I have never seen vacancy adverts requesting for economics graduates; have I boarded one-chance?

Hello sir, my name is Ilesanmi Taiwo I’ve always been an ardent follower of your blog and greatly found most of the articles really helpful and I pray that God in his infinite power will grant you more power to your elbow.

I’m an ingenious student who has keen interest in economics (as a matter of fact, I just gained admission into OAU to study economics and education ), so when I found out you are an economist I felt that I’ve found the right person to assist me with some bogging issues and I am more than convinced that being an OAU graduate as well as a motivator, your response will be of immense help.

To start with, as I’ve earlier said, I love economics profoundly and will settle for nothing less, but the question is – I’ve never seen where an advert indicating vacancy for an economist needed is placed.

This is the reason I suppose propels many economics graduate to take professional courses in accounting, so sir I’ll like to know the job opportunities open to an economics graduate?

Secondly, I read about how you’ve published numerous articles in different different journals, I need your advice on how to develop my writing and oratory skills.

Thirdly, I read in one of your articles on how to succeed in school (sort of forgotten the title ) and of the things you listed, you said that one should try to get a leadership role in school such as being the president of one of the departmental associations. I need your help on how to go about this too.

And lastly, I want to request that you become my personal mentor, so that I can have easier and closer access to you.

Thanks a lot.

*****

Dear Taiwo,

First, I congratulate you for your admission into Obafemi Awolowo University, the university I also attended and trust to groom you if you really maximize the opportunities that abound on that campus – even beyond class works.

I also congratulate you for being forward-thinking.

Let me take your concerns one by one.

One, note that you’re admitted to study Economics Education, in the Faculty of Education, not Economics of the Social Sciences faculty. If possible, after your year 1, you may try crossing over to economics (Social Sciences), except you deliberately wanted the education touch. Though a very low risk, a couple of opportunities that require economics graduates may not consider economics education graduates. But this is not so common. So in the event that you’re not able to cross to the Faculty of Social Sciences, you’re still on a good track. Just make sure you are serious and finish with a good grade. I studied economics and my friends that studied economics education are not doing badly, with their best student now a Manager in one the Big 4 accounting firms. Generally, most entry level openings do not discriminate course of study, although I will not deceive you by telling you that economics and economics educations stand 100% same chance, as some openings that call for Social Sciences will not include economics education.

Two, you’re right that you hardly see vacancies specifically requesting for economics graduates only. This is because, economics being an academic – and not professional – course, most openings that specifically require economics degrees only, ask for Msc or PhD. These are openings in research institutions and departments of organizations, central banks, international banks, world bank, lecturing etc. You wont see an advert for an economist position and the requirement will be Bsc Economics. For most of the jobs that centrally require economics knowledge, Bsc is not usually sufficient. Truth is, first degree is not sufficient to make you an economist. Most of such openings require a minimum of Msc, some PhD in economics. There are however few exceptions. Some large organizations post economics graduates recruited from their general graduate trainee program to economics department. The best student in my class got Business Economist position in Shell with just his first degree. So it is actually not all times that Msc and Phd are required.

Another good thing is, employers recognize the versatility of economics and they  lump them together as Social Sciences generally, at entry level. So it is common to see entry level adverts reading: First degree in economics, business administration, management or any other social science discipline. So this window is well utilized and, the good thing is, economics grads are in most cases the hottest in this net, making it possible to outmuscle others in tests are interviews. This is why economics grads get job relatively most easily of the disciplines in that bucket.

But again, most jobs – especially banks and consulting firms, which are the largest absorber of formal graduates, even today – do no specify course of study in their entry level recruitment. This is why you see a chemistry graduate working in bank.

You are also correct that that is what propels many economics graduate to write accounting professional exams – spreading our net. In addition to outmuscling other Social Sciences, they also only need to write ICAN or ACCA to go and share the spoil with accounting graduates too. This is why I normally prefer my younger ones to study economics and write ICAN – they become competitive in two different buckets (accounting and social sciences).

So if you want to become an economist and not divert like most of us, you need to get at least Msc Economics. There are opportunities in research institutions and research departments in top organizations locally and globally.

Developing your writing skills: Just keep writing, you will keep getting better. Join the press outfit of your department. Read newspapers, write letters-to-the-editors to newspapers and you will see how happy and encouraged you will be when one gets to be published.

On participating in departmental association activities, not necessarily being the president, it is a good avenue for building a network that will be useful post-school, or enriching your CV, but it is secondary. It is not compulsory and if you want to participate, it should not be at the expense of your academics.

You can also reach me via email for any help.

All the best.

Jarus

******

PS: One-chance is a slang used in urban Nigeria to mean regrettable bus ride (adventure).