability or characteristic that an employer will instantly value. In other words, the better the match, the greater the likelihood of capturing the employer’s interest immediately to actually satisfy their needs and exceed their expectations.

    If you understand the dynamics between meeting employers’ needs first and then promoting your skills against these requirements, your chances of making a connection are much greater than if you concentrate only on your achievements and accomplishments without customising them for an individual company in a way that unmistakably proves your value.

    Cite ways you can save money, save time, retain customers, reduce costs, increase sales or profits, etc.- this will offset their expenses of adding you to headcount.

    Persistence and perseverance

     The early bird, the first candidate to impress the decision maker, has a competitive advantage. So be the one to create a new job just for you by introducing yourself to employers you want to work for. This also means staying in contact with individuals with whom you “clicked” but didn’t reach an employment agreement for whatever reason. That positive interpersonal chemistry can make or break a situation in your favour so don’t let a good relationship slip away because the timing was off for hiring you.

    Sticking with your job search goals also means doing a whole lot more than simply submitting a resume or an online application—go and find out who is the hiring manager and speak with them directly. This will get you name recognition and hopefully allow you to pitch them on the phone or in person with your credentials; a much better method than a written marketing document/resume by itself.

    A word about focus and establishing priorities:concentrate your resources on activities with the largest potential return on your investment. While all search methods have their place, most executive jobs are filled through one avenue: personal referrals. Keep track of your contacts and refresh them periodically.

    Use different methods to stay in touch varying phone, email, snail-mail, an article or clipping, invitations, face to face, etc. according to the recipient preferences. Remember that in networking, maintaining contact is key to results—out of touch can mean out of mind. Ask your contacts for advice, introductions and information—not directly for a job. Rely on your professional network and return favours generously.

    Persistence in personal interactions is guaranteed to be the very best way to identify a new opportunity. Recommendations carry tremendous weight over cold calls and unsolicited inquiries. If you can get a colleague to make a direct referral to a prospective employer, your chances of being given serious consideration are much higher.

    If one colleague asks another to meet with a third person, this usually happens and once you are face to face, this is the best possible circumstance to create good interpersonal chemistry and share ideas. Interactions like these often lead to creating a new opportunity specifically in response to a candidate being available; in other words an unadvertised position in the hidden job market is created just for a particular candidate. Let this be you!

    Good luck and see you next week for the concluding part.

    This article relied heavily on a presentation by Debra Feldman of  Job-whiz.com

     

  • Meet Entrepreneurs Organisation for funds

    Meet Entrepreneurs Organisation for funds

    A global funds group, Entrepreneurs Organisation, is offering business owners and job seekers access to funds. The funds, if properly channeled, is capable of creating jobs, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    Anthony Okoye is the Managing Director of Design Centre, a local business with interest in Home and Garden design. When he started his business some years ago, he was bereft of ideas on how to make the business thrive and the structure of the business was such that no wise venture capitalist would stake funds into such small business.

    Okoye’s story, however, changed when he subscribed to a global venture capitalist-Entrepreneur Organisation-which has presence in 146 countries across the globe, helping local businesses grow irrespective of peculiarities in economic challenges stunting business growth.

    The platform gave Okoye an opportunity to interact with about 11,000 members of the organisation globally to share experiences that will proffer solution to different entrepreneurial challenges.

    According to him, to secure funding, Entrepreneurs Organisation created a business plan where people are connected to venture capitalists or other financiers, who can help to source for funds for business growth. As the first president of Entrepreneurs Organisation in the country, he said his business now flourishes because of the support from the organisation.

    He said the organisation engages entrepreneurs to learn, grow and imbibe core values of the organisation such as ‘trust and respect’, ‘boldly go’ and ‘make a mark’ as a way of preparing them for success in their business despite some of the challenges they have to contend with.

    Okoye said there are different categories of businesses the organisation funds. For instance, the people who dont have start-up money but have good business plan; those who have little money, little seed capital raised from friends and family members; and those who have N100 million and above. He, however, noted that the most important asset an aspiring beneficiary should have is integrity so that he/she can be wholly trusted.

    For young graduates who just left school but have good business ideas and plans, Entrepreneurs Organisation will award them scholarships to foreign mentors that will train them, afterwards such  beneficiaries will be assisted to access start-up funds to begin their businesses.

    “In Entrepreneurs Organisation, we must have integrity. If a member knows an Entrepreneurs Organisation member, he trusts him totally. He feels 100 per cent safe with the person and that way if he wants to expand his business to a country such as  South Africa or any other country, there is what we call Entrepreneurs Organisation (EO) Connect through which he can look for members in such business so that they can partner.

    “Similarly, when a member in South Africa is coming into the Nigerian market, he can do same and he will feel safe with other members notwithstanding the very obnoxious reputation we have in Nigeria. This is ensured because there is a rigorous screening process before you join Entrepreneurs Organisation such that when you join the body, it will give you a platform. The platform ensures that other credible businesses abroad know that you are credible unlike the general feeling about Nigerian businesses,” he said.

    Although the one million US dollars minimum requirement to become a member translates to about N200 million, only very few SMEs can attain such turnover. This looks like a deliberate strategy to make Entrepreneurs Organisation an exclusive club to preclude others from coming in. But Okoye said the organisation has different programmes to address businesses irrespective of their sizes.

    “No, it is not. The fact is that we have different programmes. There is what we call the accelerator programme; this helps those who are making like 150,000 -200,000 dollars revenue to move to one million dollars. There are some programmes that Entrepreneurs Organisation organises to move people from lower level to higher pedestal in revenue generation in their businesses. There are lots of mentorships going in the Organisation. One critical thing is that it enables you not to just focus on money and business; it enables you to have impact in your community, your family and so on. It enhances a total person -we call it EO 360 not just money, money and money. It helps you to organise your business such that you can have time for your family and community,” he noted.

    Currently, Entrepreneurs Organisation is trying to structure a relationship with the Tony Elumelu Foundation in other to help Nigerian entrepreneurs learn how to structure their businesses and make them thrive so that they can have access to venture capitalists within the Organisation. “We also work with the Stamford Centre of Innovation in Africa where they support and train budding entrepreneurs to make sure they are doing the right things while they also help to arrange financiers, who will conduct findings and feasibility studies to be sure you are qualified for the funds. The first and primary thing to us is to get you to understand how to structure your business, develop processes so that when you get the funds you can deploy them appropriately. As a budding entrepreneur if you have a smart idea and your business plan is tight, you will find the funds to invest in your business, but officially it might not be through Entrepreneurs Organisation but through our different partner organisations,” he said.

    Okoye, however, said SMEs are the driving force in an economy; creating more jobs that any other industry. He said even a small business employs at one or few persons. It has the opportunity to create more jobs whereas governments or big businesses always have a cap or what they call embargoes. “Entrepreneurs want to keep growing their businesses. SMEs are the ones that bring about change and by getting more of them, you create momentum, and when you have momentum, you have movement and when you have movement, you go from transition to transformation. At transformation, that is where you lift up everybody. This transformation is not the case here in Nigeria because the business environment is stifling,” he said.

    He, however, advised young entrepreneurs to take chances and create a unique selling point. He said making money should not be the driving force of starting up a business as most of the entrepreneurs with such objectives end folding up. “Take chances, be different. First know why you do what you do? Why am I in this business? Is it just to make money? That is not enough. Millions of people, who set out in business to make money don’t last. Know your purpose, when you do, people will buy from you. Always be excited at taking calculated risks,” he noted.

     

     

  • Fishing out your dream job: Techniques and strategies

    Fishing out your dream job: Techniques and strategies

    We are presenting the series designed to provide job seekers the road map to the nitty-gritty of the tough aspects of tackling the job market and making it available for you, no matter where it is.

    Job fairs

    Job fairs are being utilised by an increasing number of recruiters. They offer a cost-effective and convenient way to contact a large number of candidates in a relatively short them. Job fairs also offer similar benefits to candidates — as long as you know how to work them.

    Plan in advance and your job fair visit will be very worthwhile. Be sure to investigate all participating companies in advance. When possible, obtain a list of these companies from fair organisers, and begin to research about six to 10 companies that may be of particular interest to you. In making your decision, consider the type of candidates sought, company location, company reputation, etc.

    Once you’ve drawn up your list, do some research on these companies at your local library, on the worldwide web, or through directly contacting the company. Be sure to uncover basic information such as company product and services, size, etc.

    You may even want to explore what the company’s philosophy or approach is. In particular, what they emphasise in their literature. Write this information obtained on index cards, a notebook or in a PC file.

    Your next step is to check out your own communication tool for the fair, your resume. Be sure to give it a make-over to make sure it highlights and showcases your skills in a professional and concise way for the job you are seeking. If it doesn’t, revise it in advance of your visit to the job fair.

    Now it’s time to put both items together. For each company that you have researched information on, write down the basic details obtained. Next to this information, list some skills, qualifications, achievements, or specialised training from your resume that would match the company’s “ideal” candidate. A typical entry in your notebook may look like this:

     

    XXYYZZ Nigeria Plc

    • Manufacture and sell office products and equipment.

    • Lagos-based

    • 550 employees.

    • Family owned and operated with strong commitment to customer service.

    • Looking for sales professionals.

    • Five year outside sales experience and an associate’s degree in marketing.

    • Worked in retail during school, completed an internship, have strong letters of recommendation for friendliness and courtesy to customers.

    As the date for the job fair approaches, check out your logistics. Make sure that you know where the event is being held, where to park, job fair hours, etc.

    Depending on the number of companies scheduled to attend, it’s a good idea to allow yourself at least one and a half hours to talk with prospective employers.

    Be sure to dress appropriately for the fair, and bring along 10 to 12 copies of your resume.

     

    Plan on arriving about 45 minutes to one hour after the official start time

    Look for your targeted companies, did they all show up? How busy are they at the moment? If a recruiter is busy talking to other candidates, look for another targeted company whose table is free.

    The trick is to minimise waiting in line, and maximise talking with prospective employers. Be sure to shake hands with the recruiter and introduce yourself Provide them with a copy of your resume to look over, along with your references, or any letters of recommendation you may have.

    As they review your resume, describe your background and qualifications. Make this a brief, to the point presentation recapping your skills and abilities.

    At this point, the recruiter may have some additional questions about your qualifications and also provide you with information about current job vacancies. Keep your talk concise — your total time spent with a recruiter should not be more than eight to 10 minutes.

    To wrap up, thank the recruiter for their time, express an interest in a more formal interview in the future, and ask for a business card in order to send a follow-up thank-you letter.

    After you’ve talked with the recruiters of your “targeted” companies, talk with other employer representatives if time allows. By doing so, you can often uncover information about certain companies and jobs that you were unaware of prior to the job fair.

    Finally, make one last tour of the area before you leave, and stop by the tables of any recruiters who had been helpful or interested in your background.

    Reintroduce yourself remind them of your earlier meeting, and reiterate your interest in scheduling to meet with them at a later date.

    Visit a local job fair and interview with at least five companies and collect at least 10 business cards.

    However, I will say that you do not put too much stock into this strategy.

    We have discussed the main strategies for job hunting. A major issue for job seekers but the least discussed is the issue of fear. But anybody who has had to look for a job will agree it is a regular company at various points in the job hunting stages.

    We will bring the matter to the fore by considering how to manage fear.

    You’ve heard of fire-fighting, let’s talk about fear fighting. You may have heard the old saying “Fire and fear – good servants, poor masters”.

    Whenever I hear that quote, I am always struck by how much fire and fear have in common.

    • It’s easy for both to get out of control and maim or damage.

    We have a fear of both. (Nothing to fear, but fear itself).

    • Both can be hard to capture or contain, much less extinguish.

    • Both can be controlled and made to serve us, if created respectfully and knowledgeably.

    We are in a business climate where fear is an everyday companion for most of us. Our friends, business associates and clients can seem to take an almost ghoulish delight in sharing the latest business horror story.

    Even the strongest of us can find ourselves bitten by the fear bug, and from there, the fear can start to grow like a dreaded disease. It starts to permeate every task, every phone call, every prospect interaction.

    How do we inoculate ourselves from the fear virus? How do we keep it from destroying our peace, sapping our energy and stealing our motivation?

    You may have heard what we resist, persists” This is definitely true for fear. We can fear number of things in these challenging times, many of which are beyond our control. The pivot-point questions are: What can I affect? (What is within my ability to change, control, or manipulate, even minutely?). Am I willing to take the effort to do so? Consider these in managing fear:

    • Honour the fear: Acknowledge it. Thank it for showing up. Do not deny it, or stuff it away, or anesthetise it with food, alcohol or drugs.

    • Be aware that there is no shame in being afraid. Fear is a natural response. It means our body, mind, spirit and emotions are working the way they are supposed to.

    • Ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that could happen? Have I been through something like that before? Am I willing to deal with the situation? If not, what am I prepared to do? What am I prepared to change?”

    • Understand that fear is not a signal to stop, not a red light. Fear is a yellow light, telling us to proceed with caution and awareness.

    • Give yourself permission to move forward cautiously, with the fear. Consider fear an informative travelling companion, not on adversary during these challenging times. And certainly, not the thief of our peace of mind and our future security.

    • Ask yourself “what will I do if am not afraid?” Then, just do what you would have done if you are not afraid.

     

  • Big data, big jobs

    Big data, big jobs

    In the information communication technology (ICT) age, global attention is shifting to data which telcos say is the new frontier to explore as revenues from voice declines. Data centres are springing up in Nigeria and across the globe. The emergence of social media platforms such as  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,  2Go, Yookos and many others, has changed the face of data. Welcome to the era of big data. The management of this emerging segment of the industry promises millions of jobs, Lucas Ajanaku writes with agency reports.

    Whether one likes it or not, big data has come to stay. And with its coming are job opportunities.  Seven fields of specialisation have been identified with very fantastic yearly income that averages about N11.8million. These openings are expected to catalyse the growth of the economy and boost its gross domestic product (GDP). While it has been projected to create over one million jobs in  the United States (U.S), experts say if the current tempo of development in Nigeria’s ICT sector is sustained, big data promises to create twice that.

    Definition

    Big data is a buzz phrase thrown around often, and it really only entered into the conversations of the American public over the last few years. The number of people searching the phrase on search engine, Google have risen over the last two years or so.

    The seven money-spinning job opportunities that big data revolution could bring are:

    Software Developers

    Software developers are people  who create and write computer programmes. They are certainly not exclusively involved in big data, but with each passing day, more people are needed to make the programmes that can effectively and effortlessly collect, synthesise, and process all the data created by these set of people.

    For college graduates with degrees in fields such as Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, or some other related fields, the future for developers has remained bright over the last one decade and experts say it will remain so for  as long as ICT tools are deployed to provide answers to human problems.

    Statistisc from the U.S. Bureau of Labour, showed that in 2010, employment in this area stood at 913,100. It is projected to grow jobs by about 30 per cent by adding new jobs of 270,900 by year 2020.

    In terms of remuneration, it offered an average salary of $90,530.

    With Yaba fast becoming Nigeria’s Sillicon Valley with many incubation centres springing up and angel investors picking up mentorship, millions of jobs are already being created.

    Market Research Analysts

    Market research analysts are professionals that will work in every industry see revenue stream from the massive  data that is being generated and collected. They are expected to report their findings for businesses to plan with.

    Market research analysts will help companies figure out what goods or services people want; who exactly will buy them and also at what price they should be sold. Since they can work in a variety of fields, from consumer product companies, manufacturing firms, or even banks,  demand for people who can make decisions based on all the data that is collected will also go up. A career as a market research analyst is best prepared for with a degree in Statistics or Mathematics, with course work in Communications or other Social Sciences.

    In 2010, this field created jobs for 282,700 persons in the U.S alone. By 2020, its job creating prospect will reach 41 per cent by adding 116,600 more jobs. The  average salary it offered was $60,570 with prospects of an increase as business grows.

    Instructors

    Post-secondary shool instructors (those who teach students beyond high school) will be in high demand as a result of big data. Although this is the largest and broadest field, there will be more and more students who pursue careers in big data. As a result, there will be a need for people who are prepared, capable, and willing to teach them the required skills they need to succeed in life.

    In 2010, it created some 1,756,000 employment while this is expected go up by 17 per cent in        2020 by adding another 305,700 new job openings. It is also a rewarding endeavour as on the average, the salary in 2010 was $62,050.

    Database Administrators

    It is very vital to have people analysing the data. But if they don’t have secure and sound data to analyse, they’ll make wrong decisions. Database administrators are the people that will use the software and tools created by the developers to store and organise the data that will be used by market research and other analysts in the value chain. While a degree in any computer-related field can set someone on the path of becoming a database administrator, one in management information systems (MIS) is often the ideal.

    In 2010, data base administration created employment for 110,800 youths in the U.S. and it is projected to grow 31 per cent by creating fresh opportunities for another 33,900. Average salary at 2010 was $73,490.

    Computer Systems Analysts

    Computer systems analysts are  the intermediaries between a corporation’s IT department and its business departments. As big data progresses, computer systems analysts become an essential link to help a business understand its current computer systems and make recommendations for expanded systems and processes to meet the ever-evolving world of big data. Since computer systems analysts deal almost equally with both technology and business-related tasks, a degree that provides equal weighting in both is of high  benef, and so often, management information systems (MIS) can provide that.

    A total of 544,400 jobs were created in 2010 from this area. It is projected that job openings in this area would grow by 22 per cent with the addition of 120,400 by year 2020. It is also a goldmine as it paid $77,740 as average salary to professionals engaged in the area.

    Information Security  Analysts, Web Developers, Computer Network Architects

    People in this category of career are used in a variety of different ways. Information security analysts ensure that the data is safe and secure, web developers create websites that attempt to capture the best practices wielded from big data, and network architects ensure that data and information flows seamlessly. Like the others, degrees in computer science, programming or other related fields is beneficial.

    In 2010, it created employment for 302,300 and it is projected to increase its job creation capacity by 22 per cent and open new jobs for 65,700 qualified young men and women. Average take home was $75,660 in 2010.

    Network & Computer  Systems Administrators

    These are the people that help ensure that a company’s computer networks run and operate smoothly on a day-to-day basis. With the vast amount of information collected, both internal and external computer networks will be under increased demand and strain; there will be a high demand for the people who can ensure things continue without a hitch. Often a degree in computer or information sciences is a key point of entry, but a degree in an engineering field (whether it be computer or electrical) can also be of immense help.

    In 2010, some 347,200 jobs were created in the U.S. from this area. This is expected to grow by 28 per cent by 2020 with an additional openings of 96,600. Average salary in 2010 was  $69,160.

    Former President, Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), Sir Demola Aladekomo, said Nigerians lost out in the Industrial Revolution. It will be most unfortunate if the opportunities inherent in ongoing ICT revolution are allowed to elude the country again. This an opportunitiy that should be taken advantage of to develop the country, create jobs for the army of the jobless, and improve the living conditions of the citizens.

    Two years ago,  the Harvard Business Review declared  big data as “The Management Revolution” and a Wall Street Journal report  noted that almost two thirds of companies have invested or plan to invest in big-data technology.  Gartner projects that big-data spending will more than double from $27 billion in 2012 to $55 billion next year.

    Though defining big data could pose a daunting challenge, a recent Forbes article wrote: “Big data is a collection of data from traditional and digital sources inside and outside your company that represents a source for ongoing discovery and analysis.”

    The world has become a connected village with so much information produced that companies are often inundated with.

    IBM reports that “90 per cent of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone.” Every interaction from a Facebook ”like” to a Google search or click on a headline from Yahoo! lends to some small stored bit of information. But beyond what is done on the internet, there is the data generated from traffic sensors, sales figures at small businesses, and the immense amount of data utilised in hospitals about patients to help patients.

    The biggest challenge cited by the managers surveyed by The Wall Street Journal about big data was “determining how to get value from the data,” and the only way to do that is through people. Workers in these seven career fields are the ones poised to benefit the most from what has become the data renaissance.

  • Putting more energy behind your job hunting

    Putting more energy behind your job hunting

    My job hunt is stuck in the mud. I know I need to fix it, but I’m feeling overwhelmed and I’ve got no energy left. I’ve tried everything and nothing seems to work.” Does this sound like you or what you feel now?

     

    The simple truth is

    Hunting for a job can be tiring, demoralising and frustrating for people who have internalised their inability to find work as a sign of personal failure. Confidence and self-image suffer. Not to mention the economic embarrassment. As that happens, it becomes increasingly difficult to present the optimistic, energetic “can do” persona that employers seek.

    We all hear the longer you are out of work, the harder it is to get work. One of the reasons for this is that employers are looking for you, Mr/Ms. Jobhunter not to be jaded, tired, and “down.” And, they fear that the longer you are out of work, the more likely it is you won’t have the vim and vigour they seek.

    How can you put more energy to your flagging job hunting campaign?

    There are things you can do to energise your job hunt. Below are my suggestions. This list is hardly exhaustive, but it’s a good start:

     

    Remember getting a job is a job

    Treat it with the same sense of professionalism that you would bring to any employment. Show up on time every day. And, at the end of the day, don’t feel guilty about packing the work up, and transitioning to “personal” or “family” mode. As with any job, it’s important to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

     

    Recognise and confront your self-imposed roadblocks

    Are you frozen in place by fear of possible future failure? Many people have experienced so much rejection that they are afraid to have any more piled on. Such feelings are real, and they need to be acknowledged.

    Sometimes inaction can be psychological defence mechanism. It’s important, however, to understand that inaction is a certain road to the status quo. Try to move forward every day – even if you only do one or two small “baby step” things that can help to build up your self-confidence.

     

    Break out of your isolation

    Figure out who are the members of your support system – your family, friends, other job hunters you meet at networking groups, members of your church or synagogue and so on. Talk to them regularly. Tell them what you’ve been up to, what seems to be working, and what seems to be frustrating you.

    Make them part of your team. Ask for their feedback and advice. Help them to help you by creating a context of “us” instead of “me.” And of course: seek a good job hunting coach who can understand and relate to you, and provide both guidance and the occasional “kick in the pants” when it’s called for.

     

    Balance your job hunting activities

    You can’t be everywhere, all the time. Strive to create a balance over the course of a week or two in a cycle. If you think of your search for work as a job hunt, then imagine each tool or tactic as one arrow in your quiver. You need a variety of arrows including: informational interviewing; attending professional meetings and seminars; social networking utilising LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter; writing your blog, and so on.

    However, important online activity has become, remember that social networks are but the means to the end of building personal relationships. Nurture your relationships both in the real and virtual worlds.

     

    Stay focused and use

    your time wisely

    People who work out of their homes often say that one of the biggest challenges they face is managing their time. It’s easy to be distracted by kids, pets, housework, TV, internet, computer games, and so much else! Organise your day and week in advance. Create an hourly schedule and stick to it by setting alarms on your computer calendar or wherever they will best be seen and heard.

     

    Practise, practise, and practise some more

    Rehearse your elevator speech out loud and prepare answers to interview questions that you can anticipate. For example, don’t allow yourself to be flummoxed by opening queries like, ”Tell me about yourself.” Did you know Larry Bird, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, shot 1,000 baskets every day! He was great because he understood the need for constant repetition and skill building.

     

    Maintain your mental and physical health

    Eat healthy. Exercise at least three times each week. If it’s been a while since you exercised with any regularity, start slow and gradually build yourself back up. Get those endorphins flowing and you will look better, have more energy, and feel better about yourself.

     

  • Fishing out your dream job: You need a game plan (IV)

    We considered cold-calling strategy of uncovering  hidden job opening. We ‘hanged-on’ on how to I jump – start or activate this strategy:

    We looked at these parts of the cold-calling process:

    • Make a list of potential employers

    • Get your pitch down pat.

    • Practice makes perfect.

    • Prepare your cold call toolkit.

    We now proceed to discuss the other parts in detail:

     

    Practice getting past gatekeepers

    One of the hardest parts of the process is reaching the person who does the hiring. Secretaries or operators are there to screen calls for busy individuals. So, a few methods are beneficial in bypassing these gatekeepers. One of them is to take advantage of automated “dial the extension of the person you want” features.

    If you do not know what it is, connect at random and courteously ask if they can connect you to the person you’re after. It may take several calls before you compile enough information to find the right person. Remember, this won’t work unless you’re pleasant and nice to the other person, who may be busy too. So use this technique carefully.

     

    How to break the ice

    Be genuine. Try to avoid reading a script like most telemarketing people do, and open the conversation with intelligent points. Knowledge of company projects underway and intended areas of expansion and development is crucial to breaking the ice with an employer.

    For example: “I remember reading recently that the company was bringing out a new product to the market. I must say, after reading the specifications on this product (try naming the product if you know what it’s called) I am really looking forward to its launch. I we worked in the field of marketing in this industry and I know the potential of this product. I want to be a part of the team to work on this product and I know that I can contribute a great deal of expertise towards the marketing campaign. Is your company looking at expanding its Product Marketing team for this upcoming launch?”

     

    When the going gets tough…

    “Why should we hire you?’ “How will your experience help my team’ “What proof can you give me that you can generate revenue for this company?” Reading off a Resume won’t help you answer these tough questions. You have to anticipate them and know how to respond in a relevant manner.

     

    Don’t let it get to you

    Be prepared for negative responses but don’t let ‘No’ be the end of your conversation if you believe that you have a future with this company. Never argue. Practice sidestepping objections by presenting alternative ways to fill a need with your skills.

    By preparing for common objections, you stand a better chance of swaying negative attitudes to place you candidacy in a better light. Should the end of the discussion be a dead end despite your efforts, use this experience to prepare for your next cold call. You have a thick skin you know.

     

    When to hang up

    Be true to your mission – an appointment for an interview or application details and don’t hang up until you’ve either achieved the goal or exhausted all possibilities.

     

    Wind down by following up

    If ever there was a time to be true to your word, this is it. Make sure you follow up with that email or call, email that response, send in those documents or call back at a better time. This is a representation of your respect for the company and contact, and a measure of your professionalism.

    Cold calling may not he the easiest route to a job, but it has proven robe effective and advantageous to anyone on the trail to career nirvana. Whichever way the cold call turns out, you can only win – a new ion, new inside contacts, or valuable information on hiring cycles or practices.

     

    You can create your own job 

    This is another strategy you can use, or better still create! Have you ever thought about how new positions axe created? As a business grows, it discovers that more people are needed to perform all of the duties that need to be done. If you could only know that the situation would be present, you could submit your resume and beat your competition and secure employment. It is very possible to do just that but you must look for growth opportunities!

    Everyday we encounter growth opportunities. We see those opportunities on the television, hear about them on the radio, and read about them in the newspaper. The factors to stimulate job growth would be company growth, expansion, reorganisation or relocation.

    Examples of company growth would be contract awards, growth in earnings, issuance of IPOs, moving to a larger facility.

    Examples of expansion would be introduction of a new product or venturing into a new market. Reorganization would be promotion of an executive. Many new executives are more comfortable hiring new staff and relocation of a company would mean new jobs created.

    When learning of a growth opportunity, think about how your skills, experience, and background could benefit that organization. Tailor your cover letter demonstrating ways you might be of “service” to that company. Sometimes companies in “distress” can be a growth opportunity, especially if you can demonstrate an action plan for a business turn around plan of some sort.

    Consider how you can help a company? What experiences and skills do you possess that a company in a growth mode may benefit from?

    Write a paragraph describing how you could help a company. Next, review the business section of your newspaper or a local business journal, and over a one-week span, identify five companies that could use your help.

    The crux in creating a job is organisational need. In other words, what do you provide that an organisation can benefit from? As you review the newspapers or trade journals, keep that thought in mind. Here’s an example.

    You read about a company losing money in the last quarter. Why did they lose money? Was it market conditions or more related to an internal problem, procedure, etc? You may discover after a little investigation that an opportunity exists for you to create a job that will assist them in their business turnaround.

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    Fishing-Out Your Dream Job: You need a game plan V

    We are presenting the last in the series designed to provide job seeker the road map to nitty-gritty of   the tough aspects tackling the job market and making it available for you, no matter where it is.

    JOB FAIRS

    Job fairs are being utilized by an increasing number of recruiters. They offer a cost-effective and convenient way to contact a large number of candidates in a relatively short them. Job fairs also offer similar benefits to candidates — as long as you know how to work them. Plan in advance and your job fair visit will be very worthwhile. Be sure to investigate all participating companies in advance. When possible, obtain a list of these companies from fair organizers, and begin to research about six to ten companies that may be of particular interest to you. In making your decision, consider the type of candidates sought, company location, company reputation, etc. Once you’ve drawn up your list, do some research on these companies at your local library, on the worldwide web, or through directly contacting the company. Be sure to uncover basic information such as company product and services, company size, etc. You may even want to explore what the company’s philosophy or approach is. In particular, what they emphasize in their literature. Write this information obtained on index cards, a notebook, or in a PC file.

    Your next step is to check out your own communication tool for the fair, your resume. Be sure to give it a make-over to make sure that it highlights and showcases your skills in a professional and concise way for the job you are seeking. If it doesn’t, revise it in advance of your visit to the job fair. Now it’s time to put both items together. For each company that you have researched information on, write down the basic details obtained. Next to this information, list some skills, qualifications, achievements, or specialized training from your resume that would match the company’s “ideal” candidate. A typical entry in your notebook may look like this:

     

    XXYYZZ NIGERIA plc

    *            Manufacture and sell office products and equipment.

    *            Lagos-based

    *            550 Employees

    *            Family Owned and Operated with Strong Commitment to Customer Service

    *            Looking for Sales Professionals

    *            5yr Outside Sales Experience and an Associate’s Degree in Marketing

    *            Worked in retail during school, completed an internship, have strong letters of recommendation for friendliness and courtesy to customers.

    As the date for the job fair approaches, check out your logistics. Make sure that you know where the event is being held, where to park, job fair hours, etc.

    Depending on the number of companies scheduled to attend, it’s a good idea to allow yourself at least one and a half hours to talk with prospective employers.

    Be sure to dress appropriately for the fair, and bring along 10 to 12 copies of your resume.

    Plan on arriving about 45 minutes to one hour after the official start time.

    Look for your targeted companies, did they all show up? How busy are they at the moment? If a recruiter is busy talking to other candidates, look for another targeted company whose table is free. The trick is to minimize waiting in line, and maximize talking with prospective employers. Be sure to shake hands with the recruiter and introduce yourself Provide them with a copy of your resume to look over, along with your references, or any letters of recommendation you may have. As they review your resume, describe your background and qualifications. Make this a brief, to the point presentation recapping your skills and abilities.

    At this point, the recruiter may have some additional questions about your qualifications and also provide you with information about current job vacancies. Keep your talk concise — your total time spent with a recruiter should not be more than eight to ten minutes. To wrap up, thank the recruiter for their time, express an interest in a more formal interview in the future, and ask for a business card in order to send a follow-up thank-you letter. After you’ve talked with the recruiters of your “targeted” companies, talk with other employer representatives if time allows. By doing so, you can often uncover information about certain companies and jobs that you were unaware of prior to the job fair. Finally, make one last tour of the area before you leave, and stop by the tables of any recruiters who had been especially helpful or interested if your background.

    Reintroduce yourself remind them of your earlier meeting, and reiterate your interest in scheduling to meet with them at a later date.

    Visit a local job fair and interview with at least 5 companies and collect at least 10 business cards.

    However, I will say that you do not put too much stock into this strategy.

     

     

     

  • Need job? Try haulage supply chain

    Are you an employee or retiree, who needs a business that will give you steady income? Do you know how to drive or how to efficiently manage goods transportation from one point to the other? It doesn’t matter whether you own a vehicle or not, try the haulage and logistics supply job. It is lucrative reports Oluwakemi Dauda.

    In every state of the country, bulk goods (raw and finished goods) are al-ways transported from the ports to the industries,  markets and end-users. No matter the situation, the activity of moving raw or refined goods from one location to the other will continue. In Nigeria, transportation by road is common and this has made the haulage job very lucrative.

    If you have just left school or you are looking for what to do, you may go into this business to start life by offering to transport goods for people from one area to the other. You can start by hiring someone’s truck if you don’t own one.

    Some of the products that can be transported through haulage services are containers from the seaport to their final destinations or vice versa. You can also deal in petroleum products such as kerosene, liquefied natural gas (LNG), premium motor spirit (PMS) or petrol, engine oil, diesel, and other related petroleum products.

    Others are consumable goods such as foods and drinks from their manufacturers to distributors or retailers. Sand and stones from dredging and quarry sites can also be moved to construction sites.

    Other items that you can use your vehicle to move include building materials such as cement, woods, irons, ceiling boards, corrugated iron sheets and every other construction materials. Raw materials including agro produce can also be moved from plantations and farms to manufacturing firms for production of various consumables.

    The returns on haulage business are enormous, but the return depends on what you use your truck to haul.

    Haulage means the transportation of goods from one location to the other by a competent driver.

    Road haulage is clearly a big job with many and varied opportunities for whoever is interested in it.

    How to start

    Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, said if you choose to move containers out of the ports or petroleum products, what you need is a trailer or petroleum tanker.

    “You need to register with the company you intend to work with or work as a sub-contractor with an already registered company. But if you want to go into building materials haulage such as sand, cement and granite from quarries to construction sites, what you would need is a tipper or a lorry,” he said.

    Your start-up capital, Shittu said, depends on your savings and the size of the fleet you intend to own. But a vehicle, Shittu said, is enough for you to key into the job.

    “Are you going to buy new trucks or used trucks? There are two ways with which you can get your trucks; you can either purchase them outright or get them on lease. Another option is to look for sub-contractors.

    “The trucking job is very wide and to succeed in it, you must carve a niche for yourself. There are different niches in haulage business and the niche you choose would determine the type of vehicles you would need and your start-up costs.

    “For instance, will you be engaged in transporting bulk goods or would you be leasing trucks to industries in the transport sector?

    “You also need to be sure if you are going to outsource your truck to a trucking company or decide to put your truck on hired purchase.

    “Other questions you need to ask yourself is whether you are going to haul short or long distance. Are you going to haul solid or liquid goods?

    “If you need the job, these are the questions you must provide answers to before setting out to start your own trucking business,” Shittu said.

    A good driver plays an important role in the distribution of goods and services. Efficient driver is also essential in the supply chain logistics.

    One interesting fact about the job is that if you have a functional vehicle and you embark on haulage, all you need to do is sit back and wait for your monthly earning, which can be up to N100,000 depending on the type, age and tonnage of your truck and the number of vehicles you have in your fleet.

    As a driver, you must know the type of goods you are planning to transport? Are you going to haul durable goods or perishable goods? Eevery type of freighting business has its set of requirements, so it would be best that you decide on this before you can do the job. The type of cargo you will be able to carry will determine the type of clients you will work with.

    Mr. Tayo Arogundade, who ventured into the haulage business, said the job is profitable, but filled with a lot of risks and challenges.

    “You need a strong mind and determination to do the job successfully. You must be prepared to deal with dishonest drivers if you are not going to do the driving yourself. Shady mechanics, accidents and all sorts of challenges that certainly will come up at some points while doing the job.

    “Haulage is filled with  risks. You would be carrying expensive merchandise, which do not belong to you and would have to be conveyed to its destination safely. “Considering the fact that you would be traveling over long distances to deliver these goods; it is impossible to predict the things that may or may not happen along the way.

    “Sometimes accidents may occur, cases of theft may arise, dishonest drivers may even divert the goods elsewhere and this will give the owner of the truck problem,”  Arogundade said.

     

  • Catering and smiling to the bank

    Catering and smiling to the bank

    For many families, it is no longer fashionable to hire househelps all because of the present economic reality. Families that can afford it now use private caterers whose stock is rising as they also tend to corporate organisations’ needs, writes OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE.

    Quarterly, the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) releases what many perceive as frightening unemployment figures. The figure keeps rising instead of going down. Those who have jobs are pressured, especially the women, who find it difficult to handle home chores along with their jobs.

    For their cooking, they rely on private caterers who are instructed on what to do.

    Many of these caterers do not operate eateries or inns where they cook for the public who can afford it. They often operate from their homes or residences and it is only an insignificant number that have outlets where people eat.

    It is not only private homes that patronise these caterers. Most private schools contract out this job to them, especially to supply lunch to pupils and students everyday to fill the responsibility of working mothers by feeding their children with balanced meal instead of junk food. Most of the middle class families are ready to pay for this service to keep their homes running and their children well fed. Besides, these caterers also supply offices lunch daily on private arrangement with the workers or the firm.

    Also, some state governments are great patrons of these caterers for their school feeding programmes. Though some of these cooks specialise in cooking different dishes, both local and continental, others stick to the local brands. Usually, people start by cooking for their families and friends at events and, subsequently, branch out.

     

    Qualification

    This is one profession that the greatest qualification is innate ability and flair for cooking.But having a professional qualification or some kind of training may be an added advantage. Having a degree, or professional certificate, some operators say, helps in developing a range of transferable skills that one can bring to the job, which includes analytical ability, communication and presentation skills, goal-setting, leadership skills and time management which are all needed for success in the venture.

    The Managing Director, Tasty Foods and Cakes, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Obineche, said she started out with cooking at her elder sister’s wedding to save costs for the family and soon discovered that people started asking for the caterer who cooked for the wedding. She said not too long after that, she started getting contracts to cook at birthdays, wedding ceremonies and others.

    She said: “After doing about five jobs and with a staff of about 12, I decided to register a company. Now we don’t only cook local foods, we also cater for high profile schools by supplying the pupils lunch every day. We also take care of some offices too. We supply them lunch, according to request. After about four years, we branched out into baking cakes, doughnuts and pastries. Today, the staff strength is over 40 while more than 15 serve as ad hoc staff when there is a big job to handle.”

    According to her, she didn’t have a startup capital because people usually pay a higher percentage of the fee charged before the contract is executed.She said there is need for one to have good education to stay in the business.She noted that if one wants to play in the big league, good education and training are important.

    She said some people have dieting challenges, which forbids them from eating certain kinds of food. Some do react to certain types of food, especially sea food because of  health challenges. She noted that with proper training, a cook can advise clients on what to eat or how to mix or combine food for best result and also learn how to create tasty, varied and healthy diets.

    She said, above all, a caterer needs to be neat, courteous and able to meet targets. According to her, some clients can just call you in the morning and ask you to prepare meal for 20 people or cook a particular type of soup for them and store in their freezers. If you fail to meet the target, you can as well be sure that you have lost that account and since this business is built on referrals, if you disappoint one person, it can be very costly to the business.

    On why people need to get professionals to manage their food and eating patterns, she said: “The more junk food you eat, the more likely you are to feel uncomfortable, nauseous, or drained of energy. Every change you make help to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you – every healthy food choice you make counts.”

    The Managing Director, Mama K Catering Services, Mrs. Kemi Sosimi, said she caters for birthday parties, meetings and conferences but strictly cooks local foods. She said though her mother ran a big food canteen in Ibadan, she never thought she would venture into food business. She was, however, pushed into it after spending over five years in the labour market. She said she had not regretted going into the venture as she has made fortune from it far and above what her mother did because of her level of education.

    Sosimi said she started with her savings of about N20,000 and with initial jobs from friends and family members, she built the business to what it is today. According to her, the business is about networking as people hardly run into you but rather get introduced to you if you meet their demands.

    The way to stay in the business is not to cut corners. You must ensure that your food is served fresh and well prepared. Take care to de-stone your rice and beans, making sure that your service hands are neat, well mannered and can be trusted. You cannot handle a party and people lose their valuables to your service hands and expect to be invited again, she added.

    She said they get patronage because over the years, they maintained integrity with client’s accounts having been on retainership with some of them for years.

    On her staff strength, she said she has about 15 full time workers but hire casuals whenever the need arose. She said her casuals receive N800 daily while those who cook receive N1,200 daily. For family service, she said doesn’t need more than two or three workers to cook and deliver.

    According to her, as one grows in the business there will be a need to buy deep freezers, fridges, generators, plates and cutleries. She believes she has contributed to creating employment bearing in mind the number of people in her employ.

    On what it takes to succeed in the business, she said commitment, training and retraining of hands. According to her, some of the executive clients just want certain kind of soup or stew weekly. “They like trying out dishes from other places and you can’t say that you can only cook a particular soup. “The pay is good, so we go out of our way to learn how to make soups and special delicacies from different linguistic groups in the country,” she said.

     

     

  • Fishing out your dream job: You need a game plan (III)

    Cold-calling, the art of uninvited job-hunting in- volving calling/calling on employers directly, is possibly the most powerful, yet difficult strategy to get your foot in the career door of your choice. A lot of people consider it demeaning. It should not be so.

    “Cold-calling”  is often a very difficult task for most people unless you’re born with a sales talent and a “thick skin”. Cold calling means making contact with people whom you have not had any previous contact and selling yourself in such a way that you set up an interview for yourself or convince them to keep you at the top of their minds should a position come up in future. Some people say it’s like a radio ad: Concise, to the point, focused at meeting the employer’s needs, charismatic and informative about yourself. The key to cold calling is to be prepared for anything. At any point in the process, you could find yourself dealing directly with the person who is responsible for hiring. You must always be ready to sell yourself and your skills.

     

    So how so I jump – start this?

    There are several parts of the cold-calling process, each part has some similarities to what professional telemarketer do when preparing to market their product:

     

    Make a list of potential employers

    The first step in this process is compiling at list of all companies that you would be interested to work with. The more, the merrier; the longer the list, the better your odds at success. You can source for this list via your personal network, the yellow pages, corporate websites, newspaper adverts business listings from industry publications and even your local Chamber of Commerce directory. You could create this list of companies by focusing on a specific geographic area, a particular industry, corporate rankings, or the like. Do some research into the career opportunities in your field of profession with each company as far as possible before progressing further.

     

    Get your pitch down pat

    Your pitch is your personal introduction. To ensure you’re not tongue-tied at the crucial point of a telephone conversation, prepare a short script to guide you on your self-introduction to the prospective employer. A simple outline includes an introduction, an explanation of your purpose, summarizing three top skills you possess pertinent to the type of job you are inquiring about, finding about immediate or potential vacancies, asking if you might send them a copy of your Resume or arrange an interview date. A pitch allows you to relax and focus on what you need to say and how to say it prior to calling an employer. Be sure to relate your previous professional experience with what this flew company needs.

     

    Practice makes perfect

    Telephone etiquette is extremely important in cold calling as this is your first point of contact with the prospective employer. So don’t get sloppy! Here are some tips to help you get it right:

    • Practice your script either with a friend or another job seeker

    • Tape/record yourself to ensure you come off as calm, deal and confident; identify yourself.  If you were referred by someone else, mention their name;

    • Talk to the right person (the hiring authority) at the right time. Be aware that businesses have busy or inconvenient times when they would not appreciate a phone call: for example, 12:00 noon just before lunch or at the end of the mouth for accounting firms;

    • Keep control of the conversation,

    • if the person you want is not in, never leave a number and passively wait for your call to be returned, inquire about another time to call and promise to call again later;

    • Put on your good phone voice. Don’t mumble or shout. Talk at a moderate pace. Be friendly and precise

    • Take control of your anxiety to be heard, don’t forget to listen – it’s a two-way thing. Remember, you need to motivate your listener to pave the way for you, so listen when they are speaking.

    • Ask for a meeting (interview) at a definite time, yet do it as ‘lightly’ as possible. Give them alternative options, for example: “Would Wednesday morning or Thursday afternoon be more suitable for you, Mr. ________?‘ if the employer informs you that there are no positions available, ask for an informational meeting to find out more about the company. That will help you get to know more people within the company and make connections for future use.

    • Get it down on paper. Write brief notes while on the phone to record what was discussed and agreed upon between you and the contact and when it took place. Memory is a fleeting thing. Don’t rely solely on your memory. Transfer this to your job cracking sheet so that you are always on the right page should a contact call back.

     

    Prepare your cold call toolkit

    Before you picks up the telephone, make sure you have the following in hand; your pitch, company research notes, a copy of your relevant Resume, a calendar, pen and paper, your “contact tracking sheet formatted for notes on the date, time, person, company, address, telephone, reason in calling, follow-up date, interview date/time, and comments.

     

     

     

     

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    Fishing-Out Your Dream Job: You need a game plan IV

    We considered cold-calling strategy of uncovering hidden job opening. We ‘hanged-on’ on how to I jump – start or activate this strategy:

    We looked at these parts of the cold-calling process:

    1.          Make a list of potential employers

    2.          Get your pitch down pat.

    3.          Practice makes perfect.

    4.          Prepare your cold call toolkit.

    We now proceed to discuss the other parts in detail:

     

    5.          Practice getting past gatekeepers.

    One of the hardest parts of the process is reaching the person who does the hiring. Secretaries or operators are there to screen calls for busy individuals. So, a few methods are beneficial in bypassing these gatekeepers. One of them is to take advantage of automated “dial the extension of the person you want” features. If you do not know what it is, connect at random and courteously ask if they can connect you to the person you’re after. It may take several calls before you compile enough information to find the right person. Remember, this won’t work unless you’re pleasant and nice to the other person, who may be busy too. So use this technique carefully.

     

    6.          How to break the ice

    Be genuine. Try to avoid reading a script like most telemarketing people do, and open the conversation with intelligent points. Knowledge of company projects underway and intended areas of expansion and development is crucial to breaking the ice with an employer. For example: “I remember reading recently that the company was bringing out a new product to the market. I must say, after reading the specifications on this product (try naming the product if you know what it’s called) I am really looking forward to its launch. I we worked in the field of marketing in this industry and I know the potential of this product. I want to be a part of the team to work on this product and I know that I can contribute a great deal of expertise towards the marketing campaign. Is your company looking at expanding its Product Marketing team for this upcoming launch?”

     

    7.          When the going gets tough…

    “Why should we hire you?’ “How will your experience help my team’ “What proof can you give me that you can generate revenue for this company?” Reading off a Resume won’t help you answer these tough questions. You have to anticipate them and know how to respond in a relevant manner.

     

    8.          Don’t let it get to you

    Be prepared for negative responses but don’t let ‘No’ be the end of your conversation if you believe that you have a future with this company. Never argue. Practice sidestepping objections by presenting alternative ways to fill a need with your skills. By preparing for common objections, you stand a better chance of swaying negative attitudes to place you candidacy in a better light. Should the end of the discussion be a dead end despite your efforts, use this experience to prepare for your next cold call. You have a thick skin you know.

     

    9.          When to hang up.

    Be true to your mission – an appointment for an interview or application details and don’t hang up until you’ve either achieved the goal or exhausted all possibilities.

     

    10.        Wind down by following up.

    If ever there was a time to be true to your word, this is it. Make sure you follow up with that email or call, email that response, send in those documents or call back at a better time. This is a representation of your respect for the company and contact, and a measure of your professionalism.

    Cold calling may not he the easiest route to a job, but it has proven robe effective and advantageous to anyone on the trail to career nirvana. Whichever way the cold call turns out, you can only win – a new ion, new inside contacts, or valuable information on hiring cycles or practices.

     

    YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN JOB 

    This is another strategy you can use, or better still create! Have you ever thought about how new positions axe created? As a business grows, it discovers that more people are needed to perform all of the duties that need to be done. If you could only know that the situation would be present, you could submit your resume and beat your competition and secure employment. It is very possible to do just that but you must look for growth opportunities!

    Everyday we encounter growth opportunities. We see those opportunities on the television, hear about them on the radio, and read about them in the newspaper. The factors to stimulate job growth would be company growth, expansion, reorganization or relocation. Examples of company growth would be contract awards, growth in earnings, issuance of IPOs, moving to a larger facility. Examples of expansion would be introduction of a new product or venturing into a new market. Reorganization would be promotion of an executive. Many new executives are more comfortable hiring new staff and relocation of a company would mean new jobs created.

    When learning of a growth opportunity, think about how your skills, experience, and background could benefit that organization. Tailor your cover letter demonstrating ways you might be of “service” to that company. Sometimes companies in “distress” can be a growth opportunity, especially if you can demonstrate an action plan for a business turn around plan of some sort.

    Consider how you can help a company? What experiences and skills do you possess that a company in a growth mode may benefit from?

    Write a paragraph describing how you could help a company. Next, review the business section of your newspaper or a local business journal, and over a one-week span, identify 5 companies that could use your help.

    The crux in creating a job is organizational need. In other words, what do you provide that an organization can benefit from? As you review the newspapers or trade journals, keep that thought in mind. Here’s an example. You read about a company losing money in the last quarter. Why did they lose money? Was it market conditions or more related to an internal problem, procedure, etc? You may discover after a little investigation that an opportunity exists for you to create a job that will assist them in their business turnaround.

     

     

     

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    Fishing-Out Your Dream Job: You need a game plan V

    We are presenting the last in the series designed to provide job seeker the road map to nitty-gritty of   the tough aspects tackling the job market and making it available for you, no matter where it is.

    JOB FAIRS

    Job fairs are being utilized by an increasing number of recruiters. They offer a cost-effective and convenient way to contact a large number of candidates in a relatively short them. Job fairs also offer similar benefits to candidates — as long as you know how to work them. Plan in advance and your job fair visit will be very worthwhile. Be sure to investigate all participating companies in advance. When possible, obtain a list of these companies from fair organizers, and begin to research about six to ten companies that may be of particular interest to you. In making your decision, consider the type of candidates sought, company location, company reputation, etc. Once you’ve drawn up your list, do some research on these companies at your local library, on the worldwide web, or through directly contacting the company. Be sure to uncover basic information such as company product and services, company size, etc. You may even want to explore what the company’s philosophy or approach is. In particular, what they emphasize in their literature. Write this information obtained on index cards, a notebook, or in a PC file.

    Your next step is to check out your own communication tool for the fair, your resume. Be sure to give it a make-over to make sure that it highlights and showcases your skills in a professional and concise way for the job you are seeking. If it doesn’t, revise it in advance of your visit to the job fair. Now it’s time to put both items together. For each company that you have researched information on, write down the basic details obtained. Next to this information, list some skills, qualifications, achievements, or specialized training from your resume that would match the company’s “ideal” candidate. A typical entry in your notebook may look like this:

     

    XXYYZZ NIGERIA plc

    *            Manufacture and sell office products and equipment.

    *            Lagos-based

    *            550 Employees

    *            Family Owned and Operated with Strong Commitment to Customer Service

    *            Looking for Sales Professionals

    *            5yr Outside Sales Experience and an Associate’s Degree in Marketing

    *            Worked in retail during school, completed an internship, have strong letters of recommendation for friendliness and courtesy to customers.

    As the date for the job fair approaches, check out your logistics. Make sure that you know where the event is being held, where to park, job fair hours, etc.

    Depending on the number of companies scheduled to attend, it’s a good idea to allow yourself at least one and a half hours to talk with prospective employers.

    Be sure to dress appropriately for the fair, and bring along 10 to 12 copies of your resume.

    Plan on arriving about 45 minutes to one hour after the official start time.

    Look for your targeted companies, did they all show up? How busy are they at the moment? If a recruiter is busy talking to other candidates, look for another targeted company whose table is free. The trick is to minimize waiting in line, and maximize talking with prospective employers. Be sure to shake hands with the recruiter and introduce yourself Provide them with a copy of your resume to look over, along with your references, or any letters of recommendation you may have. As they review your resume, describe your background and qualifications. Make this a brief, to the point presentation recapping your skills and abilities.

    At this point, the recruiter may have some additional questions about your qualifications and also provide you with information about current job vacancies. Keep your talk concise — your total time spent with a recruiter should not be more than eight to ten minutes. To wrap up, thank the recruiter for their time, express an interest in a more formal interview in the future, and ask for a business card in order to send a follow-up thank-you letter. After you’ve talked with the recruiters of your “targeted” companies, talk with other employer representatives if time allows. By doing so, you can often uncover information about certain companies and jobs that you were unaware of prior to the job fair. Finally, make one last tour of the area before you leave, and stop by the tables of any recruiters who had been especially helpful or interested if your background.

    Reintroduce yourself remind them of your earlier meeting, and reiterate your interest in scheduling to meet with them at a later date.

    Visit a local job fair and interview with at least 5 companies and collect at least 10 business cards.

    However, I will say that you do not put too much stock into this strategy.