MAXIMIZE YOUR IT PLACEMENT WITH THESE 3 SIMPLE TIPS
Ahmed Adekunjo
According to a report published by the National Bureau of Statistics in March 2016, the unemployment rate in Nigeria rose to 12.1 percent in the first quarter of 2016. This is the highest unemployment rate recorded in the country since December 2009. Everybody knows the employment situation in Nigeria is nothing to write home about, but guess what, it is getting worse. New jobs are not being created, and the existing ones are being cut. The economic problems facing Nigeria seem not to be slowing down, and this may go on for a while.
Tough times bring the best out of people. This is why as an undergraduate, you should take every opportunity handed to you with both hands and make the most of it. The majority of undergraduates get the opportunity to work in a job related to their course of study for at least 6 months – IT placement. If you are lucky to have this opportunity, there is absolutely no question that your IT placement can be the gateway to future employment.
For most organizations, they have a number of students getting IT placements every year. A few of those interns get a job after graduating. You can do it too; you literally can make it happen to you. Here are 4 practical tips that can help you make it happen.
1.BE CREATIVE AND LEAVE A TRAIL
First things first, you are not “just an IT student” or “here just for IT”. If this is your mindset, you already lost. Your mission should be to improve yourself, help the company and leave a lasting impression, not just make up the numbers and pass the time. Be always ready to go the extra mile.
One way to go is to find out one thing that the company needs that they do not have. Once you find it, pitch your boss, if he agrees, jump straight into it and produce results. If you cannot find something new, find something that can be improved. Trust me; this is the time to roll up your sleeve and work really hard. Not the time to concern yourself with anything else but work.
2. BE IMPORTANT AND ADD VALUE
You need to be an important part of the team really quick. Blend in and get working as soon as possible. A good way to do this is by being humble. You are likely going to face some hostility from your co-workers. This is normal; most people look at Nigerian university students/graduates as half-baked and the curriculum as theoretical (whether or not this is true is a debate for another day).
It is up to you to prove yourself. You really have to be humble and start with the basics. This way you will earn the respect of your co-workers. Earning their respect gives you the opportunity to work closely with them. This, in turn, gives you an idea of how you can be of help to them and add value.
3. BE HONEST, LET THEM KNOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK EVENTUALLY WITH THEM
From the very first day you walk in, feel and behave like you are a regular employee of the organization. Tell your supervisor you would like to work with them when you are done with school. Ask for feedback and advice, and be upfront about it. If you do this right, you will discover that you will not be short of mentors who will guide you with feedback and advice all the way through. You can be assured that when you finish your IT, and you walk out of that door, you will be leaving with a network of connections in your industry that can be extremely valuable for you even if you eventually take the entrepreneurship route.
Subscribe to JarusHub for more job and career tips
[subscribe2]
`
