Category: Technology

Hiring a professional resume writing service is an excellent investment towards the next phase of your career. Whether you are switching companies or pursuing a completely different career path, a resume writer can help you navigate those waters and differentiate yourself from an ocean of other applicants.

A Google search will yield an unlimited number of services promising to be the answer to all your resume writing needs. Unfortunately, the truth about resume writing services is that they aren’t going to always deliver the results you’re hoping for. In fact, some are simply out to take your money.

In this post, we want to go over some ways to identify and avoid poor-quality resume writing services so you can focus on the ones that will yield the best results for your professional goals.

You might be dealing with a poor-quality resume service if you encounter the following.

A Poorly Designed, Unprofessional Website

Any good resume service worth your investment should be investing in their online presence. In a digital world, many businesses don’t have brick-and-mortar locations; they have websites.

For most online resume companies such as ResumeGo and Resume Writing Services, their website is their storefront. Let’s say you passed by a store on your way home. If that store had broken glass and used needles in front of its entrance and signage that was falling from the window display, what are the odds you would think that store had quality merchandise?

It’s the same when it comes to a professional writing service’s website. Information should be clearly organized and easily accessible.

Have a look at the “About” and “Team” pages. They should have non-generic, helpful information, and there should be real faces on those pages, not just stock images of strangers shaking hands.

Another important thing is to pay attention to the written copy on the website. If the grammar seems off or broken, calmly click out of that website and keep looking.

Bad or Very Few Reviews Available Online

If the writing service’s website doesn’t have any social proof or client reviews, that could be a sign you are dealing with a bad quality service.

Make sure to check out reviews not hosted on the service’s website as well. Google reviews, Yelp, and other third-party review websites will give you a clear idea of what you are dealing with. Pay attention to the detailed, lengthy reviews.

Be sure to take note of when reviews were posted. If you can’t find any recent reviews of the service, it could be a warning sign.

Extremely Low Pricing

Good resume writing services want your business, but they also know that what they offer is valuable and worth a fair investment. Based on a recent survey, the average cost of mid-level professional resume writing services is $447.00.

Low-quality services will try and distract you from an inferior, poorly produced resume with a dirt-cheap price tag. It is impossible to offer world-class service at a price that wouldn’t sustain it.

If the cost of a service is far below industry standard, the chances are high that they are farming out your project to unqualified third-party freelance writers. They may be decent writers, but they don’t have the skills necessary to produce a resume that results in an interview.

Poor quality services go with this kind of high volume, low-quality approach, and it is their clients who pay the price.

Unclear About Their Process

A good resume writing service will have easy-to-understand information about how they will approach your resume project. Their website will give you an idea of what the onboarding process will look like, along with the kind of information they will require to get started.

Each phase will be defined, and potential clients will have a clear idea of what will be accomplished at each point along the way.

A poor-quality resume service will be light on the details. They will use words like “proprietary” or “exclusive” to hide the truth of their process. Chances are they are farming out their client’s projects or are using a template-based, non-bespoke approach.  Poor quality services know that telling a potential client the truth wouldn’t be good for their bottom line.

Shady Terms & Conditions

Does the resume writing service have its terms and conditions displayed on its website? What happens if you are not satisfied with the results you are getting from your resume? Is there any recourse or guarantee they offer if things don’t go as expected?

Like any good contract or agreement, it is vital to clearly define the terms and conditions so that both the client and the writing service are on the same page. Poor quality resume services will keep things vague so that clients can’t hold their poor output accountable.

Good professional writing services know that things don’t always go as planned. They also know that resumes may need additional tweaks and refinements.  While they can’t guarantee your success, they will always have some sort of follow-up or other resources to help if you aren’t getting results.

Do Not Offer a Free Evaluation or Option for Phone Consultation

Quality resume writing services thrive on communication and understanding the details of a project. Reputable services will often offer a complimentary initial consultation or evaluation of your situation.

Be wary of services that don’t offer an initial evaluation of some kind. If a service wants your first communication to include entering your payment information, look elsewhere.

Not offering a consult is usually an indication of a volume-centric writing service. These kinds of resume writers simply want to put your resume on a conveyer belt.

They Aren’t Part of Any Professional Associations

You want to make sure that the service you choose is held to high standards. An excellent way to tell is if they hold accreditation or membership in a resume writing-specific organization like the National Resume Writer’s Association.

Groups like the NRWA have a level of criteria and standards that resume writers have to meet to be affiliated. This includes keeping up to date on the latest skills and methods.

In addition to trade-specific associations, making sure they have good standing with groups such as the Better Business Bureau will be an excellent way to make sure they are above board.

Hopefully, the signs in this post will help you on your journey of selecting a high-quality professional resume writing service.

Founder of Ogelle, Africa’s first user generated content platform, Osita Oparaugo, has added his voice to the calls on the Federal Government to lift its ban on Twitter.

Oparaugo made this appeal in a New Year’s message, saying the Twitter ban has served its purpose and needed to be reversed.

He also called on all Africans, at home and in the Diaspora, as well as global lovers of African content to embrace Ogélle as the platform continues to build Africa’s online community.

“Millions of Nigerians are still on Twitter and a lot more will join this year using VPN. So, of what use is the ban if not sending the wrong message that Nigeria is not favourable to investors and the government is against freedom of speech?” Oparaugo said.

Twitter has stayed banned in Nigeria since June 4, 2021 when the government announced an indefinite suspension of the microblogging site’s operations in the country.

The ban has been reported to have adversely affected economic and business activities in the country, especially for Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) who do business on Twitter.

NetBlocks, a watchdog organisation that monitors cyber security and governance of the Internet, claims Nigeria loses N2.46 billion daily to the Twitter ban at the rate of $250,000 (N102.5 million) per hour.

But millions of Nigerians have bypassed the ban to access Twitter through VPN. Days after the ban, ExpressVPN reported an over 200 percent increase in web traffic and searches for VPN spiked across the country.

In his Independence Day broadcast on October 1, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari gave five conditions that Twitter must fulfill for the ban to be lifted. Hopes were raised that the ban was at an end, but Twitter operations have remained banned in Nigeria into the new year.

“The government has made its point, and Twitter should by now understand the direction. It is time to let Nigerians enjoy the platform and promote their work,” the Ogelle founder said.

Launched in Nigeria, Rwanda and Ghana in 2019, Ogelle offers 100 percent African content from the six regions of the continent as well as the Diaspora Africa. Ogelle currently boasts of over 30,000 videos with over one million users.

The platform targets 100 million general users and 5 million premium users by 2025 and is committed to its vision of becoming the highest aggregator of African resource and entertainment content in the next few years.

Journalism, like every other profession, has to keep evolving to meet up with changing times. The profession in Nigeria has a unique history similar to the country’s political evolution. The media played a key role during the colonial era; helped to drive the British imperialists away. They played a similar role in the days of military, helping to restore democracy.

Media professionals are needed to keep informing, educating and holding the government accountable to the people. But they can’t do this effectively if they lack the skills to detect fake news and lack the knowledge and patriotism to balance their reportage with national priorities.

This is why the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) chose to come in. The information technology regulator commits to the expansion of digital space, the development of journalists’ human capital and promotion of robust, digital based journalism that serves the best interest of the nation.

The agency has identified 7 strategic pillars crucial to the development of digital economy: Development Regulation, Digital literacy and Skills, Digital Transformation, Digital innovation & Entrepreneurship, Cybersecuriy, Emerging Technologies and Promotion of indigenous Content.

NITDA, in collaboration with Image Merchants Promotion Ltd (IMPR) – Publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential – and Penlight Centre for Investigative Journalism, recently organised a 3-day digital training for journalists in Abuja.

NITDA’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Hadiza Umar, said it was part of efforts meant to equip journalists with modern available tools and ethics required to do their jobs better and also serve the country effectively. Hadiza advised the participants to ensure that the knowledge acquired is beneficial to the country.

She said: “There is no doubting the fact that we are in a digital era where everything is now based on computer and internet. It is of interest to us that journalists take advantage of avaible digital tools to do their jobs effectively and serve the country better. The digital era has its challenges, one of which is the overbearing presence of social media.

“The unregulated social media is a free market place where anything and everything goes – fake news, toxic contents, hate speech and inciting narratives – because there are no gate keepers or regulators. The theme of this workshop which emphasizes ethical reporting and the use of digital tools to detect fake news, is very apt and timely.”

The 3-day workshop featured presentations by journalists and PR practioners including IMPR CEO Yushau Shuaib, Inyene Ibanga, Nasir Lawal, Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, Kunle Adebajo, Dahiru Lawal, among others.

Shuaib eulogised the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami and NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, for unrelenting efforts in bridging the digital divide across Nigeria. He expressed optimism that the training would increase the capacity of journalists.

The expert further shared his decades of experience with the participants and exposed them to how they can take advantage of social and online media to do their jobs better and avoid fake news and negative reporting that seem to be the disadvantage of the digital age.

Dahiru Lawal, a fact-checking specialist and author of “101 Fake News on EndSARS,” took the participants through how they can make use of digital tools to cross-check facts, verify pictures and videos before going to press. He taught the audience how to use Reverse Image Search, Google Earth and other tools to detect fake news, fake pictures and fake videos.

Abdulraheem charged the participants to sustain ethics of the job and responsible reporting. Using the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) standards, he reminded them of the importance of factual reporting, objectivity, fairness, balance, political neutrality, respect for privacy, protection of minors, editorial independence, protection of sources, avoidance of gratification etc.

The participants had a robust debate about the practicabilty of some ethical provisions, recalling experiences and challenges on the field. Abdulraheem told them to strike a balance between sensational news and protection of public interest. He called for caution while reporting communal clashes, security agencies, Government Houses, and stories that could spread hatred, division, or aggravate an already bad situation.

There were other interactions such as questions and answers sessions. Journalists compared notes and shared practical on-the-job experiences. The participants got certificates and were urged to put the skills acquired into use for the betterment of the profession and Nigeria’s development.

Abbas Badmus is a staff writer with TechDigest

By now we all know about TikTok, the viral app that everyone talks about nowadays.

TikTok’s combination of music and videos is without a doubt resonating with diverse audiences. But how much impact does TikTok truly have on the Nigerian music industry?

Let’s explore how TikTok is changing the Nigerian music industry, from viral sounds and sensations to music usage as compared to streaming services.

Nigeria lacks adequate resources to track the commercial success of music being consumed hence the popularity of songs in parties, clubs and other gathers has become a yardstick in measuring success. But this yardstick has been altered during the pandemic and is associated with lockdown, where people at home were craving entertainment to stay sane. That’s where TikTok came to the party.

So what is TikTok?

TikTok is a tale of two apps. Bytedance, a Chinese company released a video-sharing app called Douyin in 2016 which is still in existence but operates separately and in 2017 released TikTok as an international version of their app. A great number of TikTok’s Western audience originally followed Musical.ly, which was merged into TikTok by Bytedance in 2018. Although there is a similarity in Tiktok and Douyin features and user interfaces, they are not identical and are specially made for their respective markets.

In recent years, TikTok has become very popular especially amongst Generation Z and younger Millennials because of its music, video and micro-video content combination which gives users the option to create 15 or 60-second videos.
With an estimated 1 billion active users, TikTok has become a viral sensation in which users can easily add text, music and filters to create engaging and relatable content for others to easily stumble across.

Now let’s look at how TikTok is impacting the Nigeria music industry Use of Music

This year’s biggest songs gained traction on TikTok in form of dance routines and challenges. These ‘challenges’ inspire other users to get involved and imitate the original challenge with the same music, text, filters, etc. This ‘challenge’ approach coupled with dance routine creation helps songs go viral with users enjoying the music and streaming them separately.

Tiktok has hence become a necessary promotional medium for musicians and labels. For instance, in 2020, Ladipoe did a duet challenge for his hit single ‘know you’ which racked up 45 million views. This inspired digital strategists, marketers and music brands, with new ideas on how to generate and increase engagements on their songs.

TikTok also forayed into the Livestream trend due to the non-existence of gigs during the Covid-19 pandemic thus further enhancing the viral nature of songs. Users are also willing to pay for virtual concerts on the app.

Discovering Artists

Especially during the Covid-19 worldwide lockdowns, TikTok availed users with instant comedic, educational, emotional and entertaining content to enjoy with its influence on culture continuing to grow particularly in the music industry.
There are stories of artists whose songs have gone viral on TikTok, from unknown singer Baby boy AV to established singer Ckay. Baby boy AV for instance uploaded interesting videos on the platform of fans making funny hand gestures that showed the defiant Big Thug Boys lyrics and the song went viral quickly. This shot Baby boy AV to fame and he has become one of the sought-after musicians at clubs, live shows and gigs across Nigeria.

Also, the viral nature of Tiktok stimulated Ckay’s recent rise worldwide. Despite dropping his hit single ‘Love Nwantiti’ in 2019, the song gained popularity on TikTok in 2021 earning him no 1 spot on shazam global charts and over 15 million monthly listeners on Spotify thereby further opening the world to Afrobeats.
.
Furthermore, TikTok’s use of music has also helped bring some old songs to new audiences and made them popular. For instance, Korede Bello’s ‘Do Like That’ made a comeback on TikTok earlier this year and was certified gold in the USA despite its release 5 years ago.

TikTok has allowed users to discover various ‘unknown’ artists, and interest in unsigned artists is a clear side effect of this. TikTok is currently the best place to discover the great unknown artists.

Final Thoughts

TikTok is truly shaping the Nigerian music industry ranging from the popularity of songs to kick-starting artists’ careers.
Nowadays, some artists create sounds and tracks specifically made for TikTok challenges so as to get the track to reach more people. Hence, the app is also shaping how we see music, and what artists aim for when making music.

Just like every promotion strategy, the use of challenges, dance routines and influencers does not guarantee the viral nature of the video. It is impossible to predict which songs will go viral due to TikTok’s algorithm hence musicians, labels and music marketers cannot solely rely on TikTok’s popularity. But TikTok is impacting and shaping the Nigerian music industry and music industry experts will be doing themselves a disservice by not jumping on this moving train and influencing the rapidly growing platform in their favour.

Winning the prestigious Software Engineering Leadership Award by Future Tech Award is a significant milestone in Chukwunonso Offor’s career. This esteemed recognition honors individuals and organizations that set new benchmarks for excellence and innovation across industries.

His recognition comes as a result of his innovative work with Fusion, a software development platform that has transformed the way businesses build and scale enterprise-grade applications. Fusion’s approach to modular architecture, seamless integration, and rapid deployment has transformed the software development process, enabling organizations to dramatically reduce operational costs while improving overall efficiency. Under his leadership, the platform has become a key enabler for businesses in Nigeria and beyond, empowering them to tackle complex technological challenges with ease.

Reaching the top of one’s career is a rare achievement, and winning an award like the Software Engineering Leadership Award is proof that a software engineer is among the top innovators shaping the tech landscape in Nigeria. It signifies not just a personal victory but also the recognition of one’s profound contribution to the advancement of the software industry. The award places recipients in the company of pioneers who have demonstrated exceptional talent and leadership in driving technological progress.

Achieving this level of success is no small feat and winning the Software Engineering Leadership Award places him among the leading figures in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. It reflects his role as a trailblazer, driving progress within the software engineering sector and showcasing the importance of Innovative solutions. His ability to combine innovation with practicality has made him a leading voice in the global software development community.

This recognition marks a significant turning point in his career, spotlighting his influence and leadership within the software engineering community. As the Software Engineering Leadership Award continues to honor trailblazers making an impact, his success stands as a powerful reminder of the potential that exists in every business venture. His achievement not only celebrates his personal dedication but also underscores the transformative power of technology in shaping the future.

Offor’s journey is an inspiring testament to the power of vision, innovation, and resilience. With this award, he has solidified his place as a leading figure in software engineering, setting a high standard for aspiring engineers alike. As technology continues to evolve, his work will undoubtedly continue to influence the future of the industry, demonstrating the boundless possibilities that innovation can unlock.

GIG Mobility (GIGM), Africa’s largest tech-driven mobility company, has announced the addition of “bills payment & e-wallet” functionality to its GIGM app.

The introduction of these new features is consistent with GIGM’s commitment to digital innovation and technology expansion beyond road mobility.

GIGM is dedicated to providing its thronging users with a convenient and hassle-free experience “by delivering easy-to-use and modern mobility products to Africans. The new app features reinforce this commitment by promoting a daily lifestyle based on “convenience,” allowing users to fund their e-wallet and pay bills in a matter of seconds. This eliminates the need to use multiple apps to carry out daily tasks.

“We will continue to pioneer modern transportation and change the way people travel and live across Africa, one country at a time, steered by our tenets of service, safety, and comfort.

“After Marshall’s hierarchy of human needs, convenience and comfort remain top priorities for individuals, and we have positioned ourselves to satisfy these needs by expanding our app features and functionality to enhance daily living. We want to give people the ability to “move” and “do freely,” GIGM’s newly appointed CEO Enahoro Okhae, stated.

In an age where bank cards and physical tokens for bank transfers are becoming obsolete, the e-wallet feature would allow app users to pay for transactions seamlessly and on the go to book trips, while the bills payment feature would provide an easy way for users to top-up airtime, pay electricity bills, renew cable TV subscriptions, and so much more.

GIGM’s Chief Technology Officer Kenneth Nwanganga, GIGM said: ” The Covid-19 pandemic gave insights to the unimaginable capabilities of technology and it’s application. The popularity of artificial intelligence, robotics and the massive adoption of cryptocurrencies are all pointers to what the future holds.

“We are determined to remain one of the dominant players leading the use of technology as all aspects of life become digitised. Nigerians now have more reasons and opportunities to connect with the GIGM brand, beyond transportation”.

GIGM began transitioning to a technology-first business model a few years ago, and features like this validate the company’s commitment to ease of movement and transactions.

“We are placing the power of tech in the hands of people. These best-in-class features help accelerate GIGM’s focus — transforming how customers view and interact with the transportation and mobility sector in Nigeria and throughout Africa. It will be one of many non-core mobility features that will be deployed in the near future,” Enahoro added.

“You can now complete multiple transactions with a single tap from wherever you are and whenever you want, without having to switch between apps or remember multiple passwords,” Kenneth concluded.

GIGM is steadfast in its commitment to enriching and improving the lives of Nigerians and Africans by leveraging the benefits of modern technology across diverse service touch – points while providing a seamless customer experience for all. With a mission to decentralize the mobility space, the appointment of  a new CEO and a new leadership structure, the company is primed to to give users across Africa the freedom to transact, invest, earn and move freely through modern technology, environmental sustainable initiatives and industry leadership.