If you have the goal of promoting or improving your academic qualification during or immediately after your National Youth Service, you are a scholarly body. If your focus is securing a job eventually after NYSC service, that’s also a faculty. The year of service can be a great opportunity for you to achieve these goals on a golden platter. This year of service can serve as a platform for academic advancement and prospective job preparation.
Most Nigerian universities will require your NYSC discharge certificate before you can run a postgraduate programme, while other schools may admit you without the NYSC discharge certificate.
My advice is; don’t wait until after your year of service to enroll in a graduate program. Nigerian universities normally issue entry forms one year in advance. That is, they issue admission forms for, say, the 2011 academic year in 2010. So you always have an extra year to plan your academic pursuit. If you are able to purchase a Graduate Admission Form during your year of service, before the time for actual admission arrives, you are almost certainly done with your national service. It is very important that you get all the essential information from the school of your choice before buying the admission form.
Please do a lot of planning, especially when it comes to time, location, finances, and other commitments. Don’t wait any longer, start now. Interestingly, with the trend of globalization, most of the foreign institutions offer postgraduate courses online. Most of these institutions and their programs are universally recognized. It is also good to say that considering the increase in cybercrime rate, you need to make sure about the authenticity of such schools and their courses before enrolling.
However, most of them are legitimate. It is the sole responsibility of the corps member to investigate the authenticity of said institution. Don’t just see an ad on the internet and pay for said product. Gather information about that institution before handing over your money.
Preparation is the mother of manifestation. If you don’t prepare for your academic pursuit now, you may not stand out from the crowd. You should not have the same result with the crowd. The top is reserved for a few, and the few are those who prepare for a particular challenge or task before facing it.
You can use the year of service to prepare for your graduate programs. It is very important to note that you can now start studying your postgraduate courses. Enroll in the course; Get your work outline and reading materials and start reading right away. Before the end of your service year, you may have covered the work plan. Instead of wasting time doing nothing, you can prepare for your exam.
A corporation has unrestricted access to state and federal libraries throughout the country. You can take advantage of this opportunity and gain a good foundation in your field. Study books and other reading materials related to your field and become a teacher or guru in it. There are so many things that you were not taught in school, this is your time to study and learn them.
You may also develop interest in other fields. Don’t waste your time on irrelevant activities. Instead, study to be versatile and relevant. Most people study just to pass a test; that is not the best Study to apply the knowledge acquired and not for exam purposes. If you study for the certificate’s sake, dude, you might not turn in. You cannot apply knowledge unless you have a deep understanding of a particular concept. Deep understanding cannot come by cramming or through the fire brigade reading approach. It comes through proper preparation. Early preparations make reading enjoyable. Don’t read like a college student looking to pass an exam, read like a graduate who wants to be a teacher in a particular field. If you want to be recognized as a top student, early preparation is a non-negotiable.
An academic body is a scholar. Read all educational material presented to you. You want to be well informed. Some of them contribute significantly to their academic field. I met a member of the corps who did and packaged some extraordinary investigative work. His research work made him a celebrity at the university from which he graduated and was offered employment immediately after service. Other bodies have written great books, movies, advertising concepts, etc. We want to see your contributions in both national and international newspapers. Your badges are not for fancy; you can grant him access anywhere. Don’t waste your power, use it. Gathering information for your research paper won’t be much of a challenge because everyone is willing to help out a corporation.
Another group of academic bodies are those who want to secure jobs immediately after service. Honestly, it’s very possible to secure a job a few months after passing out.
Every reputable organization has its own recruitment process that all prospective employees must go through. Generally, the process starts with the application, aptitude test, interviews, other tests, training and induction. These processes have established guidelines.
Most of the bright graduates with excellent results have not obtained a job because they are unaware of the rules that govern these employment processes. Many graduates cannot write an attractive application letter. Some of us can’t organize and write a marketable resume. The aptitude test is not like the normal school test. It’s very different. The questions are technically designed and specifically regulated. So you must be talking to him. An interview is not just about people talking to you or just a question and answer session. Friends, it is much more than that. I attended a recruiting seminar some time ago and it was clear that my dress code, gait, hairstyle, verbal and non-verbal communication, color of clothing, etc. Everyone is important in an interview.
By the way, these recruiting processes are not well taught in our schools. Even when they are taught, it is not done holistically. In school, I was never taught practical skills that can lead to a successful hiring process. Nobody told me that my CV should be in line with the job opportunity. I was not well informed, until I started attending various conferences and seminars. I dare say that I have never failed in any interview. If my application is accepted and I pass the aptitude test, the job is surely mine.
In truth, most of the ex-corps who graduated with good grades have lost many job opportunities because they are not well informed about the recruitment process. Some of them can’t write a marketable application letter or a vibrant resume. Even when their academic knowledge helps them climb through the aptitude test, their lack of interview skills will land them out of the job. The academic qualification is not the main prerequisite for employment. Gone are the days when grade levels were considered a deciding factor for employment; contemporary employers want to see your confidence, innovation, composure, fashionable dress, competence, etc. During an interview, your academic qualification will be put aside and your personal skills and experience will be put to the test. I once faced a nine-man interview team and was never intimidated for a second.
You can really use the National Youth Service year to equip yourself for the future recruitment process. Use this time to study recruiting books. Learn how to write a charming application and cover letter and an adorable resume. I saw a friend’s CV and I envy him. I copied his style and even bettered it, and he got me a good job. They couldn’t resist my innovative style.
Spend this time familiarizing yourself with various aptitude test questions and techniques. Learn interview skills, because this is where many graduates have been lost. Recruitment books and other materials are everywhere, buy them and read them. You can even set up a mock interview for yourself to boost your confidence, it will do you a lot of good. Don’t view seminars and other training programs as a waste of time and resources. Please, if you have a chance to attend one, don’t take it for granted. They are all golden opportunities. Grab them with all your might and might. In most of these seminars, you will learn practical steps for a successful recruiting exercise in contrast to the school’s theoretical approach.
It is also very important that you get used to the present. Listen and watch national and international news to stay on top of the latest news. Most corporations will never hear or see the national network news for their entire year of service. They prefer to watch movies all day. The lack of electricity is not an excuse. I had to buy a battery operated radio so I could hear the 7am and 11pm news as well as BBC world news every day because there was no electricity. He was even more informed than most people who enjoy a constant power supply. I also listened to good shows like “success power” with Sam Adeyemi.
