It is high time we gave another definition to the term “education”. To some people, education borders on going to school, acquiring degrees and working for a company to earn a salary at the end of the month.
My dear readers, education goes beyond acquiring certificate, “ we must redefine education“…. Education teaches you about how to make rules, break rules, and challenge an ongoing trend, school teaches you about how to follow rules, live by the rules, and live an ongoing trend unchallenged, thereby limiting that power of creativity in you.
Have you witnessed a scenerio whereby you asked a Maths lecturer about how he arrived at a certain formula, and he tells you “that is how it is done”?, and mind you, if you do anything contrary…you FAIL his exam, therefore you must follow the rules.
A truly educated man is he who has developed the faculties of his mind to follow his passion, find solutions where there are problems without following the rules, but creates his own ways through his deep imagination to achieve his dreams.
Checkout most of the world’s richest people today, they are mostly school dropouts. Do you think they are not educated because they are school dropouts? Far from it! They are really educated in their own ways, they simply decided to build their own dreams rather than allow themselves to be hired by other people to build theirs.
So many people spend their precious years in school only to end up acquiring certificate NOT education.
Examples of these people include:
1) * People who don’t practise what they
learn in school before graduation.
As a student of Computer Science, how many codes have you written that worked? Have you been able to (in reality) write a program that solves the problem of an organisation?
As a student of Business Administration, how many
businesses have you started? How many times have you experienced failiure in business, and rose again? So, are you putting what you are learning in school into practice? The school will not give or teach you these orientation but education will.
2)*People who have no SKILLS
…successful people don’t depend on the
government of their country to provide jobs for
them. A truly educated person has skills, an uneducated fellow can only boast of his certificate without any skills to back it up. True education lies in the ability to solve problems with the skills you possess…..what are you waiting for? STAND UP NOW, do not procrastinate, learn a skill you are passionate about.
What am I advocating?
This write-up is not in anyway articulated to undermine the importance of schooling… Going to school is very important but our mindset about school is what we are advised to change.
TRUE EDUCATION PREPARES YOU TO
SURVIVE WITHOUT YOUR CERTIFICATE.
Monday, August 8, 2016
EDUCATED ILLITERATES – EDUCATION IS BEYOND CERTIFICATE
It is high time we gave another definition to the term “education”. To some people, education borders on going to school, acquiring degrees and working for a company to earn a salary at the end of the month.
My dear readers, education goes beyond acquiring certificate, “ we must redefine education“…. Education teaches you about how to make rules, break rules, and challenge an ongoing trend, school teaches you about how to follow rules, live by the rules, and live an ongoing trend unchallenged, thereby limiting that power of creativity in you.
Have you witnessed a scenerio whereby you asked a Maths lecturer about how he arrived at a certain formula, and he tells you “that is how it is done”?, and mind you, if you do anything contrary…you FAIL his exam, therefore you must follow the rules.
A truly educated man is he who has developed the faculties of his mind to follow his passion, find solutions where there are problems without following the rules, but creates his own ways through his deep imagination to achieve his dreams.
Checkout most of the world’s richest people today, they are mostly school dropouts. Do you think they are not educated because they are school dropouts? Far from it! They are really educated in their own ways, they simply decided to build their own dreams rather than allow themselves to be hired by other people to build theirs.
So many people spend their precious years in school only to end up acquiring certificate NOT education.
Examples of these people include:
1) * People who don’t practise what they
learn in school before graduation.
As a student of Computer Science, how many codes have you written that worked? Have you been able to (in reality) write a program that solves the problem of an organisation?
As a student of Business Administration, how many
businesses have you started? How many times have you experienced failiure in business, and rose again? So, are you putting what you are learning in school into practice? The school will not give or teach you these orientation but education will.
2)*People who have no SKILLS
…successful people don’t depend on the
government of their country to provide jobs for
them. A truly educated person has skills, an uneducated fellow can only boast of his certificate without any skills to back it up. True education lies in the ability to solve problems with the skills you possess…..what are you waiting for? STAND UP NOW, do not procrastinate, learn a skill you are passionate about.
What am I advocating?
This write-up is not in anyway articulated to undermine the importance of schooling… Going to school is very important but our mindset about school is what we are advised to change.
TRUE EDUCATION PREPARES YOU TO
SURVIVE WITHOUT YOUR CERTIFICATE.
My dear readers, education goes beyond acquiring certificate, “ we must redefine education“…. Education teaches you about how to make rules, break rules, and challenge an ongoing trend, school teaches you about how to follow rules, live by the rules, and live an ongoing trend unchallenged, thereby limiting that power of creativity in you.
Have you witnessed a scenerio whereby you asked a Maths lecturer about how he arrived at a certain formula, and he tells you “that is how it is done”?, and mind you, if you do anything contrary…you FAIL his exam, therefore you must follow the rules.
A truly educated man is he who has developed the faculties of his mind to follow his passion, find solutions where there are problems without following the rules, but creates his own ways through his deep imagination to achieve his dreams.
Checkout most of the world’s richest people today, they are mostly school dropouts. Do you think they are not educated because they are school dropouts? Far from it! They are really educated in their own ways, they simply decided to build their own dreams rather than allow themselves to be hired by other people to build theirs.
So many people spend their precious years in school only to end up acquiring certificate NOT education.
Examples of these people include:
1) * People who don’t practise what they
learn in school before graduation.
As a student of Computer Science, how many codes have you written that worked? Have you been able to (in reality) write a program that solves the problem of an organisation?
As a student of Business Administration, how many
businesses have you started? How many times have you experienced failiure in business, and rose again? So, are you putting what you are learning in school into practice? The school will not give or teach you these orientation but education will.
2)*People who have no SKILLS
…successful people don’t depend on the
government of their country to provide jobs for
them. A truly educated person has skills, an uneducated fellow can only boast of his certificate without any skills to back it up. True education lies in the ability to solve problems with the skills you possess…..what are you waiting for? STAND UP NOW, do not procrastinate, learn a skill you are passionate about.
What am I advocating?
This write-up is not in anyway articulated to undermine the importance of schooling… Going to school is very important but our mindset about school is what we are advised to change.
TRUE EDUCATION PREPARES YOU TO
SURVIVE WITHOUT YOUR CERTIFICATE.
EDUCATED ILLITERATES – EDUCATION IS BEYOND CERTIFICATE
It is high time we gave another definition to the term “education”. To some people, education borders on going to school, acquiring degrees and working for a company to earn a salary at the end of the month.
My dear readers, education goes beyond acquiring certificate, “ we must redefine education“…. Education teaches you about how to make rules, break rules, and challenge an ongoing trend, school teaches you about how to follow rules, live by the rules, and live an ongoing trend unchallenged, thereby limiting that power of creativity in you.
Have you witnessed a scenerio whereby you asked a Maths lecturer about how he arrived at a certain formula, and he tells you “that is how it is done”?, and mind you, if you do anything contrary…you FAIL his exam, therefore you must follow the rules.
A truly educated man is he who has developed the faculties of his mind to follow his passion, find solutions where there are problems without following the rules, but creates his own ways through his deep imagination to achieve his dreams.
Checkout most of the world’s richest people today, they are mostly school dropouts. Do you think they are not educated because they are school dropouts? Far from it! They are really educated in their own ways, they simply decided to build their own dreams rather than allow themselves to be hired by other people to build theirs.
So many people spend their precious years in school only to end up acquiring certificate NOT education.
Examples of these people include:
1) * People who don’t practise what they
learn in school before graduation.
As a student of Computer Science, how many codes have you written that worked? Have you been able to (in reality) write a program that solves the problem of an organisation?
As a student of Business Administration, how many
businesses have you started? How many times have you experienced failiure in business, and rose again? So, are you putting what you are learning in school into practice? The school will not give or teach you these orientation but education will.
2)*People who have no SKILLS
…successful people don’t depend on the
government of their country to provide jobs for
them. A truly educated person has skills, an uneducated fellow can only boast of his certificate without any skills to back it up. True education lies in the ability to solve problems with the skills you possess…..what are you waiting for? STAND UP NOW, do not procrastinate, learn a skill you are passionate about.
What am I advocating?
This write-up is not in anyway articulated to undermine the importance of schooling… Going to school is very important but our mindset about school is what we are advised to change.
TRUE EDUCATION PREPARES YOU TO
SURVIVE WITHOUT YOUR CERTIFICATE.
My dear readers, education goes beyond acquiring certificate, “ we must redefine education“…. Education teaches you about how to make rules, break rules, and challenge an ongoing trend, school teaches you about how to follow rules, live by the rules, and live an ongoing trend unchallenged, thereby limiting that power of creativity in you.
Have you witnessed a scenerio whereby you asked a Maths lecturer about how he arrived at a certain formula, and he tells you “that is how it is done”?, and mind you, if you do anything contrary…you FAIL his exam, therefore you must follow the rules.
A truly educated man is he who has developed the faculties of his mind to follow his passion, find solutions where there are problems without following the rules, but creates his own ways through his deep imagination to achieve his dreams.
Checkout most of the world’s richest people today, they are mostly school dropouts. Do you think they are not educated because they are school dropouts? Far from it! They are really educated in their own ways, they simply decided to build their own dreams rather than allow themselves to be hired by other people to build theirs.
So many people spend their precious years in school only to end up acquiring certificate NOT education.
Examples of these people include:
1) * People who don’t practise what they
learn in school before graduation.
As a student of Computer Science, how many codes have you written that worked? Have you been able to (in reality) write a program that solves the problem of an organisation?
As a student of Business Administration, how many
businesses have you started? How many times have you experienced failiure in business, and rose again? So, are you putting what you are learning in school into practice? The school will not give or teach you these orientation but education will.
2)*People who have no SKILLS
…successful people don’t depend on the
government of their country to provide jobs for
them. A truly educated person has skills, an uneducated fellow can only boast of his certificate without any skills to back it up. True education lies in the ability to solve problems with the skills you possess…..what are you waiting for? STAND UP NOW, do not procrastinate, learn a skill you are passionate about.
What am I advocating?
This write-up is not in anyway articulated to undermine the importance of schooling… Going to school is very important but our mindset about school is what we are advised to change.
TRUE EDUCATION PREPARES YOU TO
SURVIVE WITHOUT YOUR CERTIFICATE.
5 TIPS ON HOW TO BUILD YOUR RESUME WHILE IN SCHOOL
Nobody can ever underestimate how important it is to have a good resume. First impressions count, and the first impression that a potential employer will have of you, is going to depend on how you present your resume. This is going to be your one and only chance to capture a potential employer’s attention, or for your resume to be tossed into the file of those they don’t want to pursue.
So how can you build a resume while still in school?
Review yourself
Being in school teaches you transferable skills to
the workplace without you even knowing it. You
have to spend time looking for them because
teachers don’t have time in each class to point out the skills. For example – full time students are often adept at organization because you are doing sometimes up to six subjects with multiple
assignment and you fit them all in and on time.
Consider volunteering
This is an excellent supplement to a resume and helps build more transferable skills into the workplace. It demonstrates a well-rounded and grounded individual to a potential employer as well as a hard-worker. There are many opportunities for school students to give back to the community.
Choose a Format
There are several basic types of resumes used to apply for job openings. Depending on your personal circumstances, choose a chronological, a functional, combination, or a targeted resume. Here are the different types of resumes to use to apply for jobs.
Focus on a Job type
Resumes work best when they are prepared for a specific job. So what kind of job are you interested in after school? Knowing the answer, will help you focus your resume appropriately. Not all types of resumes are useful for every job type, and you have to know the difference between a resume and a CV.
Close with referees
Make sure you contact these referees first and let them know you are using them. There is nothing worse than a referee caught off guard to ruin your chances. If your still working on sourcing referees or there are privacy concerns initially close with referees available on request. But make sure you have these issues sorted out before any interview.
So how can you build a resume while still in school?
Review yourself
Being in school teaches you transferable skills to
the workplace without you even knowing it. You
have to spend time looking for them because
teachers don’t have time in each class to point out the skills. For example – full time students are often adept at organization because you are doing sometimes up to six subjects with multiple
assignment and you fit them all in and on time.
Consider volunteering
This is an excellent supplement to a resume and helps build more transferable skills into the workplace. It demonstrates a well-rounded and grounded individual to a potential employer as well as a hard-worker. There are many opportunities for school students to give back to the community.
Choose a Format
There are several basic types of resumes used to apply for job openings. Depending on your personal circumstances, choose a chronological, a functional, combination, or a targeted resume. Here are the different types of resumes to use to apply for jobs.
Focus on a Job type
Resumes work best when they are prepared for a specific job. So what kind of job are you interested in after school? Knowing the answer, will help you focus your resume appropriately. Not all types of resumes are useful for every job type, and you have to know the difference between a resume and a CV.
Close with referees
Make sure you contact these referees first and let them know you are using them. There is nothing worse than a referee caught off guard to ruin your chances. If your still working on sourcing referees or there are privacy concerns initially close with referees available on request. But make sure you have these issues sorted out before any interview.
10 HELPFUL TIPS FOR 2ND CLASS LOWER AND 3RD CLASS GRADUATES
A lot of emphasis have been placed on the need for students to graduate with stellar grades. I will continue to advise same. It’s common knowledge that most big firms in Nigeria don’t recruit graduates with less than a 2.1. Many graduates
with 2.2 or lower are not even given the chance to prove themselves, eventhough some of them may be better than some graduates with higher grades.
This is exacerbated by the high unemployment rate in Nigeria. It won’t be a shocking news to know that there are still a few organizations that aren’t even accepting corps members (before the recent policy on posting), graduate interns and contract staff with grades lower than 2.1.
But that truth remains that students will continue to graduate with such grades, whether we want it or not. Many finish with such grades for reasons that are entirely avoidable while others are caused by factors seemingly beyond their control.
But whatever the reason, they still deserve to live a fulfilled and responsible life. A few have sought my advice as they appear confused after graduating with 2.2. or third class. I have therefore decided to provide some general tips that can help graduates with 2.2 and lower. This is based on personal observation and experiences of others, some of whom I know to have made remarkable successes despite their low grades. Adapt them to your peculiar situation.
1. Work on your mindset –
This is the first step towards overcoming the challenge of having a low grade. Accept the reality that it is likely going to be tougher for you out there compared to other graduates and start preparing for it. Know that you will most likely have to prove yourself and work harder than others. Don’t sit and whine peevishly about how life has been unfair to you. Life itself is a challenge. Realize the challenges on time and brace up for it. Don’t waste precious time on regrets and don’t fall into the trap of inferiority complex.
Also Read HOW TO BOOST GPA/CGPA IN PAAU
2. Network –
Let’s face the facts and not deceive ourselves. Graduating with a 2.2 means that chances of joining the one of the big companies as an entry level staff in Nigeria in an open recruitment process is lower than others with better grades. Very few companies give 2.2 graduates the even the slightest opportunity to prove themselves. It is therefore very essential for you to learn to network. Improve your interpersonal skills and hone your networking skills. From observation, more than 70% of the graduates I know that graduated with 2.2 or less in the last 5 years got their jobs through networking. Strengthen your networking skills. Go to conferences, professional associations, etc. Get reliable contacts and industry informants. Polish your linkedin profile. Don’t ignore religious and ethnic gatherings too. Friends can also be very helpful.
3. Improve your communication skill and
confidence –
This cannot be overemphasized. Communication skills (speaking and writing) can greatly enhance your chances of getting a job. The difference between 2 equally smart graduates may boil down to the ability of one being to express himself more than the other. Communication and confidence go together. Confidence in speaking can even make falsehood appear true. Have you ever wondered why con artists are able to swindle people? They talk and write displaying great poise and confidence. This is not to say that you need to lie arrogantly to get a job. I’m simply reiterating the need for you to sell yourself suitably because no one else will. You stand a better chance if you can.
4. Go for a masters or professional
certification as soon as possible-
While a masters or certification will not entirely take away the drawback caused by having a 2.2, it might ameliorate the effect. Believe me, there is a big difference between a BSc (2.2) in Accounting and a BSc (2.2) in Accounting + ICAN certification. Same goes for a BSc (2.2) in electrical engineering and a BSc (2.2) electrical engineering + MSc (distinction) in software engineering. Some companies are willing to consider 2.2 backed with a masters degree. The last NNPC advert for entry level positions considered 2.2 but with Masters degree. Besides, one can pursue an academic career depending on how good your postgraduate results are. It is good to consider a good postgraduate programme.
5. Learn new skills –
Your skills can enhance your employability. Search for suitable skills that can complement your BSc degree or help you build a career for which you are interested. I have seen graduates learn programming, graphic designs, web design, etc and making a whole lot of money from them. Some learn useful engineering softwares. Some are simply astounding when it comes to database management. Others have great marketing ability. Quite a few are good writers and bloggers. The list goes on and on.
also Read : THE EXACT REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT NOT GET A FIRST CLASS DEGREE
6. Don’t be discouraged to start small –
While it is not impossible that you land the big
dream job in a top organization on your first trial, the chances may not be very high. Fortunately, the significance of grades diminish gradually as you acquire relevant job experience. Never feel discouraged if you have to start from a humbling work background. You do need that relevant job experience. It may come from an internship or volunteer experience. It may be a frustrating one- man business. The pay may appear too little for your comfort. The employment may be on contract basis. It doesn’t matter. Squeeze out as much experience as you can. All those experiences from the so-called ‘dirty’ jobs can add significant weight to your resume in your next big job hunt.
7. Practice hard copy CV circulation –
We all know that there are very few openly advertised vacancies that require 2.2. for entry level positions. You might wait endlessly as a 2.2 graduate if you are seeking only publicly advertised jobs. Common! Quit waiting! Clean up your CV and cover letter, and pursue the unadvertised jobs. Go for unsolicited job applications. You will be positively surprised by how much success you can achieve by that singular but potent act of dropping CV’s.
8. Get mentors –
There is nothing more inspiring than seeing others who have passed through the same struggles and have overcome. You should try and get one or two mentors that can share their experiences and guide you appropriately in your career pursuits.
9. Consider other available options –
You may need to do some critical thinking about options that are open for you. In some cases, students finish with low grades because they chose the wrong course . And in such situations, it may be very difficult to compete against other motivated graduates of same or similar courses. Like a Nigerian adage says ‘ there is more than one route to the marketplace’. Are there other career options available for you to delve into? Have you considered entrepreneurship, multi-level marketing, sales job, etc? Do you love fashion designing, estate management, information technology, etc? Are there ‘menial’ jobs you have handled in the past that can fetch you big money if you decide to go fully into it – like maintenance jobs, food services, dry cleaning jobs, etc.
10. Exercise patience and pray –
Don’t expect a sudden breakthrough immediately. If it happens, rejoice. If it does not, keep developing yourself. Exercise some patience and continue to work hard. I sincerely believe in the powers of miracle. We all need some elements of luck (some call it favour) in the labour market. That’s where the power of prayer comes.
with 2.2 or lower are not even given the chance to prove themselves, eventhough some of them may be better than some graduates with higher grades.
This is exacerbated by the high unemployment rate in Nigeria. It won’t be a shocking news to know that there are still a few organizations that aren’t even accepting corps members (before the recent policy on posting), graduate interns and contract staff with grades lower than 2.1.
But that truth remains that students will continue to graduate with such grades, whether we want it or not. Many finish with such grades for reasons that are entirely avoidable while others are caused by factors seemingly beyond their control.
But whatever the reason, they still deserve to live a fulfilled and responsible life. A few have sought my advice as they appear confused after graduating with 2.2. or third class. I have therefore decided to provide some general tips that can help graduates with 2.2 and lower. This is based on personal observation and experiences of others, some of whom I know to have made remarkable successes despite their low grades. Adapt them to your peculiar situation.
1. Work on your mindset –
This is the first step towards overcoming the challenge of having a low grade. Accept the reality that it is likely going to be tougher for you out there compared to other graduates and start preparing for it. Know that you will most likely have to prove yourself and work harder than others. Don’t sit and whine peevishly about how life has been unfair to you. Life itself is a challenge. Realize the challenges on time and brace up for it. Don’t waste precious time on regrets and don’t fall into the trap of inferiority complex.
Also Read HOW TO BOOST GPA/CGPA IN PAAU
2. Network –
Let’s face the facts and not deceive ourselves. Graduating with a 2.2 means that chances of joining the one of the big companies as an entry level staff in Nigeria in an open recruitment process is lower than others with better grades. Very few companies give 2.2 graduates the even the slightest opportunity to prove themselves. It is therefore very essential for you to learn to network. Improve your interpersonal skills and hone your networking skills. From observation, more than 70% of the graduates I know that graduated with 2.2 or less in the last 5 years got their jobs through networking. Strengthen your networking skills. Go to conferences, professional associations, etc. Get reliable contacts and industry informants. Polish your linkedin profile. Don’t ignore religious and ethnic gatherings too. Friends can also be very helpful.
3. Improve your communication skill and
confidence –
This cannot be overemphasized. Communication skills (speaking and writing) can greatly enhance your chances of getting a job. The difference between 2 equally smart graduates may boil down to the ability of one being to express himself more than the other. Communication and confidence go together. Confidence in speaking can even make falsehood appear true. Have you ever wondered why con artists are able to swindle people? They talk and write displaying great poise and confidence. This is not to say that you need to lie arrogantly to get a job. I’m simply reiterating the need for you to sell yourself suitably because no one else will. You stand a better chance if you can.
4. Go for a masters or professional
certification as soon as possible-
While a masters or certification will not entirely take away the drawback caused by having a 2.2, it might ameliorate the effect. Believe me, there is a big difference between a BSc (2.2) in Accounting and a BSc (2.2) in Accounting + ICAN certification. Same goes for a BSc (2.2) in electrical engineering and a BSc (2.2) electrical engineering + MSc (distinction) in software engineering. Some companies are willing to consider 2.2 backed with a masters degree. The last NNPC advert for entry level positions considered 2.2 but with Masters degree. Besides, one can pursue an academic career depending on how good your postgraduate results are. It is good to consider a good postgraduate programme.
5. Learn new skills –
Your skills can enhance your employability. Search for suitable skills that can complement your BSc degree or help you build a career for which you are interested. I have seen graduates learn programming, graphic designs, web design, etc and making a whole lot of money from them. Some learn useful engineering softwares. Some are simply astounding when it comes to database management. Others have great marketing ability. Quite a few are good writers and bloggers. The list goes on and on.
also Read : THE EXACT REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT NOT GET A FIRST CLASS DEGREE
6. Don’t be discouraged to start small –
While it is not impossible that you land the big
dream job in a top organization on your first trial, the chances may not be very high. Fortunately, the significance of grades diminish gradually as you acquire relevant job experience. Never feel discouraged if you have to start from a humbling work background. You do need that relevant job experience. It may come from an internship or volunteer experience. It may be a frustrating one- man business. The pay may appear too little for your comfort. The employment may be on contract basis. It doesn’t matter. Squeeze out as much experience as you can. All those experiences from the so-called ‘dirty’ jobs can add significant weight to your resume in your next big job hunt.
7. Practice hard copy CV circulation –
We all know that there are very few openly advertised vacancies that require 2.2. for entry level positions. You might wait endlessly as a 2.2 graduate if you are seeking only publicly advertised jobs. Common! Quit waiting! Clean up your CV and cover letter, and pursue the unadvertised jobs. Go for unsolicited job applications. You will be positively surprised by how much success you can achieve by that singular but potent act of dropping CV’s.
8. Get mentors –
There is nothing more inspiring than seeing others who have passed through the same struggles and have overcome. You should try and get one or two mentors that can share their experiences and guide you appropriately in your career pursuits.
9. Consider other available options –
You may need to do some critical thinking about options that are open for you. In some cases, students finish with low grades because they chose the wrong course . And in such situations, it may be very difficult to compete against other motivated graduates of same or similar courses. Like a Nigerian adage says ‘ there is more than one route to the marketplace’. Are there other career options available for you to delve into? Have you considered entrepreneurship, multi-level marketing, sales job, etc? Do you love fashion designing, estate management, information technology, etc? Are there ‘menial’ jobs you have handled in the past that can fetch you big money if you decide to go fully into it – like maintenance jobs, food services, dry cleaning jobs, etc.
10. Exercise patience and pray –
Don’t expect a sudden breakthrough immediately. If it happens, rejoice. If it does not, keep developing yourself. Exercise some patience and continue to work hard. I sincerely believe in the powers of miracle. We all need some elements of luck (some call it favour) in the labour market. That’s where the power of prayer comes.
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