omanzo02: In Nigeria's HR circle it's certificate that matter, in developed world your skill is what really matter, not certificate but my experience/skill I acquired in Nigeria landed me my job that was also contested by candidates with higher certificate than me and all were European , that is the irony of life. The day we begin to take value in talent and capabilities, that will be the beginning of Change in Nigeria.

Let us be clear about this, there is no job application in the world where your grade does not matter. You cannot tell me that you acquired your job with 3rd class or Pass. In europe, 2:2 is a universally accepted good-enough grade to land a job. Due to few job openings (supply) and Multide of applicants (demand) (from law of supply and demand), the price goes high (sometimes astronomically)hence in Nigeria, your first class does not even guarantee you an invite for interview as Msc, MBA,MA etc is the order of the day.

This is the price we pay daily for the rotten society we live in called Nigeria

To be invited for an interview, you must meet the requirements of the recruiter. During interview, your capability, knowledge, talent and defense of your "certificates" comes in.

omanzo02:

Jarus,

Spare me that Nigeria's craps, I have seen happenings in both world, certificate in Europe is just a mere proof you studied theoretically for the profession but is not proof you are good at it, that is the perception/belief in recruitment bureaus and in firms here,, even if you are armed with PhD degree is not a guarantee here against someone with common diploma with experience. Skill/experience also earn you more money here than than certificate.

I do not know where you trade, but my 7 years educational life in Europe did not only proof that I studied theoretically but practically through summer internships. I garnered over 2 years hands-on/practical experience thru summer internships. With all due respect, if you did Bachelors degree abroad you will know this. Your certificate does not guarantee you a job anywhere in the world. As stated in my previous post it only secure you and invite for interview.

BayoAA:

Let us be clear about this, there is no job application in the world where your grade does not matter. You cannot tell me that you acquired your job with 3rd class or Pass. In europe, 2:2 is a universally accepted good-enough grade to land a job. Due to few job openings (supply) and Multide of applicants (demand) (from law of supply and demand), the price goes high (sometimes astronomically)hence in Nigeria, your first class does not even guarantee you an invite for interview as Msc, MBA,MA etc is the order of the day.

This is the price we pay daily for the rotten society we live in called Nigeria

To be invited for an interview, you must meet the requirements of the recruiter. During interview, your capability, knowledge, talent and defense of your "certificates" comes in.

BayoAA,

Funny enough MOST firms or recruiting bureaus don't discriminate with classes of certificate u have, because they feel everyone deserves a chance to prove his/herself before them, even in the high paying professions u won't find thousands of people applying for it because u'll find hundreds or thousands of firms that needs such profession in abundance, and here they believe more in passing over of experience/skill, after 5 years of working experience that is when they will start to take u and your certificate seriously in subsequent job interview.

BayoAA:

I do not know where you trade, but my 7 years educational life in Europe did not only proof that I studied theoretically but practically through summer internships. I garnered over 2 years hands-on/practical experience thru summer internships. With all due respect, if you did Bachelors degree abroad you will know this. Your certificate does not guarantee you a job anywhere in the world. As stated in my previous post it only secure you and invite for interview.

If I get u right summer internship is usually for a period of 3 months yearly if u are under the 21 years old (here in Belgium), but unlimited above 21, that may get u a consideration from an employer but not against someone/candidates with a continuous hands-on/practical experience.

Cool:

I am compelled to respond to this post because of the misinformed arrogance of Boladonas and the potential his/her post has to douse the spirit of some of our young, bright 2.2-classed youths. I will try to be brief in my response to the post.

I agree that an easy way for organisations (and thus HR personnel) in Nigeria to approximate intellectual potential is CPGA. Howevever, anyone who schooled, works or practises HR in Nigeria and categorically states that 2.1 class equates high IQ should also categorically be labelled uninformed.

Having said that, every organisation has a right to set its HR policy and as long as its statements and behaviours are ethical, it does not owe anybody any apology.
HR personnel simply implement organisational policies so, it would be unfair to lay the blame at the door of HR personnel solely however, since HR is now expected to occupy a more strategic position within an organiation, maybe they can be challenged to come up with metrics that may be better suited to the Nigerian environment.

I graduated some years ago, with an unclassed degree that has been accepted in global circles as 1st class. So, I am not writing this to defend my 2.2 class (as some might be wont to speculate). It is simply to state that someone with 2.2; especially high CPGA cannot be labelled as brawn. It could simply be that the person was not inclined to engage in some untoward practices that might have tipped him/her into 2.1. It might also be that the method of education in Nigeria did not bring out the best in the person. Isn't it interesting that the ratio of Nigerians with 1st class and 2.1 degrees from foreign universities is disproportionately high when compared with domestic graduates? I could go on about this, but I'll stop after I say this: The expression that only 2.1 and above have high IQ is antiquated and better left within the confines of offices that still subscribe to such thinking

Now, to the 2.2 graduates, what Boladonas has exhibited is the classic unfounded and undefendable arrogance that you will find in some organisations (especially the consulting firms). They need to sustain that mentality to keep convincing themselves that there is something different about them. Take them away from the ocean of templates that they are immersed in and they are usually lost!! Interestingly, there are some postgraduate courses outside Nigeria that someone with a 2.1 degree from a Nigerian university will not be admitted to - so, "2.1 equals high IQ" firms/HR personnel.... what do you say to that?

Anyway, if you have a 2.2 degree, you simply need to sit down, rediscover yourself and chart your course. Don't get angry with the System, it's not worth it.
Decide where you want to go, research on how you can get there and don't let anyone tell you that you can't or label you low IQ.
A well-travelled route for a lot of people is to obtain a Masters degree from abroad. Just spread out your nets.

I wish you the best!!

Cool
PS: I love our 1st class and 2.1 guys too!! Well done!

Very true. I finished with a 2:2. I had to rediscover myself and chart another course which is better suited for me. I'm a HR practitioner now and doing well by God's grace. That said, any organization can decide to chose whatever grade they want. The only thing that irks me is when they discriminate based on age, state of origin and whatever rubbish else we see in Nigeria today. If we want to compare with western countries, as long as you have a degree and prove yourself during testing, most times, no one asks you for your gpa except you're competing for an entry level position or a graduate student position whereby to narrow down the criteria, gpa becomes important. Oh well, like someone mentioned, it's because there is a multitude of applicants that's why they can do this.

And to people with 2:2, the fact that you have a 2:2 shouldn't discourage you. I know people with masters, first class and 2:1 with no jobs. I also know people with third class and they still got jobs in the same Nigeria.

emmylee097: I believe this is best medium to display my disappoint and anger at we NIGERIANS(HR Personals) for your inconsistent employment criteria.
Based on a true event a firm(one of the big four) informed an applicant of their intention not to proceed with his interview process .After persisting he was informed his 2.2 grade is the sole reason for that action.
All efforts to explain to the panel that his CGPA was 3.49 fell into deaf earsYou might need to know that two employment stages have been conducted prior to this stage.
THE QUESTION IS HOW LONG ARE WE(NIGERIAN HR PERSONEL)GOING TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT CGPA GRADE RATHER THAN THE CANDIDATES TALENT.THAT IS A GIFT MOST FOREIGN HR STAFFS NEED TO TEACH WE BLACKS.
(that won't kill his zeal to seek better offers,but we need to change).

The HR people are still blinded by certificates, afterall Coscharis,Bill Gates,Chachangi,Ishiaku Rabiu and a host of the richest men In Nigeria who employ the so called graduates are Illiterares