Personal Guide To Career Freedom1

personal guide to
career freedom
volume 1
planning your career
a practical
career guidebook to
help you plan, design
and manage your career life
by Loy Okezie
personal guide to career freedom volume 1: planning your career
Copyright © 2009 Loy Okezie
This e-book is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-

No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. This means that you can share and
distribute this work, as long as you do not use it for commercial gain, and you
credit the author. For more information, you can visit www.creativecommons.org
Designed and Edited by

Loy
Cover Image via Flickr by

Laura Travels
Published online by
www.LoyOkezie.com
www.loyokezie.com 2
contents
introduction ............................................................ 4
1. are you looking for a job or seeking a career? .......................5
2. does your career life have a plan, purpose or goal? ................7
3. how to define a successful career goal ...............................8
4. how to write your own career statement.............................12
5. how a personal mission statement can get you a job...............14
6. what motivates your choice of job or career? .......................16
7. how to increase your job security .....................................18
8. how to succeed in any job interview ..................................20
9. how to make the right career decisions ..............................22
10. are you an employable person?.........................................26
11. the 5p's of successful job search .......................................28
12. how youth initiatives can boost your career .........................31
13. the barriers to effective job search ...................................33
14. what if your degree can't get you a job? ..............................35
15. lessons from asking questions at job interviews .....................37
16. steps to finding a trainee placement or internship job.............39
17. how fresh graduates can structure a winning cv ....................41
18. 10 insightful questions to ask your next job interviewer...........43
what next? .............................................................. 45
the author............................................................... 46
www.loyokezie.com 3
introduction
Do you have a career dream? Are you moving towards your career goal? Or
are you at a career crossroad? What are the challenges in your career path?
Is it that you don't have a career plan? Career purpose? Career passion?
Personal Guide to Career Freedom [Volume 1] has been specially designed

to teach you how to plan and design your career life. Some parts of the e-
book were compiled from career articles I have published online in the past.
This e-book is the result of several of my coaching sessions with clients from
different backgrounds, but with one career purpose:
acquire career intelligence

to
achieve career mastery and attain
career freedom
Throughout the e-book, you will find interactive exercises that will help you
really internalize and personalize your own career experiences, with series
of questions and suggestions to enable you find the solutions to your career
challenges.
Before you start your career journey through this e-book, I'm going to ask
you to leave your baggage of career worries, because where you are going,
you'll only need an open mind. Take what serves you and discard what does
not.
Remember: This e-book is only a guide. You are the only person who can
solve your career problems. So challenge yourself and take charge!
Are you ready to attain career freedom?
Start by planning your career.
Loy Okezie
if you would like to hire me as your career coach, kindly send an

introductory email via: speak@loyokezie.com
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1. are you looking for a job or seeking a career?

A young man is being offered a job as a Marketer in a Lagos bank with a
salary package of 140 000 naira and an Engineering job in an Oil firm in
Port Harcourt that offers 60 000 naira. The bank branch office is located a
stone's throw from his house, while the engineering firm is several
kilometres away from home.
This guy has an engineering background and a passion to become a

professional in the field. At the same time he needs money to save and
possibly go for further studies and certification programmes. On the other
hand, he is uncertain if he would be able to meet the 200 million naira in 3
months target requirement as a marketer in that bank.
Now the question is:
Should this guy take the Engineering job and hope for a better future? Or
should he go for the Banking job and save enough money for future studies?
I find this situation very interesting because it raises a very important

question that every job seeker should ask:
are my looking for a job or seeking a career?
To help you in answering this question, let me define a job and a career.
what is a job?
“a principal activity in your life that you do to earn a
monthly income.”
what is a career?
“a particular occupation which you are trained for that
generates you multiple streams of income.”
Now that you know the difference between a job and a career,
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what are you looking for in your life?
a job?
or
a career?
If you are able to answer this question, you’ll know what you really want to
do with your life, which is what to do - the first step in taking charge of
your career life.
The second step, how to do is what I’ll be glad to help you answer in this
career guidebook.
But wait a minute…
Does your life have a plan, purpose or goal?
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2. does your career life have a

plan, purpose or goal?
Imagine that you woke up one morning and decided to go out without a
plan, purpose or goal? You hit the streets and see people going here and
there, but you kept asking yourself: Where am I going?
After wandering for hours, you become tired and frustrated. Even the roads
have become confusing and you wonder how you would get back home. At
the end of the day, you go to bed - depressed!
Perhaps you’ve not experienced the above situation in your life, but what
about in your career life? Does your career life have a plan, purpose or goal?
Do you have a career goal? Many people today are not sure about what
career they want, thus no career goal!
What about you?
If you ask anyone who is a recent graduate today which company he or she
would like to work with, you might get any of these replies:
“Ah, MTN of course! They pay well and have more coverage and customers
than any other network!”
“Man, I want a career in Oceanic Bank. I admire their core values of

Transparency. Equal Opportunity. Accountability. Merit. Service
Excellence. I think my values can really contribute to the bank’s growth
and development.”
“Oh boy, my Dad is fixing me up with a job in Chevron with his connections.
I don’t really care about the job. I need the oil money.”
Now, which of the above responses best fits what you are likely to say when
asked the same question?
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3. how to define a successful career goal

Just as a football player needs goals to become a well-sought-after world-
class player in his football career, so also you need smart and specific goals
if you want to be successful in your career life.
About four years ago, I asked a group of final year University students about
their career goals during one of my job interview skills training sessions.
Surprisingly, some of them were unsure about their career direction and
could not come up with a clearly defined career goal.
Before setting specific goals for your career life or path, whether you are
looking for a job or you want to advance in your current job or you want to
move to another career path, you should spend some time to clearly define
a successful career goal.
The first step to help you clearly define a successful career goal is:
discovering your purpose
Since every organization has a

purpose, mission, vision and value,
every individual should have also.
What are your life’s purpose,
mission, vision and values? Before
applying for a job in MTN Nigeria or
Oceanic Bank, ask yourself, what is
the mission, vision, and values of
MTN Nigeria or Oceanic Bank? Will
my personal purpose, mission, vision
and values support those of MTN
Nigeria or Oceanic Bank?
Now, what if you already have a job as a Marketer in Zenith Bank and you
have been offered (what you might consider) a better job in terms of
(remuneration package, and other job-related benefits) in Total Plc as a
Field Sales and Marketing Officer. As tempting as this offer may seem, how
can you make the decision to either stay at Zenith Bank or move to Total
Plc?
The next step to help you clearly define a successful career goal will answer
this question.
In order to succeed in Nigeria’s highly competitive job environment, you

need the right skills to match the right jobs. Granted, we see situations
where square pegs are placed in round holes. For example, a graduate of
Geography working in a Bank? That’s ridiculous! But, it is what we have
come to accept in our ever-changing Nigerian job environment. No wonder
there are little or no professionals and experts in GIS, mapping and remote
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sensing, when other countries are using their experts in these fields in the
right places.
But, as a job seeker who needs the right job in relation to your career goals,
you must possess the skills needed to grab the right job and further pursue a
successful career. These skills are within your reach, if you simply reach
out!
identifying your skills
How can you do this? Whatever your field of study, you must have had
interests that made you pursue that course of study. For example, if you are
an engineering graduate, you may have been interested in a career in an oil
company, an industrial outfit, a chemical company, or perhaps the
mechanics of construction, repairs and maintenance of equipments and
machines.
So ask yourself: What was my goal of taking that course of study? Does that
goal still motivate me? Do I have other interests now? If you are to take
charge or be in control of your career, you must ask yourself these
questions. And it is only YOU that can ANSWER these questions.
Once you have identified your current interests and passion, then you can
easily match your current skills with your interests and passion. However, if
you lack a certain skill, then you need to get some training before you can
be able to take charge of your career and therefore move to the next level
in your career life.
Here are a few tips to help you identify your skills:
Make a list of all your talents, skills, and abilities. As you do these, keep in
mind these different intelligences that account for a broader range of
abilities and potential in human beings as proposed by Dr. Howard Gardner,
a professor of education at Harvard University.
• Linguistic Intelligence - Using words to communicate and express

yourself. Are you good at writing? Speaking in public? Communicating
with others? Explaining things in simple terms?
• Logical/Mathematical Intelligence - Mathematical abilities and
logical problem solving. Are you good with numbers? Good problem
solving or analytical skills? Decision making? Analyzing situations?
Solving puzzles?
• Spatial Intelligence - Spatial intelligence not only refers to your
“picture smarts,” but also includes many of the right-brained
activities such as art, imagination, creativity, inventiveness,
ingenuity, and cleverness.
• Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence - Your physical skills and abilities.
Includes sports, agility, dance, entertainment, physical comedy,
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athleticism, strength and any skills that involve the use of your hands
(like drafting, crafting, woodworking, precision work, etc.)
• Musical Intelligence - Your musical talents and abilities.
• Interpersonal Intelligence - Your ability to build relationships and
deal effectively with others. Includes talents such as persuasion,
selling, networking, charm, making others feel comfortable,
managing a team, conflict management, teamwork, cooperation,
listening, charisma, and leadership.
• Intra-personal Intelligence - Your ability to deal effectively with
yourself and your emotions. This includes abilities such as knowing
yourself, recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, self-confidence,
self-control, adaptability and flexibility to change, work ethic,
commitment, initiative, persistence, empathy, political awareness,
integrity, honesty, time management and overall character.
• Ecological Intelligence - Identifying and recognizing the patterns and
relationships between things. For example, the way in which we are
all connected to nature and to each other. Being able to see the big
picture, spotting trends, seeing the long-term consequences of our
actions, recognizing the potential in people, situations and ideas.
Thus, identifying your best skills can help you define a successful career
goal and see you through your career path in any field of your interest.
identifying your interests
No doubt you have some things that interest you. Look around you. What
sparks your curiosity? What would you like to know more about? What
subjects or topics do you find exciting? What areas of knowledge would you
like to explore? What field of endeavour would you like to get training? What
have you always wanted to try but never attempted? If you could be an
expert in any subject, what would it be?
After brainstorming about the above exercise, make a list of all your
interests. Is that too difficult? It shouldn’t be if you desire a successful
career. While, doing this exercise, try to focus more on your intellectual
interests, because that is where your strength lies - in your intellect!
“every man without passions has within

him no principle of action, nor
motive to act”
– Claude A. Helvetius
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identifying your passions
After you have identified all your interests, simply make a list of all your
passions. At this stage you can easily discover your passions from your list of
interests.
What do you really enjoy doing? What gets you excited? What can you spend
forever doing? What do you feel strongly or passionately about? If you could
work in any field whatsoever, what would you choose and why?
Right them down. Commit yourself to them. Let your passions drive you into
action.
At this stage you are gradually defining a career goal for yourself that would
lead to a successful career life. But you are not there yet. There’s one more
thing to do. Finding your major definite purpose and putting it in writing in
form of a statement of purpose is the last step.
Photo courtesy of Laura Travels
“the best career advice given to the young

is:
find out what you like doing best and

get someone to pay you for doing it”
- Katherine Whitehorn
4. how to write your own career statement

It was Napoleon Hill who introduced
the concept of a major definite
purpose in his classic book Think and
Grow Rich. Your major definite purpose
represents the main or central mission
of your life at this moment.
Our major definite purpose is often tied

to our career and our work. Although
for others it could be based more on
spirituality, raising a family, leaving a
legacy, or working for the community.
“what a different story people would

have to tell if they would adopt a
definite purpose and stand by that
purpose until it had time to become an
all-consuming purpose”
- Napoleon Hill
(The above diagram shows the four areas, namely skills, talents, passion, abilities and a ’smiley’ intersection
between the four areas that reveals your major definite purpose)
I'm hoping that by now, you’ve made a list of your skills and abilities,
talents and passions. Now, think of something that connects all these four
elements. Your major definite purpose may be smiling right in the
intersection of these four areas.
finding your career purpose
Some people seem to be born with a major definite purpose just waiting to
be unleashed. From early adolescence, sometimes even childhood, they
have a “calling” for a particular field and just “know” what they want to do
with their lives, whether it is music, art, business, or science.
But my guess is that the majority of people out there don’t fall into this
category; they don’t feel like they were “born” to do one thing in
particular. Their major definite purpose is something that they have to
discover. In Nigeria, perhaps the system may not support your dreams and
passions and this may sometimes be frustrating. Do you feel this way?
rediscovering yourself
Sometimes you may even discover your dream career after having worked
for years in a completely different field. But if you haven’t discovered your
career purpose, then your first job in life is to find and define a purpose for
yourself. Your job should be to “reinvent” and “rediscover” yourself several
times along the way, until you find a major definite purpose that suits you.
Once you’ve identified a major definite purpose, the last step is to put it in
writing in the form of a personal mission statement. Having a written down
statement of purpose allows you to read and review it frequently as a
reminder of your career goal, purpose and mission in life.
Photo courtesy of enjoi_yourpanda5
5. how your personal mission statement

can get you a job
Every company has a mission and vision. Every project has a goal and
purpose. Every individual should have a personal mission or statement of
purpose in order to succeed in life and career path.
Do you have a PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT?
Some Nigerian jobseekers may think that having a personal mission

statement would not work in the Nigerian system and context. That may be
true, but that would be like saying that hard work and determined effort
doesn’t work on the long run.
If you have been looking for a job or struggling with your career, and
wondering you have not found the right career path or purpose, it’s
probably because you don't have a personal mission statement.
“it is never too late to be what you

might have been” - George Eliot
what is a personal mission statement?
A personal mission statement

(PMS for short) is a brief
statement of what you want
to accomplish on a particular
field and who you want to
become in the process over a
period of time. It is your road
map for success in life and
career.
Now, here are two sample

statement of purpose format
that would guide you to creating your own personal mission statement and
help you in your path to career and job freedom and fulfillment.
sample 1:
To live each day with …(choose one to three values or principles)… so that
…(what living by these values will give you). I will do this by …(specific
behaviors you will use to live by these values).
sample 2:
To … (what you want to achieve, do or become) … so that … (reasons why it

is important). I will do this by … (specific behaviors or actions you can use
to get there).
Feel free to work with any of these formats to create your unique personal
mission statement. But remember: your personal mission statement will
continue to change and evolve as you gain insights about yourself and your
career life. Once you’ve created a unique personal mission statement, do
the following:
• Make it a part of your everyday life.

• Use it in your search for jobs and careers.
• Talk about it at job interviews.
• Stress how it can benefit the company.
• Let it make you stand out from the crowd.
Photo credits: mobybandy
6. what motivates your choice of job or career?

True, making a decision regarding your career direction can be very
challenging, especially when faced with two job offers that have good
potentials, but seem confusing.
Because of the nature of Nigeria’s job environment, where a job offer is

viewed as a lottery win, most job seekers (especially those who have been
looking for a job for years), naturally tend to apply or accept job offers
based on the financial benefits
attached to that job offer.
True or false?
For example, if you were offered

a 150k naira/per month bank job
in Lagos, and you happen to
have studied Psychology and
because you may not earn that
much if you were to pursue a
career in psychology (that’s if
you find jobs in that field) you
are more likely to accept the bank job for many more reasons.
“motivation is a fire from within. if

someone else tries to light that fire under
you, chances are it will burn very
briefly”
- Stephen R. Covey
Some might call that ‘the Nigerian mentality’ of doing things, that is, a
situation whereby you think about the short-term benefits of a particular
project, without thinking into the future, hence, the long-term benefits of
the project - which may include your career development.
Sometimes, job seekers might say: “Abeg forget karia developument jare,
nah im go put food for my table?”
As a job seeker or career person, you are likely motivated by certain things
in relation to your choice of job or career in Nigeria. Here are some common
factors for you to consider:
• Financial rewards
• Job Security
• Working conditions
• Opportunities for growth
• Opportunities for development
• Creativity of the job
• Collective/Independent working Interest in the job
• Travel Opportunities
• Further training
• Friendly Job environment
• Long-term benefits
These are just a few suggestions that can help you with your choice of a job
or career. You can work out what matters to you based on this list and rank
them in order of importance.
So start thinking of what motivates you in a job or career now. Let that
motivation drive you to your choice of a job or a career.
Photo credits: Usabin
7. how to increase your job security

Do you feel insecure in your job or career? Many workers all around the
world are faced with this job situation. In the United States, a total of
152,000 jobs were lost in January and February 2009 according to the US
Labor Department.
In Nigeria, job loss fears have increased over time in the banking, telecoms
and oil & gas sectors (amongst other sectors), due to the financial economic
recession and the unrest in the oil-rich Niger Delta. Indeed, many have lost
their jobs!
In today’s Nigerian economic environment, other factors such as company

downsizing, company mergers or acquisitions, etc have meant that many
Nigerian workers have faced, or may soon face, the unexpected loss of their
jobs. In an environment where there are relatively no jobs and the few jobs
available are well contested for by many job candidates, workers need to
critically assess their job security.
how secure is your job?
You need to keep asking yourself

everyday: “How secure is my job?”
As companies seek young graduates
and recruit candidates with the
most valuable skills for their
business, workers would want to
constantly assess their assets to the
company to better secure their
jobs.
While you can’t do anything to change the economic recession (leave that to
the financial risk management experts) or the overall economy and other
factors that lead to increased levels of job insecurity, there are things you
can do to cope with job insecurity.
“always have an answer to the question:

"what would I do if I lost my job
tomorrow?”
– Robert T. Kiyosaki
take an inventory
You need to always take stock of your skills, interests, values, and
personality. There are certain skills that you might not have, which may be
necessary for your job area. Don’t waste any time - acquire those skills.
Avoid limiting your skills to a specific job title or role. For example, if you
are a banker, get some IT skills. If you are an engineer, get managerial
skills.
assume responsibility
Some organisations in Nigeria don’t have the culture of training and

development. In this case, you need to train yourself - take courses,
programmes and training on areas that would add value to the company and
your career. You are doing this for yourself. Look for other areas you
can utilize the skills and experience you have. Consider the possibility of
moving to another industry or company where your skills will be more
appreciated and you feel relatively secure.
improve on yourself
Self-improvement is a very important key to job security. The more you

learn, the more you become a problem-solver. The more you offer solutions,
the more you are adding value. Find new ways to do difficult tasks and your
company will see how much of an asset you are. Seek career counseling, if
possible.
be proactive and proficient
Strive to increase your productivity and efficiency in your job. Employers

would keep workers who do their job well, when its time for downsizing. If
you work in an organisation where there are more preference for
expatriates than local workers, you goal should be to remain focused in your
job and be result-oriented.
always stay positive
Despite the job insecurity in Nigeria, you shouldn’t allow negativity to

affect your productivity. The stress and anxiety of feeling insecure in your
job can affect your performance in your job amidst news and trends in your
industry or company. Don’t allow those feelings of insecurity weigh you
down. Strive to be positive about your career and establish relationships
that would help you stay positive.
Photo credits: bro.khatib
8. how to succeed in any job interview

Getting a job may be easier than you think. It involves a real understanding
of the whole interview process. In the Nigerian job market, many people
worry so much about the likely interview questions they would face on the
interview day that they fail to realise that the employer or interviewer
would be as nervous and worried as they are.
I know that feeling of doubt that

prevents job candidates from going
through the job interview process
with ease. I experienced it too those
years of job hunting and I know what
you are possibly going through right
now.
But how can you turn those negative

emotions into positive motions during
a job interview?
Here are a few tips to help you take charge of the situation during your next
job interview.
get background information about the company
I know that you know this already, but I’d like to emphasize the importance
of having background knowledge of the company or industry you want to
work with. This will surely help you in answering the questions that relate to
the company and industry.
prepare insightful questions for the company
In any job interview you attend, make sure you prepare your own questions
for the interviewer or employer. You should ask questions that draw
attention to the competitive environment within the industry; major
obstacles that the company is facing that is preventing it from
accomplishing its goals; the overall executive management style of
leadership.
rehearse your presentation
Most job seekers just don’t bother about preparing their presentations
before they go for job interviews. They don’t realise what a 30-minute
rehearsal of the job interview questions can do for their chances of getting
the job. So make it a goal to always rehearse your presentations with a
friend or family member.
Having them pretend to be the employer and you the job seeker is called
role-playing. Let them ask you the likely questions and you attempt to
answer them. This practice will give you some confidence and remove some
of your doubts and fears during the interview process.
believe that the job interviewer is nervous
This is one of the confidence boosters during a job interview. If you could
just see the interviewer (or group of interviewers) in front of you as nervous
as you may be, you would be relaxed and take charge of the job interview
process. Yeah, that’s right! Realise that the interviewer would aim to
intimidate you, putting up a ‘front’, or ‘fronting’, and that’s your
opportunity to prove that you can handle their ‘fronts’. Of course, this
doesn’t mean you should put up fronts too, rather, be cool, calm and
confident.
view the job interview as a meeting
The more you think of the job interview as a meeting to discuss the
company’s overall objectives and how you can play a role in its success, the
more at ease you’ll be. Most people feel the job interview is a question and
answer session, where the interviewer asks the questions and they (job
seekers) answer the questions. It is much more than that.
The sooner you think of the job interview as a ‘meeting’ with perhaps your
future colleagues or bosses, as the case may be, the better your chances of
making a good impression and getting the job. So view your role in the
discussion as very important for the company’s success and your role will
not be undermined or overlooked.
If you do what you have to do, you’ll be surprised at the results. So go

surprise yourself in your next job interview.
“you can tell whether a man is clever by

his answers and you can tell whether a
man is wise by his questions”
- Naguib Mahfouz
Photo credits: J.T.Crichton
9. how to make the right career decisions

You are looking for a job in Intercontinental bank in Lagos but you have
now been offered employment at NNPC in Abuja. Will you leave your
possibly high-paying bank job which doesn’t give you much time for a lesser
paid oil contract job, which will
offer you a chance to work
overseas?
Yeah, most Nigerian graduates and

job seekers are looking for
directions in their career path. Are
you one of these? Are you at a
‘career crossroad’? Do you expect to
change careers three or more times
during your entire working life? Are
you undecided about a job or career
and need the right directions towards your career path?
advances confidently in the

“if one
direction of his dreams, and
endeavours to live the life which he
has imagined, he will meet with a
success unexpected in common hours”
- Henry David Thoreau
step 1: know your values
Your personal values are the emotional anchors of whatever you decide to
do. Ask yourself: What’s really important to me?
Money? Opportunities? Happiness? Family?
If you’re planning to start a career in a Nigerian bank where you expect to

be highly paid, will that job or career give you other things that you desire
in life? If you’ve been writing several job tests and attending interviews,
without success, is it time to consider moving to another career?
step 2: identify your skills and talents
A skill is something you’ve learned to do. A talent is something you’ve been

born with or you seem naturally inclined to do. You should be able to
differentiate between the two, because you may be skilled at something but
don’t enjoy doing that thing - because it’s just not your thing.
If you don’t have a particular skill or if you don’t like a certain field of
study, how do you think you can get a job or pursue a career in that area?
How can a business administration graduate who doesn’t and has never liked
mathematics expect to do well in a GMAT test that requires Math?
Or how can someone who doesn't do well in calculations, study for a

science-related career. So focus on your talents and hone your skills - I
mean 110% - then you’ll be able to make better career choices.
step 3: identify your passions
Passions are what you really enjoy doing or what gets you excited. So what
area of study gets you excited? Think about what you love to do or
something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the opportunity to do.
Then, if you make a career choice in any field, ask yourself: why do I want
to pursue this career or that job? Your answer should help you determine
what your passion is.
step 4: get experience
People say: “Experience is the BEST teacher”. Do you believe that? I do.
Relatively do. Especially when it comes to career matters. If you’re new to
the job market or if you are considering a career change, get out and talk to
people who are actually doing it - those who have experience. Volunteer or
get trained in a field related to the kind of job or career you’re looking for,
in order to gain relevant experience. That way, you’ll be able to test out
whether it fits your career values and passions.
But here comes the problem: If you aren’t getting paid to do that
volunteer job, you’ll likely not stay at the job (or lose focus), because your
passion for that job is in conflict with your value system, which may be
money-driven.
step 5: be a generalist, but specialise
In today’s technology-driven world, almost all information is important in

order to become widely literate, especially in your choice of career or job
interest. For instance, in order to pass a job test or an interview you need
to know as much as possible to be able to impress interviewer(s) or
employer(s). They want to know if you are adequately qualified (not
necessarily your grade - 2.1 or 2.2) for the job - and if you have read wide
enough about the industry, company, etc you will have the clear advantage
of laying your answers before them and letting them worry about how much
they’ll pay you for your skill, knowledge and experience.
So learn as much as you can about what interests you, but focus more on
the jobs and careers you’re considering - and particularly where the
industry or profession you are considering is heading. These are the likely
areas that the employer wants you to prove in order to show that you
understand the industry enough for you to work with the company.
step 6: take experience before money
Here, you need to analyze your values again. What drives or motivates you
for a job or career? A good way of sizing up several job opportunities is to
ask yourself: “Which position will offer me the best chance of becoming
excellent at what I do?” Likely, that position may not be the one that pays
the highest initial salary.
step 7: aim for jobs or careers with a 110% commitment level
In some Nigerian companies today where employers lay off workers at the
snap of their fingers, you are more likely to remain in that company if your
performance is above average. There’s no room for complacency! So to
avoid this career struggle, aim for jobs and careers where you can give up
to 110%, so that when the company is faced with the decision to downsize,
your name will not be on the list as a result of your outstanding
performance for the company.
step 8: build your lifestyle around your future job or career
Whatever you decide to do, just be passionate about it. If you are a job
seeker or professional, let your career choice reflect on your attitude and
way of life towards that job or career. Live, sleep, drink, eat and
communicate like someone who wants to be seen or related to that
particular career.
Do you remember that Coca-cola advertisement? Think Football. Drink

Football. Eat Football. Sleep Football. Obviously, those you have a career in
football have their whole lifestyle around that particular sport, wouldn’t
you agree?
How can a guy who doesn’t act corporate get a job in a bank? Or how can a
lady who easily gets angry handle customers?
step 9: invest in your job and career
Every employer expects you to prove what your benefits are to the
company, and since they tend towards immediate returns on each Naira,
they will invest in you only when they can see an immediate or relatively
quick expensive benefit, or when they see extraordinary potential in you.

Why do you think they ask: Why should we employ you?
Thus, dedicate yourself to being the BEST that you can be, so that your
LIGHT will shine before your employers.
step 10: be willing to adapt
If you have been struggling with your career or it has been difficult to find a
job in your career choice, don’t let the discouragements worry you. Maybe,
it’s time to adapt. Be willing to change and adapt to new conditions and
opportunities. Adapt. Adapt. Adapt.
Illustration: Mr.& Mrs. Ant
The Ants are one of the most intelligent creatures on earth. The Ants learn
to adapt in whatever situation or condition they find themselves. The Ants
know where they want to go and are willing to turn around and change
their course in order to get there. Visit the Ants today!
“the roads we take are more important

than the goals we announce; decisions
determine destiny”
- Frederick Speakman
Photo Credits: Oluseyi
10. are you an employable person?

If you have been unemployed in Nigeria for years now, or you are a recent
graduate but haven’t found a job, or you are one of the 7 out of 10
Nigerian graduates that are unemployable, hopefully this article would
provide you with successful tips to becoming an “employable person”.
Ok! The education system in Nigeria did not prepare you enough for the job
market. Perhaps, you didn’t benefit from proper career counseling and
guidance and you have made the wrong career choices.
Below are four success strategies to help you become an employable person.
re-fine
Could it be that your job search techniques need to be refined? Most

jobseekers look for jobs in every place - banks, oil companies, etc without
success. While this is not a bad strategy, it may make you lose your focus on
the key job areas where you can readily find jobs. Or perhaps, you may be
looking for jobs in an area that is highly competitive such as the banking
industry in Nigeria.
So why not focus 80% of your job search efforts on areas where you are
certain of getting a job given your skills, experience, etc Then, use the
remaining 20% to look in areas where you are less likely to find a job, due to
the high demand for jobs in that area.
re-structure
If you have been using the same CV design, layout, etc since you started
looking for a job, perhaps you need to re-structure your CV. How well you
structure it to suit a particular industry or job would determine your success
in getting an interview or a job offer. Understand that each job position you
apply for is unique and each company or industry has its uniqueness.
You need to understand the job description of each position, the culture of
each company and the nature of each job industry you are applying to. Make
sure you use the relevant qualifications, skills, experiences, etc for the
different job positions in the different companies and industries that you
apply for. If you need guidance on CV and cover letter design, feel free to
email me.
re-define
Perhaps you need to redefine yourself and your career purpose. If you are at
a crossroad in your career, seek the help of a career expert. Your career
purpose is the driving force of your career prospects. If you can clearly
define your career purpose, you’ll be take control of your career life.
re-brand
Your chances of getting a job in today’s highly competitive job environment

depend on your ability to rebrand yourself. As fresh graduates out of school
are the likely favoured job candidates, your goal should be to present
yourself as a candidate who is "in touch" or "in tune" with the industry
trends, company news and information, etc. So read company reports and
other useful information that would give you an edge above other
candidates at the job interviews.
11. the 5p’s of successful job search

You’ve probably heard of the 4P’s of Marketing - Product, Price, Promotion,
Place, and People (the new P of the Marketing Mix) - variables that are
under a firm’s control that can affect the level of demand for the firm’s
products.
In today’s competitive job environment, there are equally variables that are
under your control as a jobseeker that can determine your success or failure
in getting a job. Thus, I have developed what I call the 5p’s of successful
job search to help you become more effective in searching and finding the
right jobs in Nigeria. You can call them the 5 recipes for success in job
search.
plan
This is the foundation of your success in any endeavour, whether you want
to build a house, take a vacation, get married, start a project, etc - you
must design a plan.
Here are a few tips on how to use planning for your job search.
Start by researching your career field. Find out the job opportunities
around your career path. Know the qualifications, skills, training, etc
needed for that job position. Research about the companies that offer the
job opportunities that you are looking for. Focus on areas that are less
competitive.
Develop a career plan. After you have done your research, start working on
your CV or resume and cover letter. Define your career objectives. Write
your career summary. Write your career profile. Do these for different job
positions in different companies or organizations. Some people find a job
before they prepare a CV. Start early. When you’ve found a job that you
wish to apply for, you can then structure your CV to suit the job position or
job industry.
Commit yourself to your plan. Some people have a problem with sticking to
their plans and goals. I use to have that problem, but I’ve improved in
recent years. You might have developed a career plan, but later you find
out that you don’t want to pursue that career direction. That means that
you did not plan well for your career. Or you just heard that a particular
company (not in your career plan) is currently recruiting and you apply for a
job position ill-prepared without planning. The result is usually failure. So
strive to stick to your plan and it will work for you.
prepare
After you have designed an effective plan for your job search, start
preparing for the job test and oral interview. This might sound ridiculous,
but your preparation is the key to your success in finding the right job.
Now, I know that this might sound like a University lecturer’s advice: READ,
PRACTICE, PREPARE. However, studies have shown that the most prepared
students pass examinations while the ill-prepared ones fail. So in order to
avoid ‘crash program’ before your job test and oral interview, start
preparing now, even if you’ve not sent out one job application.
When you’ve been short-listed for an interview, make sure you research the
company and employer in such a way that the interviewer would think
you’re a special agent with a secret service. Just kidding!
Prepare your answers to job interview questions well in advance and

prepare your questions for the interviewer (Note: If you don’t ask the
interviewer insightful questions, he/she would think that you are not a
challenging person, so how can you work in a challenging environment?)
Lastly, practice your presentations in front of a friend or family member,

and let them give you appraisals.
people
Yes, you need people. How many? As many as you can meet and talk to.
Speak about your job search to people who might help.
Here are a few tips:
Talk with your friends, family and relatives who are either into the system
or who know people in the system.
Visit career sites where you can find useful information as well as people in
your situation.
Attend career events in Nigeria such as seminars, conferences, etc where

you can meet professionals who are in the industry where you are looking
for a job. Perhaps they might know people in your industry that they can
refer you to. Get their contacts and start calling or emailing them. Always
carry your file or folder containing your CVs and other documents you need.
Network with people in social networking sites such as Facebook. They can
be very useful for your job search efforts, only if you use them well.
Connect with professionals in business networking sites such as LinkedIn.

You can find Nigerian recruiters, business professionals, HR practitioners in
sites like these.
passion
You have to bring passion into your job search efforts. There are ways that
you can be passionate about what you want, right? For instance, to provide
sexual pleasure to someone, you need passion. Again, to get sexual pleasure
from someone, you need passion. Think about all the other things that you
want in life…you need to be passionate to get them. So pursue your job
search with passion and let that passion drive you crazy - not literally
though!:-)
Focus on the jobs that you have passion, strength, enthusiasm and
commitment to do. Whatever you do, avoid being desperate in front of your
interviewer. But show enthusiasm for the job and the company. Give them
the impression that you have worked so hard to get here, and you need the
job position more than the other job candidates. Be fired up and aim to fire
them up by using your positive energy, enthusiasm and passion!
patience
Now you’ve planned, prepared and performed, but you haven’t succeeded
in finding a job. The whole job process would help you learn patience, if
you don’t have that quality. Yes, it can be frustrating! However, patience is
a real virtue! Yeah, easy to say, but many people have been waiting for
years to find a job, and if you ask them, what has kept them through those
years, they’ll answer in one word: PATIENCE.
Although it’s not easy, strive to be patient with your job search efforts and
stick to your career plan and goals. Some have waited enough, and have
settled for anything that comes their way. That’s sad, because they might
not be doing what they really want, or earning the kind of salary that they
want. But for some, they feel it gives them the opportunity to learn other
things before they move on to their original career plan.
Whatever you feel will work for you, consider it. Someday, you’ll find the
right job that suits your career needs.
12. how youth initiatives can boost your career

Most people hardly devote their time and attention to youth groups, forums,
associations, initiatives, and organisations founded for youth and career
development in Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education in Nigeria
and elsewhere.
Little do they know that their role and participation in some of these
initiatives can boost their chances of getting a job or starting a career, as
they would have developed leadership abilities and other skills needed to
succeed in Nigeria’s work environment.
During my years at the University, I co-founded a student group named

Managers Leisure which helped to develop the minds of students and youths
within the community towards
career development. We
organised seminars, workshops
and conferences that attracted
quite a good number of
speakers.
Personally, I learned the

rudiments of team work and
leadership and also gained some
other skills and experiences that
have helped me in my career.
teamwork is the only way we

“great
create the breakthroughs that define
our careers” - Pat Riley
Interestingly, there are a good number of youth initiatives in Nigeria, NGOs
and International Student Organisations such as TakingITGlobal, and AIESEC,
depending on your interests, which you can get involved with, volunteering
your time, efforts and skill with the goal of boosting your future career and
job prospects.
Below are a few tips on how you can boost your career and job prospects
with youth initiative roles:
• Invest your time and resources in youth initiatives related to your

career
• Work as a team with other youths in building the initiative
• Organise events that promote youth participation
• Network with the Nigerian media for event coverage
• Strive for leadership roles in the youth initiative
• Endeavour to improve your communication and writing skills
• Attempt to make speeches in your events or be a moderator
• Work with other youth initiatives as partners or collaborators
• Start local chapters in other parts of the country
• Build a network of sponsors and partners
The truth is, when you get involved with these organisations, you are
gaining hands-on management experience that will help you in your future
job or career. Remember to include your experiences in your CVs and cover
letters, as well as during your job interviews.
Your employer would be glad that you have had these experiences even
though they were volunteer experiences, thus increasing your chances for
your job application and selection.
Photo credits: Comsec
13. the barriers to effective job search

Many Nigerian jobseekers wonder why their job or career search efforts
have not been successful as they hoped. If you are reading this and you
wonder why you haven’t been effective in your job search, you might be
encountering some ‘mental’ barriers to effective job search.
barrier 1: procrastination
act of putting off doing something
To be effective in your job search, you need to start early to plan for your
career future. Most people wait until they are out of the University, or have
finished their NYSC before they start taking the necessary steps of job
hunting. Here are a few tips to help you avoid this situation:
• Identify your career goals while at the University or during your NYSC
• Start doing the necessary research on your career focus
• Define your career objectives in relation to your career path
• Get the extra skills and training that you need for your future career
• Start making contacts with people already in your career path
• Prepare your resume or CV and a cover letter early and update it
regularly
barrier 2: complain
expressive feeling of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment
Complains arise due to the frustrations of not getting a job. Some people
would complain that there are no jobs, or that the employers are too
biased, or that the job market is too competitive, or that the salary is
meagre. Perhaps that the government is not fair or that the system is not
encouraging. Blah, blah, blah.
Unfortunately, while you are busy complaining, you won’t see the job or
career opportunities that may pass you by. So, try not to complain about
your situation. Rather, be focused on your job search efforts and goals in
whatever situation.
obstacles you face are… mental

“the
barriers which can be broken by
adopting a more positive approach”
- Clarence Blasier
barrier 3: worry
feeling of anxiety, frustration and distress
Worry is another barrier to effective job search. After many years of job
hunting - writing many job tests, attending many interviews, etc - you may
start feeling that you’re too old and would not be accepted in the system,
since many employers are looking for young graduates. Worrying will not
solve the problem.
Here are some tips:
• Search for jobs in less competitive areas

• Consider changing your career direction
• Re-evaluate your goals and passions
barrier 4: complacency
feeling of self-satisfaction
Okay, you have sent out two or three job applications, and you relax and
wait for the results, feeling that you’ve done enough and perhaps you’ve
conquered the world. Or you just wrote a job test or attended a job
interview and you just relax and wait for an invitation letter or a call.
That’s complacency! As a jobseeker, your goal should be to seek as many
job opportunities as possible and never stop until you succeed with one.
So make finding jobs an unpaid full time job for yourself. Be crazy about
finding jobs in the Nigerian Daily newspapers. Visit online job sites to find
the latest jobs. Register with genuine recruitment agencies in Nigeria. Be
proactive, versatile and passionate.
barrier 5: mediocrity
state of being or feeling average and ordinary
Mediocrity can prevent you from competing with others for a particular job
position because you graduated with a lower grade or because you feel that
your degree can’t get you a job. This state of the mind can affect your
career life in such a way that you can settle for whatever job you find.
Instead challenge yourself to find jobs despite your status, ethnic, age, sex
and disability. Have a routine of job searching, networking and preparing for
possible job offers. Finally, be assured that these five different barriers to
effective job search can be surmounted with hard work and conscientious
efforts on your part.
14. what if your degree can’t get you a job?

Most graduates in Nigeria who studied courses that are not in high demand
for in the job market may sometimes feel out of place in the Nigerian
competitive job industry.
Degree programmes such as Political Science, Psychology, History, Food

Technology, Geography, Library and Information Science, Urban and
Regional Planning, etc are practically not in high demand in Nigeria,
whereas in other parts of the world, you can find good jobs if you’re a
graduate of one of these.
Most people accepted to study for these courses partly because they didn’t
have a choice (due to cut-off marks imposed by the admission system in
Nigeria), or perhaps they simply didn’t have the forethought or foresight
into their future career due to a lack of proper career counseling and
guidance in Nigeria.
If you find yourself in this situation where your degree or diploma can’t get
you a job in Nigeria, here are a few suggestions on what to do.
Take a short course. Look for short business or IT-related courses, or even
other courses in your field. Start a sandwich programme. Make sure that the
course or programme has a relatively high employment demand.
Register for a professional exam. Find a professional exam that suits your
needs in a field where you have 75% knowledge of the subject area and that
you can find a job with. Read the course modules before choosing a
professional course to take.
Acquire relevant skills. Skills can get you jobs easily anywhere in the
world. Develop the right skills needed to find a job.
Focus on less competitive jobs. Search for jobs in areas that are less
crowded and competitive. Focus your efforts in job industries that don’t lay
so much emphasis on factors such as (degrees, grades, age, etc).
Consider taking up a teaching job. Teaching jobs are everywhere, in

schools, private classes, training institutes, etc Consider teaching your field
of study while searching for other jobs you want.
“the majority of men meet with failure

because of their lack of persistence in
creating new plans to take the place of
those which fail” - Napoleon Hill
Learn a foreign language. Learning a new language can be challenging, but

rewarding. You can learn as many languages as you can, but focus your
energies and efforts on languages that would assist you in getting a job or
starting a career in Nigeria. Languages such as French, Spanish, Arabic, and
other Nigerian languages can help.
Start a blog. A blog is an online diary-type website that features articles

and comments on a particular topic and subject. Start writing your thoughts
as well as local and world news on your field of study on a weblog.
Blogger.com is a good start.
Improve on yourself. Self-improvement is a good way of finding a job or

starting a career. Read self-help books and blogs on goals, happiness,
wealth, productivity, relationships, etc. Attend personal development,
motivation, etc seminars. Practice what you feel would work for you (not
because it has worked for other people). Have a positive outlook about life.
Pursue a hobby. Hobbies can be turned into passions; passions into profits.
Look for something that you like to do and start doing it. Be creative. Some
hobbies like painting, crafting, designing, writing, etc can be rewarding in
Nigeria.
Start a project. Choose a project related to your field that you can
successfully work on and start working. Find project-minded people to work
with. Develop creative ideas that can help you build a career, make money
and create jobs for people.
“it is never too late to be what you

might have been” - George Eliot
You can succeed in your career and job life, if you look out for opportunities
in all areas of life. Try not to limit yourself. Believe you can do what you
plan to do. Achieve what you want to do.
15. lessons from asking questions

at job interviews
I have received several feedbacks from career-minded people who feel that
asking an interviewer certain questions during a job interview may seem as
if you are being too forward. Others have suggested that Nigerian employers
may tend to be unresponsive to such questions.
What do you think?
The truth is: Employers are actually looking for candidates who can put
forward challenging questions about the job position, the company, and the
industry.
In one of my interview experiences in the past, I used such questions and

was successful. Although my experience may not be similar to yours, but I'll
like to share it here, so you can perhaps learn lessons from asking questions
at job interviews.
Back in 2004, I was applying for a trainee marketing consultant job in a

management consulting firm in Abuja. The role was to successfully market
the company’s professional training programmes and events to professionals
in the banking industry. This meant that the right candidates for the job
position must possess inter-personal skills, communicative skills, marketing
skills, presentation skills as well as qualities such as confidence and the
ability to work under pressure.
I had read a lot about how to be successful in job interviews and even
though I wasn’t sure that asking a Nigerian employer such questions might
seem that I was too forward, I decided to give it a try.
Here’s what I did back then…
I carefully reviewed all the questions that I was able to research about. I
analyzed each question and chose the ones that related to the job position
and my skills and experience for the job. Then, I started to prepare for the
interview with these questions in mind. I had a friend rehearse my
presentation with me and worked on my body language, posture and voice.
Note that your body language speaks about your suitability for the job
position.
Since I didn’t know what to expect from the interviewer, I concentrated my

efforts on what impression I’ll give at the interview. I must say that, the
interviewer was not expecting those questions from someone applying for a
trainee position. When I got the job offer, the letter specifically highlighted
that my confidence and poise were the qualities the company was looking
for from the right candidates.
I’ve decided to include my experience to point out the areas where most
Nigerian jobseekers sometimes overlook that may deny them a job offer.
Now think: If the interviewer back then didn’t expect me to ask those
questions (perhaps because I was applying for a trainee position), how much
more would today’s interviewers expect from you, when you apply for top
positions in top companies and organizations.
If you are interested in increasing your chances of getting a job offer, then
you need to try any possible strategy that would work to your advantage.
16. steps to finding a

trainee placement or internship job
If you are still an undergraduate
student at any Nigerian University and
you intend to pursue an internship
programme or an industrial trainee
placement (popularly known as IT) or
enroll as an intern or trainee in any
field or industry in Nigeria, this
article is just right for you.
Or perhaps you are a graduate

student and would like to learn tips
to help you find a good post-NYSC job placement in any industry or company
in Nigeria. Or you are just interested in finding an internship job in Nigeria
to improve your current skills and acquire more skills.
Here are seven success steps to help you find an IT placement or internship
job.
step 1: decide
You have to decide what type of job you are interested in and which
industry you want to work in depending on your field of study and your
career goals. For example, a petroleum engineering student in Nigeria
would need an industrial placement in an oil company such as Shell Nigeria,
ExxonMobile, etc in order to get the required training. Thus, your
qualifications must match the position’s requirements.
step 2: search
Depending on your field of study, search for industries in Nigeria that offer
internship jobs. Instead of waiting until the end of the semester before you
start your search, you should start searching from the beginning of the
academic calendar year you are supposed to go for your IT attachment. That
way, you would have enough time to explore the job requirements, apply
for the training and focus on other areas of your academic work.
step 3: check
While searching on your own, check if your academic adviser can assist you
with job placements related to your study. An academic adviser or lecturer
always has ideas and contacts in the employment world that he or she can
refer you to.
step 4: contact
If your school has a career advice centre, you can contact them to find out
what resources are available for you in your search for an IT placement.
Some Nigerian Universities employ career counselors to assist students in
finding internships or in finding jobs.
step 5: visit
You can also visit the websites of companies that you are interested in
working for. Search their “Employment Opportunities” page or “Careers”
page. Sometimes, industrial placements are made public online.
step 6: browse
Browse through Nigerian newspapers and industry magazines for possible

industrial training placements or internship programmes. If you find any that
interests you, contact the company and find out more about the position.
step 7: attend
Attend a career or job fair in Nigeria. Several job fairs are being held in
Lagos, for instance, and many job seekers have benefited from this event.
Hopefully, colleges and universities in Nigeria would start organising career
fairs for job seekers, if they’ve not already started doing so. At the job fair,
talk with different companies about possible internships and future jobs in
their organizations.
Photo Credits: sendroiu
17. how fresh graduates can

structure a winning cv
Whatever your field of study, you can structure your CV in such a way that
your qualifications, skills, and professional experiences are best suited for
any job you wish to apply for. Below are 5 tips on how fresh graduates can
structure a winning CV.
tip 1: personalize your career goal
Your career goal defines YOU as a person. It says what you want to become,
how you intend to achieve this, and what qualities you have to achieve this.
So ask yourself: What does the interviewer or employer need to know about
me that would benefit the company?
Here, you need to have researched the company and the job position in
order to be able to define a career goal that relates to that of the
company’s and the job expectations. Also, your career goal should be stated
in such a way that it reflects your career purpose or path.
tip 2: summarize your qualifications
Your qualifications are another vital part of your CV. They tell whether you
are qualified for the job or not. In order to show your qualifications, you
need to list them in a descending order of period of year and level of
qualifications. Also, you need to create segments or categories of your
qualifications. Below is a format:
• Educational. List and summarize your schools attended,

qualifications obtained and years of graduation.
• Professional. List and summarize your professional institutions
attended, qualifications and years of graduation. Professional bodies
and certifications such as ICAN and ACA will be relevant here.
tip 3: priortize your experiences
Your experiences play a key role in the job selection process. Even though
your employer knows that the job position being applied for is for fresh
graduates, who may or may not have a job experience, they would expect
you to have some experience in a work-related environment, where you’ve
demonstrated your skills in effective communication, teamwork, leadership
and more.
Here are a few tips:
• Summarize your NYSC experience. Highlight the areas of your work as

a youth corper that are related to the job position you are applying
for. Also, include the essential job qualities that you learned from
the experience.
• Analyze your IT job placement, if any, as above.
• Recognize your organizational experiences. Highlight any areas of
your student professional activities that are related to the job. This
includes student associations, initiatives, organizations, clubs, etc
tip 4: recognize your skills
Your skills are the tools you need to do the job effectively. Make sure you
include as many skills as possible, relevant to the job position. Some key
skills include Analytical, Communicative, Writing, Persuasive, Creative,
Networking and Leadership skills. Note: If possible, include how you
demonstrated each of these skills in your little work experience.
tip 5: organize your cv
Your CV should have all it takes to get you the job. Most CVs are not
considered because they lack organization and clarity. Focus on the good
organization of your CV by paying attention to font sizes, characters,
spaces, margins, etc.
Remember: Your CV is doing the marketing for you, so if it lacks good

presentation and organization, you shouldn’t expect to be invited for an
interview. If you are invited, go for it!
18. 10 insightful questions

to ask your next job interviewer
If you are wondering why you don’t seem to succeed in job interviews,
perhaps the problem could be that you haven’t shown that you are a
challenging person with questions that may dazzle the interviewer or
employer.
If you have been given an opportunity to present yourself at the interview,

your goal should be to ‘wow’ your would-be employer by your intellectual
and insightful questions to the interviewer. I'll now present to you ten
powerful questions for you to use and get yourself a job offer.
1. What are the growth and advancement opportunities that this job
position and the company would offer?
With this question, you are telling the interviewer that you are looking
forward to a long-term professional career with the company, not just for a
paycheck.
2. Are there opportunities for continuing education and professional

training?
Here, you show that you are willing to learn new skills and possibly adapt to
new challenges and initiatives that would improve your performance on the
job.
3. What are the major obstacles preventing the company from achieving
its goals?
In this question, you are showing a real interest in the company’s well-being
and possibly indicating that your skills and experience could help make the
company achieve its goals.
4. How do you feel I could add value to the company?
Obviously you were shortlisted out of hundreds, possibly thousands of other

candidates. Thus, this question gives you the opportunity to find out why
you were shortlisted and more chances to bring your qualities to the
spotlight.
5. What would be my first project if I’m hired?
This gives the impression that you are already seeing yourself a part of the
company. Also, it shows that you have the mental attitude to work from day
one, thus allowing you to start planning for the project even before you are
expected to commence your job, if you were hired.
6. Who will evaluate me if I’m hired?
This question might help you understand the hierarchy of management in

the company as well as the departmental structure where you are expected
to work. Most importantly, you will be able to discern what level of
management personnel you are expected to report to.
7. What is the nature of the competition in the industry?
Although you’ve done your own personal research about the industry, this
question might give you insights into other areas of the industry that you
don’t have information about. You might also learn about the company’s
position in the job industry.
8. Why did you choose to work with this company?
This could give you other reasons to consider working for the company. It’s
like asking the interviewer: Why would you advice me to work for this
company? Thus, finding out a current employee’s reasons for choosing to
work at the company can give you some insight into some of the strengths
and opportunities within the organization.
9. When will a decision be made on the successful candidate?
Although some interviewers/employers may tell you that the decision will
be made soon, without giving an exact time period, asking this question
helps you to know how you can plan your interview follow-up activities such
as sending a ‘thank you’ card or email, making a call, etc.
10. Who should I contact as a follow-up to this interview?
This is perhaps the best way for you to wrap up the interview. With this
question, you are not only keeping the door open for further
communication, but you are also giving the impression that you have a
positive outlook about the interview and a possible job offer.
“you can tell whether a man is clever by

his answers and you can tell whether a
man is wise by his questions”
- Naguib Mahfouz
what next?
It is my hope that you have benefited tremendously from this career
guidebook. Some of the ideas and insights found in this e-book have been
published on the Internet at www.loyokezie.com, but because I wanted
more people to have access, I decided to publish this e-book in PDF format
for FREE.
Thank you for downloading and reading this career guidebook. Kindly send
me your feedback by visiting www.loyokezie.com/ebooks
Remember, this e-book is only a guide. You are the only person who can
solve your career problems.
And until we meet,
Pursue career freedom!
if you would like to hire me as your career coach, kindly send an

introductory email via: speak@loyokezie.com
the author
Loy Okezie
is a much-sought-after career mastery coach
whose clients include graduates and
undergraduates, jobseekers and professionals as
well as hundreds of career-minded youths who
desire career excellence.
His career as a personal and organizational

effectiveness coach started since 2003 when he
helped co-found a youth initiative for career
development while studying at the University of
Abuja. This initiative helped to inspire and incite the minds of youths
towards their career development through trainings, talk-shows, workshops,
seminars and conferences.
He has a background in Business with over four years experience in

marketing consulting and strategic development, having worked with
management consulting firms in Lagos and Abuja.
He has worked as a career and recruitment consultant for a UK-based

recruitment consulting firm, and has successfully trained hundreds of people
to become effective in their personal and career lives.
Born in Lagos; educated in Le Havre, he currently lives in Lekki Bay Area,

New Lagos where he runs a new media communications agency that helps
small businesses and huge companies to build their brand awareness and
engage with their customers more effectively.
You can connect with him via Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
If you would like to invite Loy to speak to or train your organisation,

kindly send an email to speak@loyokezie.com

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personal guide to

planning your career

Copyright © 2009 Loy Okezie

This e-book is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-

Designed and Edited by

Cover Image via Flickr by

1. are you looking for a job or seeking a career? .......................5

2. does your career life have a plan, purpose or goal? ................7

3. how to define a successful career goal ...............................8

4. how to write your own career statement.............................12

5. how a personal mission statement can get you a job...............14

6. what motivates your choice of job or career? .......................16

7. how to increase your job security .....................................18

8. how to succeed in any job interview ..................................20

9. how to make the right career decisions ..............................22

10. are you an employable person?.........................................26

11. the 5p's of successful job search .......................................28

12. how youth initiatives can boost your career .........................31

13. the barriers to effective job search ...................................33

14. what if your degree can't get you a job? ..............................35

15. lessons from asking questions at job interviews .....................37

16. steps to finding a trainee placement or internship job.............39

17. how fresh graduates can structure a winning cv ....................41

18. 10 insightful questions to ask your next job interviewer...........43

what next? .............................................................. 45

Personal Guide to Career Freedom [Volume 1] has been specially designed

acquire career intelligence

Are you ready to attain career freedom?

Start by planning your career.

if you would like to hire me as your career coach, kindly send an

1. are you looking for a job or seeking a career?

This guy has an engineering background and a passion to become a

Now the question is:

I find this situation very interesting because it raises a very important

are my looking for a job or seeking a career?

what are you looking for in your life?

But wait a minute…

Does your life have a plan, purpose or goal?

2. does your career life have a

What about you?

“Man, I want a career in Oceanic Bank. I admire their core values of

3. how to define a successful career goal

discovering your purpose

Since every organization has a

In order to succeed in Nigeria’s highly competitive job environment, you

identifying your skills

Here are a few tips to help you identify your skills:

• Linguistic Intelligence - Using words to communicate and express

identifying your interests

“every man without passions has within

identifying your passions

“the best career advice given to the young

find out what you like doing best and

4. how to write your own career statement

Our major definite purpose is often tied

“what a different story people would

finding your career purpose

5. how your personal mission statement

Do you have a PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT?

Some Nigerian jobseekers may think that having a personal mission

“it is never too late to be what you

what is a personal mission statement?