I don't really think you need educational training in order to be proficient in these areas. Mere paying attention to historical events and following trends in the society will go a long way. The problem is that most of us are not just interested in who did what, when, why and how. These areas also seem to be boring, and therefore tend not to attract the brightest of the bright.

People like you, T22, who appear to have deep interest in mathematics, academics and may be sciences may find the study of history, society and law very boring and unexciting.

No wonder people who tend to be great leaders are not scientist or engineers. They are group of ordinary men and women who, consciously or unconsciously, developed deep interest in societal affairs, history and the operation of laws.

I think it all boils down to hard work, practice and information. Obama spent a greater part of his adult life working and speaking to people at the grass roots. He understood their problems, feelings and biases. No one gives what he doesn't have. It's not really about going to Harvard or any other uni for that matter. It's about passion, practice and patients.

Developing such level of oratory requires sound knowledge of history, society and maybe the law, and Obama is quite knowledgeable in these areas.

^^^

Methinks that's the best strategy now-exploiting untapped areas. The general Econs program most Nigerian universities run don't help matters. Apart from UI (i don't know of IFE, UNILAG ETC) that has a few specialisations others just go the general way.

personally, i am leaning towards international business, In't econs or Financial Econs. I so much love macro-econs but looking at the quantum of research in that field already, i don't i will compete favorably on a global scale should i follow that line. I am adopting the blue ocean strategy

^^^^

^^^

Can you throw more light on this ''doing PhD in the UK and working in 9ja'' thingy. Are there no residency requirements, classes etc? Or Is it via distance learning?And how reputable are the schools allowing such flexibility?

Is there no part-time PhD?

O boy, money is important oh

^^^

Seems you left Econs for something else. I am still considering a postgrad degree in Econs or In't business/econs

staceyo:

As an ecnomist,wat professional body can we join apart from the accountancy body.and also would like to purchase masters form but dnt want to do masters in economics,which other area can l specialize

You can try the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or CIS (Chartered inst. of stock brokers of Nig.) They are both good for economist graduates, but the CFA is more prestigious and somehow difficult to pass.

If you don't want to do masters in Economics then try MBA. You can do MBA (Masters of Bus. Adm)and specialise in Finance, supply chain or any other area you consider necessary.

ijoseda:

Any Health Economist in the House?

Maybe you could start by telling us what Health Economics do. Health Economics is not a very popular area of Economics, especially in Nigeria. At the masters degree level in 9ja people do the general econs thingy and only specialise during their PhD or so. Only very few schools have various specialisations. Maybe the likes of UI, IFE, Unilag etc.

Do you have an undergrad degree in Econs?

Interesting discussion.

I wish the super moderator can take this to the front page. The issue of fuel subsidy seems to have preoccupied our minds now.

jay bee:

Off course i do. I always look forward to reading your posts on NL.
I'm sure I've asked you this down the years before but do you mentor peeps? I think you should

The issue of mentoring is what most Nigerian peeps are lacking. Aj has done well in this regard through the career section. I am also looking forward to PM him one day in this regard if he wouldn't mind

Generally, the current generation seem to be in a greater dilemma other than the issue of learning specialist skills. The schools are not properly equipped to train students on the skills sets required to function optimally in their chosen fields.  This kinda of makes them more confused of what to do upon graduation.

LBS--London Business School that's the one that was referred to here.

bukkytroni

I am completely humbled. Determination can surely take one miles away. Your contribution is highly appreciated. At least, someone somewhere has benefited from the information you shared.

Thanks for sharing

[s]I only wish our other experienced members can do same[/s]

^^
Exactly

The job market is becoming increasingly tough now everybody has to determine what is good for himself not following the crowd

Thanks violent.

You nailed it. I wish people will get to know all these and plan their entry strategy well, not packing loads of certifications. We in 9ja like certificates alot you know

Aj

Thanks for stopping by. When you say skills what exactly do you imply?Certifications or work experience or both?

bukkytroni

I would rather you answer my questions here

violet

you seem to be knowledgeable in this IB thingy. What would be your advise to someone with not too prestigious MBA who wants to get into the IB field; either in 9ja or somewhere else? LBS no be beans oh.

I am becoming very complacent about this CFA thing. It takes longer period and the pass rate is abysmally low. Also, everybody seems to be doing it now. I am considering a University of Durham Msc Econs and Finance in its stead.

bukkytroni

Thanks very much for this excellent piece. You did well to provide principles that will guide one to effectively move to the next level in one's career.

Good a thing you studied Physics. There was this thread for Physics graduates, all of them seem not to know what happens next after a degree in physics. They feel that the place of the physicist is in the classroom It will be interesting if you could share a little of your professional experience as physicist. Did you take any professional exams, postgrad degree or are you in a different field altogether?

happy new year

Getting a job these days is all about strategy, not really what you studied. I have a school mate who studied a course in education there in Imsu and today she is a big girl in one of the big multinational companies in 9ja. Most of us who studied what could be termed ''lucrative'' courses are still struggling to hit it big, even with masters degree.

So, i think the emphasis has shifted a bit. Your bf has to therefore design approaches on how to hit the corporate world real big after his studies.

Just as yamakuza said, your bf should take IT certifications before he graduates. He could consider taking courses in Information Security, Database mgt etc.

I happen to have friends who studied library and info sci at Imsu. One of them is working with one of the big law firms in lagos, the other has taken the academic line; doing masters and PhD.

So, let your guy design his strategies now before he graduates.

i guess it's Imsu

It's just library sci and nothing more.

Just google library sci and you will get to know what the course is all about.

In terms of job prospects i can't really say much because Nigeria doesn't have much libraries as such. However, he could still get a job in media houses;print and electronic media.

Today marks the beginning of another great year and the onus is on us to effectively manage and plan our careers. What are your plans for 2012?

I would like this thread to be a learning thread, providing mentor-ship, advise and suggestions on how to move our careers to the next level. Let our more experienced bros in the house provide us with insights on how they got to where they are today so that the upcoming ones can at least learn from their strategies, mistakes and then plan effectively for their careers. Questions, suggestions and advise are allowed.

Lets have your views guys. It's 2012.

Until a few years ago, people believed that once you get a job, life is made. However, times have changed. With the workplace becoming increasingly competitive and organizations having to restructure themselves continuously to cope with dynamic and uncertain market conditions, it is naïve to presume that one’s job is stable. In this situation, if you are thinking only in terms of a job, chances are that you are not planning your professional life.

Given the changing nature of the workplace, career planning is not a luxury but a necessity. Its not an ‘extra effort’ that you can make if you wish to. It is one of the essential tasks you must perform to remain employed.

Components of the effective career planning and development process include:

    * Being self-aware: To have an effective career you must be aware of your personality, interests, aptitude, self-concept, skills, etc. Most people try to learn about these by reflecting on their experiences. However, there are many other activities and instruments that can aid you in this process. These involve creating situations that will prod you to intensively reflect on yourself and on your career objective.
    * Getting information on available opportunities: To develop a career path, you need to know what opportunities are available and how you fit into them. For this, you need to keep a track of the emerging jobs, the changing face of technology and its effect on employment, the kind of expertise available in the market for different employment opportunities, etc.
    * Preparing for the opportunities: Preparation for opportunities has two aspects: domain related and non-domain related. The former would require updating your subject knowledge and finding out how it can be applied. The latter includes soft skills such as interpersonal skills, communications skills, teamwork skills etc. To facilitate the process one must undergo skill assessments, network with professional groups and research organizations, do projects with organizations, read business magazines, etc.
    * Developing one’s career: Career development happens when you are fairly confident of your career objective and career plan. Before you reach this phase, you might have hopped from one career to another and in the process might be surer of which career best suits you. If you are still unsure of the career most suitable for you, you can undergo career counseling. Career development may require you to create assignments for yourself (challenging your limits), reflect on and enrich your assignments, develop conceptual models relevant your task area, and so on.



To have an effective career you have to undergo all these components simultaneously.

To conclude, career development is not a one-time activity. It does not depend so much on what a person starts with but how she starts and how alert and learning–oriented she is. To have an effective career a person needs to focus on personal resources as well as environmental resources and opportunities.

http://www.placementor.com/resources/managing_career.htm

congrats

ola one

It's surprising you are still on this

I once suggested you go to ministry of finance, any ministry of finance will suffice. They may have those publications in their shelves. Just go to Lagos office of the ministry of finance.

Also, there was this book i used in my yr two; The Structure of the Nigerian Economy by Prof. Anyanwu. Check your library or bookshop for it. I am not sure, but i think you might find something like that there.

Another way is to explain the difficult in getting the data to your supervisor. He will be in a better position to advise you.

I am not a physical scientist.

Na commonsense i use.

Abeg let the scientist in the house answer this question na.

Where is T22? I am suspecting Economics stole him.

Mukina2

I think it will be unfair to those who voted other candidates if you decide to cancel the election ab initio and then later declare one candidate winner because of alleged fraud. After all, you were the ONLY one who saw the result as at 7.00 am.

Yes, Ola was my candidate but i would rather he won on a clear slate than in this cajoled manner.

If an election is declared inclusive based on alleged/obvious fraud then it will be wise to either conduct a new election or maintain the status quo.

Thanks

AJ

if you drill a hole right in the centre of the earth and then jump into the hole, i am sure you will find yourself in another planet other than earth   Maybe Mars

But from your statement it's obvious you didn't drill any hole. So, you won't come out any where.

It's really surprising that i won  . Anyways, thanks guys  for the support.


Our two moderators deserve commendation. Aj and yamakuza are just incomparable. They are our NL moderators of the year.

Jarus, Oyb, Sefago, sagamite, T22, violet, mycvclinic etc all deserve commendation. It is (was) really a successful year for we at the career section.

Lets do more come 2012

This is indeed very sad and unfortunate if it's really true.

I wonder what may have happened at the career section where [b]Jarus, Aj and olawalebab nominated [/b]me

I am very sure i have been embarrassed there

lemme finish my popcorn and head to the career section

2. you must meet or surpass set targets

3. Punctuality and non absenteeism i.e always come to work and early too

3. Maintaining clean records; no query, no bullying, no negative report etc

4. be skillful and professional with your  work

5. don't do office gossip etc

6. treat everybody equally and respectfully

7. don't compromise set standard

8. do your work with joy and do not allow others notice that you are stressed out.

9. be efficient and effective.

10. don't do over sabi; i too know

11. respect your boss and do not prove that you know better than he does.

12. maintain good relationship with other employees

1. What is the job market in Computer Science/ IT like in Nigeria and the average wage for a foreign grad?

The IT/telecoms industry appears to be in a good shape, with major players like MTN, Glo, Etisalat etc employing a handful of graduates each year. Aside banks and the govt, the IT/Telecoms sector appears to be the largest employer of white collar labourers in Nigeria. So, the industry is quite large and some how fragmented.

The issue of salary is something no one can say for sure. There is no standard salary structure in 9ja and there is also no official publication to that effect. However, entry level staffs should expect something above 85-100k on average if employed by the major players in the industry. More experienced folks earn quite higher salaries depending on experience and bargaining power.

Also, your ''foreign'' degree has little or no effect in salary negotiations. It can only get you to the door the rest depends on you. There is massive unemployment in the country and there is no guarantee you would get a job in the IT/telecoms sector.

Where can I look to find jobs over there? websites, contacts e.t.c

There are many job sites you can visit and then register so that you can receive job alerts in your email. Also, it's advisable you visit career sections of organisations you wish to work with and apply to job openings. Apply to as many jobs as possible. Try these sites;

www.
www.ngcareers.com
www.myjobmag.com

3.  Any General advice

I will advise you get certified in an area you consider necessary. You did little to provide us with info on your current job thereby making it a bit difficult for one to make recommendations. However, i will advise you choose a career path and get certified before you return. This will not only increase your chances of getting a job but also your ability to negotiate your pay.

I am not aware of this development. however, i think you should at least tell us the reason(s) your friend gave for leaving Vetiva.

do you still have an insider at vetiva

^^^

Actually, Jarus did something on this long ago

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-280487.64.html

Oyb, i guess, works with an oyel company too