“WHY IS YOUR LIFE SCATTERED LIKE THIS?”

There was a time when in the job circles, it used to be “What do you know?”, then people brandish Certificates upon Certificates and being a member of this Professional Body or that, however with the advent of websites like Google, YouTube and many others, the questions have changed, the goal post has been shifted to “What can you do with what you know?”.

Job Interviews for some people has become a daily occurrence in the economy for some people considering the state of the economy and the ever increasing competition being churned out by our citadels of learning nowadays. The supply of Labor as far out-weighed the demand that some Certificates or skills that used to be something extremely valuable and prestigious is now seen as a prerequisite and a given.

It is no gainsaying that some Job interviews could be so gruesome that the applicants could come out of a session and burst into tears feeling he or she has lost a shot at the job because of some set of questions that the Interviewer or panel asked and in his or her opinion might have flunked. Other times, some applicants might come out of such interviews feeling so depressed and self-doubting of their Certificates, Skills and Knowledge because of the way some interviewers drilled them.

I am not trying to Demonize Interviewers because it is not easy faced with so many options of candidates who all look good and dapper on paper with their Certificates, job experiences, skills et al., they would have to sieve candidates on other matrices:  like ability to withstand pressure, Negotiation Skills, Value sets and others and that in itself could be a daunting task.

An applicant was in an interview recently and felt with his paraphernalia on his Resume, he could easily ace the interview process. He might have been having a swell day as he answered one question after another until a member of the panel, tilted her Glasses to the bridge of her nose and holding up his Resume, read some of his educational background and asked “Looking at all these, why is your educational life and work-life scattered like this? Hope you don’t take offense?”

The once confident applicant went into stutter-mode. If He had read all possible expose on potential questions in an interview and had a ready answer of each of them during his preparations, this definitely isn’t one of them. Should He have looked at the Education Requirement of the Job-role, he has most of the prerequisite and the other off-courses should be seen as an added advantage, but that question which he felt he brandish like Strength was suddenly thrown to him as a big weakness.

It was a time to test his ability to think under pressure, it was also a time to know how to rephrase a situation to either a defense or a weapon for glory. With a Science background in High School and Social Science Background as an Undergraduate and a little stint in the Creative industry, going into Personnel and Project Management, a small detour in Education and finally into Sales, it sure looks a little scattered.

The truth is some applicants are really like that. They hear this short term course is what is making waves; they all rush in just to get the Certificate in order to stand out of the pack (As at the time of writing, its Project Management, NEBOSH and Professional Membership Certificates that are the recent Fad). These thus lead to so many Certificates by the candidate and as an Interviewer it definitely means the questions have to Shift as earlier mentioned from “What do you know?” (Certificates, Skills-set, Job experiences and others.)  To “What can you do with what you know?” (What is its relevance in our own scheme of Things; Our Organization, Job Role you are applying for, Vision and Mission of the Organization and others.)

The applicant didn’t feel offended, but it was his pivotal moment, He needed to see the Big Picture and painted the Picture vividly to the Panel and justified some of his detours as it relates to his Big Dream and the ways some of the detours and Scattered-ness would be of value to the Organization and that Specific Job Role. Yes, other questions were thrown at the applicant and he tried the best he could. He did feel like he had flunked the interview and the Job Role might not be given to him.

What is the take out of this Experience?

-Internet has changed the Landscape of things: You can be a anything without having a Certificate but by just watching and Practicing things you watch (YouTube etc.) or Read FREELY (free E-books, How-to Websites) or Listen to (Podcasts). It is no more “What I Know” because what I know can be known by anybody at even half the cost, it’s now “What Can I do with what I know”.

-Rephrasing a Context: With the write coinage you could say the same thing over and move from strength to Weakness or vice versa. If you don’t understanding it, you need to get close to Lawyers. By rephrasing a context, you can set yourself apart even with the same qualifications. An Example is Proficient Ms Excel User to Result Oriented Data-miner and Business Analyst using Ms Excel. It could also help in Negotiations.

-Seeing the Big Picture: Before you run and join the Bandwagon on the latest Fad or Fashion Certificate-wise, ask yourself “Does it fit into my own Big Picture?” To be able to do that, you also have to have your Big Dream, that idea, passion and business you would want to have went you leave paid employment. Even when you want to apply for a Job-role, does it fit? Would it connect in the end? I know a Doctor that graduated and didn’t get a job early, so he got a job as a Marketer in a Bank, Scattered Yes!. People felt he was stupid and all, he put his mind and all into the role. Then this E-commerce thing start to boom, to cut the story short, He sells Medical Gadgets or Equipment which he imports himself, he knows how to source for loans and presently he is His Own Boss.(Not a Marketer in a Bank, Neither in an Hospital attending to patients)

-What Relevance and Value is it to our Organization in terms of Costs, Process and Benefit: What makes a product stand out and leave the Shop shelves quickly is not necessarily the product packaging, Yes that matters too as it is one of the most important things that catches the eye of the shopper and makes him move to the product standpoint. The Shopper would pick up the Product usually reads through and all, then looks at the price and lastly the benefit. That process is all an Interview is. Some products or applicants might not have the best packaging but looking at their costs and the benefits one would gain could catapult them to the payment stand. Its really not Certificates anymore, its Numbers, Results and Portfolios and Reviews. If you as a Candidate have that, I feel the organization would be doing itself a disservice if you are not picked.

*** Please if you also have a SCATTERED LIFE STORY to Share as an inspiration to people it is also welcomed.

Angelic Aproko's Diaries: (Kamal the Chief Mixology Officer- CMO)

Chei ! Chei !!! Chei !!!, wetin eye no go see for dis life wey we dey so?...
Na je je I bin dey so, wey I decide to waka go church before some people use style label me DEVIL PIKIN. I enter inside my suit go the nearest church wey get plenty mansions to look at, becos as bible don talk am so, "In my father's house, there are plenty mansions dia?" No ask me where dat one dey oh, na pastor wey dey disturb us for early momo dey talk dat one oh.
After praise and worship, the part wey I enjoy pass as per say I dey check and balance various topography for choir dia.
Anyways make tori for no lost like meati nside soup, time for TESTIMONY reach oh! Everybody dey waka come drop tori for pulpit after dem finish, person for congregation go just shout "Praise da Lord" we sef go just answer "Halleluyah oh! ". Next thing wey I see na Kamoru, that jobless graduate wey sabi speak grammar enter stage with coat collect mic oh!
"Somebody praise! praise!! praise !!! da lord!!!" We sef join repete with am " Ha! Ha!! Halleluyah!!!". As per sharp guy wey me I be oh, I shine ears wan follow hear tori.
" Brethen! My name is Kamar Sebanjo, I just landed a job as a CMO of an international Hospitality concern around Lekki with a mouth watering pay". As interpreter wan talk hin look kamoru well well, na hin Kamoru rearrange himself explain, " Oh Sorry! My CMO means Chief Mixology Officer". Interpreter still no sabi wetin Kamoru dey talk hin just bang am for microphone say.."Ogbeni yi is ri ise Shey-e-Mo in ile ise itura kan e fi yin foluwa"
As bros finish dey waka na hin pastor collect mic follow join ginger as congregration dey clap, Kamoru no really go hin seat, hin waka towards toilet side na hin as sharp guy, me sef stand up go block am for dia.
As hin water toilet finish na hin I block am, " Kamoru! Which time you do naming turn yoursef to kamal wey u drop for pulpit abi u sef don dey get stage name like musician?"
Hin just look me dey laff, hin tok say na packaging, I scratch head small, follow gree say it dey happen, as per say maybe because hin wan become landlord for one of the many Mansion wey dey Baba Godey House.
Ok na if dat one don go, "Wetin kon be Mixologist, for the matter again nah?" The Kamoru wey I sabi na only iya tawa place hin sabi show skills oh, so wetin hin waka go Lekki go turn professional for?
Na hin small lecture start oh! Kamal talk say hin change name to Kamoru because hin gats use tush name if hin wan make dey take am with respect for Lekki. Hin call am say na PACKAGING.
Hin join hin tori say hin use Big name style hype himself (ADVERTISING STRATEGY), say na Iya tawa side hin for learn work, but na Botany hin read for school. Say na Iya tawa teach am how to mix the necessary chemical to produce better blends. Say hin carry those skills go the Hotel for Lekki say hin na Mixologist.
Hin explain say, hin gats show them small skills with the expensive chemicals . He said he MASTERED THE ART OF SHOWMANSHIP, he had but a few minutes to prove to the management say hin sabi the skills wey dey needed for the job wella. He had to use all the techniques hin sabi without looking like he was trying too hard.
When dem ask am questions about the technicalities of some of those chemicals as per Botany graduate, hin don understand the chemical composition and names wey hin suppose know. Hin tok say RESEARCH and EXPERTISE is key to land that big client or job.
When dey kon dey talk anyhow, wan rubbish am unto the big price wey hin dey call, hin with style with style threaten them with information wey hin get about the company's competitors and company business and how hin fit affect them positively and negatively. Hin call am KNOW YOUR COMPETITORS AND USE THIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES TO YOUR ADVANTAGES.
Hin tok say na so hin land big job from joblessness oh. I just open mouth dey look the bros as hin dey throw wey they talk like micheal jackson wey dey dance.
As hin waka comot na hin me sef follow drop small water for toilet. Kamar kon turn back talk say, make me and all men meet for Iya tawa place, hin get some expensive chemicals wey hin wan mix and hin wan use all our throats do testubes.
Oga boss wey dey use one eye look me so, kai... Carry ur mind comot dia. I be God pikin oh.
Ehn ehn, bifor I forget oh, me I don package oh, I no be jobless area gossip oh, me I don package.. I be Executive Social Commentator...Gbam!!!
I sha waka go back inside church go finish service oh.
Ma people na so we see am oh.
Na me again,
Angelic Aproko
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOU.

It’s amazing how convinced I am on the unending and cardinal impact of social media on businesses, both multinationals and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

I am not oblivious of its benefits, hence my decision to shine forth its gospel. I have personally experienced the power of this new media to accelerate brand awareness and to spread my stories.

Like the saying goes, seeing is believing. But the tasting is in the eating of the pudding right? You can exhort and preach to the CEO’s and executives about social media’s power and some will “get it”, but until you start to experience it for yourself the flame will not blaze brightly.

Sometimes when I look at the site statistics and Google analytics for my blog from time to time, the global reach that one can achieve with social media never ceases to amaze me. I see that in less than two weeks I started this blog; it has been read in 12 countries and over 1,000 visit and over 2,000 page views each day.

 I don’t know of any other media that could achieve that in less than two years without spending a cent in traditional advertising or marketing.

The Harvard Business Review Analytics Services recently conducted a survey of 2,100 organisations and discovered that 79 per cent are currently using social media channels. They also asked them what they saw as the benefits of social media and here are the results and feedback from the real world.

Twelve major benefits of social media

•Increased awareness of the organisation       – A lot of people know about the company and its services or products.

•Increased traffic to website       – Many more visit the company’s website to get more information.

•Greater favorable perceptions of the brand     – What do you think? Is no more a scary question to ask customers and potentials.

•Able to monitor conversations about the organisation    – Feedback at its best.

•Able to develop targeted marketing activities    – More guided decisions towards customer satisfaction.

•Better understanding of customers’ perceptions of their brand   – What do you know about this brand.

•Improved insights about their target markets – Widen your scope – spread out.

•Identification of positive and negative comments      – Troll management and brand management

•Increase in new business – Opportunities for growth.  Who doesn’t like one.

•Identification of new product or service opportunities   – Can we make butter for the bread too?

•Ability to measure the frequency of the discussion about the brand  – What’s trending about us.

•Early warning of potential product or service issues  – Customer Satisfaction and CSR.

 Let’s pause and let me just ask you this: Are you reaching your audience of loyal fans and influencers? Are you driving them to endorse your brand on their own?

Before you can answer these questions, it’s important to understand who your influencers are and how they differ from each other but first what’s your social media plan and strategy?

Social media is used by businesses to help boost their marketing efforts to meet their overall objectives such as creating massive awareness, sales, customer base, improve customer services, increase loyalty, engage etc.

I have found out that most businesses tend to jump onto social media without having a clear strategy. A new research shows that 72 per cent of businesses that use social media do not have a clear set of goals or a clear strategy for their social media platforms.

 This goes to say that seven out of 10 businesses are using social media without knowing how to fully utilise it. Worst of all, managing social media carelessly may result in some pretty serious backlash.

 Can you imagine the mess?  Let me first put it out there and clarify that a social media strategy is not creating profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Vine and simply gaining fans or followers.

A strategy requires one to go back to the drawing board and start all over with questions like this:

•Where are my audiences spending most of their time on?

•How can I gain their interest and attention

•How can I measure success?

Now here are eight steps to help you plan your social media activity:

•  Build an ark

•Listen and compare

• What’s the point

•Success metrics

•Analyse audience

•What’s your one thing

•Engagement and humanisation

• Channel plan.

Step eight is definitely a must for all businesses. It’s about creating specific plans or tactics for each platform. A single plan would not work on all social media platforms. The first few steps will help you get an idea on where your customers are and give you an idea on where and how you should focus your marketing.

 culled FROM PUNCH MAY 21ST, 2013 BY  CHI TOLA (CHITOLAROBERTS@GMAIL.COM