Are you looking for a job (2)?

March 26, 2014 by Usiere Uko

| credits: File copy

Author of   ‘Practical Steps to Financial Freedom and Independence’, USIERE UKO, continues on moving from an applicant to starting your own business

In the information age, your financial future is your responsibility whether you are an employee, self-employed. Government social security schemes are facing funding gaps and the US for example is increasingly borrowing to close this gap. In Nigeria, the extended family is playing the role of social security, but with increasing financial pressure on bread winners due to a variety of factors, the capacity to play big brother is dwindling.

 Thinking about how to start is putting the cart before the horse. The most important thing is deciding where you want to go. What is the point making travel plans when you have no clue where you are heading? Very few people understand that vision is more important than sight, you imagination more important than what the naked eye can see. I asked an applicant a few days back where he wants the see himself in the next five – 10 years, and the answer I got – to get a stable job so as to earn steady income and stop depending on others for sustenance. How is that for a big dream? With your imagination, God is giving you a blank cheque to write what you want and all you can think about is food and rent! If the man continues with that mindset, where will he be in ten years? Of course holding on to a job that helps him keep body and soul together. What happens if an opportunity to become a multi-millionaire stares him right in the face? He will walk right by, as that is outside his short and medium term plan.

 When you have a big dream, you will see possibilities and ways to overcome obstacles. When all you can think about is food to eat and a pillow to lay your head, all you will be looking for is a job to make it happen, and during the oral interview, when you are invited to ask any questions, what comes to mind? How much is the pay?

 What is your excuse?

There is one thing I admire about Nigerian banks. They have moved on to dominate the African landscape despite the massive infrastructural deficits at home. They did not allow it to hold them back. We now have ATMs 24/7 while our power supply situation is still nothing to write home about. They saw the obstacles, found a way round it and went about their business. When the former Central Bank Governor announced the cashless policy pilot of Lagos a few years back, the naysayers had a field day. They lambasted him for having the audacity to dream up such an ambitious project in Nigeria when we have a power crisis and an illiterate population with a lot of cash circulating outside the banking system. Where is the power? They asked. What about the market women? Chorused others. As I read the comments online, I chuckled when I remembered a Chinese proverb “Those who say it can’t be done should get out of the way of those doing it”. Sanusi in his characteristic manner soldiered on, and the rest is history.

I was listening to Sony Irabor live on Sunday and he had a host who was encouraged people in the aftermath of the Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment fiasco to look inwards and take their destiny into their hands rather than wait for government to create jobs. He stated clearly that though the government has an important role to play in job creation, that does not mean people fold their hands and wait for government to create jobs for them. A lady caller still went ahead with a barrage of questions – where is the power?, where is the infrastructure? If one wants to start a hair dressing salon, where is the money to buy generator etc.?

One question that ran through my mind while waiting for the guest to respond was – if suddenly light became 24/7, will most of our applicants start businesses? The answer is obvious. Some applicants have blackberry and smart phones that are more expensive than two kV petrol generators. Another question I pondered was – what of Nigerians that ran abroad in search of greener pastures? Have those of them without good jobs started businesses? Is light also not regular where they live abroad? Why would a Masters Degree holder drive a cab, be a night guard or bag groceries? If you ask them, they have a new set of excuses – high taxes, strict regulation etc. There is always an excuse. Excuses are buy one, get one free.

What is your desired future?

The fact is that many former applicants are doing fantastic things with their lives. Some have gone on to become employers of labor, after an endless wait for a job. One of such called in to the program. The fact is that your perception is your reality. It is the worst of times and the best of times. There is no money but high rise buildings are springing up all over the city. Shoprite is expanding aggressively and investors are moving in despite security concerns. Nigeria is brimming with opportunity but few have the eyes to see it or the boldness to dream big and start small. This is not a Nigerian phenomenon. It happens in most countries in the world. In the US, immigrants create more jobs than American born citizens. Indigenes tend to see problems while immigrants see opportunities. The main issue is - what do you see?

What you see is critical, that is why there is not right answer because people are seeing different things. When you are seeing different things, all parties in the argument are right from their stand point. When you stubbornly refuse to see possibilities and focus on the difficulties, you will tie yourself to one inglorious spot feeling justified. You may have made mistakes in the past, spending your savings on liabilities, but you can start afresh. Where there is a will, there is a way. The moment you know where you are going, you will figure out a way to get there.