How I Got My First Job

A few days ago, my Group MD and I sat at lunch somewhere in Asokoro area of the FCT. While we waited to be served, we talked about a few matters related to young people and I shared with him how I got my first job. When I finished, he asked me to share the experience with younger people just leaving school. I told him I would. This post (a more detailed account) is in fulfillment of that promise.

I completed my final first degree (B. Sc, Economics) exams in February, 2002 (after an extra semester) at Obafemi Awolowo University. Having done my project work almost a year earlier, I almost couldn't wait to get done with the final semester course work. My interest in real business issues like strategy, operations management, finance etc was so intense that course work had become boring though I still managed to make 3 A's and one B that last semester, an improvement over the last session's results.

The fact that many of my classmates had commenced their mandatory national service (i.e. NYSC) ahead of me provided an important insight: banks were ready to hire you provided you're good even if you had no insider connection. My friend and former classmate in Ife, Toye Adeola provided useful field intelligence. So as I prepared for youth service, anticipating I would serve in Abuja, I undertook a 'market exploration' trip to the FCT in July, 2002 on the privilege of my elder brother Mr. Remi Adeoye?.

During that trip, I physically visited over 44 different commercial banks (I mean banks, not just branches of a few banks) out of the 89 in the country then. My enquiry was simple: Do you take 'youth corpers'? How and from where do you recruit (Abuja, Lagos or branch)? Do you administer aptitude tests? And of course, how much do you pay? I visited GTBANK, Zenith, Oceanic Bank, First Bank, Diamond, Fidelity, Magnum Trust, Universal Trust, Intercontinental, NNB, ACB, Wema, Omega, Continental Trust, Equatorial Trust, Prudent , EIB, and Capital Bank, Afribank, Allstates Trust Bank and many others that are no more plus a few others that are still around.

From the 'survey', I developed a short list of about eleven banks where I found I could compete for a place on merit and where I would like to work: Guaranty Trust, Oceanic, Intercontinental, Magnum Trust, FSB and five others I can't remember. Then came September and it was call-up time. However, instead of Abuja I was expecting, my letter read Edo State. Did I try to re-deploy? No. Over the next few days, I prepared my CV with some hand-written cover letters.

With a clear mission in mind: 'to pursue a career in finance and managerial economics', I left Ile-Ife for Edo State on Monday, September 16, 2002. I was armed with a few items: my KJV Bible, photocopies of a magazine titled eFinancial Careers, and Petersons' GMAT 2002. On getting to Benin, I alighted from the bus and went to see which banks were in that city. Fortunately, Oceanic, Intercontinental, NNB, Platinum, Standard Trust and a few others already had branches there. That was good news. After about two hours in Benin, I set out for NYSC camp in Abudu.

During our first week in camp, I sighted an Oceanic Bank vehicle. I quickly walked up to the guys . I asked if they would employ 'corpers' and gave them my CV and cover letter. They told me when it's time, they would notify the NYSC staff. Along the line, we were paid some allowance in camp and I quickly purchased a copy of Petersons' GRE to compliment the GMAT I had brought to camp.

Then as we returned from 'Endurance Trek' during the final week of orientation, I sighted the same Oceanic Bank vehicle driving slowly away from the camp. Though it was raining, I ran towards it and got the attention of one of the occupants, Benson Akhigbe, who recognized me from our earlier chat. He asked: Do you have another copy of your CV? I answered yes. I had left Ife with about 10 copies.

So I applied and continued working on my GMAT/GRE. About 2 weeks after camp, Oceanic Bank invited us for a test in Asaba, where the regional office was. On the day, it rained heavily in Benin and because the main road (called Lagos Road) was in bad shape, I had to walk in muddy, flood water that got to my knee.  Yet I must write that test. I joined a few friends (including Olalekan Adisa, now with an engineering arm of NNPC) and we got to Asaba about 12/1pm. Fortunately, the test was rescheduled to about 4pm. I took the test and was confident I would pass. Scripts were returned to Lagos for grading. I even had a dream I passed.

In the meantime, I got a place as a secondary school teacher where I took English Language in a village after Irrua, off Benin-Auchi road. A fellow 'corper' got a place as vice principal in a private secondary school. One Tuesday morning as we went for CD and stayed for NCCF fellowship meeting, someone said to me: Are you David Adeoye? I said yes. Then he said: 'they are looking for you in Benin. I knew what it was about. To say I was happy would be an understatement.

The bank branch in Benin made a formal request to the state NYSC and four of us (Ibiyemi Mofolasayo, now with Ecobank, Louisa Okeleke and Ngozi) were posted to do our service with the bank. My time at the bank was quite challenging and time consuming but I gained valuable experience especially in using a computer. Access to the Internet allowed me make my first contact with CFA Institute who sent me the program brochure at a time it would take about four months of my allowance (bank+NYSC) to register for the program. I enrolled with NIIT to deepen my computer skills, attended two classes and just as I was getting set to pay the balance, some fellow picked the N3,500 from my pocket at Ring Road, Benin. It was really painful.

A few days after completing youth service, a very good friend  whom I had met in Ife during my extra semester (Gbolade Shoyemi?) was going for his own NYSC. And the company where he worked as an intern needed a young analyst on the strategy team. I interviewed for the role and though Oceanic Bank offered all of us NYSC members jobs after the service year, I opted to leave commercial banking and resumed at Phillips Consulting on Friday, October 31, 2003. On that day I got my first GSM line (from the company). The next day, someone offered me a hand set and agreed to be paid when I got my first pay on the new job.

To younger graduates who are seeking to get jobs, this is my counsel: Do not be passive with your job search. Don't depend on others (especially parents) to find work for you. You get the job and bring the news and dividends to them. They've made the investment already. Also be clear about what you want to do. Don't speculate or guess. Decide and prepare. Associate and stay in contact with persons of like mind and finally, invest your time wisely.

Remember that hoping is neither a method nor a strategy. But faith, a firm belief in God and in the possibility of progress can take you to places.

I do not in any way consider I've achieved success in my career, I'm still striving. With loads of time-bound deliverables, many work-related documents to study, another professional certification exam around the corner (just a few months away), a team to manage and so on. Yet I want to become fluent in spoken/written French Language and also get an MBA. The goals ahead far outstrip any semblance of achievements from the past. More so, I've never been, and I'm still not perfect. Yet, I do believe God that real progress is achievable if we are clear and pour our hearts into what we believe is our secular calling and keep at it.

Happy new month.

David Adeoye, CFA.

Twitter: @fritova

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