By Ajayi Joel
Listen, I would first tell you there is a problem, and it would not be easy for government to fix it.
It is the problem of mass production of students from the university system in Nigeria. The university churns out thousands of graduates yearly.
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So, every year, there are several other graduates just like you who studied the same course. Some had higher grade points than you or lesser.
The fact is that you all want to compete for the few jobs available. So, we now have graduates ask this question, “What if I don’t get picked by this company?”
It is not bad to ask. My first point is that you are already at a disadvantage because there are thousands of others. What most companies do then is take advantage of the number and put out ridiculous salary offers just because they know if A doesn’t get the job, Y or Z would jump on it.
When you are in this situation, my first advice is pause, and then reflect; yes, ask yourself , “Am I applying for this job for them to use my time or because of the value I want to offer?”
If you are being paid for your time, you stand a chance to lose your job easily or get underpaid because there are several others on the list who have just time to offer.
The queue is endless. However, on the other side of value, the number is very few.
Sorry to break your heart, a reasonable company would go for value. Before they pick scrambles from those who just have time as what they offer.
They would also offer better reward to someone who has value.
There are many graduates, hence the lesser significance of a first degree, contemporarily, since there are myriads of options available to employers. Simply, the companies would have to increase the qualifications for the jobs because it is the employers’ market.
Now, pay attention. This post is not to give you a guarantee of job security. It would only tell you what not to consider when applying for a job.
When you are applying for that job and or post, it is not about the time you want to spend there, it is about what you want to offer as a value from yourself.
I know people who have value, though jobless, and still have higher chances than those who don’t. So when you try to apply for a job, and the question – “What if I don’t get picked?” – comes up, be quick to evaluate yourself if you are asking that because you really fit into the task needed, or you were just in a hurry to occupy a position.
If it’s because you are fit for the task, then you should also begin to think about what you have that beats those who are also fit for the task by asking yourself again: “What if I don’t get picked by this company?”
The more you evaluate yourself, the higher your chances. It is not a guarantee; it is just a checkmate to increase your consideration for your value level.
Never apply for a job that pays for your time, there are thousands who would grab the opportunity and accept a cheaper offer than you, hence putting your job security at risk.
Apply for a job that pays for your value.
Do you have the value? You must answer that to make progress.
Most people at entry-level are largely paid for their time, the issue of value is relative; it comes overtime.
You hire some people just because of the potential you think they have, and you spend a fortune polishing them for the future, and if you are lucky, they reward you with good performance.
To ask every jobseeker to be angling for payment based on value would be a stretch, many of these fellas cannot define what qualifies as value; so I don’t know what leverage they have to project or bargain for such.
The same way job seekers grumble, employers grumble too. If you have tried to hire people with decent level of capability, you can easily get frustrated. Hiring sometimes is really a costly venture, that a lot of people apply for jobs doesn’t really mean they can do a thing.
So for starters, the focus must be on getting hired. Do not overplay your relevance by thinking that you are a bundle of value at that early stage. I believe that humility is the biggest virtue they need at that stage, this overvaluing of capability and relevance is why most people keep disappointing, when given a chance.
When you grow in skills and experience, you can try staking your value claim, but do not delude yourself with that from start.
“So for starters, the focus must be on getting hired. Do not overplay your relevance by thinking that you are a bundle of value at that early stage.” Get in the door first. But that does not change the point made by the author also. Even as entry-level you need to examine your value because everyone has 24 hours. If you have no value, they could have picked someone that did not attend school a single day.
Great one. I agree with you Ajayi. This is why personal capacity must be taken seriously and as a continuous activity. This is the only way relevance, confidence and sustainability can be ensured in a fast changing world.