LIFE AFTER GRADUATION, What to do when the job is not there.

LIFE AFTER GRADUATION, What to do when the job is not there.

A student’s dream and aspiration is to graduate with Good Grades, go for Youth Service and Get a Good/Dream Job that will put an end to all their life’s problems. Their definition of a Good JOB is one that pays them around 50,000-100,000 for a start and they will take nothing less even though they do not possess the equivalent expertise to justify the salaries they Crave for. Amazingly, their Definition of a Good Job becomes a Mirage as the few available spaces are occupied and the GOVERNMENT minimum wage is a far cry from their Dream Salary. The lazy ones sit at home; blaming the Government and circumstances; but the dogged and tough take advantage of the situation and they forge Ahead. Do you fit into the picture above; are you a fresh graduate in need of a good job that’s eluding you? Then follow through, use the information that you need, discard the ones you do not need and do not forget to contact me when you are done. “He who knows why will get a job, he who knows how will be his Boss”.

(A) LOOK INWARD

 The reason most of us are Jobless after high school is probably because we went into school to study a course that was foisted on us either by our parents, JAMB, PRE-DEGREE or CIRCUMSTANCE. We did not really study what we like and will like to work with. Hence our certificates are mere “Rubber Stamps”. The real you is inside. The needed skills, gifts, talents and endowments needed to succeed are in you waiting for discovery. “If you can discover what you are naturally good for and stay there; you stop struggling. You just wake up daily and be your normal self?

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING?

This is a question I often ask my clients and the answer provided often signifies the hidden wealth in them. Just imagine yourself doing that thing you love and people are paying you for it. You stop working; you start Enjoying Yourself and people pay you for Enjoying Yourself.

 WHAT ARE YOUR NATURAL SKILLS?

It’s almost natural for your inborn skills and abilities (which makes us distinct) to be in line with what you love. No matter how crude or insignificant or unsellable you think those skills are just get a sheet of paper and list them out. It could be Singing, Playing an instrument, Talking, Organizing of parties, Reading, acting, sports, Playing video games, Hair plaiting, Barbing and a host others. All we need to do is:

POLISH THEM

If you have seen Raw Gold before, with your untrained eyes, you probably would have mistaken it for dirt or stones. Nothing is appealing and market worthy in its raw form. Those skills need HORNING. Yours could be Selling/Marketing. You’d probably need to work on your Grammar/speaking skills, people skills and learn some simple marketing tips that could help you. Yours could be to become a stand up comedian like Basket mouth; you don’t expect Nigerians to pay you now what they pay him. The difference between the two of you is Knowledge, Exposure, Development and Time. You do not necessarily have to go to school before you polish your skills you can school yourself by getting yourself Mentors (People who have achieved what you want to achieve and are willing to help you), Good Books, Good Tapes, Watch other Good Comedians and learn everything you think you need.

“You will be the same person now and 20 years later save for the people you associate with and the books you read”.

 CAN YOU DO IT WITHOUT MONEY?

 This is what I call the ACID TEST. If money is your primary aim of choosing your line of business then I bet you that business will not out live you. Your primary aim should be an inborn passion to express your gifts and talents to the world. Among your favourite pastimes there are some which you love doing and can happily continue doing even without pay for the rest of your life. That’s the click, and amazingly, that’s where your Real Hidden money is; DOING WHAT YOU LOVE. Remember the Bible says, where a man’s Heart is there will his treasure be.

(B) LOOK AROUND

 What is the basic need of your immediate environment, if your skill and talent is going to fetch you money, then it must solve people’s problems; it must create value. Wealth flows in the direction of value. Men will happily pay you if you solve their problem and meet their needs. So your Talent/skill must be centered on a need of your environment and I bet you if you can find out that BASIC NEED that naturally suits your skills, then you are on your way to WEALTH. If you can find a need and meet it, customers will knock down your Door. Probably or possibly, person’s or companies have been meeting those needs before it is now left for you to identify what the people Crave for that those existing companies are not giving them. You have to find out how you can satisfy your prospective customers better than your existing competitors. There is no fun in going into an existing line of business and doing it the same way. It is going to be boring and less profitable. People crave for new ways of doing things. There is no entirely new idea, only a Rebranding and Repackaging of old ones.

(C) GET A BUSINESS NAME

Your business name should not be organized or gotten in a hurry. Your Business name should be meticulously thought out for it will make customers want to know more if well crafted.

Choose a business name that is; concise, easy to pronounce and memorize, clearly spells out what you do and gives you room for expansion. It is not a must that your Business name must be a combination of your name and that of your wife or Brother. Think of something exquisite, something sizzling, that connotes class and sells your business concept immediately.

 EXAMPLES OF WELL CRAFTED BUSINESS NAMES

S/N	CONVENTIONAL NAMES	BRANDED NAMES
01	MADAM CASH BOUTIQUE	DRESS  RITE
02	EMEKAPAT FASHION DESIGN	SEWN 2 FIT
03	MAMA IBO RESTAURANT	REFILL
04	UNCLE KEN JAMB & WAEC LESSON	UNIVERSITY PREPARATORY CENTRE
05	EVBORIARIA  COMMUNITY BANK	SME MICRO-FINANCE BANK
06	J.J WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY	WASTE AWAY INC.

(D) REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS NAME

It’s cheaper now to register your Business name with corporate affairs commission than ever, it’s now 5,000 naira to do a business name registration and this enables you to open a corporate account in your business name and makes you a recognized corporate body by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 (E) PRINT YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CARD

“The most important advert vehicle you need for now is your Complimentary Card”. Try as much as possible to print a Complimentary Card that will provoke enquires. It must not necessarily be expensive but it should be a Complimentary card not a complimentary handbill, simple, precise and beautiful. You might be wondering why I did not ask you to get an office first. Talking about on office what I will advice you to do is;

(F) CONVERT YOUR DWELLING PLACE IN A PROFITABLE ASSET

 You already have an office just separate your house, put a table and chair some where and hang a Notice inscribed “OFFICE” with your business name attached. Weird you might think but most of the great brands like MICROSOFT started from a car park. You can start small but your later end will greatly increase. With diligence, you will soon grow big enough to rent a befitting and well located Business premises.

(G) SHOUT IT LOUD

If you have extra money after printing your complimentary cards, you could print small Banners with your business Name, an advice and your Business INFO and then HANG IT AROUND TOWN; at busy Junctions popular spots etc.

 Print Car stickers, branded T-shirts and wear them when ever you are going out for business. Always carry your publicity materials wherever you go; you never can tell where you’d meet your clients so always arm yourselves with your mobile sales men (your publicity materials). They can travel far you know.

 (H) BE THE BEST

Your company should never stop learning, improving growing and innovating. You need constant growth and improvement to be the best in your field and Remain tops. Remember, the higher the quality, the higher the demand and this means that your sales will sky rocket if you step on your quality. Till we meet again, find a need and meet it!

 Basola Victor is the Principal Consultant/CEO of Business Skills Africa Limited, an Enterprise consulting firm based in Benin, Nigeria. He is the Author of “The Keys to Starting a Successful Business” and The HOST of RADIO BUSINESS SCHOOL on Radio Nigeria Bronze 101.5FM.