What advice would you give a sacked banker?

Let’s have a discussion on the current issue in our labour market.

What would you advise a friend who just lost his job to the current wave of massive job loss? 5,000 bank jobs were lost last December alone, that’s over 15,000 Nigerians deprived of their daily bread as a result of organisational restructuring and global recession, or what do you feel?

I have a few thoughts…and I guess you’ve got yours too.

 Develop latent talents- I’d advise my friend to look inwards. Inside every individual are resources that have the potential of creating wealth. He needs to list his talents and develop 1 or 2 into marketable skills. Creativity for fashion, humour for stand-up comedy, organising for events management… talents abound that can be developed into money-making ventures.

 Make network work- he should leverage on his wealth of contacts garnered through years of experience in the banking industry. Goodwill is the intangible currency money can’t buy.

 Above all, I’d tell him to see his job loss as an opportunity in disguise. People never know how high they can jump until a lion chases them. Creativity is birthed when one’s mental faculties are effectively engaged. This crisis should create an avenue for new ideas/opportunities.

Okay now, have I given some sound advice? Oh, you feel he should scout for another job? That’s if you’d give him one. If you still have your job, this is also for you.