ENTERPRENUESHIP

AFTER SCHOOL THOUGHT: TIPS FOR BETTER LIFE.

                                                                          

                                     

                         

Introduction

Your school days is one of the memories you will live to remember; and whether you will remember this

Stage of life in satisfaction or in regret depends on what make out of it. This is very important stage of young life of which the experience you create is totally your responsibility.

There are said to be currently over 33.1% unemployment graduate in Nigeria, some taking to odds jobs  just to find there daily bread, hoping for a miracle, others trying so hard to find a better life with little result. Things would have been a lot easier if a better foundation had laid during school days.

Today, this presentation is to share with us a few tips that will help you as a graduate or a student of a higher institution and prepare you for career after school. Our country today is not fresh graduate-friendly, and just hoping for better life after school is not enough. As student, consider the following;

1. Choose the right course to study

How employable or self-employable is this profession considering the economic situation in the country? How equipped are our universities to train you on the course. All courses in academic field are important but the underlying fact is on individual reason of choice of the course. If not sure of choice consult.

2.Make a clear decision for going to higher institution

It is a trend. You leave secondary school; the next is to attend the university. That’s the right thing to do. But the wrong thing is to go there for the wrong reason. Don’t make living home your number one priority to get into higher institute. If knowledge and experience is not your main reasons, it's not worth it. Do it for the right reasons.

3. Your career after school does not revolve around your degree certificate.

Chief Rasaq Okoya said "I have nothing against education. But at times, education gives people false confidence. It makes people relax, trusting in their certificates rather than in working hand". Concentrating solely on your academics is just to risky, especially with the quality of education we end up receiving in our higher institute today. You need to work hard on your studies and get good grade as well as developing other skills such as communication skills, leadership skills, self  confidence, work experience; community service etc. possessing these skills can take you further than an excellent  result can. Employers are getting smarter. An applicant doesn’t automatically get the job because they had a better result than applicants. Today people with low class grade turns to employ first class materials. Please be worth more than printed piece of paper, and become more productive.

4. There is no better time to start planning for your future than now that you are or about to get into school.

One major false impression e can create as students is that we still have time to prepare. Don’t go waiting till four or five years drain into your degree chasing career before you start making further plan. What extra skills can you blend with your course to become irresistible employable? How can I earn extra income as a student?

5. Combine your school course with external course.

  Learn at least one new self employable skill outside your course of study before you graduate. In an assessment of reading culture among students in Nigeria tertitiary institution, it is said that 60% of students read prescribed textbooks only during examination periods; that browsing and watching television have taking most of students time for reading. During your four or five year's period of study, there are series of holidays and breaks in between. Devote this time into learning a new skill; Computer programming, web design, digital photography, video editing, sewing, fish/poetry, attend language schools teaching foreign language like French, Spanish and Chinese etc. you need more than theoretical books. Go practical, look for something that has the possibility  of working out and give it your best shot, while still minding your school work. There is no short cut; you need to start equipping yourself now. Reading to pass exams is a good thing. And also Reading to self develop is a better thing.

6. Take more action and worry less.

One silly mistake we make as students is spending most time worrying about our grades. Whatever problems you encounter in your school days there will always be a way out. Someday, the problem will be solved and it wouldn’t kill you. You just have to try as much as you can to walk towards a solution rather than spend your days in misery. If you  fear carry over, read to overcome them. That is just the way it is, even in the outside world after school. You will never be the person you can be if pressure, tension and discipline are taken out of your life.

7. Do not get caught in the system

The focus and objectives of education originally are to develop natural talents to produce skilled manpower and generate knowledge necessary to improve the economy of the country; to inspire and enable individuals develop capabilities to the highest possible level so that they they can grow intellectually and contribute effectively to the society. How well does our higher institutions fit into this objectives? Our university system of education today is just so unbecoming. Ask the employer. Most of our fresh graduate employees still have to go through graduate training programmes before they can  take on their jobs effectively. So what are we doing in higher institution four to five years? Believe more in your self than  the system by upgrading yourself.

8. Manage your time. It's precious.

Decide how you want to use up your time. Being every single class will not guarantee your success. Also be at alert for unprecedented lectures and tests.

9. Create memorable school-days experience.

Among striving to leave school with a good qualification and adding more skills to your resume, you need to have fun and create wonderful camp experiences. Rather than spend all your time on academic stuffs, add some flavor to your college experience with extra-curricular activities. These are opportunities for self improvement in find in campus that you can never come across after school.

10. Be an entrepreneurs

Today, entrepreneur seems to be the job title every young person aspires to have. It's not all about owning your own business. But, it is about learning how to take projects and run with them on your own. An entrepreneur is a businessperson who conceive and executes ventures, often taking risk when doing so.

Some of the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs are:

i. confidence

Confidence is a hallmark of the entrepreneur. Not all of us are born with confidence, but that does not mean we are not capable of it.

ii. Passionate about learning

Entrepreneurs are learners who seek out information, ask questions and do personal reading and research to gain knowledge. They also are quick to learn from there own mistakes, which means there are more prone to repeating them.

iii. Responsibility

Rather than viewing a problem as someone else's responsibility, an entrepreneur owns it and works to find a solution that will leave things in better shape than they were. However, an effective entrepreneur also knows the difference between healthy responsibility and an inability to delegate.

iv. Dedicated

Entrepreneurs dedicate themselves to their plans, visions, and dreams, and that tenacity of purpose affects their whole business. One of the biggest reasons that companies fail is because they lose focus. Regardless of the effort required, an entrepreneur brings a single-minded dedication to the task by being committed to a positive outcome and ready and willing to do what is necessary.

V. Good communication

Entrepreneur recognize that communication is the key to successful relationships with people. Entrepreneurs work on their communication skills, whether written, spoken, or non-verbal through body language. And, above all. The entrepreneur develops their ability to listen, because the best communication are also the best listeners.

vi. Team player

Team players know how to succeed by working in partnership with others.

vii. Systems-oriented

Good systems repeatedly produce great results. Entrepreneurs look for system-based solutions before searching for human resource solutions. This way a business is secure regardless of any staff changes.

vii. Innovation

Innovation basically means generating a new idea with which you can start a business and achieve a substantial amount of profits. Innovation can be in the form of product, i.e. , launching a product that no one is selling in the market. It can also be in the form of process, i.e. , doing  the same work in a more economical way.

ix. Grateful

Entrepreneur do not take things for granted. This give them the agility and flexibility to adapt to changes and demands, while it also reminds them that wealth is not just about possessions, but about fulfillment .

x. Optimistic

A positive outlook is essential for an entrepreneur. Past shortcomings, failures, or disappointments don’t become detrimental to future plans.

xi. Sociable

Because business is all about people, entrepreneur tend to be socially outgoing.

xii. Leadership

Entrepreneur not only lead themselves, but they are also skilled at leading others. They know the importance of team work, and they understand the need to appreciate others, support them, and reward them accordingly.

Xiii. Unafraid of risk or success

Entrepreneurs are not immune to fear. But they prioritize their approach to life so that the fear of failure, frustration, boredom, drudgery, and dissatisfaction, or even success, don’t become debilitating or distractive.

By examining some of the dominant qualities of entrepreneurs, aspirant business participants can emulate, nurture and develop them, or take time to honestly assess whether or not they are suited to an entrepreneurial career.