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SEEKERS DIARY; 2ND QUARTER

 Last week, I began the Seekers Diary to document my travails/trials/triumphs of my job search. Join me for the 2nd quarter;

MAY- AUGUST

You know how it's a crime to put on weight (grow fat) if you owe people money..you can't dare do the same when you're job searching. Either people in your present abode will shift the blame for the rapid food decline in the fridge from the maid to you or a prospective employer will think you're a tad too comfortable and give the job to a thinner person who looks like they could use some money to buy food. My 2nd quarter began with a resolution of me trying to keep fit. It didn't last..so, let's move to the koko of the matter already!!!


The 2nd quarter was all about approaching things differently..carefully.

After weeks of searching for my marks, I finally found my Communication Skills missing marks. Beyond excitement. *whhop whhooop*
Then a lil birdie in the other department I had missing marks advised I seek out the lecturer and demand a CAT(continuous assessment test) to cover my missing grade.

 I didn't quite get to do the demanding bit- the lecturer in charge was an old guy, geriatric* with an almost arching back. I called him 'baba' as I explained my problem, he was touched. Gave me a
 test and a supervisor in tow. Dished out results within an hour.

Finally, MISSING MARKS found(scored perfect A's in  both). Re-applied for graduation. My head was safe from my mothers pot!

JUNE was here. *Yaaay* Birthday month(14th). I really needed a reason to celebrate by the 14th.Got a call from a Nigerian company about a research position.
Got yet another call from a jewelry client of mine. Hooked me up with an American professor who bought 95% of my jewelry.
*Village Ululations* There's money in the bank oo!Daisy and Edward throw me a surprise party!
Eish! Things are looking up, No?

Graduation slated for end month. Call from my university department 1day before release of graduation
list. Problem with 1 of my units.
What?????!!! Not again. So, apparently I was 1 unit short on account of a  core unit that was inculcated into curriculum when twas revised. How is that my **** problem????!!!!
Eh??!!!! Long/short of it..no graduation.

Worst of all..had to come back and sit a unit exam to cover it. I cut my head and sent it to my mothers along with a kilo of habanero chillies!

My head spurn for days on end after that piece of information.

Very disappointed.

I got myself together and registered for the fall semester of 2013 to come for the unit.
Life moved on.

Remember the doctor from 1st quarter? Gave me paid errands to run for him, research work etc for his firm. They were not many but they came through- somehow.

One late August day, I landed an opportunity on social media to attend a  leadership course in Nigeria. I needed the break more than the course. I  took it!


2nd Quarter Status;
Job status; Nil
Cash status; XXX
Dream status; Just a dream oo!

Look out for the 3rd  quarter of seekers diary next week:-)

A LITTLE WHITE LIE..,

Ever heard of the phrase 'arranger la verite'??? Well, it translates to arranging the truth(We've all done it). There comes a time when we are faced with situations where we do not necessarily want to lie but the truth won't exactly set us free either. We result to shifting a few statistics here and there to put things in order..lol. So what happens when that situation happens to be your resume? You come across a job you feel you can do but your resume doesn't necessarily reflect the same sentiments. Came across this post online about resumes and lies. Pretty funny..thought i'd share. Go through and let me know your thoughts..,

LYING ON YOUR CV ...NECESSARY EVIL?

'Please, don't act like you don't know people lie on their CV, they add little jara here and there just to get a job and I really would not blame them: it's not an easy world out there as a job-seeker and desperate times call for desperate measures, besides, who is really going to do a background check to see if e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g on the CV was true or false (especially in Nigeria)? You can also learn on the job so why not fake it till you make it abi? Talk true make devil shame...have you lied on your CV? Ha ha ha...some of us have added jara somewhere.

                                   

Lying on your CV could be the best thing you've ever done, after all, isn't the aim to get a job and feed your family? Get the job then go and do thanksgiving in Church about how it was such a miracle! Hmmm...God is good. It can also be something you'd regret doing for a very long time. Like I said earlier, I do not blame anyone who has resorted to doing just that; na condition make crayfish bend. Have I lied on my CV before? Well...I eerrrm...well... *shrugs. I think is a little frustrating when you have the qualifications yet no one would give you a call back when you apply for jobs, yet when you add one tiny white lie, the calls start coming...it's frustrating. 

Some argue that there's nothing wrong with lying on your CV as long as in the end you can prove that you can do what you wrote there. If a job requires that Microsoft Excel is a necessary skill, you can add it to your CV and learn it before you start the job. Is that acceptable? You can learn along the way. Thank God for YouTube!

Stella Oduah is popular for a lot of things but more recently adding jara on her CV...mama didn't even go light, she put a whole big degree there, but she forgot to do her homework. Even the former CEO of Yahoo! was forced to resign after it was discovered that his resume was a bit urm...you know.  Never ever ever be caught in that kind of situation. It will make your employer, colleagues question everything you've ever said was true.You may get away with lying in some countries or some corporations and may not be so lucky in others.

You do not need to out-rightly lie on your CV, you only need to embellish it! Embellish is not you a former office administrator writing that you were the formal assistant general CEO of such and such. Don't lie about your work experience but word it in a way that would make you look competent and suitable for the role you're applying for. 

Here are some tips: 
                                       

You can start by adding keywords: look at key words in the job description for which you're applying and use those key words to highlight your skills. If you're submitting it electronically keywords will help your CV/Resume get picked up!

Maybe you don't have a lot of experience? You should focus on your skills section especially if your're a newbie. Skills like computer skills, management training, and any certifications you have should increase your chances of nailing the job. Please don't claim to have skills you clearly don't possess because if you get the job and you cannot do the thing wey you say you fit do...yawa dey o.

Hiring managers receive loads of CV's and may not have time to go through the whole page/pages so you might want to move the most important elements to the top of the CV...put your best foot forward. 

Feel free to amend your previous job title especially if it is synonymous with the current role you're applying for. For example instead of leaving it as office contact, why not amend it to administrative assistant? It's just a better name, but same job description. You get?

If you know your CV is not robust then maybe you should focus on the packaging...it doesn't hurt. Get the hiring managers attention with a nicely arranged CV...biko don't be putting florals and hearts oh: not that type of design.

One tip I always use is sending my CV out in a PDF format, word documents can appear different on some computers so to make sure everything is as you want it, save and send as a PDF format.

Do you have other tips? Please share! And tell me too, well...have you sorta added a thing or two to your CV?'

So..,have you?? Is it a necessary evil?? Spill already..,
Credits: Here
 
Xoxo,
Kazini Daily. 

MY HUSTLE: NNUNJI

                    

Today's hustle features 'Nnunji', the brainchild of entrepreneur Benadette Kaggwa(pictured)

Benadatte Kaggwa is a former Client Service and Operations Consultant, who worked in an Investment Bank for almost 5 years and holds a diploma in Web Design. She has a natural talent in art and designing.

                           

Aside from managing her online magazine and online store business, Bena is also a Web Designer by profession; she provides web designing services to individual and corporate clients under the subsidiary name IE Web Designing, registered under ImageEtiquette Advisory. 
  
Nnunji initially started as only ImageEtiquette Advisory, which encompassed all the facets of her business: accessories marketing, advisory tips and consultancy on etiquette, communication and style; but later she thought of separating the online shop from the advisory part of the business. ImageEtiquette Advisory now operates as an online magazine (still under publishing) for advisory tips on etiquette, communication, style & grooming, nutrition & wellness, among other miscellaneous topics.  
 

                        
Benadettes story;

Setting up and establishing the business was made possible by the fact that Nnunji’s founder and creative designer had been working in an investment bank for almost 5 years when she developed this idea. She had therefore gathered sufficient capital to realize her dream of establishing an online accessories portal, specifically of the handmade variety.

The word 'Nnunji' means 'nice' in Luganda - the main language spoken in Uganda, the native country of Nnunji's founder and creator. It is every lady's experience at one time or another to receive a compliment when she's all dressed up and donning some attractive piece of jewellery, bag, shoe or hat, that goes something like: "Wow! That’s such a nice necklace/bracelet/shoe!" 

Those simple words are often followed by another common question, "...where did you get it/where can I get one of my own?", and it is from having one too many of such experiences that the creator of Nnunji thought of establishing an online platform that will cater to every lady's need to accessorize and decorate herself - and her home too!

Nnunji’s mission is to maintain its position as the pioneers of a fully branded online shop that showcases only custom, handmade accessories, gift items & home décor in a bid to promote local artisans in Kenya and give them a presence in the international market.

Bena, as she prefers to be called, sums up her brand in three in three simple words: IMAGINE, DESIGN, CREATE!!!

Here is Nnunji's work as featured on her site;
 

                                   
                                                                                                                                                     

                             
Check out her website here
You can also find her on other social media as follows;

FACEBOOK , 
TWITTER 
GOOGLE+ 
ETSY
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN

In her own words: “My greatest motivation in creating and developing the Nnunji brand name is the belief that every lady can accessorize herself to enhance her appearance thus giving a boost to her self confidence and image.”

What do you think of Bena's hustle?? Do let me know.

isTo be featured on 'My Hustle', send me an E-mail here .

Xoxo,
Kazini Daily.