NewStats: 3,264,407 , 8,183,623 topics. Date: Tuesday, 10 June 2025 at 10:41 PM 72a40

I'm back. Let me start from the very beginning, my undergraduate days

UNDERGRADUATE DAYS

I decided to go for engineering because I had a flair for mathematics and other core technical subjects. I wanted to work as a foremost engineer in a foremost engineering. That was my childhood dream.

LESSON 1: Identify what you love and have a flair for. You will most likely succeed at what you love doing most. I have a number of friends who have changed career paths (engineering to financial, financial to academic research, medicine to IT, etc) in order to follow their heart desires. And believe me, they are not doing badly at all! I know people who never wanted a paid white collar job. They always wanted to be entrepreneurs. And upon graduation, they started off on their own and they are doing very well. A well known example is Bill Gates who dropped out of school to start Microsoft. Today, he is one of the most influential successful entrepreneur in the world. I heard Seun Osewa's story is also similar. That is why it is funny to me when people, especially young entrepreneurs condemn paid 9-5 jobs. Money isn't everything. First of all, identify what you have a ion for. I desired to be an engineer in a top engineering company. My dream was never to start off as an entrepreneur. Some desire to be musicians, motivators, writers, doctors, entrepreneurs, etc. Focus on your dream. While it is very possible to succeed at what you don't desire, it is easier to succeed at what you love.

Let me give you a little background about myself:

I graduated in one of the public universities in Nigeria. I am one of the unlucky few that narrowly missed first class. I was a nerd back then in school all in the name of finishing with a first. I sometimes still feel I was deliberately denied a first class degree in my engineering department. I was so enraged that I didn't attend my convocation, even though I was in school when it held. I still hold a little grudge against my alma mater till date.

I served in a secondary school. I never really had any engineering experience, even during my internship because I didn't know anybody that could help. By the time I was through with NYSC, I was close to 27 years. Many will say that I had virtually ed the age of getting a good job, especially in these days where 21-24 years old first class/2.1 graduates are countless. There is apparently nothing special about a 27 years old 2.1 graduate like me! Besides, I was living in the far North while all the juicy jobs seemed to be located in Lagos.

But despite these limitations and more, I have worked with 3 top organizations in Nigeria within 2 and the half years of completing my service. I job hunted for about 5 months before getting my first major job. I started with unarguably the biggest FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) company in Nigeria. I later moved over to one of the biggest government parastatals in Nigeria. Now I am working with one of the topmost International Oil Companies (IOC's) in Nigeria and currently one of the top 30 companies in Forbes Global 2000 companies. And I have only a BSc with no connection. Lucky right? Sure, elements of luck combined with lots of hard work.

During the course of my active job searching period, I applied for 6 organizations (4 oil and 2 FMCG coys). I never had the opportunity of applying for banking/financial jobs because I had ed the age requirement. And I wasn't ready to falsify my age - that can be easily detected anyway. All 6 are multi-national companies (MNC) except the government parastatal. I got offers from 4 out of the 6. But I reached the final recruitment stages in all 6 coys. One of my modest achievement of note is that I never failed any job aptitude or skills test. I shall reveal the secrets in due time.

The race to my career path started in my undergraduate days. I will recount the story, with lessons learnt.

Welcome to the new year 2014!

I will be sharing my experience and lessons on achieving the dream career of my choice amidst challenges. I will also share various ways you can enhance yourself and improve your skills. In the course of my write-up, I will touch on job hunting, good CV writing skills, aptitude test writing, interview skills, certifications, presentation skills, career progression, personal fulfilment and investment. I will also say a little about scholarship opportunities (both undergraduate and postgraduate) and job scams.

This is NOT a textbook theory on achieving a great career. Thus, don't expect text book approaches to career issues. The thread doesn't answer all career questions. It focuses on my peculiar experience and lessons learnt, including my modest career achievements, mistakes and obstacles. I will also refer to other people's experiences in many cases.

I'm still an ambitious young man, who is looking forward to achieving more in life and progressing my career. I am not perfect. I just wanna share this so that we can all learn. I hope my story inspires many. This is because I know that true life stories inspire far more than motivational write-ups. I am not a blogger and I am not here to promote any blog. Other people with varied experiences can also contribute.

It promises to be interesting, detailed and elaborate.

I also promise to update this thread at least once a week in 2014. I can't promise to do more for now.

I wish us all a fulfilled career and personal life in 2014.