Isaac Atoyebi, a media communications officer with WayMaker Learning and Global North London Business School tells INNOCENT ENETA the benefits of using LinkedIn in job hunting
What do you like about LinkedIn and why do you think it is the best for Nigerians who are searching for jobs?
When I was searching for job, it was really difficult. While I was in school, we were told about LinkedIn, butI didn’t take it seriously, though I had a LinkedIn account.
A friend later told me that I could get a job through LinkedIn. When I went back to my LinkedIn account, I was fortunate to meet two LinkedIn professionals thattold me what to do to get a job.
A lot of Nigerians don’t know the benefits of having a LinkedIn account and many don’t even think that having a LinkedIn account is important. They also don’t know what they can get from it. LinkedIn will do that.
Knowing the unemployment situation in Nigeria, withabout 38 per cent of the population unemployed, do you think your platform can help?
I believe it will help them and give them the lead way. What I am doing is like a cell. LinkedIn is not restricted to Nigeria, it’s used all over world and you have over 500 million people on it. Not all the 500 million people are looking for jobs, but many are looking for people to employ.
It is a system where you are no longer restricted to your locality. Even if you are in Nigeria, a company in the United Kingdom or any part of the world can employ you.
If we are saying that unemployed Nigerians are
Can LinkedIn help entrepreneurs in Nigeria?
Yes; definitely I believe that it will help entrepreneurs.
How?
One, I think that many people forget that LinkedIn is not just a platform for people looking for jobs, like Jobberman; it is for every profession, entrepreneurs and whoever you are.
How can entrepreneurs in Nigeria leverage on LinkedIn?
I know a lot of digital marketers working for a lot of companies in the United States and United Kingdom.LinkedIn gives you the visibility. In fact, you might be handling an account for a company you’ve never met one on one. Someone may go online to search for a digital marketer and you reach a deal with them. So, yes,LinkedIn can support entrepreneurs at every level you may think of.
Being a youth, what is your plan for the youth population?
I want to go into public speaking. People tend to look at a public speaker as a motivational speaker. No. I want to be able to do something where I will not just say this is how to do it, but show you how to do it. That is one of the reasons this programme brings together my LinkedIn experiences.
The idea is to see how people can get a job. I may not be able to give everyone a job, but I can let them see offers, opportunities they can tap into it. My goal is to help graduates and undergraduates, young ones coming out of school to leverage on this opportunity and exit the labour market. If I play my part and others play theirs, it will help to reduce the unemployment level. We can’t wait for government, knowing that government can’t do much.
What does it cost to be part of the programme, which comes up soon?
The maiden edition is free of charge. But we need support in many other ways, like paying for the venue, drinks, water etc. We are not running on a big level. It is meant for just 30 people, but more than 50 people have already registered. I am just the host. We need publicity in many ways.
What is your plan for the next 10 years?
My project in the next 10 years is to see how we can help Nigerians get bigger opportunities. This is because it will not just be LinkedIn. We are not just teaching people how to get jobs, but we are also thinking of how to employ people to work on our stage too.
The goal is not limited to Nigeria because in the next 10 years, we are probably looking at having a webcast, so that people in other parts of the world can join us. It will be a virtual programme where people will be on video call, join in and also learn what we have on the ground.
How do you think Nigeria will benefit from digital marketing?
For me, the digital marketing space in Nigeria is still very backward; I mean crude. But digital marketing is big. However, we are trying, and the point we are now is good. In the next 10 years, we will see real digital marketing because we are entering a time when organic marketing can no long work.
Digital marketing will be beneficial to Nigeria with time because we will be playing in the global economy. So,for businesses to survive in Nigeria, it means we are going to run digital.
We are doing well in Nigeria, but we must be ready to move out from the point of taking a product for sale online or placing advert online and people pay. It’s time to move out of there.
What is your motivation?
I have a passion for speaking and encouraging people about their careers and lives. I discovered that the best way to help my passion is to give back to the societywhat I have learnt in life. That is my motivation. I wantto help others.
How does your family take your career?
My family has been very supportive in every way anybody can think of. They have been supportive in every way parents can be supportive to their children.
What is your advice to the younger generation?
We are in a generation that is not patient. Please, let the youths or the up-and-coming generations be patient, becaus
Don’t you think your programme will increase insecurity in Nigeria?
It won’t, because there has been insecurity in Nigeria for many years now. I don’t believe LinkedIn will do that. LinkedIn is for professionals because if you get a mail, you can find out from others on LinkedIn. Victims of job recruitment scams are on LinkedIn; they will help you with their experiences.
Do you think that data science has a future for Nigeria?
Yes, but I don’t know much about it. I see a lot of Nigerians doing that now and I know there is a future there.
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