16/05/2022
Dear Corper, Passing out Parade is dusted, What next?
PS: If you are under-employed and thinking of a passive income. Read this as well.
First of all, let me congratulate you. You have done exceedingly well. Serving Nigeria with all your heart takes balls.
Welcome back home.
I made sure I allowed you to relax and drink water drop cup. I trust you had a good time.
The bible admonished us to be our brother’s keeper. So kindly take this post as my unnumbered love for you.
Welcome to a faceless phase of your life. While in school you couldn't wait for NYSC to come and when it did, it happened so fast that 11month months passed by with the speed of light.
The first thing you will have to adjust to is the end of monthly alerts especially if you did not think out of the box during the service year. I will explain thinking out of the box shortly.
One other thing that happens so fast is the demand for results from family and friends. This in particular will happen so fast that you will have to hold steady to weather the storm.
I don’t mean to discourage you but since you are an adult now, it will be unfair for me to lie to you. There are white-collar job crises in Nigeria. The current UNEMPLOYMENT rate is hovering around 33-35%. That is to say, millions of graduates like you are on the street already job hunting without results, while others who you think have jobs are typically underemployed, so to be able to break through, you need to come prepared and distinguished.
Secondly, things are getting worse by the day economically, inflation rates are high and our Naira is on a free fall. With this, it will be unreasonable on your part to bank on any uncle or aunt for survival. Everyone's plate is full. More so your time as a full-time consumer in your parent’s house is up.
Time is of the essence. So I will like to jump straight into showing you some key things I know would be of relevance to your journey ahead.
Below is a two-way list of some helpful steps to aid you in view of putting things together. The first list numbered 1-7 is for the conventional job hunting moves.
The second list A-G is in line with digital alternatives to jobs and money-making. This will aid you to leverage on the digital space into becoming your own boss. If I were you I will take the second list more seriously.
Phase 1
1. First things first, start with getting a good curriculum vitae. A good CV is like a good image. it gives the employer an imaginative first impression about you.
Go online and read up on how to build up a good curriculum vitae. You can look it up on YouTube or go to sites like Jobseeker.com, wix.com, resumegenius.com, zety.com
or indeed.com for professional assistance.
2. Get your profile up and running on LINKEDIN. I still hear some people complain about not understanding how LinkedIn works. It’s simple, it is a platform where you can connect with professionals/CEOs/companies directly. Imagine it like the corporate version of Facebook. You can connect to other people by posting and sharing relatable content.
Having an active LinkedIn profile helps to create visibility for you. There are also lots of free courses you can learn on LinkedIn learning.
Instead of sitting around doing movies or asking God when, get busy and add that value, you will need it.
3. Straighten your basic office tools skills. e.g MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and read-up email etiquette. You can use YouTube to learn these courses for free.
In a highly competitive space, such skills will distinguish you. There is a powerful email etiquette post on Ubani Vivian’s timeline on Facebook. I will drop the link at the end of this write-up.
4. Travel once in a while. This is straight from experience. If you are not living in a major city, please try to travel and move around. This has a way of boosting you up and helping you keep your perspective sharp. It also helps in increasing your chances. Staying in one place for too long while job hunting can easily cause motivational lag and chances are that your less vibrant environment might start to affect you psychologically.
5. Sign up to different recruiting sites and subscribe to their job updates. Do well to state your skills and the cities you can work in to localize the feedback.
If you are interested in banking, be on the lookout to know when the banks call for CVs or open their portals for registration. Sometimes, the banks hire recruiting agencies to help them out and some of the major recruiters are Tribest, Viclawrence and associates, Workforce, Ics, and Stresert. You can check them out online. They recruit around the clock. On a general note sign up to job updates sites like IR job alerts, Jobberman, Indeed.com, etc., and follow as many companies as you can on LINKEDIN mentioned above. Sometimes the difference between you and others is how fast you get information.
An addendum to this is for you to rebrand your Facebook and Twitter profiles. If you had by chance been childish in the past by posting some things that don’t represent a responsible person, it is high time you deleted them and build a good profile. Somehow these social media handles speak for you and attract the right information depending on the content you share and follow. There is also a new trend today where employers go as far as checking you out on the social media space to see how you carry yourself. Do not forget to be active as possible on Twitter and Facebook.
6. Send that CV. After writing a compelling CV, do not hoard it. Set a target of how many CVs you would send on a daily and weekly basis. The few available jobs will not come to you on a platter of gold, you will have to position yourself to get their updates and apply accordingly.
7. Finally, this should actually be the first. Align yourself with God, there is hard work and there is grace. A blend of the two makes you run when others are walking.
PHASE 2
Make sure you read this one in a quiet place. If possible put your phone on do not disturb the mood. I need you to focus. If you want to ball with the big boys from a legit point of view, the information below will make the difference.
This is the thinking out of the box part. If you had the right environment and association while serving you would probably have a notch on the digital space and how it is a legitimate and subtle way of making loud money. By now you would have learned some hot selling skills. But for the sake of everyone, I will break it down.
The economy of today is not powered by mineral resources; it is powered by the works of your hand and the words of your mouth using the internet as a platform.
The internet is not the next big thing; It is the biggest thing around after GOD. Today, Life satisfaction levels have moved from job security to freedom and independence while making money.
People are beginning to realize that making money isn't that difficult if you put in the work using the simple formula I am about to show you below.
Formula: VALUE + HARDWORK = MONEY
The currency of the new economy is Value powered by the internet as a platform. White-collar jobs are becoming obsolete and especially for our un-industrialized country, getting a job that will pay you in respect to your worth is like climbing Mount Everest on a rainy day, and this has led to a high rate of underemployment.
Underemployment is when you work like an elephant and eat like an ant with little or no chance of growth. The current underemployment rate is 33%, meaning, the majority of the few Nigeria youths that have jobs are barely feeding on hand to mouth.
Like Adekunle Gold sang on money and happiness, if I tell you out-rightly that jobs are not the solution you need right now you would think I am a hypocrite and that is why I started this write-up on how to prepare for a job.
If you want to avoid the mistake of the past generation of youths, continue reading...
I have been working in the financial sector for quite some time now and I can tell you for free that there isn't a day I don’t wish that I knew the power of digital skills when I just graduated as I do now. I plead with you to take this seriously if you are job hunting and even for those who are currently in need of a passive income.
One thing the pandemic made us see is that life is fragile and time speeds off so fast. The idea of exchanging your time for a meager monthly salary in the name of work is slavery in disguise. Time is more precious than gold. People are now placing a premium on time, freedom, and independence. Thanks to the pandemic people now saw the possibilities of having time, freedom, and independence while making a hell of money at the same time.
The internet makes lots of legit millionaires daily with a simple problem-solving logic which is, to bring your value to the table, and showcase it for people in need to connect. Money comes to problem solvers. What is this value we are talking about? It is when you can solve or help someone solve or do something that they cannot do for themself through skills. In the social space with lots of mediocre, the only way people can trust you with their problems is if you can show through skills that you can solve them exceptionally well.
Although there are lots of good-paying physical skills out there I.e. Tailoring, welding, barbing, etc, the focus of this write-up is on digital skills. Times have changed my brother and the idea behind work itself has evolved. The digital space is now the common denominator and getting acquainted with it is no longer for fun but for real business.
There are hot selling digital skills today that young people who were once EXACTLY in your position now are using to smash millions every month. These skills are easy to learn and all you need outside commitment are your data and your phone/laptop. From my perspective, the 7 skills below are the best selling value-adding, money smashing skills right now.
1. Copy-writing
2. Book publishing on Amazon
3. Graphic Design on Canva.
4. Content writing
5. Website design
6. Social media management
7. AFFILIATE MARKETING ( This is in caps for a reason)
To guide you in making a good decision, I will give a brief background about each skill and where to acquire it. Do well to read to the end before making a decision. As you read keep a reflective mind of your abilities open.
1. Copywriting. This is partly writing and majorly an advertising skill to sell a product or service at the end of the day.
Copywriting has been in existence since the Babylonia times. Almost every advert you see around today has the input of a copywriter. His job typically is to use the power of the written
words to persuade somebody/audience to take any action that includes buying a product/service, subscribing to a newsletter, or just op-tin to a program. There are corporate and freelance copywriters. Corporate copywriters are employed by companies in their advertisement departments to help them close more sales. Freelance copywriters are available around the clock to take jobs and gigs from anybody that has one and is ready to pay. Fiverr and Upwork are two major hubs for freelance copywriters. Learning this skill is easy and YouTube can provide a good foundation for you. Some renowned copywriters you can look out for are Danlok and our very own Nigerian Emmanuel Akpe. Like you, Emmanuel took this part when he graduated and today he is gradually becoming a global voice. Go on YouTube, search for copy-writing videos and get yourself up to speed. Copywriting is a multi-million dollar skill and profession and a lot of young Nigerians are using it to ball big time. Since learning on your own from Youtube is typically not enough to make you a pro, I will leave a guide on how to get a mentor and a specialization course at the end of this write-up so read to the end.
2. Book publishing on Amazon KDP. Thanks to Jeff Bezos's Amazon, more young people are entering the millionaire's circle through book publishing. Amazon book publishing gives you the
room to tell your stories and bring them to the world through books. Most of you have stories that can become bestsellers but you don’t just know how to go about writing and book publishing. Well, thank God you are here reading this. The act of knowing what to write, how to write, and where to publish for sweet returns is a skill that you can easily learn. Even if you don’t know how to write, being a publisher alone on Amazon KDP is enough to make you serious money in a short while. There are people driving cars today and living in mansions from just Amazon KDP royalties. Information rules the world, my friend. Times have changed. As usual, you can start off with foundational tips on youtube and I will drop a guide on how to get a mentor and a course for you to master the skill and start living that quality life. I also recommend you visit Ediri Edewor page to see how book writing and publishing can make you a global voice. She is also the founder of OPEN- (online publishers and entrepreneurs network). You can search her out. Like you, she was a young graduate in a state of confusion after being rejected for jobs until she thought out of the box and shot for the stars through this same skill.
3. Designing on Canva. Canva is a design app for photos, videos, etc. Most of the designs you see around today actually originated from canvas including the header on my
page. This design skill is in top demand in almost every sector. Learning how to design like a pro is a value that you can bring to the internet table and make good money. Go to youtube and get some foundational knowledge while I also share a guide to a mentor and course for you to learn and Pro your way into unlimited bliss.
4. Content Writing. This is another beautiful, money-spinning skill in the internet space today. They are always in demand. It is the act of writing detailed, well-researched, traffic-generating, SEO-aligned content for individuals, companies, brands, celebrities, or even the government.
You can either freelance on Fiverr, Upwork, or be employed by individuals or companies for a job over some time. You can get foundational ideas on youtube as well. A guide will be shared below for a mentor and a course to aid your growth. I also recommend you follow Linda Okafor and Precious Chukwuemeka Nwosu on Facebook to see results for yourself.
5. Website design. This is a very lucrative skill that is making young people become their own bosses. It is not just limited to web design; there is also landing page design
Funnel design and e-commerce store design. These are digital platforms for digital trade and businesses. The demand for it is like wildfire. As long as businesses rule the world, Web design will always be in demand. You can be hired by a corporate body or just freelance. You can get introductory videos on youtube as well and I will also share a guide below for mentor-ship and course training.
6. Social media management. This is the act of managing a client’s social media platforms. It’s a skill that is in high demand. Managing someone’s social media is like managing their business.
There are standards, rules, and process flow to learn. You can be hired by individuals or companies. You can get foundational knowledge from YouTube and if you are so sure you can do this then I will show you a guide below.
7. DIGITAL AFFILIATE MARKETING - This is the fastest-growing business in Nigeria today. Yes, I am damn right. This is even good for you because your head is hot at the moment. Digital affiliate marketing is the act of selling digital products and services on a digital platform to earn allocated commissions.
That is, all you need is your phone and data. The world runs on digital fuel right now, which means that solutions are also digital. Since the money comes to problem solvers, you would be making lots of money for selling value-adding, solution-driven, digital products to people in need. It’s that simple.
The sequence is like this. 1. Get on board the digital marketing space (online)
2. Get trained (online)
3. Pick any of the hundreds of digital products and sell (online)
4. Get paid commission. (Your account)
No shop, no rent, no buying of physical products, no referrals, no blablabla.
Now to be able to sell online you need to be affiliated with a digital market place and there are lots of them both abroad and in Nigeria. The hot-selling digital marketplace in Nigeria at the moment is Expertnaire. For proof, Read it on vanguard here https://tinyurl.com/w3ce573v.
Expertnaire is fast changing the narrative. It is putting serious bread on the tables of different young people. Own by Toyin Omotosho, It has raised hundreds of millionaires in Nigeria. All the platform does is that it lists digital products from digital creators, and allows affiliate marketers to sell at the commission. Expertnaire is blowing the minds of young people because of its ease of doing business and good commission rates and they pay every Friday. The alerts every Friday are enough to intimidate you. The reason I wrote this skill in capital letters while I was just mentioning them is that you can actually do this business while you learn other skills. All you need is your device and data. Since you need money, this brings in the money that you can use to buy any other course and become a pro. I know Corpers, young teenagers, and under their 30s who are making hundreds of thousands every week from just selling digitally on Expertnaire. Now like every other business, you need the foundational knowledge and a coach to walk you by hand. Go on to youtube and read about affiliate marketing and when you are done hit me up for a direct guide on how to sell and make your first 100k in 2weeks.
Now before I go on to give you directions please I would, first of all, encourage you to be of a sound mind and yearn for growth. All lazy tendencies and road to quick wealth thoughts should be discarded. I guarantee that if you take any of the above skills seriously you will so do well that your family will call you blessed. Then there are some basic things you need to have and the first on the list is HUNGER. This is the raw determination that pushes you to exploit. Be hungry for growth. The next on the list is data. Data is the oil mixed with the fuel of the internet to power you for greatness. If you still see data as a luxury then am sorry. I can’t help you. Finally, a little token. Not the type that tears your pocket. The courses I will show you were put together by industry experts on the step-by-step guide to learn and implement, any skill you choose comes with mentorship from the author as well. I didn't write the courses so don’t think I am here for your money. I am here to show you the pathway. One other thing I can guarantee you is that, if you use your pocket no matter how small to feed your mind, your mind will make sure your pocket doesn’t run dry for the rest of your life. It’s that simple.
Meanwhile, the items on the list below(1-10) are for you to follow or read. Search for them. They will grow you.
Now for all the courses listed except Affiliate marketing, kindly send a message to this WhatsApp link to request the course and the mentor. I will also give you the two books on 4/5 below for FREE.
https://tinyurl.com/42t9u3je
For affiliate marketing, kindly send a Whatsapp message to this Whatsapp link to request my personal guide and road map to success. You will get two FREE books and a dozen of value-adding materials. https://tinyurl.com/3h4m6den
1. John Obidi ( personality)
2. Headstart Africa (a Facebook group)
3. Toyin omotosho( personality)
4. How to sell to Nigerians (book)
5. Sell like crazy(book)
6. Edirin edewor(personality)
7. THE BIBLE(oga of all)
8. Ubani Vivian(personality). Here is a link to her email etiquette post. https://tinyurl.com/3ze5vv8s
9. Linda Okafor(personality)
10 My humble self.
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