HOW TO SPEND YOUR NYSC YEAR WISELY

NYSC is not just a flexing time,but an opportunity to be better person.

I present below things you should know or do to make your one year NYSC program a value-adding one:

1.       Abuja &Lagos are cool: If you get posted to Lagos, I think it’s cool, even great. Internet may have shrunk information gap, but the truth is, Lagos is still where it is happening. Yes, government may have outlawed posting to private sector, but being in Lagos brings you closer to information. You have opportunity to know what is happening, you get to write job tests without having to travel for hours, if not days. A friend was invited for Accenture test in May 2013, while still serving in Sokoto state, she ignored it because she could not travel from Sokoto to Lagos. She however came - 14 hours on the road, although returned by air – for the Mobil test. So if you get posted to Lagos, I think it’s a leg up. Fully maximize the opportunity.

2.       Nowhere is bad: Lagos is cool, but nowhere is actually bad. In fact, other than access to more offline job information and ability to turn up for test invites without stress, other states trump Lagos in other things, like cost of living etc. So irrespective of where you are posted, it is still an opportunity.

3.        Write your CV: If you don’t have a CV yet, use the NYSC service year to sit down and craft one. Start sending that CV out, hardcopy, soft copy, just continue sending to as much openings as you can find and keep building on yourself till you finally remove head dress. Some people secure Job even before the end of service year

4.        Be present on the internet: Don’t be cut off information. Posting to village is not an excuse for information black-out. I became an internet buff over ten years ago but it took a new twist during my service year, which is the genesis of "prissynews" of today.  With the internet, you will always be on hand and opportunities would hardly pass you by unnoticed

5.        Enroll for authentic professional exams: Cost and conditions of these exams are most favorable to Corp members. Don’t miss the opportunity.  No doubt you will have plenty time in your service year, especially since the government has mandated NYSC to post prospective corps members only to government schools (and agricultural sector). Use the time to study. In fact, villages are fantastic places to study. Imagine studying under the trees in front of corper’s lodge and the birds singing to your ear. So whether it is an IT or engineering or finance professional examination that is relevant to you, please register before going for or during your NYSC year, and use NYSC year to actively study and pass them. They will be useful in your job search.

6.        Practice Job Tests: I met in camp people that didn't know what job tests are. While some of us started taking tests right from university, it is not too late to use your NYSC year to start. Get relevant materials on SHL, GMAT etc and start getting yourself familiar with them. You have all the time during your service year. Pass out and hit the ground running. Of course, this is applicable only if you plan to search for job.

7.        Try out ideas: Although I never had any entrepreneurship idea when I was serving, I saw friends that made cool money from web-designing and similar activities then. If you have some skills you want to sell, or ideas you want to incubate, NYSC service year may just be the time to try it out. Web and graphic designing were not so common where I served and I saw a friend that was doing that in a relatively not-so-techy Sokoto and making money from clients. I also know another corper that was selling clothes and making income. I knew a guy, who was teaching in at least 2 schools and some private lessons. He was making at least N35,000 monthly in addition to the Federal allawi and state allawi. If you find yourself posted to the semi-urban areas, opportunities abound.

8.       Build Good Network: A good number of my friends today I met them during my service year. In fact, two of them are contributors to this blog today, to show you that we kept the friendship till today. . Networking needs not be among your fellow corps members alone, integrate yourself into the local community as well. I still keep in touch with the locals till today. Corpers are respected and loved by community people. You may even have be given privileged access to some community leaders, like traditional rulers or business or political leaders you ordinarily would not have had access to, just because you are a corper. Explore the privilege. You never know when network is going to be useful, don't joke with it.

9.        Try new skills: NYSC has introduced Skill Acquisition and Empowerment Development (SAED) programme as part of activities of the service year. This is to encourage corpers develop a skill during their service year, take advantage of this. There are new skills you can learn within weeks or months. Use the NYSC year to learn them. It may be some programming skills. Just anything that could be useful now or in the future.

10.   Reflect: NYSC year is the year many people come of age, the year you lose your dependence on home for funding, etc. It is a good period for you to sit down and think about life, what you want to achieve.

Finally, on a personal (but not career-related) note, I advise people to travel less. While I believe in predestination, I don't think there is anything wrong in taking cautious steps. A good precaution is to avoid traveling too often. Nigerian roads are too bad and the fatalistic news I read about auto-crashes involving corps members informed this advice. If possible, you may decide not to travel home more than twice throughout your service year.