Message to employers and grade (1st/2.1/2.2/3rd)class syndrome

Employers:do you want to tell me that graduates with 2.2 and below don't have job or future or what?this first class or 2.1 syndrome is not a recommended approach in employing the best hands in the labour market especially in sciences and engineering.many people with 2.2 are more smarter,intelligent,ready to work than some first or 2.1 class applicatant.the failure to attain to first or 2.1 class could be as a result of lecturer's frustration,economic imbalance,innocent exam victim in the exam hall,induced sickness in the exam hall and many things resulting to the high grade attainment failure.please our employer should desist from using academic grade for employment requirement.it does piss up when i read such employment advert stating only first or 2.1 class should apply.beside academic achievement is different from working ability and also not a good parameter for test of knowledge.our employer should overview graduates' CVs,i think there should be other qualifications,experience,social involvement,skills,background etc that might attract employer to invite d applicant for interview instead of using basically the yeastic of first or 2.1 class.before i leave the forum,i want to remind you as you know that many people use money and body to get the 2.1.thanks

Well said. But, tell me, how can my body give me good grades? Do you mean I will get good grades if I am tall, dark and drop-dead-gorgeous? :)

The simple reason employers do not consider "graduates with 2.2 and below" is that the Nigerian Labour market is OVERBALANCED. For example, a company recently put up an advertisement for job vacancies(2 positions available) for "graduates with 2.1 and above" and after the close of application, the company received 12,000 applications for 2 available position. In such a situation, do you expect such employer to include "graduates with 2.2 and below" in future advertisement for job vacancies(2 positions available)?

I believe the government should be blamed for this discrimination.

Don't u think d problem is from us n d government. from us is d population,our parent don't think of d Nigeria Economy ,they kept on having us as if it about farm land of then.the Government said no more repeating of classes.pass or fail,next class.now Jamb cut off and how d exam is conduct is nothing to write home about.I'm tried of niggling.it's my cross

The problem is not just our leaders but our society at large,,,,it is totally sick and full of old norms and values which are just not practical in the modern age. How can our society progress when it is continually run by a bunch of paper qualification warriors rather than people of proven abilities. How can we develop when a man like Ibb is shamelessly contesting to rule again......................................Let us rise and say no to this stupid cultures and values that are without logic and common sense let us resist IBB,even if it means giving up our lifes,after all , the way are living now is totally miserable

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ighoeve

Well said. But, tell me, how can my body give me good grades? Do you mean I will get good grades if I am tall, dark and drop-dead-gorgeous? :)

---

Yes, of course! :P :P :P :P

Dont blame the employers, they have got to use some standards as long as the government does not care about it.

Even in government parastatals too, the same goes on so what should you expect from the private sector?

It's true some who made 2.2 could have made 1st class in different circumstances. But another truth is this: 2.1 be like water... a lot of people have it. I graduated in a class that produced over 60 2.1s. 1 department. Project that over how many courses in how many universities and u'll get scary numbers. Some earned it, some bought it, true, and it's bad enough the unfortunate HR people have to always find the difference. But it's gets worse when u put 2.2 in the mix. They then also have to decipher who shud have gotten a 2.1 or who's got a 1st class brain regardless of the grade. Most don't bother.

Everyone (including the 1st class holders) needs to keep developing themselves. That need is even more pressing when u have less than a 2.1 for whatever reason (no one really cares to know). So my advice, make urself more marketable. Good things still happen to people with 2.2, third class and all kinds of grades. But I like being equipped to seize opportunities that come my way than just waiting around for sth small enough to fall into my '1st degree' net. So I eliminate any potential limitations that I can and expand my net, so when bigger things start falling, I'll catch sth nice. Just saying get ur masters from a good school, follow thru on ur professional qualifications, acquire other relevant skills like computer/IT stuff and/or start up ur own business. Then ur grade may no longer matter so much.

Cheers people...

I'm pissed when I see pple typing gibberish jst cos they're browsing free on their phones.
1stly,d folks that hv 2.2 & below that really hv brains dnt sit around sulking abt hw pple use MONEY & BODY 2 get their 2.1 or wateva.
2ndly, job scarcity is global, even though Naija is doing nothing in particular 2 solve it. U wud be foolish not 2 acknowledge that those wit 1st class & 2.1's are actually smarter than the poster. Wat were u doing when MONEY & BODY was being traded 4 grades?
I've bin at tests where real brains were required & the 1st class & 2.1 folks emerge effortlessly lik it wasnt nothing. Give these brainy folks kudos cos they deserve it. Are u jst fresh 4rm NYSC or are u 2 dumb 2 notice that there are some hotjobbers whose names always pop up afta major tests & interviews or do I need 2 mention names? @ poster: Do u mean 2 say that ur lousy 2.2 brain is hotter than these ladies & gents?
If all evidence is brought 4ward, I must admit there are intelligent individuals wit HND, 2.2 & less out there but these pple dnt mak noise. They jst wait their turn the same way 1st class & 2.1 folk chill wen they hear som average 2.2 or HND guy/gal got a juicy job cos he/she is CONNECTED. But do u hear their voices or see posts such as urs (except 4 d PTDF saga) :NO. That's simply cos there's wisdom in shutting up.
May GOD grant us our heart's desires.

My take on this is very simple l have 2.2,but there is no day in my life that l have envy those who with 2.1 0r first class rather l about how to improve my skill and concentrate on adding value to myself. lf you have seen graduates argued abt grades then u will know what am talking about e.g some will say 2.2 in my school is equivalent to 2:1 in yours,such talk can never get us anywhere rather l believe an average Nigerian graduate want to work all his life.it is only in this country you see someone with 30years experience that cant become a consultant.

You guys have said it all. But the so called First Class or second class upper graduate don't even get the job. I have a lot of first class people that are still jobless and it does not mean they are not good enough to earn the first class. I also know some people who graduated with 2.2 and below that are equally good as well. So, I think the problem is the government, and also the employer of labor.

For the sake of those that earned it, think we should give them respect. You just have to hope good things come your way. I know someone who rose to a managerial position in a multinational firm with a 2.2 in pol science. Dont envy anyone instead, hope for the best.

naija graduate pls let us change our orientation.let us stop faultn d government or private organisation.we shud engage ourself in sumtin productv dan critisizn.we can enrol 4 msc programs,catificatin programs,skilled work...............am vry sure, wen u add value 2ur qualification,job will be searchn 4u

I think the reason why employers of labour concentrate on 2:1 and 1st Class graduates is because there are relatively few employment opportunities and many graduates. As a result, the employers will naturally want to pick the best(even though we know that some of these graduates are not really the best). For example, some employers actually go to universities to conduct tests for the best graduating students in various departments who have not even graduated yet in view of employing them. Also, if you take statistics, you will notice that although there are few first class graduates, there are many "2:1's". If some employers call for applications for certain position and include the 2:2's (especially for fresh graduate positions), you will notice that the total number of applications for that position will rise sharply. Most employers would not want to spend so much time and money in sorting and processing these applications and would therefore prefer to receive fewer applications by not inviting applications from 2:2 graduates.

Please also note that the 2:1/2:2 discrimination is just one of the "injustices" in the labour system. Others include:
*Age (especially for people above 30 for fresh graduate positions) ???
*Marital status(for married ladies. It is generally believed that married ladies are less productive because of issues such as pregnancy, maternity leave, etc) ???
*State of Origin (for employers who are tribalistic) ???
*Religion (christian or muslim) ???
At the interview stage, factors such as height, weight, colour, being physically challenged, and even personal ideologies etc could be reasons for discrimination.

I believe that the government can reduce these by creating more opportunities. The govt should create conditions that can enhance productivity for employers. This will cause expansion of businesses and will help to create more jobs. The govt should also encourage graduates to be self-employed by also creating conditions that will help them to be self-starters.

If you are a 2:2 graduate, I would advise you to improve you worth. You can go for your Masters degree and professional certifications. You can also pick up a small job in your area of interest (the idea is not to focus so much on making "much money" but to gain relevant professional experience). You can also improve your scope by being current on national affairs/world politics, developing your personal interest/hobbies, participating in voluntary development activities, learning a international foreign language (like French) and attending relevant seminars/conferences/workshops in your areas of interest. You can also develop your skills such as computer skills and work on developing good attributes such as time-management, effective communication (oral and written), etc. Most importantly, you should be closer to God and commit your ways to Him. He alone knows the end from the beginning. He is your creator, He cares for you and His thoughts for you are thoughts of peace.

All the best :D :D :D

If u have less than 2:1, drop dead and get buried. End of story!

Boasting about a 1st class and 2'1 or feeling bad about a 2'2 or less can't get u anywhere. What matters always is your ability to prove ur worth when there is need to. I graduated with a 2'2 I felt I did not deserve and I felt realy demoralised, moreso with the general belief that you can neva get anytin with a 2'2. However with determination and faith I made good use of d few opportunities that came my way and I got a job as a core staff with a leading bank just few months after my service and during the meltdown without any connection. The lesson here is, dnt waste ur time focusing on your perceived obstacle. If u feel u hav a lower grade but gt d brains your opportunities though nt much will come knocking, are u prepared to grab them? Drop the mentality of connection and grade being a major determinant. In d private sector, nobody wants to employ an empty skull that will crumble their business. Maybe it is possible in d public sector. One more advice, when u get a job, drop the mentality of being an employee all ur life. It is outdated and that is the major reason why jobs are hard 2 come by coz people re nt ready to create jobs through meaningful enterprise. The govt can't do it all

Many of us sit at home waitin 4 jobs 2 come knockin on our door. Imagine a friend dat complained about not aving a job, wen asked d last time he applied 4 a job, he said, last yr. Can u imagine dat? Now, tell me how he intends 2 get a job by sittin at home.

we all are truely jobless......i see ,

Interesting contributions!

Well, the Nigerian society is such that a lot of emphasis has been placed on paper qualifications vis-a-vis grades (First Class Second Class etc.) before one can get a job.
Considering the fact that there are few jobs out there up for grabs and there are thousands of applicants willing and able to get the jobs, it's only logical that the applicants be pruned down by setting a bench mark.
Be that as it may, I still believe and experience has shown that having a First class or Second class upper or lower division is not the true test of candidates' abilities in terms of how well they'll perform on the job.
However, am of the opinion that whatever grade one gets even if it's first class, it shouldn't end there. Getting M.Sc./MBA, PHd, Professional qualifications and or certifications will always give you an edge and will most likely propel for higher ambitions.
The way the Nigerian society is today, there is a high tendency that if this discrimination is not discarded soonest, employers might raise the bar by demanding PHd before a candidate is considered for a job placement.
In a nutshell, keep improving on yourself just like some posters here have indicated. 8)

It is needless to argue blindly in this forum and there is also no reason for anybody to say someone is talking gibberish, words must be chosen wisely and it can only be a reflection of our upbringing, education and personality. However, all that has been submitted on this topic is a function of people's differing opinions and it doesn't mean there is not at least an iota of truth in them all. My simple opinion is that everybody should be tested on the same platform, 1st class, 2.1, 2.2 whatever grade, then u will be surprised that some 2.1 will perform better than 1st class holders, while some 3rd class might even beat a 2.1 to it, This is the real world, alot of things happened in school, that has been responsible for different outcomes, some learning environment are better and more conducive than some, and lecturers from different schools use different means to achieve their aims, the resultant effect is felt by the students at the receiving end, the virus has now been erstwhile transferred to the outside world, its all so sickening, all we need to do is keep striving, keep our heads up, there is enough space in the sky for all birds to fly, we all make it, it will only come at different times, it is not really about the grades, add value to yourself in the meantime, cheers to all.

Please, why create issues on grade, realistically, you will found out that the people with 1st class and 2.1 in school are one of the best student based on there priority in school, recall, that this grade is not given on just one year, it span for four years, that means you must have an average of 3.5CGPA for 2.1 and 4.5CGPA for first class, hence, it means you have to sleep with all the lecturers and bribe all the lecturers including when defending your project. Look, I have a friend who had 2.2 in school and he told me that is just a matter of misplace priority because he became serious in 200L, hence, his 100L affected his grade, So what I am saying is that some of us are not telling ourselves the truth, are we saying that most people with 2.2 and third class are based on merit, that they didn't sleep with lecturers or bribe lecturers. We basically envy other people for getting it right. Anyway, the major reason why I am writting this, is for us to build a good society, but, we must be able to identify How? Moreover, our junior ones should be told the truth and how to set there priority right. As for labour market, we will all get a job if we can believe in God and ourself and not on the grade. I will summit by asking you to read in the bible Eccl 9:11.

2.1,2.2 or wathsoever,it is all about the mindset.We 've been trained to aquire degrees and get good jobs,unfortunately the jobs are not there.Now is time to think outside the box;look around and think effectively on what you can make out from the seeminly hopeless situation.There is always a solution for those that can think.So stand up and fight the fight stop creating excuses for fairlure.

most of u have spoken well but some make it sound like it's a crime to be a 2.1 grad ::).i have pips that graduated with this so called 2.2 and are making the best of there selves and these is bcos they did not allow the tot of been a 2.2 weigh them down and i also have 2.1 grads who don't still know what to do with them selves bcos they are waiting for some1 to determine their future.be it 1st, 2.1, 2.2, 3 class venture into the world there are a lot of opportunities out there. ;)

@Sunny_onyi
Dont get mad @ us now, we r not d employers. Infact, I doubt if dey visit dis site at all!
U r rit anyway, bt like some1 said, it is jst a way stream lining, esp if dey dont want 2spend so much on a single recruitment.

Rather than complaining here, why not lets take up the challenge and set up our own company. Then we can set the entry standard we want.

In the words of Ghandi, lets be the change we want to see in our world.

It might be convinient to curse the darkness in a room but more efficacious if we light the candle.