Moment of Reflections (I)

Arising from numerous requests I sent across to various readers for feedback, comments, suggestions and or critique of the series thus far, I wish to express my sincere and profound appreciation to a number of readers who sent in emails, phone calls and even personal visits to offer advice and suggest improvements as well as style of the series. Names would be too numerous to mention but a few may be necessary.  My elder brothers Amb. M. L. Suleyman and Mallam Yahaya Ali deserve special mention.  So also Dr. Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi and Dr. Mrs. Aminata Yandah Sallah, Mrs. Atinuke Deborah Abdulsalam, Mrs. Christie Elendu, Chief E. Nwaneri, Mr. Afolabi Osunkeye, Mallam Nuhu Umar, Abdullahi Ardo Bilal, Hon. Saleh Shehu former Minister, Mallam Abba Silihi and Abubakar Alfa to mention but afew.

At this juncture, it may wise to pause and reflect on time past and share some real life experiences on areas so far covered.  I would use my humble self as a case study.

Resume/Curriculum Vitae:

In the early 1960s, Nigerians finishing Universities needed not to draft resume or curriculum vitae.  As one is writing final degree examination, offers of employment await him/her or so we were told.  During our time that is in mid 1980s situation had changed and graduates of universities were required to market their skills, knowledge and competencies to prospective employers of labour.  Thus we drafted several resumes for distribution from one office to another for possible employment.  During this period, computers were not so commonly available hence most documents were typed using typewriters.  It is normal and common to see resumes with corrections by hand or tippexed.

Because of the peculiarity of the time, this amendments as crude as it was, was tolerable and acceptable.  Personnel Managers, as they were called would overlook such lack of finnese in a document.

I could remember while conducting the primary assignment (NYSC) in Port Harcourt, I had to crave the indulgence of a lady secretary called Madam Joy Pokubo to help me with typing of my Curriculum Vitae.  Subsequently, photocopies were made for mass distribution. Again it is note worthy that at that time ‘a one size fit all’ document was the norm and appropriate.  Resumes were seldom drafted to reflect industry as it is the case today.  Furthermore, the world was not a global village as it is today because the internet was not so common then.  There was no google search engine hence resumes drafted were generally ‘originality of thinking’ and not the copy and paste we have today.

Indeed, I used to fly almost every month from Port Harcourt to Lagos job hunting.  Myself and a group of friends then were visiting offices to drop our resumes soliciting for employment.  I remember we made several attempts to see late Alhaji Aliyu Jibril Yelwa who was a Senior Executive in Central Bank of Nigeria but we could not see him.  Equally fresh in my mind was the help rendered to me by Barr. Mukhtar Ibrahim Katsina, the then Company Secretary/Legal Adviser National Fertilizer Company of Nigeria (NAFCON).  He introduced me to his friend Barr. Nafiu Baba Ahmed then of Legal Department of Nigeria Merchant Bank for possible assistance with job placement.

Some of us were courageous and daring as we used to visit offices, ask to see Personal Manager just to introduce our selves and drop our resume for possible consideration for job placement.  It was during one of such visits myself and friend Muhammad popularly called ‘Moore’ we visited the then Chase Merchant Bank office and requested to see the Personnel Manager.  We were told negative things about the person but we insisted in seeing him.  The man was Late Alhaji Muhammad Lawal NaAllah. He not only welcomed us but also accepted our resumes contrary to what we were told about his unfriendly attitudes.  It turn out that I was to be considered and indeed offered job by the bank where I spent most of my working life.  Herein lies the wisdom of never to just trust what is said about anyone without first verifying.  Muhammad was not considered because he had a HND in Accounting from Ramat Polytechnic and the bank had a policy of recruiting only degree holders.

In drafting resume, I hasten to draw the attention of applicants to be careful of ‘copy and paste’ attitude.  It is good to research but lifting items verbatim from the internet without digesting and understanding same could cause one embracement as one may be asked questions about such presentation.  Moreover, not all items posted are either relevant or adaptable to our environment or climate.  The name of the game is research with care and caution.  Adapt with alterations to suit our peculiarity.

In all I may have distributed over 250 resumes then in my search for a job placement.

“Recite: In the name of thy Lord who created man from a clot. Recite: And thy Lord is the Most Generous Who taught by the pen, taught man that which he knew not.” (Quran, 96:1-5)

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5: 11)