The Nation Newspaper

Category: Jobs

  • Wanted! 1.3 million teachers

    Wanted! 1.3 million teachers

    To attain the objective of Education for All by 2015, the nation needs 1.3 million teachers. For jobless trained teachers, this should be good news as their days in the labour market are numbered. AKINOLA AJIBADE writes.

     

    The prospect of employment for jobless trained teachers is bright. Soon, many of them will be employed to ensure the nation attains the goal of Education for All by 2015 as contained in the Universal Basic Education (UBE) agenda of the Federal Government.

    Director-General of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCEE) Prof Muhammed Junaid, said there is room for 1.3 million teachers, advising those qualified to apply.

    During the 35th pre-convocation lecture of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos, Junaid said 1.3 million teachers are needed to bridge the existing shortfall at the basic education level.

    Citing the Federal Ministry of Education Roadmap to Transformation, Junaid said 969,078 teachers are needed in the early childhood and care education sub-sector; 338,147 teachers, primary education sub-sector; 12,329 nomadic education; and 581 junior secondary education. He put the figure of teachers shortage at the basic education at 1,320,135, adding that the commission has designed policies to address the problem.

    The government, he said, must raise the production capacity of colleges of education to 330,033 teachers per annum, as against the estimated capacity of 64,000 teachers per annum.

    Former chairman, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COASU), Epe Chapter, Comrade Yede Francis, said the projection for 1.3 million teachers is right, because of the dearth of teachers in the country.

    He said: “There is no mistake in Junaid’s statement that the country needs 1.3 million teachers. Studies have shown that there are not enough teachers at the primary school level. It is an issue that must be given the desired attention. This means a lot of opportunities have opened up for prospective teachers in Nigeria. We need more teachers, and people must rise to the challenge to save the education sector from collapse.”

    Francis said no nation can arise above its present level without sufficient teachers, arguing that the opposite is the case in Nigeria where people are running away from teachings.

    He said enrolment into the Colleges of Education has slowed down because people are shying away from teaching the profession.

    “Even, enrolment into universities for education course has reduced. The reason is because teachers are not well-remunerated unlike their counterparts in Europe, United States, among other developed economies. Also, teachers who have between 10 and 20 years post-qualification experience are not better either. They are not well- treated.The sdevelopment has made many people to run from teaching, resulting in the shortage of teachers in the country. Based on this, more people are needed to fill the vacuum created in the teaching profession,” he said.

    He said more teachers need to be trained to create jobs at the junior secondary, and primary school level, adding that private and nursery schools are longing to employ quality teachers.

    The Union leader said education facilities are lacking in Nigeria, arguing the issue has affected the quality of teaching in schools. He said some teachers can no longer teach well after 10 or 20 years, advising the government to review the curriculum to provide standard education. He said when this happens, fresh teachers would get opportunities to work and earn a living.

    Francis said teaching opportunities are limitless, urging graduates to utilise them well and stop complaining about unemployment in the country.

    Similarly, the National President, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Alogba, said Junaid was certainly saying the obvious when he said that the country would need N1.3 million teachers in the next few years. Alogba said there is a shortfall in the number of teachers in the primary and secondary schools in the country. He said the development has opened doors of employment for prospective and practising teachers, advising Nigerians to give it the desired attention.

    He said that some states are complying with the National Teachers Policy directives that more teachers be employed to improve the quality of education, while others are not. This, he said, has reduced the population of teachers in the country.

    The NUT’s President said the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recommended that a teacher should be attached to 25 students or a maximum of 26 students, noting many countries are yet to adopt the recommendation.

    He said the recommendation was given to ensure that teachers attend to students well and improve their understanding.

    According to him, the UNESCO’s proposals are meant to be implemented all over the world to provide qualitative education and further promote growth. He said Nigeria is one country that has not implemented the recommendation.

    “Many of the states in Nigeria are complying with the UNESCO’s recommendation, while others refused to comply for obvious reason. The reason is finance because they do not want to spend much on education. They like cheap labour, and that is why they recruit few teachers. This has resulted in the overcrowding of classrooms. It is high time that all the states or employers of teachers accepted the UNESCO’s recommendation of a teacher to 25 students to improve the standards of education. With this, there would be more opportunities for people who want to come to teaching profession,” he said.

    He advised people to use the opportunities that are opening in the teaching profession to reduce the rate of unemployment and encourage economic growth.

     

  • Outdoor adverts, indoor jobs

    Outdoor adverts, indoor jobs

    Be it billboard, transit advert, poster or arena placement, they are all aimed at one thing: conveying messages to the public.There is an upside to them; they have the potential for job creation, AKINOLA AJIBADE writes.

     

    JOB seekers need not lose hope; though times may be hard, they are rest assured of jobs in outdoor advertising, if they are pushful enough.

    An area, with lots of prospects is billboard designing and planting. Regarded as the fulcrum of outdoor advertising, billboard designing and planting come with innovations which help to create jobs for structural engineers and their auxiliaries.

    Structural engineers are tasked with the responsibilities of mapping out the sites where billboards will be sited. They employ certain category of workers to carry out the job. Over the years, they have played crucial roles in the outdoor advertising business and are respected for this.

    From the manual and cumbersome method to electronic and imposing billboard advertising, structural engineers have been creating jobs for people in the formal and informal sector. The former includes fine artists, graphic artists, printers of large format posters, and computer programmers, while the latter are bricklayers, welders, and painters, among others.

    More jobs are becoming available, as companies including banks go into creative advertising to promote their brands.

    With the recent restructuring and reforms in outdoor advertising also known as the out-of-home advertising medium, we can say that better days await job seekers as states now embrace the new generation billboards.

    The states, which have established agencies to regulate activities in outdoor advertising, are as follows: Lagos State Signage Advertising Agency (LASSA), Osun State Signage Advertising Agency (OSAAA) and Oyo State Signage AdvertisingAgency (OYSAA).

    Others are Rivers, Ekiti, Edo, Ondo, Enugu, Delta and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    While these states are generating revenue by approving and collecting commission on every billboard erected in their domain, they have helped in providing job opportunities for people.

    Experts said the stakes are high for job seekers, given that companies are committing fortunes to it. They said billions of naira are being spent on outdoor advertising which has a multiplier effects in the economy.

     

    The big players

    Media Reach, in a report, said MTN spent over $4 million on product advertising in 2011, followed by Globacom, Etisalat and Airtel, which altogether spent $12.518 million out of $22.750 million budgeted for advertising. The telecos were believed to have spent huge amount of money on outdoor advertising because their products would enjoy better exposure. This could be attributed to the flow of human traffic that would view the adverts since they are strategically positioned.

    Besides, manufacturers of Fast Moving Consumers Goods (FMCG), such as Nigerian Breweries Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Unilever Nigeria Plc among others budgeted millions of naira for outdoor advertising last year. Industry sources said the development has increaed the capacity of the outdoor advertitising companies, by enabling them to employ more hands for their operations. The sources said each outdoor agency has on the avearge employed between 100 to 200 workers( direct and indirect) in the past three months.

    Speaking on the issue, the Managing Director, Rules Engineering Concept, Engineer Charles Duru said immense opportunities awaits for people who are ready to develop their potentials in the outdoor segment of the industry. The firm specialises in providing outdoor and allied for companies.

    Duru said the outdoor business is not only broad, but provide different avenues for people to showcase their skills when opportunity arises. He said various professionals are recruited to play one or role or the other in the area of conceptualising advertising ideas, planning and designing it to ensure maximum exposure for the clients and the consumers.

    According to him, roles are inter-dependent in the course of providing outdoor advertising services, which implies that many people would be engaged as the volume of jobs increases.

    He said: “It is only structural engineers that were employed to work in the process of providing outdoor services. There are many professionals that helped in production activities. One of these is architects, which help in the designing of billboards as well. Thereafter, architects pass their own designs to structural engineers who make ensure that the billboards stand structurally on the land. This implies that more jobs are going to be made available as outdoor activities increased.”

    Similarly, the former General Manager, Tequila Nigeria Limited, Mr Gbolahan Mosaku-Johnson said newspapers, radio and television advertising have over shadowed outdoor advertising for years, arguing that there is a renewed interest in outdoor advertising by telecom among other blue-chip companies that can spend a fortune in producing good copies. Tequila is an integrated marketing communication outfit providing services such as brands developments, promotion among several others.

    Mosaku-Johnson said many people would be employed either on contract or full-time basis to help in producing outdoor advertising services because some companies are ready to pay a lot of money for such services.

    “This is high time graphic artists, among other skilled personnel must prepare themselves for big opportunities in the outdoor advertising industry. It is projected that outdoor advertising will get more attractions in the next five to 10 years because states government are showing keen interest in the field by setting up agencies for such needs. Now that we have thousands of billboards in strategic places across the country, there would be more opportunities for the job seekers.” he said.

    He projected that at least 5,000 jobs would be created directly or indirectly in a year in each of the 36 states of the federation when the outdoor advertising begins fully.

    “Now mobile outdoor advertising which ensures that bigger buses and taxis are used to promote products/services of companies is on the increase in the country.These advertisements are produced periodically, depending on what the clients pay for. This shows that graphic artists and large format printers would be made to provide more services in the industry. Also, drivers, among other auxiliary staff would be employed for the job. Besides, the workers needed to produce billboards. With this, a lot of job opportunities would be open for the skilled and the unskilled workers in the country,” he added.

    In a related development, Publisher Brands and Fame, Mr Akinwumi Dickson said there are job prospects in the outdoor advertising sphere as companies are showing more interests in it. Dickson said quite a number of outddoor ad companies have increased their operational capital to meet the growing chanllenges in the industry. He said companies now have enough money to execute big projects, as well as employing highly qualified personnel to drive the growth of their companies.

    He said the more the advertisers are spending money on electronic and mobile outdoor advertising, the better for people that would provide services in the industry.

    He advised people to develop their creative skills to meet the growing needs of the industry, adding that the industry is positioning itself to be one of the best in Africa.

    He said: “The industry’s turnover is estimated to be billions of naira. This is a plus for the practitioners, consumers and the workers that would be employ in different segments of the industry. I think the outdoor advertising has better prospects, and this imply that there would be more jobs to do as the year rolls by.”

    He added: “As more as companies direct their outdoor agencies to use more unipoles, rooftops of 48 or 96 sheets, gantries, bridge panels, iconic structures for billboards, there exists job opportunities for structural engineers, electricians, artisans, and even security guards. The prospects of securing jobs are going to be higher, when the economy improves.”

     

  • Elumelu Foundation names leadership director

    The Tony Elumelu Foundation has appointed Ms. Désirée Younge, a Sierra Leonean, as Director of Leadership and Entrepreneurship Development.

    Ms. Younge, according to a statement, has experience in philanthropy and impact investing having worked with Synergos Institute’s Global Philanthropists Circle, and Robin Hood Foundation in the United States.

    For the past three years, she has run her own US based philanthropic strategy advisory company working with philanthropists, not-for profit organisations, and businesses to help them strategically execute their philanthropic missions.

    “I am excited to join The Tony Elumelu Foundation, an African foundation that’s thinking about philanthropy from a non-traditional perspective, and finding innovative solutions to drive long-term economic and social impact to improve the capabilities, and showcase the untapped leadership potential of Africans,”said Ms. Younge.

    She joins The Tony Elumelu Foundation at an exciting time. Now starting its third year of operations, the Foundation, according to the statement, continues to pursue its mission of enhancing the competitiveness of the African private sector through a coordinated strategy of programmes, grants and impact investments. Some of the highlights include the rapidly expanding African Markets Internship Programme (AMIP), now planned for nine African countries, the launch of the Elumelu Legacy Prize Programme, the Blair Elumelu Fellows Programme in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the Elumelu Fellows Programme and the AllWorld Nigeria50. Grants include business development awards to pre-start up businesses in the Co-Creation Hub in Lagos, Nigeria, as well as funding for consultancies to examine agricultural and SME investment opportunities in Nigeria. Most recently, the Foundation made a significant impact investment, in a regional agricultural commodity exchange based in Kigali, Rwanda.

    “This is an exciting time for the Foundation as we head into our third year and continue to develop innovative initiatives and partnerships that address the continent’s business leadership and entrepreneurship needs,” said the Chief Executive Officer of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Dr. Boer.

    “Ms. Younge’s extensive experience and knowledge will provide an invaluable asset to the Foundation. We are delighted to welcome her on board.”

    Tony Elumelu, Founder of the foundation, said: “These past two years have been an exciting journey. I am continually impressed by the innovative creativity of our team as well as the African entrepreneurs, business leaders and public sector enablers that we encounter through the work of the Foundation. Together, we are creating economic prosperity and social wealth for our African people from within.”

  • Work and temperament: What job am I suited for?

    Many people want to know what kind of job they are suited for, based on the fact they are of a certain type. Is there a programme using the precepts of Temperament Theory to help in finding a career or a job? Feedbacks like this was the driver of choosing to present this three-part material.

    However, let us put things in perspective: you can explain the different natural talents of the temperaments, but finding the right job or right career is a little complex.

    Before we go on, you are encouraged to visit our upgraded websith www.jobsearchhow.com.ng for more ariticles on job-hunting and other very useful resources. Also, 5 digital books will be given away daily for the next 30 daily for those who leave the most useful/relevant comments on that day.

    Now, let’s go. Knowing your temperament helps in your search for a career or job, but it only serves as a guide, rather than giving you any fixed answer. Think of temperament as analogous to “culture” in terms of influence.

    If you are of certain culture, than you will tend to feel most comfortable in your culture, and you can operate well in that culture. But that does not mean that you cannot be happy and prosperous living in a culture that isn’t your original culture.

    The same is true with your career or job; you can find happiness and satisfaction in many careers or jobs that are not “natural” ones for one’s temperament. On the other hand, if you aren’t happy or you don’t think you are as effective as you could be in your current situation, then it would be useful in examining the match between your temperament and your current job or career.

    If you practice something, you get better at it. If you practice a lot, then you get very good at it. No practice, you lose it. Use it or lose it. People, if given a chance, will practice what interest them. If one gets good at something, one is more likely to be interested in doing it.

    Each temperament has their natural interests; if everything else is equal they naturally gravitate towards them.

    What, we might ask is this thing called “temperament” and what relation does it have to character and personality? There are two sides to personality, one of which is temperament and the other character. Temperament is a configuration of inclinations, while character is a configuration of habits. Character is disposition, temperament pre-disposition.

    Thus, for example, foxes are predisposed-born-to raid hen houses, beavers to dam up streams, dolphins to affiliate in close-knit schools, and owls to hunt alone in the dark.

    Each type of creature, unless arrested in its maturation by an unfavorable environment, develops the habit appropriate to its temperament: stealing chickens, building dams, nurturing companions, or hunting at night.

    Put another way, our brain is a sort of computer which has temperament for its hardware and character for its software. The hardware is the physical base from which character emerges, placing an identification fingerprint on each individual’s attitudes and actions.

    This underlying consistency can be observed from a very early age—some features earlier than others—long before individual experience or social context (one’s particular software) has had time or occasion to imprint the person. Thus temperament is the inborn form of human nature, character, the emergent form, which develops through the interaction of temperament and environment.

    There are four temperament dispositions: Guardian’s Artisans, Idealist and Rationals. I want to emphasize that temperament, character, and personality are configured, which means that, not only are we predisposed to develop certain attitudes and not others, certain actions and not others but that these actions and attitudes are unified—they hang together.

    Thus, the Artisans base their self-image on graceful action, bold spirit, and adaptability to circumstance, these three traits evolving together of necessity.

    Furthermore, these three traits developing together as if out of a single seed preclude emergence of a self-image based on, say, empathy, benevolence, and authenticity, which are characteristics of the Idealist. In the same way, the Guardians base their self-image on reliability, service, and respectability, these three traits emerging together as a unified structure of personality.

    And again, the unfolding of these three traits emerging together weighs against developing a self-image based on ingenuity, autonomy, and willpower, which is characteristic of the Rationals.

     

     

    This article was based on Please Understand Please and Please Understand Me II authored by David Keirsey.

     

  • 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 their 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 ways you can improve odds in your favour through savvy job hunting and best practices 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 for capturing the employer’s interest immediately to actually satisfy their needs and exceed their expectations.

    If you understand the dynamic 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 favor 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

     

  • Want a job? Try Internet Marketing

    Want a job? Try Internet Marketing

    One of the good things to happen this century is the Internet, which has made the world a global village. Many things can be done on the Net, as it is fashionably referred to.

    The unemployed too can get a job on the Internet. How? By availing themselves of the opportunities in Internet marketing, writes AKINOLA AJIBADE

     

    THESE days, coming by a job is hard, no thanks to the economic recession. Millions of jobs were lost to the recession from which there seems to be no respite. Many governments are seeking to tackle unemployment through various policies, all to no avail.

    As there appears to be no answer to unemployment, people are looking for new areas to survive. One of such is internet marketing, a process whereby people use the internet to create jobs for themselves.

    Other jobs that can be done through the internet include website creation, content writing, updating of social media sites, promotion of online products/ services, Pay Per Click (PPC), targeted e-mail lists, among others. The jobs vary, offer different appeals as well as remuneration. Usually, people who provide these services are paid periodically, subject to the agreements they reached with their customers.

    Internet marketing has attracted attentions globally. In the developed economies, such as the United States and Europe, internet marketing has gained prominence as people veered into it to earn a living. Nigeria has joined the league of nations that leverage on internet marketing, among other ideas to create jobs, because of the growth in the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the country.

    Experts say internet marketing has the potential to create jobs for the large army of unemployed youths. They say millions of people surf the internet daily for one opportunity or the other, adding that the volume of traffic determine the earnings of people that create jobs for themselves on the internet.

    According to the experts, people who want to go into internet marketing must have at least secondary school certificate, adding that people with higher qualifications stand a better advantage. Other requirements include the ability to study and understand the technicalities of ICT facilities, good presentation of services/ products, network and time in surfing the internet.

    The General Manager, System Power Limited, Mr Steven Akinwale, said people who want to create jobs through internet marketing must have a laptop, desktop, modem, a mobile phone, among other tools, to do the job effectively.

    Akinwale said people can sit in the comfort of their homes and create jobs, adding that one does not need a big office to operate. However, he said getting clients or customers is not easy because one has to search for them online, stressing that this involves going through specialised websites that are on internet.

    Acording to him, people can go into content writing to survive once they have a good understanding of English language. He said content writing is into different stages, arguing that one can write on different topics as directed by the owners of the site.

    “There are a lot of website owners online who are looking for people to write for them on different topics. There are many high paying clients who want articles or blog posts on their sites. Others pay people to create information for the products they are selling online.Website owners that are in Europe and other developed economies pay in dollars. The fees ranged from $500 to $1000 depending on the nature of the work. Some pay less; that is why it is important to have ICT facilities to function well in this kind of business,“ he said.

    He said there are hundreds of graduates who are writing for website owners to earn a living, adding that the figure will increase because of the surging interest on internet use in the country.

    Akinwale identifed updating of social media sites as another employment opportunity on the internet.

    He said: “Besides my job as information technology engineer, I update social media sites for people. When I write website content for someone, I always offer to create and update a Facebook and Twitter page for them for an additional fee. Lots of people know they should have a social media presence, but they don’t really know how to get started or keep it updated.

    “Most of the time, the websites I create are for myself. I use them for my own businesses. In addition, I set up sites for small businesses that want online presence.

    “Though one must have electrical and electronics background to do this, people from different backgrounds have taken time to study this area and are doing well today.”

    He said there are thousands of social media sites that need activation, adding they are looking for people who can update their sites for them.

    For Mr Sunday Adeoye, his online business has been rewarding him bountifully. A graduate of Ogun State University, he said he had put endless search for jobs endlessly behind him since he started working as an internet marketer.

    “I promote online products and services. A lot of the money I make as a marketing professional comes from being an affiliate of various companies. That means the company pays me a commission. Three of the programmes that pay the most consistently for me are Google Adsense, Amazon, and TangoWire. Besides, I sell books online and get paid,“ he said.

    Adeoye said he had trained many people on how to be self-employed, especially in internet marketing.

    He advised people to write on national/ global issues and post them on blogs to foster growth, adding that search engines, such as Google and Adsense, are ready to pay the writer once there is a huge traffic on the websites or blogs where the article is posted. This, he said, can be done on a part-time basis. “This is where the issue of Pay Per Click comes in. The more people click on the website to read the article, the more the remunerations accruing to the owner of the work,” he added.

    Similarly, the Managing Director, New Horizons Computer Learning Centres, Mr Tim Akano, said job opportunities are waiting to be exploited on the internet. Akano said google boasts of millions of websites, which people can go through to locate opportunities. He said beyond marketing products or services online for companies in Europe, people could create and market their products on the internet. He said the universities are turning out over 100,000 graduates every year, arguing that it is high time people sat down, think and create jobs for themselves.

    He said background in sciences is not compulsory when it comes to maximising opportunities in the ICT industry.

    “What people need to do is to get a little knowledge of ICT processes. With that, one can do a whole lot of things for himself and survive. The issue of internet marketing is broad and relative, depending on what people are interested in offering on the internet. Globally, the ICT industry has the potential to create millions of jobs for people without much stress,” he said.

  • Optimising multiple job opportunities

    Kayode has a poser: I cast a wide net in my job search and interview with some companies that I am not that interested in just to practise and get out there. Well, I am far along in the process with some of these and just beginning with my first choice companies. I am afraid that an offer will come along that I don’t really want. At the same time, in this market I am afraid to turn down a sure thing with just the hope of something better. What can I do to buy time?

    In this market, more candidates are casting a very wide net with their job search with good reasons. Hiring targets change constantly as budgets get slashed, companies get acquired or restructured, or circumstances change the needs over time as firms take longer and longer to decide. The reality of applying to a lot of places is that it is almost impossible to control the pace of the search. Some companies move through the process faster than others. You may find that you are in the final rounds at one company and just starting the first round elsewhere. If you prefer the slower company, how do you slow down the faster search without seeming disinterested?

    Just as you negotiate salary and other conditions of service, here you need to negotiate for time. The same general rules of negotiation apply: know who you are negotiating with – their wants, their constraints – and frame your requests accordingly. Prospective employers want their company to be your first choice. They want to know that you’re excited and genuinely interested in the position. They also have very real time and budget constraints.

    Maybe you are filling a spot for someone who is leaving in two weeks and they need to have the replacement there next week to transition. Maybe their fiscal year ends in two weeks so if they don’t hire for this spot before then they lose that space in the budget. When a company pushes a process through quickly or pushes for a decision quickly, they may have good reasons and not just giving you a hard time.

    Therefore, ask about timing for all employers as you go through the process. How quickly do you expect to make a decision? When do you need this person to start? How many rounds/how many people will be involved in the decision? Once you know that a firm is interested in you, these are all fair questions and will help you know how quickly the process may move for all companies in your pipeline so you can effectively juggle your schedule and negotiate for time.

    Negotiate a wide range. You might say, “Officially, I am to give two months notice, but I can make it one. Really, it all depends on the projects at hand.”

    You can get the information to your first-choice company about what is happening with the other company. Don’t be pushy but let them know that you have another company who is interested and close to a decision. Get a commitment or at least a good estimate from your first choice as to when you will hear from them. Then you know how much time you need to negotiate for. You also remind the first choice company that you are desirable on the market!

    At the same time, ask your second choice for the time you need. Reiterate your interest, but let them know that you have committed to certain projects/assignments and don’t/can’t/shouldn’t want to cut these short. It is not recommend continuing to interview with companies that you are not genuinely interested in because it wastes everyone’s time.

    But if you would potentially accept an offer at a firm but it is just a lower priority, it is worth negotiating for more time so you can make an informed decision. Your second choice may become more desirable as you learn more about it (or about your first choice). In this way, negotiating for time means a more informed job search.

     

    Seven strategies to customise each and every resume

    The grand strategy is to create a Master File, including everything you may have to offer to any employer. Already it sounds daunting, but don’t let this be a roadblock! It’s just the on ramp. Start entering and keep entering as you think of other information that might interest an employer. This will never be “final” since it’s a living document, growing throughout your career and/or your current job search. You never delete anything from the Master File but you are always adding to it.

     

    Here is how to do it:

    • Format your existing resume to your advantage before you start to add things. If you’ve worked in one profession your whole career and steadily advanced, a chronological resume can be a winner. If you haven’t had that kind of career, consider a functional resume or a hybrid so you can focus attention on what you bring to the job instead of your work history.

    • Add a summary – a paragraph that gives an overview of who you are professionally. This can be long and include more than you would ever send for any individual opportunity. Don’t edit as you go. Just get every high level statement about you that you can offer into your Master File. If you wind up with 100 pages it doesn’t matter. No one but you will ever see it all.

    • Add as many general objectives as there are for what you know you can do well. You should be able to think of several positions that you’re qualified for and several industries where you have something to offer. Objectives are theirs, not yours. Each one is a Job Title in an industry.

    Example: General Manager for a pharmaceutical manufacturing company.

    • Show your skills. Use the keywords and search engine terms that you know employers are looking for. Showing them near the top of the resume will keep you from landing in the reject pile. Using the terms the company is looking for will keep you in the running whether your resume is being reviewed by a human or a machine. The skills that will stay in your customised resume are the ones that support the objective you use.

    • List your accomplishments in concise, bulleted paragraphs – two to five lines. This is the part that differentiates you and shows that you do more than just meet expectations. Start with the most powerful verb that fits and then mention the results, showing the numbers in as many situations as possible. After that you can elaborate about how you did it.

    This article is an adaptation of a presentation by Caroline Ceniza-Levine. She helps people find fulfilling jobs and careers, and co-author (along with Donald Trump, Jack Canfield and others) of the best-selling How the Fierce Handle Fear: Secrets to Succeeding in Challenging Times 2010; Two Harbors Press.

     

  • Mining raises hope of two million jobs

    Mining raises hope of two million jobs

    Mining has enormous potential for the employed, but they have not been fully tapped. According to experts, there is hope for job in the sector. They argue that over two million jobs can be created in the industry, if the government looks in that direction,writes AKINOLA AJIBADE.

     

    IT has become imperative to open up many areas because of high unemployment rate. One of such areas is mining which holds a lot of prospects, after oil and gas and agriculture. The industry, which is yet to be fully tapped boasts of solid mineral resources. The resources include tin, bauxite, iron ore, coal, bitumen, diamond, gold, lead and gemstone, among others.

    Stakeholders say the mining industry has the capacity to create over two million direct jobs in the country, if it is fully tapped. They said millions of tonnes of these resources are lying fallow under the bowels of the earth, as successful governments have failed to give it the desired attention.

    They said the solid mineral sector can create a huge platform for jobs irrespective of the literacy level of individuals. They said the solid mineral sector, more often than not only requires basic knowledge, thereby creating great prospects for employment generation for the masses.

    The National President, Progressive Miners Empowerment Association (PMEA), Mr Sunday Ekozien, had in a forum to showcase the contributions of the mining industry, said millions of unemployed youths can be taken off the labour market if the industry is revived. Ekozien said every state in Nigeria is endowed with mineral resources, adding that the resources would help in creating jobs and further galvanise the economy.

    He said the country has been a dumping ground for imported goods, while a lot of resources that can generate revenue and jobs are left untapped, adding that if the government can revive the sector, it could provide jobs for the teeming populace.

    He explained that there are diffenret levels of entry into the mining business, arguing that people have the power to determine the area they want. Ekozien said mining can be categorised into artisans, small, medium and large scale to suit the needs of investors. He said what is required to be effectively involved in artisan mining is about N1million, small mining N50 million, medium N200 million and large sacle mining N1 billion.

    He said each category determines the number of jobs to be created, advising Nigerians to try and invest in the mining industry.

    He explained that a mining site can accommodate as many investors as possible because there are different lines of jobs to be executed.

    Speaking on the issue, a quary operator in Idanre, Ondo State, Chief Sunkanmi Edunoye, said an artisan miner can create a minimum of 50 direct and indirect jobs, adding that the ability to create jobs depend on the nature of the solid mineral resources. He said a mining industry can create jobs for carpenters, welders, dredgers, bricklayers, transporters and food sellers, among other informal operators. He said formal operators that can work for a mining company include book keepers, accountants and marketers.

    Said he: “Different categories of people are bound to get jobs in the mining industry. While some jobs are seasonal, others are permanent. There are contract and permanent workers. It depends on the level of skills of people that want to work in the industry. Some miners prefer contract workers who would work over a period of time and get paid. Such miners believe contract staff can be done away with, when they do not have enough jobs at hand. This can save them the burden of incurring unnecessary costs. On the other hand are miners, who work throughout the year because they get a lot of businesses. This category of miners keep their staff because they are sure of getting money to pay them.”

    He said all segments of the mining industry have the potentials to create jobs, advising the government to invest in the industry.

    He said a study conducted on the mining industry, vis-à-vis its potential to create wealth in Nigeria, showed that millions of skilled and unskilled workers can get jobs to do if the industry is well managed. He said all segments of the mining industry have the potential to create jobs, advising the government to fund the industry well.

    “Besides oil and gas, the mining industry has potentials to create jobs. Also, it can as well contribute greatly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Developed countries are generating billions of dollars in revenue from solid minerals. This has a multiplier effect on their economies. We can do the same thing in Nigeria. When this happens, there would be jobs for workers in the mining indystry and other allied areas.

    Also, a consultant and stakeholder in the sector, Mrs Emily Achor, said the mining industry holds great potential for employment generation.

    “There are different channels for job creation not only for geologists and mining engineers, but also for the miners who could be involved in the processes of minerals beneficiation (separation) even if they are not geologists, as well as the mining of gemstones which are used for different purposes both locally and internationally.”

    She said the employment of mining police is also another avenue for employment generation, adding that they will help in checking the activities of illegal mining operations across the nation. Achor said the activities of the illegal operators do not only deny government of revenue through the payment of royalties, but also endangers the lives of citizens through the destruction of the landscape and exposure to poisoning, as was the case with the Zamfara lead poisoning incidence.

    She said mining is a major contributor to the GDP of South Africa and Gabon, and many opportunities still remain untapped in the industry, as even rare fossils and plants can be excavated and polished for exhibition purposes, especially in countries that have never been exposed to the abundant natural materials Nigeria is blessed with.

    The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mohammed Musa Sada, confirmed that “the 350,000 jobs came from registered cooperatives groups, with some involved in quarry and gemstone mining. Because the operatives were licensed, there was an accurate figure of those benefitting from the available jobs opportunities, from minor to major among operators, especially in the chalk-making cottage industries in several communities now.”

    He said the registered cooperatives informed the cottage industry’s programmes, with one programme in each local government, which has since kicked off in several states of the federation.

    “We increased the number of investors in the mining sector due to the transparent manner in which titles are now issued on a ‘first come-first served and use it or lose it basis.’ A total of 2,476 active mineral titles were issued this year, compared to 666 titles issued out in the previous year, thereby significantly reducing illegal mining activities.”

     

  • Career and job success skills for newly employed

    Now that you have made the big transition through job hunting and landed the job, the next goal is job success. Don’t take that for granted. There are specific skills you need to know and use to be successful at your job. It’s important to practise these skills prior to starting the job. First impressions show from day one. You only get one opportunity to create first impression.

    What follows here isn’t a complete list. It’s a good idea to check with your direct boss about what’s most important.An important information for you: employers say many people lose their job because they don’t use good work habits and not because they are unable to do the job.The following list of suggestions is based on feedback form a majority of surveyed employers.

     

    Employers expectations

    • A positive attitude is one of the most important factors in achieving job success. Don’t carry negative feelings into your new workplace. Resolve them elsewhere.

    • Always be on time. How long will it take to get to work? Allow a few extra minutes for traffic problems and getting children to school. Set an alarm clock to help you get up. Being reliable and dependable gains the trust and respect of your new employer.

    • Good attendance and promptness are always important. It you’re going to be unavoidably late or out sick, find out the proper method of informing them.

    • Know and follow office rules, policies and procedures.Read the employee manuals. Please find out the informal rules.

    • Listen and learn. Be open to new ways of doing things, even if you have taught differently in school or on a different job. Don’t be quick to find fault, criticise or complain until you can prove you can do something a better way.

    • Meet and exceed your employer’s expectations.

    • Learn all you can about the job you were hired to do before thinking about moving up.

     

    Communication

    • When you need to talk with your supervisor, ask when would be a good time to meet.

    • Take advantage of your performance reviews. Stay calm. Learn from them. Ask how you can improve. Show results or jobs-related classes you’ve taken. Most Supervisors appreciate employees who are concerned about performance and in finding ways to improve. Your job success is also their success.

    • Be a team player. Be willing to help. Know the goals of your job and how your job fits into the overall organisation. Avoid a “know-it-all attitude.”Try to fit in with the team. Keep your sense of humour.

    • Ask for help when you need it. If you make a mistake, let your supervisor know immediately. Find the proper chain of command. Discuss items with your supervisor first.

     

    Personal

    • Prior to starting the job, have all your appointments with doctors, dentists, etc., out of the way. Have your transportation and daycare lined up so you don’t immediately have to take time off. Have an emergency plan for daycare and transportation.

    • Be willing to learn new skills. Keep a record of classes you’re taking that relate to the job. Review this with your supervisor at an appropriate time.

    • Take time in making new friends. Find positive and upbeat co-workers. Avoid negative, critical and gossiping people.

    • Be clean and well groomed. Wear clean and job-appropriate clothes. Pay attention to how your coworkers are dressed. Avoid wearing strong perfumes or colognes.

    • Keep you personal life and problems at home. Do not use the employer’s equipment and time to do personal things like making personal phone calls, using the copy machine or resolving your personal problems on the job. If you’re having trouble resolving personal problems, counseling, support groups or employee assistance programmes may be useful.

    • Create the image. Dress for the job you want next.

    • Be patient with yourself and your employer. It takes time to get used to, learn and like a new job.

    • Volunteer to projects and committees if your work is completed and your supervisor approves.

     

  • Why Nigeria needs more agric engineers

    Why Nigeria needs more agric engineers

    Agricultural engineers play vital roles to ensure food security.This has brought to the fore the dearth of this group of professionals in the sector. There is, therefore, the need, to engage and train more agricultural engineers to fill the burgeoning gap in the industry, writes DANIEL ESSIET.

    THere is increasing demand for agricultural engineers in the sector. Against the backdrop of the push for modern and mechanised farming to ensure adequate food supplies, the dearth of these important professionals in the value chain has been brought to the fore. The nation cannot talk of food security without the engineers who work on various areas of the sector, spanning production, processing, packaging, land use, equipment construction and maintenance, seed improvement, biofuel development and many others.

    An agricultural engineer, depending on specialisation, is involved in the production and processing of food commodities for national and international markets. He adds value to seeds for the production goods for exports, ensuring that they meet international standards. To achieve optimal performance, farmers acquire purpose-built machines which can only be maintained by an expert. These equipment are used for canning, freezing and drying. Running these machines to attain the desired efficiencies requires the competencies of agricultural engineers. Beyond this, they analyse operations, new technologies and methods to increase yields, improve land use, and conserve resources, such as seed, water, fertilisers, pesticides, fuel and the likes.

    Speaking with The Nation, the Director General/Chief Executive, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Dr Gloria Elemo, said more agricultural engineers are needed to help farmers adopt new farming practices and equipment to combat the looming food insecurity.

    According to her, with their expertise, agricultural engineers reduce crop loss from field damage, during handling, sorting, packing and processing. They also prepare the land for planting — soil engineer – and implements for harvesting to avoid loss of produce.

    She said they are a vital part of the food industry. Some work for processing companies to develop efficient processes for better products.

    At FIIRO, she said agricultural engineers are employed in research and development unit. The institute, she said, however, prefers Ph. D holders who are expected to provide solutions to a variety of problems through research. Most of them, she said, work outdoors, at times, visiting farms and rural areas, but the bulk of their work is in the laboratories doing research.

    She said there are five major areas of specialisation: farm structures, mechanical power, electrification, soil and water conservation, and food engineering. She urged more candidates to take up courses in those areas to bridge the growing demand for agric engineers.

    Elemo noted that many universities, colleges of agriculture and polytechnics have established agricultural engineering programmes.

    The universities run a Bachelor of Science programme in agricultural engineering of five academic sessions during which the students are exposed to industrial training over a 12-month period. The training period is broken into three parts of three, three and six months. The first industrial attachment is undertaken during the vacation period at the end of the second year. The second training comes during the vacation period at the end of the third year, while the last one is for six months which starts at the beginning of the second semester of the fourth year and lasts till the beginning of the following academic session when the students return to school for their final year work. She, however, noted that agricultural engineering curriculum needs to be reviewed to expand the entrepreneurial potential of agricultural engineering graduates.

    Speaking with The Nation, the Managing Director, Alvan Blanch, a British manufacturing and project engineering firm, Andrew Blanch, said the agricultural engineer is at the heart of farming. According to him, farmers need the support of a sophisticated engineering industry to produce the machines and equipment they need to guarantee the crops and livestock they grow to reach the high quality standards they must achieve to get top market prices. Also, he said farm machinery and equipment manufacturers require engineers of the highest calibre with the right skills to deal with structures, mechanisms, control systems, hydraulics and electronics, as well as having an interest and appreciation of farming systems and other relevant industry sectors.

    He said the design and operation of manufacturing systems used in the agricultural industry must rely on sound engineering principles.To this end, he said his company looks for engineers who specialise in design, production and supply of quality machines and integrated systems processing of agricultural produce and waste materials. Blanch’s company has developed systems for food processing, such as drying processes, distillation, or long term storage. The job requires visits to farms, working directly with growers, and servicing a wide variety of industries, including crops and livestock as well as manufacturing concerns and governments.

    Many tasks of an agricultural engineer are completed outdoors, but there is office work, too. During the day, he dedicates time to designing projects, such as helping to plan a new type of grain silo, improving existing models of threshing equipment, or creating a new method of grain harvesting. There are agricultural engineers who design animal housing units, or might work on bettering a slaughter-house to make it a more hygienic environment. Others test soil for chemicals, improve waste disposal and monitor water quality to make sure natural resources are protected and not exploited. Some agricultural engineers work in universities, educating newcomers to the field, while others write for farming publications. There are more chances for agricultural engineers to travel to other countries where they can help give advice on farming practices and showcase their equipment.

    Many agricultural practitioners choose to earn a professional engineers license. Although it’s not necessary, being licensed assures competencies and expands opportunities for advancement.

    The Nigerian agriculture sector, Blanch said, offers good opportunities for engineers, adding that the current system of training agricultural engineers, is inadequate for the sector’s potential for revenue creation or for the development of skills.

    He stressed the need for better co-ordination between agricultural engineering education and work. Many graduates of agriculture engineering have not even seen, or get acquainted with field machines or equipment before, or during their practical training.

    One of the more important technological advances in agricultural engineering has occurred in the use of applied enzymes. Agricultural engineers use applied enzymes to make healthier food products.

    For watchers, however, there are positive trends that are creating job opportunities for agricultural engineers.

    Many states are working toward increased agricultural mechanisation and demand is for the latest technologies and innovations that improve operating efficiencies.