You Are Not Just A Student, You Are Building A Career

In March 2020, during the heat of COVID-19 Compulsory sit-at-home, I was involved in a recruitment project for a Media company to select 6 young Management Trainees. The job was to be done virtually.

Out of the 6, I discovered two of the candidates were students (undergraduates) who were forced to sit at home due to the pandemic.

But they took a risk to apply for the job and because they’ve got the skills, they were selected to make up the total number of 6.

I have always believed in making moves and breaking traditions and these two exceptional candidates is the reason i am writing this.

We have gradually moved the envelope to the future of work where you can no longer be introducing yourself or seeing yourself as just a student.

You should be studying in school and developing skills, but you must also be finding ways to develop more skills by maximizing any damn opportunity to work on something.

Don’t just sit at home during breaks, holidays, ASUU strike, etc.

Do something meaningful.

For a JumpStart idea, here is something you can work on:

Look at the sector or field you would like to be a part of and start by building networks every month with a minimum of 10 professionals who are already playing in that field.

These 10 professionals work with 10 different companies. Do your research on those companies. What you like and what you don’t like.

Look deeply to see if there are any problems or gaps the company has, and propose a solution to the professional. Just suggest something meaningful and that may have economic value.

Do it not because you need a job now, but you just want to be in the Professionals network and if you are available, ask to shadow or for a short term work.

The future is here because you are shaping it. When you provide such value, you have just invested in that future you are talking about.

You are not just a student, you are building a career. You don’t need to graduate first to think like this, make that move now!

GO