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Why Degree Dependence Is A Bad Idea, Especially In Developing Countries


There was a young man who went in to study a course in the tertiary institution, he felt that he just needed to get a Degree, without really having a plan in place and he would get a good job after graduation. He felt degree dependence would take him to a better place in his life.

He did graduate with a second class lower grade and afterwards, he was unemployed for five years before realizing that he could not just coast along and land a lucrative job with his mindset at the time.

In his unemployed state, he came across a new friend who introduced him to a career counselor. It took a while, but the young man eventually started to work towards new goals to reflect where he wanted to be in the coming years.

The career counselor he sought advice and guidance from, helped him see that degree dependence is a bad idea, especially for those from disadvantaged countries, where unemployment figures are on a constant rise.

If you are a young person from a developing country, it is your job to start planning your future career even before you are done with your undergraduate degree. The truth about developing countries, is that, there are too many candidates for the very few jobs available.

Why Degree Dependence Is A Bad Idea, Especially In Developing Countries

So, what can young people in these countries do to stand out?


Have a plan – Read forecasts on relevant industries and sectors going as far as 30 years, and choose your career path wisely. This will also depend on the country you come from, what applies in one may not apply in another, except you plan to relocate. We are now in the fourth industrial revolution, where industries are becoming obsolete, so be careful about the courses you want to study whether for an Undergraduate degree or a Master’s.

Invest in a side hustle – Yes, this is how a lot of people in third world countries survive – by having multiple streams of income. This will help you stay afloat even when you are yet to land a white collar job or you are yet to start making profit as an entrepreneur. We have a Nigerian client who learnt how to make clothes during his service corps year. Seven years after that, he has become a sought after designer in his state of residence, with about four support staff. He combines that with his job at a Tech company.

Focus on the right things – This is quite hard to do, with so many irrelevant things begging our attention nowadays, ranging from social media discussions to political intrigues. However, if you stay focused and do only what is relevant to your career growth, you will succeed, no matter how long it takes.



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