We Need Your Voice – This Is Your Career Story

The Year 2018, I had just settled back into Lagos.

Prior to this time, I spent the last 10 years travelling across 30 states in Nigeria with FECA Nigeria, working with young people.

Through my work I was privileged to experience the pain and challenges of young people across the 6 geopolitical areas of Nigeria.

Anyone who graduates from any form of higher institution (whether with an OND degree or BSc), just wants to get a job, any job.

Our history has taught us somehow that we need to pay back the funds our parents  squeezed to send us to school, and also pay it forward to our younger ones who now look up to us. For me, this was a real learning for me, having to speak to hundreds and thousands of young people.

So 2018, my work and experience with FECA Nigeria was coming to an end and I needed to settle in quickly to complete my Masters in Managerial Psychology Programme and continue in my love for people development (this time through a chosen career in HR).

As a lover of knowledge and at that time a huge consumer of podcast (that was how I enjoyed my long road trips), I searched for a “locally” made podcast that covered career related topics. Something similar to Tim Ferris show where he gets to interview various experts as guest on several topics. I was looking for something similar that shared a lot of career related content, made by Nigerians for Nigerians, maybe.

I found none. Or maybe the only one that was very close to what I was looking for was hosted by Segun Akiode. Not quite much, but I listened to all in days.

Segun Akiode is a born teacher and the content of his podcast were rich enough that I thought of starting one myself.

But of course, that thought of mine was greeted with limitations and inadequacies such as lack of experience, ‘how-will-it-be-doneness’, and any other relevant and irrelevant excuses that has stopped many other young people from doing what matters to them.

I relegated the thought and continued on more serious things like ‘finding a job’.

But honestly, the thought of doing a podcast never left me. The more I listened to podcast, the more I am being reminded that I WANT TO START A PODCAST.

Dayo Samuel (One who can be regarded as the King of Podcasting in Nigeria) launched an online course on Starting a Podcast which i grudgingly took, and was amazed by how easy it was to start a podcast (even with your phone).

November 2019.

By this time, I had worked in various HR capacities. I had seen a  bit of back and front of the people development practice (from the HR side) and more troubles in recruitment trying to find the right talent for businesses in the midst of millions unemployed youth.

Something is missing and fundamentally wrong. I was trying to connect where I came from with working with young people across various states in Nigeria to now on the back end trying to recruit (most times) young people, too many gaps exist that if we don’t take a conscious stake at bridging, we will never achieve the full potential of our nation and continent at large.

At this time I had somehow convinced myself that I was going to start a podcast in January 2020.

But honestly, I didn’t make up my mind that easy. It took 5 books by Brene Browne to break some barriers in my mind. And this is the entire reason I decided to make this post.

After 20 episodes, reaching over 400 listeners in the last 6 months of the launch of the podcast, I took a back seat to review what these whole processes have taught me.

From the challenges of launching, to the support of friends and the amazing feedback of listeners and the willingness of many Industry Professionals I reached out to to share their time and knowledge. The lessons are the most valuable for me in 2020.

If there is anything you genuinely want to say, there is someone who genuinely needs to hear it. If there is something you really want to do, there is someone who really needs it. Stop beating around the bush.

These are the confirmation of what Brene Brown taught in her books.

Stop trying to be perfect because there will never be a perfect time to walk into the arena of your destiny. Those mistakes you are avoiding and scared to make are necessary ingredients for inventions and contributions to the world.

Every time I finish recording an episode of my podcast, I feel myself embracing uncertainties and learning about myself by doing something that really matters to me.

The objective of my podcast is simply to share the stories, opinions and insights of industry professionals and leaders, on how young people can find jobs, create jobs and build successful careers.

Season 2 of the podcast starts in August and I am super excited about the uncertainties ahead, so I thought of making this post.

I have learnt that the most effective way of recovering from perfectionism is to start creating what matters to you. Show up, because you only learn courage by “couraging” just as you learn to swim by swimming.

There are many young people in our world that needs to hear your story and be inspired by your works, insight and guidance. If you refuse to shine your light, it helps no one but keeps a generation in darkness. I hope you will open the doors when I come knocking for you to be my guest.

If you want to check out previous episode of This Is Your Career, check here

Let me know what topics made sense to you and what we need to also start talking about to help young people build successful careers and ensure youth employment in Africa. I’ll be glad to read from you. Mail me on careerswithgreat@gmail.com

Live your best life, and brave your wilderness.

Cheers,

G.O

2 Comments

  1. Joseph Kevin Bassey
    July 23, 2020
    Reply

    Awesome… This was really intriguing.. but yet stirring up the courage in my heart. Thank you Mr Great

    • GO
      July 25, 2020
      Reply

      Welcome, Joseph.

      Shine on!

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