NIGERIAN JOBS,CAREERS ,HINTS ON INTERVIEW Q& A,RESUME,SELF EMPLOYMENT

THE GUIDE ON HOW TO WRITE A CV RESUME

2009-05-31T01:42:00.000-07:00

WRITING A CV RESUME
If you are looking for a job, then it is very important that you understand how to offer yourself in the best way to an employer.This is done by writing a 'CV' (curriculum vitae - Latin for 'life story'), called in some countries a 'resume'.
Different countries may have different requirements and styles for CV resumes. So you must follow the correct practice for your culture and country. However, we will try to give you important principles and advice.
WHAT IS A CV RESUME FOR?
A CV resume is quite simply an 'advert' to sell yourself to an employer. You should send a CV to an employer when they ask for one in a job advert, or when you are enquiring if any jobs are available. So the purpose of your CV is to make you attractive, interesting, worth considering to the company and so receive a job interview.
An employer may have several hundred enquiries about a single job, he or she will only choose a few people who appear suitable for interview.
Therefore, your CV must be as good as you can make it.
GENERAL ADVICE
If you are a student, there is probably a career advice office in your place of study. They are there to help. They may have fact-sheets of advice on how to prepare a CV. Make full use of them. However, employers do not want to see CVs which are all written in exactly the same way. Therefore, do not just copy standard CV samples! Your CV should be your own, personal, and a little bit different.
A CV should be constructed on a word-processor (or at least typed), well laid out and printed on a good quality printer. Do use bold and/or underline print for headings. Do not use lots of different font types and sizes. You are not designing a magazine cover! Do use plenty of white space, and a good border round the page. Do use the spell-check on your computer! (Or check that the spelling is correct in some way) Consider using 'bullets' to start sub-sections or lists.
Because you are using a computer or word-processor, you can easily 'customise' your CV if necessary, and change the layout and the way you write your CV for different employers.
Picture yourself to be a busy manager in the employer's office. He (or she) may have to read through 100 CVs in half an hour, and will have two piles - 'possibles' and 'waste-bin'. So yours must be easy to read, short and attractive.
There are two communication principles to remember:
*'Keep it simple,.
*'If they didn't hear it, you didn't say it'.
So, when you have written a first attempt at your CV, get someone else to look at it, and tell you how to make it better. Ask your friends, your tutors or teachers, your career office, family friends in business. What you have written may seem simple and obvious to you, but not to an employer! Go through it again and again with a red pen, making it shorter, more readable, more understandable!
How to start
Sit down with a piece of paper. Look at the job(s) that you are applying for. Consider how your skills, education, and experience compare with the skills that the job requires. How much information do you have about the job description? Sometimes employers do not give enough information. Ask for more detail if needed. Spend time researching detail about the job(s) that interest you and information about the employer - their structure, products, successes, and approach - from:
Their own publicity, reports and publications
A library (business reports, trade papers)
College career office
Newspaper reports
The Internet
WHAT TO INCLUDE
Personal details

Name, home address, college address, phone number, email address, date of birth.
Do you have your own web homepage? Include it (if it's good!).
If your name does not obviously show if you are male or female, include this!
Education

Give places of education where you have studied - most recent education first. Include subject options taken in each year of your course. Include any special project, thesis, or dissertation work.
Pre-college courses (high school, etc.) should then be included, including grades. Subjects taken and passed just before college will be of most interest. Earlier courses, taken at say age 15-16, may not need much detail.
Work experience

List your most recent experience first. Give the name of your employer, job title, and very important, what you actually did and achieved in that job. Part-time work should be included.
Interests

They will be particularly interested in activities where you have leadership or responsibility, or which involve you in relating to others in a team. A one-person interest, such as stamp-collecting, may be of less interest to them, unless it connects with the work you wish to do. Give only enough detail to explain. (If you were captain of a sports team, they do not want to know the exact date you started, how many games you played, and how many wins you had! They will ask at the interview, if they are interested.) If you have published any articles, jointly or by yourself, give details.
If you have been involved in any type of volunteer work, do give details.
Skills

Ability in other languages, computing experience, or possession of a driving licence should be included.
References

Usually give two names - one from your place of study, and one from any work situation you have had. Or if this does not apply, then an older family friend who has known you for some time. Make sure that referees are willing to give you a reference. Give their day and evening phone numbers if possible.
Length

Maybe all you need to say will fit onto one sheet of A4. But do not crowd it - you will probably need two sheets. Do not normally go longer than this. Put page numbers at the bottom of the pages - a little detail that may impress.
Style
There are two main styles of CV, with variations within them.
Chronological

Information is included under general headings - education, work experience, etc., with the most recent events first.
Skills based

You think through the necessary skills needed for the job you are applying for. Then you list all your personal details under these skill headings. This is called 'targeting your CV', and is becoming more common,but it is harder to do. So take advice on whether it is OK in your country and culture, and how to do it best.

Optional extras

It can be good to start with a Personal Profile/Objective statement. This is a two or three sentence overview of your skills, qualities, hopes, and plans. It should encourage the employer to read the rest.
You could add a photo of yourself - either scanned in by computer, or stuck on. But make sure it is a good one. Get a friend (or a working photographer) to take a good portrait. The pictures that come out from automatic photo-machines do not show you at your best!
Presentation

You may vary the style according to the type of job, and what is accepted in your country and culture. So a big company would normally expect a formal CV on white paper. But, just perhaps, a CV applying for a television production job, or graphic designer, could be less formal - coloured paper, unusual design, etc!
Consider using a two column table to list your educational qualifications and courses taken.

Applying for Government jobs

2008-11-07T02:43:00.000-08:00

Let's just get this out of the way now - I'm not a fan of the public service.
You see, in my book Job Secrets Revealed I try to teach that there are no rules when you're applying for jobs. This isn't true in the public service. They have a rule for everything, including how to apply, what to say and how to say it.
The public service isn't noted for its customer service or expense reduction abilities, so if you want to work for them then you are in for a battle. The fact is that they have "selection criteria" which you must meet. Generally there will be an address for you to write to get a list of these criteria.
Once you have this list, simply organize your experiences and skills that match the criteria. Make it easy for the personnel department by writing down the individual criterion as a heading and then show how your skills match the criteria. You?re marked on how closely to the selection criteria you respond. Similarly, if you make it to a shortlisted interview, your responses are similarly marked and then plotted on a grid with your written application.
As you can see, the public service is a totally different animal to private enterprise. Customer service isn't as crucial here as it is private enterprise, and the desire to make a profit or save money isn't as strong.
What I'm trying to say is that the savings or profit-making ideas you may have that would really interest an employer in the private sector may be met with a yawn in the public sector.
With this in mind try to address the selection criteria as best you can. You could well be competing with thousands of people for certain advertised positions.
When you are interviewed it will probably be a panel interview of about 3 people. (Private companies usually have one person do the interviewing - starting to see what I mean about public service not wanting to save money?)
The fact is that the public service is so regulated by rules that you simply have to play THEIR game. Talk to some people in the department you want to work for. Have a chat with the personnel officer and see what they're looking for and mention speaking to them on the application (who is usually in the area of the unfilled position.)
Also - in order to save you time, check if the position is in fact vacant: many advertised positions are already filled by ?temporary? or ?acting? public servants who are being put through a formalized process of having their position advertised ? thereby ensuring equity when they apply for their own position they may have been acting in for years.
Unfortunately you're pretty much on your own on this one. Prayer, crossing your fingers, networking and even dumb luck may get you the job. I'd try them all.
I'm going to leave it here with the public service. But before you start thinking "But he hasn't told me what to do", let me say this: I don't have to. The selection criteria will do that for you.
If you are particularly skilled at negotiating or lobbying for budget increases or more funding, that may help. Every department would love more money.

Your interview "secret weapon"

2008-11-07T02:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been on a date where you had nothing in common so you spent your time asking questions about the other person's past?
Where did you work before that? Where did you grow up? Where did you move to after that? How many brothers do you have?
You get the idea. Your brain is in escape mode and your mouth is simply buying time until you can leave.
Many people find themselves in the same situation at interviews and spend all their time talking about the past, trying to defend their resume. This a really bad sign and if you find it happening to you then you're probably not going to get the job.But there is a way you can turn the interview around, and it's the Job Secrets Revealed Interview secret weapon!
What if you asked this question instead: "You want to hire someone to make something HAPPEN - so what is it you want to have HAPPEN from this job?"
Asking an employer what outcome or what they want to happen from this job completely turns the interview around and an interviewer or employer will start to tell you what they want... Now you can give them examples from your PAST (your resume) that demonstrate you can deliver the outcomes the employer is looking for.
Now instead of talking about your past, you can now talk about your potential.
Now instead of giving the usual staid examples of how you handled a bad situation with a customer, you can talk about the job itself, and the challenges these guys are trying to overcome. You can then take them by the hand and reassure them that not only is your past not your potential but you'll show them how your talents, skills and experience can deliver all they're looking for and MORE.
Pretty cool, no?
There's one caveat on this approach though. When you ask the "what do you want to have happen" question of the interviewer, they may not know the answer!
This can be especially true of HR people who spend their days thinking up hard interview questions and have NO idea that the people they hire are the fuel for their company's growth and innovation. If you were to ask the manager of a hotel restaurant what they want to happen when they hire a waiter you'll get a totally different response than if you ask the same question to the HR manager of the hotel.
Nonetheless, asking "What do you want to have happen if you hire me for this job?" gives you a fantastic opportunity to talk about the job and the challenges they're facing.
Hopefully the person you will be working for will be in the interview as well, but if it's just the HR people then ask the question and explore their answers. More than likely there will be a second interview in which case you'll most probably be interviewed by your potential manager. Make sure you ask them what THEY want to have happen and explore the answer with them.
So, before you head off to your next interview, make sure you print out a copy of the Job Secrets Revealed checklist to take with you, to make notes on, and to prompt you on the right questions. (Yes! You are allowed to take notes in with you and to ask questions! Hard to believe I know!)

How to make your application 150 times more exciting to an employer

2008-11-07T02:36:00.000-08:00

I want you to read this article 150 times!
I'm serious. I want you to do this because I want you to experience what an employer goes through when reading applications for any vacancies.
Now, you may be thinking to yourself that you're not going to read anything 150 times, because you'll be reading the SAME thing over and over again! And that's exactly my point. Plus or minus 10%, most applications for a job are identical. Just the names and dates are a little different.
Essentially they all say the same things: "I'm good with people", "I am committed to performing to my utmost capacity" "I consistently strive for higher standards". Additionally, most applicants will have roughly the same skills because most people only apply for jobs they think have the skills to do.
How can I say this? At our office in Australia, we see hundreds of applications every week, and unfortunately, they all look the same - except for a few. And it's these few that we call in for an interview.
Think about that. If you were an employer, do you want an employee that is simply one of the crowd or do you want someone that STANDS OUT from the crowd?
I could tell you right now how your cover letter probably starts (if you use one):
I'm writing an application for the position advertised in....
Or maybe you're more creative...
Your ad on Monster.com really interested me....
As we've mentioned in previous newsletters, the reason why your application probably looks like every other application is you learned how to write applications at school or college along with every other student. Now it's time to consider a different approach - following are some examples of highly successful application openings which resulted in interviews.
"5 key areas where I can help you increase your sales" (salesperson for music store)
"I want you to imagine your customers loading their cars with plants by the bootfull... and what?s more they vow to come back for more." (assistant at a plant nursery)
"Genius for hire." (short-term programmer position)
"With x years of sleeves-rolled-up HR management and employment legal experience under my belt, I have a wealth of experience to help you get the results you're looking for from your people..." (HR/Management)
And here's one that landed its writer an interview here:
With 7 years of managerial and IT experience I have a blend of skills and talents you're looking for to make your networks, hardware and software run more efficiently with a minimum of downtime. More than that, I have a business mentality that finds areas to reduce costs, improve performance and deliver better customer solutions resulting in better business. Here are some key areas where I can help you get the results you're looking for:
The point here is you want to start your letters with a powerful opening that makes the employer sit up and take notice. Remember that an employer is only interested in what you can do for them.
You could be excused for thinking that these openings are over the top, but I can assure you that if you begin to use the language of your employer, your application will immediately become 150 times more exciting to an employer.

How to negotiate 10-50% more money in an interview

2008-11-07T02:28:00.000-08:00

Money! That's what this is all about.
Unfortunately business owners don't hire you simply to give you their money. The surest way to not get a job is to ring up and ask how much it is paying. The second best way to miss out on the job is to ask how much you will be paid in the first interview.
Either wait for the final interview or until you have received a job offer. Besides, your research of the industry should already give you an indication of how much to expect.
How to ask for more
Once you've been offered the job it's now time to talk money. Depending on the job you've applied for and the organization there may be no room for negotiating. You may simply have to take what's being offered. The two choices open to you in this case are to put up with it or find a company that is willing to pay more for your skills.
The next section only applies if you think you are worth more, or want to earn more than what you are currently being paid.
If you were an employer and you have #60,000 allocated as a wage for a new employee, would you offer the potential employee all of your #60,000? Or would you offer them #50,000 to see if they take it, in which case you've just saved yourself #10,000?
So, keeping this in mind, when asked how much you were earning in your last position, answer truthfully and then explain part of your reason for leaving was because you wanted a chance to earn more. That you felt your skills and contributions to the company weren't being rewarded hence the reason for you applying to this job.
It's important to demonstrate early on why you think you are worth more. Bring up case histories of saving the company X% or increasing sales or service while you were there.
"We were thinking of a salary package of #50,000. How does that sound?"
You'll hear this when you ask them what the salary for the job is or they may simply say it up front. The 3 ways to handle this are:
Say NOTHING. This tactic added #5000 a week to my paycheck once. OK, that's not a lot but it's an extra #240,000 a year and I didn't have to ask for it. A good 2 minutes work. The reason this tactic works is because people generally don't like silences. When you say nothing the employer can tell that their offer is less than you were expecting. By saying nothing forces the employer to possibly make another offer; an offer a little closer to what you had in mind.
Explain that you were earning more in your last position and would expect at least that. If that doesn't apply to you, tell them the salary you want plus a few thousand dollars more. The reason for this is -- if you ask for too little you can't negotiate up, you can only get what you've asked for or negotiate down. You've got no room to move in. But, if you ask for more than you want you have room to move down. Chances are that you may get what you asked for which is more than you originally wanted.
Accept the offer on the condition that you meet again in 3 or 6 months for a wage review. Explain that you have skills that will really benefit the company and you are willing to work for less than you would ordinarily accept on the proviso that in X months time you meet again to renegotiate your salary package. You're taking a little of the risk away from them.
OK - now hang on to your hats - here's a lateral thought for you: you can always get paid on a results basis...
Depending on the sort of position you've applied for, if the salary is not up to your standard then ask for a share of profits, increased sales in a certain area or a share of savings made. If the company is spending #50,000 in a certain area and you can save them #15,000 (for example) you could ask for a one-off fee of half the savings (#7,500). (After all, they're better off by #15,000 every year because of your idea.)
The same thing could apply if you can help to increase sales or productivity. You don't have to be a salesman to do this.
I remember a story of a secretary in the Illinois or Ohio who worked for a sausage making company. She thought it would be neat to sell sausages by mail order so she brought the idea to her boss. The boss said OK and she now heads up a multimillion dollar mail order sausage business. Oh yes, she gets paid a lot more than when she was a secretary.
Use them as an example for you being paid more...
If the money they're offering is less than you want or need and it doesn't look like you're going to get what you're asking for, try saying something like this:
"I've researched your firm and I know that the widgets you sell and the services you provide aren't the cheapest on the market. Why is that?" They will go ahead and tell you about their quality and service and expertise and how it's superior to the rest, etc...
To which you would reply: "Well, the same thing applies in my case. I'm not saying that other people can't do my job for less. All I'm saying is that like you, I offer (insert your skills & experience etc... here) and I'm always learning and improving those skills so that I can be of maximum value to you and your customers."
Then say nothing and see what follows. You can always accept what they're offering with a review in 3 months or so if this tactic fails.
If the company is the cheapest on the market then you may be in trouble with the example above so you might have to point out that if you can work more quickly and efficiently, etc... then you'll save the company money. They may pay you more for that.
The last resort..
If all else fails and they won't meet your salary expectations, don't take the job. This might get them to pay what you want or else it won't. The fact is you have to be happy with the salary you're being offered otherwise there is little point in working there is there?
If you can show the employer why you're worth the money and they can see that there is no way you'll do it for less, refusing the job may be what it takes for them to meet your demands. It shows them that you are serious about what you can do and the money you think you're worth.
If they think you are being unrealistic they'll let you go. Maybe one of their competitors will appreciate your skills and pay you the money you want.
But remember this: You don't get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate.

Tell Me About Yourself

2008-10-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

Your Answer to 'Tell Me About Yourself' at Job Interviews

"Tell Me About Yourself" is the most popular way for hiring managers to start most one-on-one interviews; get this right and the rest of the interview will fall into place. Yet so many people just don't get it right and perhaps lose out because of that.
After the informal chat about the weather and travel and so on, most interviewers will start off the formal part of the interview with something like this:
"Tell me about yourself"
The words may vary of course but the request is to start talking and get the interview under way. It is at this point that PANIC sets in. What do they want to hear? Where do I start? How long have you got?

Your answer to this really is quite simple when you think about it this way: The reason you are sitting in this room with this interviewer is to convince them that you are the person they need to hire. Therefore what they want to hear from you are reasons and facts to convince them that you ARE the right person to hire.
This is a job interview! They do NOT want to hear irrelevant stuff about where you go to watch football or your pets' names or how your grandchild just lost her first tooth. (I've heard all of these.)
What they DO want to hear is a brief introduction to show how your career brought you to THIS point of being here in THIS room with them. This means you need to show where and how you got started, the decisions and changes you made along the way and that the role you are about to be interviewed for is the right progression for your career. But not only is it right for you but with your interest, enthusiasm and skills it will be right for the prospective employer as well. And do all this in about 3 minutes!

You have three minutes to hold their attention and tell them how you took up your first job after college or university and gained specific skills as you progressed. Add to this your promotions or appointments to new job roles and how you sought out opportunities to develop in your chosen career. Spend most of your three minutes on your most recent job and how the expertise you have matches the underlying needs of the new job.
Then state most carefully that when you saw this new job being advertised, you became very excited as to the closeness of the match and the career development opportunity you envisioned. And that is why you are so pleased to be at this interview.
And that is how you construct your answer to the "tell me about yourself" command at job interviews.

Emirates Telecommunications Etisalat vacancies in Nigeria

2008-10-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

Emirates Telecommunications Corporation - Etisalat is seeking to recruit in Nigeria. Candidates with a strong and verifiable records of achievements who are energetic, dynamic, enthusiastic, innovative and team players, who are willing to go that extra mile to achieve the Company's goals, in the following areas of operation.

Human ResourcesSenior Manager & OfficersDevelops HR & Admin policies and manages all admin and personnel-related plans and processes such as manpower planning, recruitment, training, compensation, performance management and payroll.Demonstrates expertise in developing and implementing comprehensive HR & A Management Systems and in carrying out Business Process studies related to the HR and Admin functions.

Procurement Logistics & FacilitiesSenior Manager & OfficersOversees supplier sourcing, purchasing and inventory management functions to support the activities of all operating units.Oversees and monitors the purchasing and contracts functions to ensure efficient procurement operations.Oversees the effective provision, sourcing, upkeep, maintenance and upgrade of office premises, external sites, staff accommodation, equipment/furniture/fixtures, utilities, etc.Oversees and controls the logistic planning and inventory control functions to support the activities of all operating units.

Sales & MarketingProduct Development ManagerDevelops business and marketing plans for products and services launches and promotional campaigns. Manages, product/services portfolio and closely monitors the volume and revenue growth as well as quality of service delivery.Sales managerDevelops and manages relationship with key and large accounts as per sales strategies and plans. Plans and develops sales campaigns to suit the different needs of the various market segments. Monitors sales performance of assigned sales team. Negotiate, contract and liaise with Legal as required. Ensures delivery of solutions tailored to customer needs.Customer Care ManagerDevises and implements innovative and effective customer care programmes in order to develop and enhance the level of customer satisfaction. Monitors, reviews and enhances marketing and sales processes and procedures.