Top 5 Career Skills They Don’t Teach in Nigerian Schools
Apr 7th, 2008 by Loy Okezie
Photo courtesy of Phatrick1
Sometimes Nigerian graduates are proud that they studied at a Nigerian University, Polytechnic, etc and at other times, they wonder what they benefited from years of hardwork with the strikes and student protests amongst other things that characterize the Nigerian education system. Basically, they feel inadequate and incompetent to thrive in the business and corporate world because they were not taught certain career secrets at school.
After graduation, many feel that they can’t fit into the corporate and business world. Each year, corporate companies such as PWC, Accenture, Philips Consulting, etc as well as Banks and other financial institutions recruit fresh graduates from Nigerian Universities who they believe have been taught the trends in the corporate and business world in Nigeria. Most of these companies have recognised the fact that they must run training programmes on specific career-related aspects of their business to equip these graduates with the right skills.
These aspects have become inevitable tools and skills needed in today’s corporate driven world to drive businesses on the right direction. As a graduate of a Nigerian school, you need these skills to get the right jobs, climb the corporate ladder, and eventually build a successful career. In this post, I’ll share with you the top 5 career skills you won’t learn in Nigerian schools. They are:
Job Interview Skills
There’s no doubt that every jobseeker needs the right job interview skills to be able to at least get a job. As important as this skill is, it is not considered as a necessary course module to be included in the curricula of Nigerian schools. As an undergraduate or graduate who is looking forward to a finding career or job in the corporate and business world, you may soon realise that your school did not prepare you well for the job market.
What you should do: Educate yourself. Attend job interview skills training/seminars. Read tips on job interview skills. Find out likely job interview questions and practice answering them, but avoid cramming:-)
Note: Job Interview skills may include personal branding/selling, negotiation skills, amongst other skills.
IT Skills
Most graduates leave the University each year with little or no knowledge about computing. Even some computer science graduates are not well equipped with the right IT skills they need to find the right jobs. Whatever course you studied or are studying currently, you may need certain IT skills to get a job or progress in your career.
What you should do: Get an IT training or certification. Buy IT books and teach yourself certain IT skills. Learn some IT skills from a friend or colleague and continue practicing.
Note: IT skills may include programming, networking, software developing, amongst other skills.
Presentation Skills
It’s not a new thing to see people shy away when asked to make a presentation at school. Most people due to their nature are not bold enough to stand before people to make a speech or presentation. Since there are no course programmes that train students on how to make an effective presentation, many people find this aspect of their future career life difficult to get through. As a result, they are not equipped to handle meetings, make a project presentation, or even deliver a good presentation during a job interview.
What you should do: Read books on how to make effective presentations. Practise writing a short presentation and make a presentation in front of a friend or family. Be serious and focus on your goal to improve your self-esteem and confidence.
Note: Presentation skills may include writing speeches (Introduction, Body and Conclusion), effective communication skills, using body language, using humour, amongst other things.
Leadership Skills
This is one of the greatest skills needed to go up the corporate ladder. Even though certain courses in management teach theories and methods, the practical aspects of management and leadership are left out. Even the simplest concepts of management - planning and organizing - are not practiced. As a result, we see examples of poor management and leadership in several aspects of our career lives.
What you should do: Practice management. Start by planning and organizing your day, week, months, and years if possible. Take management courses in Business schools. Find a job as a management trainee. Start a project or intiative and find people who you can lead. Work as a team.
Note: Leadership skills may include team building skills, persuasion skills, motivational skills, time management skills amongst other skills.
Networking Skills
In more recent times, networking skills have become an important key to establishing the right contacts, finding the right jobs and building the right relationships in your career life. This valuable tool of the 21st Century has helped millions of people move forward in their careers. Networking is all about meeting new and old people who might help you get a job or change careers.
What you should do: Read books or tips on how to use networking to power your careers. Attend networking events. Start business and professional networking online to find people in your career, build your connections and make career progression.
Note: Networking skills may include communication skills. inter-personal relationship skills amongst other things.
If you would like to read other secrets that you need in your career, I’m recommending the book, What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School by Mark H. McCormack.
To your career success!
Subscribe via Email
it’s great to read today’s insight.
I count myself fortunate to have stumbled on today’s insight
thank u i have gone thru the tips ,my question is this is there hope for graduates with PASS
career Nigeria is filling in where our failed policy makers left us. just keep it up as this is now the classroom that collapsed in our “ivory towers”
graduate have better hope & chances Emma, you just need to challenge your creative ability and get someone to buy into it. its unfortunate that the system emphasis certification rather creativity. Creativity took China and South Korea to were they are now and not certificate
@Emma - you need to be hopeful that someday your efforts will pay off. I suggest that you read this article for more insight.
@Ralph-Edo - thanks for your comments and motivation.
@Everyone else - I appreciate your comments.
more undergrads need to visit this site and stop thinking they’ll automatically get that job even though they have the right qualifications as sometimes its more about the kind of info you get from people that determines your end point and not necessarily adverts. nice job loy
Sir,
My joy knows no bound as i read thru your so insightful, informative & reorientative article that is capable of making people opt for skills they won’t have never gotten while in school.
This’s a good job!
Thank you.
ajose abiodun.
The sky is the starting point for the Nigerian youth,keep believing in your dream.Time is now.Act.
@Jacobs & Ajose - Thanks guys. We’d appreciate if you tell the people you know about this site as well:-)
@Ekong - I’m inspired:-)
Again,you are at it.You offer what many would do for cash.You are indeed a school in office or whenever.Keep the flag flying.cheers!