Tag: job

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy that only bank workers of general manager status can be appointed compliance officers will take effect in November.  Banks are rushing to meet the requirement, which will see more hands being hired, reports COLLINS NWEZE.

To many banks, compliance officer is just another job, which anybody can do. No, says the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which is determined to make it a top grade job.

According to the CBN, compliance officers must be of the general manager level. The CBN framework seeks to ensure that workers possess the qualifications, skill and experience relevant to the jobs that they are engaged to do. It prescribes minimum requirements officers engaged in control function should possess. The primary goal of the framework is to provide reasonable assurance that a job holder is fit and proper and carries out, satisfactorily, the responsibilities of the office he occupies.

What this memo is that banks can no longer treat complaince officers’ job be levity. It is no longer job for the boys’ but one to be manned by those with requisite skill.

In drawing the framework, considerations were given to the kinds of jobs performed in the industry and the bodies of knowledge, skills and experiences needed to perform those jobs. The identification of gaps (where they exist) and how such gaps may be closed – possibly through education, training or acquisition of experience – were also covered.

Chief Executive Officer, Primex Background Check Limited, Frank Oyorhigho, said the policy will significantly push jobs in the banking sector up by the time all lenders comply with the directive.

He said such controlled positions are not expected to be handled by inexperienced workers, adding that it should push banks into promoting workers in lesser positions, recruiting experienced hands outside the banks or even going for retired bankers with needed experience.

“For banks that do not have people that are qualified to fill such positions, the right thing to do is go for qualified hands in other banks or recruit even retired bankers with similar experience. The implementation of this policy will create more jobs and help bridge the job loss that followed banking reforms,” he said.

Continuing, he said lenders would also explore poaching – recruiting the best officers in competing banks to fill vacant positions.

Analysts have advised qualified bank staff to take advantage of the policy and move to new roles in the sector.

The CBN and the Bankers’ Committee appointed the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) to serve as the Accreditation Agency under the Competency Framework.

The CBN said the skill gap that prompted the policy had manifested in, among others, the lack of indepth knowledge of core banking functions and poor understanding of basic banking operations; poor understanding of banking regulations; unethical conduct and unprofessional practices; and knowledge gaps in financial markets and treasury management.

Managing Director, Rockview Services, Kingsley Ogbuaku, said the recurring financial crisis in the country exposed the inadequacy of skills and dearth of executive capacity in the banking industry prompting ongoing staff audit in the sector.

He said reasons advanced for these inadequacies include the lack of a coordinated industry-recognised training accreditation and certification system as well as competency standards for practitioners in the industry.

“The development of staff competencies became imperative in addressing the inadequacies, thus, underscoring the need to review the training of new generation of banking professionals to develop and deliver satisfactory banking products and services to the consumers,” he said.

Ogbuaku advised banks to pay more attention to efficiency and security of banking operations by engaging the right employees to fill the sensitive positions.

The policy framework

Following a CBN mandate on banks to ensure that only staff on General Manager position are appointed as Compliance Officers is generating ripples in the financial services sector.

Disclosure by CBN Deputy Governor, Operations, Adebayo Adelabu that banks are lobbying the regulator to amend its position on the matter, by allowing staff on the Assistant General Manager post as Compliance Officers showed how desperate the lenders are to get the policy reversed.

Although the banks are calling for a back-down on the policy, Adelabu said it is unlikely that the policy will be reversed. The staff audit, implemented as competency framework, will be completed by November this year.

Adelabu, who spoke at this year’s Committee of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks in Nigeria (CCCOBIN) conference in Lagos, said the CBN has declined to grant the banks’ request. He said though the need for compliance has imposed additional costs on the banks, the right thing has to be done to protect the banking system from local and international fraudsters.

“For now, we have not granted that request. We are looking at it, but if we are going to come down on it, the public will know,” he said. He advised banks to comply with regulations as risks of non-compliance are costly. “If they think compliance is costly, let them try non-compliance,” he said.

Staff audit

The CBN has already commenced audit of statuses of Chief Compliance Officers of commercial banks, discount houses and development finance institutions. This is in line with its plan to ensure that only substantive Chief Compliance Officers occupy such position.

In a letter to commercial banks, discount houses and development finance institutions, the CBN Acting Director, Financial Policy and Regulation, Nwaoha I.T. directed the institutions to forward the particulars of their  Chief Compliance Officers and letters of approval of same obtained from Banking Supervision Department.

According to him, some institutions lack substantive Chief Compliance Officers and the officers occupying such position are doing so in acting capacity. They have also occupied that sensitive position in that capacity for a long period of time. Nwaoha said that these practices have negated the policy of the CBN on the appointment of the officers.

He said the banking watchdog is also committed to its stand, directing the affected financial institutions to appoint Chief Compliance Officers, not below the grade of General Manager. The institutions also need to go forward to enforce the provisions of the relevant Acts and circulars on money laundering at various levels of their firms.

The Acting Director, said Section 9(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), requires the lenders to designate, at management level, Chief Compliance Officers in their head offices and branches, who have the relevant competence, authority and independence to implement their institutions’ anti-money laundering compliance programme.

Job search requires a grand strategy, some semi-strategies and operational tactics. Whatever your strategies, are the key lesson for success in today’s job market is that you have to be pro-active. Most job seekers utilise the passive approach; they submit application/Curriculum Vitae when the opportunity comes their way, and wait.

When they don’t hear anything, they repeat the process. It is not wrong for you to apply the conventional means. But you will be out of the job queue faster if you employ creative and unconventional strategies. Afterall, you have nothing to lose, except may be your joblessness!

“The major difference between successful and unsuccessful job hunter is not some factors out there …..But the way they go about their job hunt”.

That was quoting Dick Boles, author of “What colour is upon parachute”.

You are seriously looking   for a job. I know. But are you looking for it in the right places? Are you asking/talking to the right people? Are you putting in the right amount of time and other resources? Are you deploying these resources in the right direction? These are important questions. Knowing whether you are doing the right thing can be the key to your unending job search.

Jobs, jobs, jobs everywhere! This I admit will be extremely difficult for an individual who has been looking for a job for over 3 years to believe. But in most instances there are more job openings than the job seeker knows about. That is easy to believe. And that the more you get to know about job opportunities, the better your chance of actualising the dream of a better job. Thus every effort must be made to create many opportunities of knowing about openings. This sounds elementary. But how have you been doing it?

The principle above is that you need to generate job leads. (It is only then that you can pursue it). And that the higher the quantity of job leads, the better. We, however, need to balance this with the quality of job leads. A higher quality job lead is the one that has a higher chance of your been employed. Looking in the newspaper can give you five, 10 leads on a single day. But a huge number of people looking for job will also have read the ads. You will therefore be operating in a crowded market. Imagine being given an introduction to a certain manager in a certain company, with a job opening. And the job may not be advertised. It may take days to see the person, but that is a high quality job lead. So you have to keep in mind the two variables (quality and quantity) and do some balancing.

Most employers as said earlier do not advertise. In fact, it is estimated that 80 per cent job are not advertised. Or when was the last time First Bank, MTN, Shell Glaxowelcom advertised? They would rather consider someone referred to them by a friend, trusted employees, colleagues, etc. It is like looking for a doctor or mechanic: we all prefer those ones introduced to us.

We will pursue this further next week

It bears repetition that nobody owes you a job. You have to go after it.

EkiniConsult is organising three free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free eBook only.

You are seriously looking for
a job. I know. But are you look
ing for it in the right places? Are you asking/talking to the right people? Are you putting in the right amount of time and other resources? Are you deploying these resources in the right direction? These are important questions. Knowing whether you are doing the right thing can be the key to your unending job search.

Networking as an option in job hunting is a targeted effort to talk to people about your job search. It should be a calculated campaign to contact people for ideas, suggestions and information. You should systematically pursue new contacts and information.

As essential as networking is to job search, many people have problems with formal networking as job searcher strategy- some are embarrassed to admit they are looking for work.

Some feel it is like begging for work. For others, it is “I don’t want people to feel I am taking advantage of them” these are excuses on their kneels – lame excuses, they call it.

Looking for work does not carry any stigma, most people change job on the average every 4-6 years. People are more understanding than you think. A basic principle of networking is that you are looking for information-you shouldn’t ask for a job. Asking for information shouldn’t be too much. In job search network, as in all networking situations endeavour to make it mutually beneficial.

There are four basic categories of networking contacts, each with its own unique value. And you should draw from each category:

• People  you know well-friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, etc

• People you see occasionally – acquaintances and business contacts.

• Referrals from your other networking contacts.

Following are some general networking guides:

• Initial contact for the sole purpose of networking. Do not wait to bump on people.

• Develop a networking list. Endeavour to make contact with everyone on your list. Add new people you meet or use referred to by your contacts.

• Set networking goals. What do you want to achieve with each contacts. How many contacts would you make per week? How many would you want to see/phone per week? Check progress.

• Come to meetings prepared. Know what questions you want to ask. Take notes. Always have your Curriculum Vitae handy. Contacts may turn to become potential employer in seconds or may what to refer your C. V to someone else.

• Always ask if the person knows of anyone else you should meet. Kind out if you can use his/her name when contacting much people.

• Maintain networking filling system including a record of outcomes of each contact and obtained information.

• Face – to – face meeting is always better.

• Show appreciation for opinion, assistance, time and information.

• Plan your follow up, implement follow-up plans.

• Say thank you often. Better in writing (or e-mail)

Stretch your network by meeting new people who are friends, associates and acquaintances of your networking contacts. Of course by now you are most probably out of your comfort zone, Go on. This is where real action is, and the good news is that you are closing in on a job. When approaching a referral contact, introduce yourself with a lead statement that attracts attention. Use the name of the person who referred you (except he forbids it or it is not tactical to do so). State your proposal. If it is a face-to face meeting, respect his time, be prepared and be professional.

EkiniConsult is organising three free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free e-Book only.

???????????????????????????

Effective Networking Strategies for For Job Hunting II

You are seriously looking   for a job. I know. But are you looking for it in the right places? Are you asking / talking is the right people? Are you putting in the right amount of time and other resources? Are you deploying these resources in the right direction? These are important questions. Knowing whether you are doing the right thing can be the key to your unending job search.

Networking as an option in job hunting is a targeted effort to talk to people about your job search. It should be a calculated campaign to contact people for ideas, suggestions and information. You should systematically pursue new contacts and information. As essential as networking is to job search, many people have problems with formal networking as job searcher strategy- some are embarrassed to admit they are looking for work. Some feel it is like begging for work. For others, it is “I don’t want people to feel I am taking advantage of them” these are excuses on their kneels – lame excuses, they call it. Looking for work does not carry any stigma, most people change job on the average every 4-6 years. People are more understanding than you think. A basic principle of networking is that you are looking for information-you shouldn’t ask for a job. Asking for information shouldn’t be too much. In job search network, as in all networking situations endeavor to make it mutually beneficial.

There are four basic categories of networking contacts, each with its own unique value. And you should draw from each category:

(a)                 People  you know well-friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, etc

(b)                People you see occasionally – acquaintances and business contacts.

(c)                 Referrals from your other networking contacts.

Following are some general networking guides:

i.                   Initial contact for the sole purpose of networking. Do not wait to bump on people.

ii.                  Develop a networking list. Endeavor to make contact with everyone on your list. Add new people you meet or use referred to by your contacts.

iii.                Set networking goals. What do you want to achieve with each contacts. How many contacts would you make per week? How many would you want to see/phone per week? Check progress.

iv.                 Come to meetings prepared. Know what questions you want to ask. Take notes. Always have your Curriculum Vitae handy. Contacts may turn to become potential employer in seconds or may what to refer your C. V to someone else.

v.                  Always ask if the person knows of anyone else you should meet. Kind out if you can use his/her name when contacting much people.

vi.                 Maintain networking filling system including a record of outcomes of each contact and obtained information.

vii.               Face – to – face meeting is always better

viii.              Show appreciation for opinion, assistance, time and information.

ix.                 Plan you follow up, implement follow-up plans.

x.                  Say thank you often. Better in writing ( or e-mail)

Stretch your network by meeting new people who are friends, associates and acquaintances of your networking contacts. Of course by now you are most probably out of your comfort zone, Go on. This is where real action is, and the good news is that you are closing in on a job. When approaching a referral contact, introduce yourself with a lead statement that attracts attention. Use the name of the person who referred you (except he forbids it or it is not tactical to do so). State your proposal. If it is a face-to face meeting, respect his time, be prepared and be professional.

EkiniConsult is organizing 3 free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free eBook only.

?????????????????????

Job search when you have to be discreet

When you don’t want your current employer to find out that you are job hunting, there are steps you can take to keep your job search confidential. The last thing you need to have happen when job searching is for your employer to accidentally find out that you’re looking for a new job. It could jeopardize both your current position and future references from your employer.

Here are some suggestions on how to effectively job hunt on the sly, so that the wrong person doesn’t find out that you are looking to make a move.

Stealth Job Hunting Do’s and Don’ts

Email Address

Do not use your work email address for job hunting. Use your personal account or set up a free web-based email account specifically for job searching.

Office Equipment

Don’t use your employer’s computers or phone system. Many employers monitor Internet usage and review phone call logs. Keep your resume, your email correspondence, and anything and everything related to your job search on your home computer.

Your Resume

Be careful where you post your resume. If you don’t want your current employer to accidently find your resume when searching for candidates, post on job sites where you can keep your employer and contact information confidential. For example, if you post your resume on Monster, you can make it confidential and your contact information and references won’t be displayed. You can block your present company’s name by entering an end date of present for your current position.

Additional Resume Options

Other options for protecting your privacy (aside from blocking) include listing a generic company name and job title, rather than a specific one. You can also leave off company contact information. Do the same with your contact information and phone numbers. List your job searching email address and cell phone number.

Telephone Tips

Do not use your work phone number for job hunting. Instead, put your cell phone number and/or home phone number on your resume. Be sure to have voice mail or an answering machine in place so you get the messages in a timely fashion.

How and When

If you can’t job hunt from work, what other options are there besides evenings and weekends? Visit a bookstore, cafe or library with internet access on your lunch hour and bring your laptop if you can find a wireless connection to use. Use your phone to job search – there are lots of job search apps available. Lunch time also a good time to return prospective employer phone calls, especially if you can take an early or late lunch to catch them in the office.

Interviewing

Try to schedule interviews for either the beginning or the end of the day or on your lunch hour. If you have vacation time you can use, schedule multiple interviews for the same day.

Dress the Part

If you typically wear jeans to work, don’t wear a suit when you have an interview scheduled. Someone will start wondering what the occasion is for dressing up.

Be Discreet

Be careful who you tell that you’re looking for a new job. If you tell co-workers, you can be sure that it will get back to your boss, one way or the other. Do tell your family, so they can take messages for you and so they don’t inadvertently spill the beans to your work colleagues and leave you a message that someone is calling about an interview.

Social Networking Sites

Be really careful what you post on social networking sites. Don’t tell your Facebook friends or your LinkedIn connections that you’re job searching. Don’t tweet about your job search activities either. Even if your boss doesn’t follow your updates, someone else may and the word that you’re job hunting could get back.

EkiniConsult & Associates is organizing 3 free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free eBook only.

There are many job seekers who, despite their seeming unassailable educational and professional qualifications, cannot get jobs. There are reasons for this. These range from failure to apply using modern techniques, to failure to update their curriculum vitae. TOBA AGBOOLA writes.

For job seekers, there is need to engage innovative methods to get the desired jobs.

Experts said old methods of job hunting are no longer working due to factors that range from the after effects of the global financial crisis to the peculiar challenges the country is grappling with. They said it is possible for serious job seekers to shake off the toga of unemployment, secure a job and become part of future workers’ day celebrations if the right things are done.

Immediate past President and Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), Mr. Abiola Poopola, said it is important for those seeking employment to know the right and modern techniques to apply. He said many artisan job seekers, graduates and professionals are not aware that innovate methods need to be brought to bear in their job search, saying to beat off competition from fellow employment hopefuls requires knowing these.

Popoola said not knowing the correct strategies to apply as a job seeker has resulted in cost opportunities, which ordinarily, would have easily been secured.

Human Resource Practitioner, Mr. Sunny Agboju, said the trend of mistakes by prospective job seekers persists because most job hunters do not  update their curriculum vitae and other professional profiles.

He said some fresh graduates believed that their curriculum vitae will fit all jobs. He said this is a wrong assumption, stressing that it is not surprising that those who have the techniques, apply and get the job.

“Job hunting is tough but absolutely not impossible. Job seekers must know that the key to finding and keeping work in tough times is the same as in good times. The more positive action you take, the better your chances of landing a great job,” he said.

He said, for instance, it is quite sad that many jobs published in newspapers have  been opened within the company, claiming that in most cases, the employees would have been given slots and mandated to provide qualified persons till the available vancant positions.

“Therefore, by the time the job gets online or in the dailies, a lot must have happened, candidates from everywhere must have sent in their resumes. At this time, you are at a disadvantage. Most of these jobs are posted for formality sake, so that the company can be seen to be offering equal opportunities to everyone.

“A proactive person will get to know if there is a recruitment going on before it goes public.

“A proactive person is one who has passed stage one of this job posts, knowing the hiring manager or employment agents. He puts up coded calls on a regular basis to find out what is new and what is happening in the company, relates with hiring officers or manager regularly,” he said.

Outlining techniques and strategies that could be applied by job seekers to land targeted jobs,  Country Director, Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) Nigeria, Mrs. Omowumi Gbadamosi, said candidates must be smart and fast and be better than their counterparts.

According to her, following up immediately after meeting someone or learning of an opportunity, or returning calls right away are some smart, fast and better strategies that a job seeker can employ to get a job and also by extension, become part of workers events. For instance by attending workshops, fora and others.

Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in the world. Like every other highly populated country, it is expected that the unemployment rate would be high. Whenever there is a job opening, thousands of people if not millions apply online, using the same methods, the same type of resume/CV templates and in most cases, they all have similar aims and objectives.

“Therefore, the best way to overcome this scenario is to be one-step ahead of the many other applicants, conduct your job search online but do not apply online unless it is very necessary to do so. After that, take one-step forward ahead of your competitors by also applying in person. Find out who the hiring managers are and make direct contacts with them. Getting their phone numbers or email address is a good way to go,” she said.

Industrial Relations expert, Dr. Peter Okhiria, said there is a psychological challenge associated with being unemployed, particularly when there is ability and willingness on the part of the unemployed to work.

He said it is important for individuals and the national socio-economic well-being that willing and able job seekers get work, or have an avenue to speak out.

He said it was the division that exists within labour circles that gave room for a critical stakeholder like job seekers to become exempted from an event that would have provided an excellent opportunity for the country’s policy makers to remember the challenges the unemployed are grappling with.

Chief Executive of Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria, (ISMN), Mr. Yemi Mapaderun, said it is necessary for employment hopefuls to challenge themselves at all time. He said they should also  show up at forums where attention could be drawn to their situation.

He explained that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the closest to insanity, noting that job seekers need to initiate, develop and adopt new concepts that can aid their chances of getting jobs.

“Job seekers in any case don’t have to wait for any formal invitation from labour groups to attend any labour gathering where the people that can change their situation are fully gathered. They must take their destiny in their own hands and not wait for things to be done the way they have always been.”

He pointed out that to get a job in an economy as challenging as Nigeria’s, job seekers must adopt the strategies of casting their nets  wide and become more creative than ever.

Mapaderun said trying new and various approach holds the key for an effective job search for artisans and professionals.

“Challenge yourself to attend networking events in new industries, towns or social circles. Start looking in the newspaper if you have never done that before. Look for jobs at small companies if you have always looked to working big corporations,” he said, adding that most great things have humble beginings.