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

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.