INTRODUCTION

1. It is everybody’s dream to live a comfortable life – one that is void of material needs. Most people realise that to achieve this they need to earn an income. In the days of our forefathers, farming, fishing or hunting provided sufficient needs for a man and his family. It provided food or the means to acquire food and other necessities. As the years passed, western education began to shape the way we live. Going to school now meant one will be learning to earn a good living without the strenuous hard work of the older traditional jobs such as farming and the rest.

2. Western education brought rapid development through the birth of industrialisation in the African continent. More jobs were created and more schools were built to train people who would do these jobs. It was the perfect dream at that time for every family to have an educated child who would be earning an easier living than those in the farm. Such children would therefore be more able to cater for their families without the associated risks of the traditional physical jobs in the farms, rivers or bushes.

3. There was a time when one could easily finish his primary school education and get employed. It was actually that easy. Today, millions of graduates roam the streets looking for employment. In most cases, they end up settling for less than they deserve or have been trained for. Graduates working as waiters, bar men, garage boys etc have become a common sight in our society. This pathetic story makes one to wonder where all the jobs have gone.

4. It is very difficult for students in our polytechnics and universities to appreciate the magnitude of this problem until they are thrown into the labour market on their graduation. While still in school, every student assumes, “it is not his portion” to be without a good paying job soon after graduation. They hinge their confidence on religious faith and/or some influential relatives who could help them secure a good job by “pulling some strings” or through other “connections”. Most of them only realise the folly of this assumption when they have been dealt a serious blow in the labour market. No job.

5. From originally wishing for a good job; they began to admire a “not-too-good” job as long as it would put food on their tables and clothes on their backs. When these not-too-good jobs are not forthcoming they begin to crave for just “any” job as long as they will get something at the end of the month, no matter how small. At this point, maybe some 4 or 5 years after graduation, they do not care less any more. Frustration and despair sets in. Their once beloved “influential” relative is now aggressively hated. God’s existence is questioned. Options of crime and fraud are considered and, in some cases, adopted. This vicious situation lingers on and on with more people suffering this fate, every year, as newer graduates are pumped into the streets.

6. Every student will love to be assured of a good job before he or she graduates. On a few cases, some companies scout the campuses for potential staff from amongst students, especially those about to graduate. This seldom occurs though, and when they eventually do, only the really “hot” heads on campus get the chances. I am talking here of the “first class” people. Even at that, less than one in every five thousand students will ever get this opportunity. That is the reality staring us in the face.

7. Everybody should be concerned with this state of affairs. Whether you are presently a student or not, you should be concerned. Whether you are a graduate or not; whether you are employed or not; whether we like it or not this sad story concerns all of us. But there is a way out of this trap, and that is why this paper has been written; to show you how to beat this trap. The purpose of this paper is thus to present a way for students still in school to enjoy a full time or part time employment alongside their studies. The information contained in this paper is not only useful to students alone. No matter what your present status in life is, you can still benefit from the information that this paper presents.

8. You may have a job presently but you are not satisfied with what you currently earn. You may be a retiree whose pension is irregular and insufficient, or a retiree who is bored and looking for an easy way to keep himself busy while earning a good income. You may be a full time housewife with little opportunity to go out and work, yet feel that you need to earn some income. You may be a job applicant who is seriously searching for a job. You may be tired of your present job but are afraid to quit because of the fear of being unemployed. You may be thinking of buying a car or building a house but don’t know how your present salary will help you achieve that. You may be a student who is struggling to pay his fees. You may be hiding from your landlord because of your inability to meet up with the rent. Whoever you are and whatever your status in life is, this paper has been written for you.


THE BOOK

The title of the book from which the above introduction was extracted is, "How to get a good job before you graduate from the university". It costs just N500 and can be purchased by phone (MTN lines only).

Its a good offer and highly recommended for you.

Cheers,
Rochefort