If you have the goal of expanding or improving your academic qualification during or immediately after your National Youth Service, you are an academic corper. If your focus is to secure a job eventually after NYSC service, you are also an academic corper. The year of service can be a great opportunity for you to achieve these goals on a gold platter. This year of service can serve as a platform for academic advancement and prospective job readiness.

Most Nigerian universities will require your NYSC withdrawal certificate before you will be authorized to run a graduate program, while other schools may admit you without the NYSC withdrawal certificate.

My advice is; don’t wait until after your year of service before enrolling in a graduate program. Nigerian universities normally issue entry forms one year in advance. That is, they issue admission forms for, say, the academic year 2011 in 2010. So you always have an extra year to plan your academic search. If you can purchase a graduate admission form during your year of service, before it is time for admission, you are surely done with your national service. It is very important that you obtain all the essential information from the school of your choice before purchasing the admission form.

Please plan a lot, especially when it comes to time, location, finances, and other commitments. Don’t wait any longer, start now. Interestingly, with the trend of globalization, most foreign institutions offer online graduate courses. Most of these institutions and their programs are universally recognized. It is also good to state that, considering the increase in the rate of cyber crimes, it is necessary to verify the authenticity of such schools and their courses before enrolling.

However, most of them are legitimate. It is the sole responsibility of the body member to investigate the authenticity of said institution. Don’t just see an ad on the internet and pay for that product. Gather information about that institution before handing in your money.

Preparation is the mother of manifestation. If you don’t prepare for your academic activity now, you may not stand out from the crowd. You should not have the same result with the crowd. The summit is reserved for the few, and the few are those who prepare for a particular challenge or task before facing it.

You can use the year of service to prepare for your graduate programs. It is very important to note that you can now start studying for your postgraduate courses. Sign up for the course; Get your outline and reading materials and start reading right away. Before the end of your year of service, you may have covered the job scheme. Instead of wasting time doing nothing, you can prepare for your exam.

A corporation has unrestricted access to state and federal libraries across the country. You can take advantage of this opportunity and have a good foundation in your field. Study books and other reading materials related to your field and become a teacher or guru in it. There are so many things that you were not taught in school, this is your time to study and learn them.

You may also develop an interest in other fields. Don’t waste your time on irrelevant activities. Instead, study to become versatile and relevant. Most people study just to pass an exam; that’s not the best. Study to apply the knowledge you have acquired and not for examination purposes. If you study for the sake of the certificate, my friend, you may not deliver. You cannot apply knowledge unless you have a deep understanding of a particular concept. Deep understanding cannot be gained by clutter or through the firefighter’s reading approach. It comes through proper preparation. Early preparations make reading enjoyable. Don’t read like a college student looking to pass an exam, read like a graduate who wants to be a teacher in a particular field. If you want to be recognized as one of the best students, early preparation is non-negotiable.

An academic corper is a scholar. Read all the educational material that is presented to you. You want to be well informed. Some of them contribute significantly to your academic field. I met a member of the corps who did and packaged extraordinary research work. His research work made him a celebrity at the university from which he graduated and was offered employment immediately after the service. Other corporations have written great books, movies, advertising concepts, etc. We want to see your contributions in both national and international newspapers. Your badges are not for fantasy; can grant you access to anywhere. Don’t waste your power, use it. Gathering information for your research work will not be a big challenge because everyone is willing to help a corper.

Another group of academic corporations are those who want to obtain jobs immediately after service. Honestly, it’s very possible to get a job a few months after you pass out.

Every reputable organization has its own hiring process that every prospective employee must go through. Generally, the process begins with application, aptitude test, interviews, other tests, training, and induction. These processes have established guidelines.

Most of the brilliant graduates with excellent results have not gotten a job because they are unaware of the rules that govern these employment processes. Many graduates cannot write an attractive application letter. Some of us are unable to organize and write a marketable resume. The aptitude test is not like the normal school test. It’s very different. The questions are technically designed and specifically regulated. Therefore, you must be familiar with it. An interview is not just about people talking to you or just a question and answer session. Friends, it is much more than that. I attended a recruiting seminar some time ago and it was clear that my dress code, gait, hairstyle, verbal and non-verbal communication, clothing color, etc. they are all important in an interview.

By the way, these hiring processes are not taught well in our schools. Even when taught, it is not done comprehensively. In school, I was never taught practical skills that can lead to a successful recruitment process. Nobody told me that my CV must be in line with the job opportunity. I was not well informed, until I started attending various conferences and seminars. I dare say that I have never failed in any interview. If my application is accepted and I pass the aptitude test, surely the work is mine.

Indeed, most ex-corppers who graduated with good grades have missed many job opportunities because they are not well informed about the hiring process. Some of them can’t write a marketable application letter or vibrant CV. Even when their academic knowledge helps them climb through the aptitude test, their lack of interview skills will cause them to lose their jobs. Academic qualification is not the primary prerequisite for employment. Gone are the days when grade levels were considered a deciding factor for employment; Contemporary employers want to see your confidence, innovation, composure, fashionable clothing, competence, etc. During an interview, your academic qualification will be set aside and your personal skills and experience will be put to the test. I was faced with a nine-man interview team once and was never intimidated for a second.

In truth, you can use the year of the National Youth Service to prepare for the future recruitment process. Use this time to study the recruitment books. Learn how to write a lovely application and cover letter and an adorable resume. I saw the CV of a friend and envied him. I copied his style and even improved it, and he got me a good job. They couldn’t resist my innovative style.

Set this time to familiarize yourself with the various aptitude test questions and techniques. Please learn interview skills, because this is where many graduates have been lost. Hiring books and other materials are everywhere, buy and read them. You can even organize a mock interview for yourself to boost your confidence, it will do you a lot of good. Don’t see seminars and other training programs as a waste of time and resources. Please do not take it for granted if you have the opportunity to attend one. They are all golden opportunities. Grab them with all your might and might. In most of these seminars, you will learn the practical steps for a successful recruitment exercise in contrast to the theoretical approach of the school.

It is also very important that you get used to today. Listen and watch national and international news to keep up with the latest news. Most corpers will never hear or watch the news from the national network during their entire year of service. They prefer to watch movies all day. The lack of electrical power is not an excuse. I had to buy a battery-powered radio, to be able to listen to the 7am and 11pm network news, as well as the BBC world news every day because there was no power. He was even more informed than most people who enjoy a constant energy supply. I was also listening to good shows like “Success Power” with Sam Adeyemi.