ABUJA AN OVERRATED CITY
Abuja is one of the most soughed out cities in Nigeria. Being the country’s capital, it is regarded as the most beautiful city after Calabar, the abode of opportunities after Lagos and the home of corporate hustle. Corpers will do anything to make sure that they get posted to Abuja. Residents from other states will leave their homes and come to Abuja in the hope of making it big. But, is that always the case? Is Abuja indeed what they say it is?
No, of course. Haven stayed in Abuja for six years now, I can categorically tell you that Abuja is overrated. Yes, it is. Are you sure of what you are saying, or are you trying to pull our legs? If these are your questions, I will advise you to buckle your seat belt as I lead you into the conversation.
Most persons (corpers, school graduates, average citizenry) thinks Abuja is the best place to get a good job seamlessly. The fact is that getting a job in Abuja is a hard task. The way Abuja is been patterned, if you don’t know someone that knows someone that knows someone, you are in for a hard task, except you possess a skill that is in high demand or God shows you mercy. I have seen a lot of corpers that finished serving in Abuja for years and are still jobless, with some managing menial jobs of fifty to sixty thousand nairas that cannot adequately cater for their expenses throughout the month.
It’s not that they are no jobs. The jobs are reserved for special candidates. Who then are these special Canaanites? They are the children of the elites and affluence.
In Abuja, networking is paramount if you want to succeed. After getting a skill or a degree, what you should emphasize, is networking with the right persons. In Abuja, who you know can get where what you know can not get you. With just a recommendation, you can make millions overnight.
Networking is a non-negotiable ingredient of success.
Haven started the first problem, let’s drive into the solution.
How can I network?
Networking is something you do deliberately and intentionally. You have to go to strategic places to connect to like minds.
Places where you can network, are:
Church
Social clubs
Alumni groups
Conference/workshops/talk shows/events
Recreational centres like the museums
How do I keep a network?
Firstly, you must have a value to give. Nobody wants liabilities and stress. The city has enough stress on its own that anybody can be pushed out if you are perceived or seen as a stress giver. Look for areas you can be of help. And do that without expecting a reward. For it will surely pay in the long run. After that, you must have good communication ethics and you must be understanding of people’s differences. For further study on this, I recommend that you read “how to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie”.
Thank you and see you in the next series.
