STAY MOTIVATED WHILE JOB HUNTING.

www.skytyms.blogspot.com One of the biggest challenges is just maintaining motivation to continue  especially when you're dealing with rejection and silence.
Climb out of your motivational slump with these five tips.

1. Get Specific with Your To-Do List
When your motivation is low, general job-searching tasks like "network" and "redo resume" can be overwhelming. A great way to instantly make your search seem more manageable? Rework your to-do list to include smaller, more specific tasks.
For example, when Agatha was job searching, she made it a goal to reach out to two direct contacts one day and two referrals the next for informational interviews. Both were easy to-dos that, over time, helped her reach her broader goal of expanding her network (and, as a bonus, do so without feeling like she was “networking).

2. Look Up Your Career Role Models
When you're job searching, reading description after description requiring “five to seven years of experience” in a certain field, it's hard to remember the truth about career paths: They're rarely linear. In fact, most successful people made loops, jumps, and a few skids to get to where they are today.
So, step away from the job boards, hop over to LinkedIn, and search for people who have your dream jobs or who work at companies you are interested in. Looking at the various ways people have gotten to where they are now will likely remind you that there is no straight path to success

3. Seek Constructive Criticism from Your Supporters
Your biggest fans can also be your most helpful critics—if you ask them to be. That supportive former co-worker or classmate, professor or teacher who believed in you, and friend who just gets you all know your full potential and how you could improve. So, if you're feeling like you're trying everything but still getting nowhere, try asking them for some constructive criticism.
Identify where you're struggling, whether it is with resume formatting or interviewing, and ask for advice from the appropriate people (that former professor, teacher or mentor who pushed you to do your best public speaking, for example). Based on their knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses, they can give specialized, honest advice.

4. Put Your Career Goals on Paper
“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” is a question we all try to avoid. But right now, when you're in a slump, is exactly the right time to answer it.
Take some time to make a list of all of your dreams, big and small. Actually putting them on paper will force you to think about what you want to achieve and—better yet—motivate you to see at least one goal (if not all of them) through. Think of it kind of like a to-do list for your career: Seeing things on paper will get you excited to check things off.
As an added bonus, seeing your dreams in writing may give you some ideas on how to tie them together. From winning industry awards to landing a C-suite positions to starting your own company, each goal, no matter how random, can shed light on a new opportunity. You may even find ways to widen your search (like linking your interest in writing and food to discover restaurant PR).

5. Take Days Off
At one point, Agatha was doing something job-search related every day, from going on informational interviews to searching Indeed for every type of entry-level communications position imaginable. She was burned out. And she found herself losing sight of her main objectives and looking for jobs just to find a job, even if they were not right for her.
What she realized is that the best way to deal with a motivational slump of any sort is to take a few days off. Pre-determined free days—where you get some time off from thinking about resumes, cover letters, and interview questions—can alleviate all those job-search frustrations and help restore your drive. By taking a few days off here and there, she found that she was able to refocus and better tackle the search when she was ready.
The job search doesn't have to be a daunting task every time you open your laptop or turn on your smart phone. These tips worked for Agatha, and they can for you, too.
Congrats in advance.

HOME DRIVE.
www.skytyms.blogspot.com
Coming down the flight of stairs at the office his legs felt like heavy bags of cement, he'd been on his feet for more than two hours trying as hard as he could to convince his biggest client not to terminate the retainer ship that in fact contributed more than 75% of his company's total annual revenue.
It was a difficult task, she wouldn't just see reasons with him, The MD and owner of this cosmetics company didn't just see the sense in investing so much in advertising while sales keeps slowing down.
At the end of the day, though not officially stated, it was clear the retainership arrangement was over. And the subsequent arrangement would be payment per job; an arrangement where proper planning would become really difficult as one cannot tell how much one would really make or expect as revenue.
His Advertising Agency was a fledging one; just three years old and Sam had invested everything in finances, energy, emotions, sweat and network in getting this business off the ground and sustaining its survival and growth.
Sam began to think and worry, owning and growing one's own business is obviously not a piece of cake.
How will I survive without this big account he continued to worry and wonder as he entered his car and began to drive home that hot evening. It was a quarter past eight and of course he would usually brace himself for the long drive over a short distance due to the very bad traffic congestion.
Tonight, he didn't bother about the delay in traffic as he wanted to spend enough time thinking about his current challenge and the way forward.
He remembered the business and personal bank balance and chuckled to himself sadly, shaking his head.
The rent for the office was running due; house rent was also due, he just paid his staff salaries a couple of days earlier, his two kids would soon be back in school after this long vacation; school fees waiting to be paid. All the proposals he sent out were still being kept in view by nearly all his prospects. Life can be tough, he began to think, it's not easy being a man, he concluded as he drove into the compound of his premises after about 90 minutes in traffic.
As he turned off the ignition, he heard his wife Susan chatting loudly over the phone with of course her best friend Anita; his heart skipped a beat and he became angry at himself. ‘Why should she begin to scare me’ he muttered to himself with now a scowl on his face. This is nonsense! I am the man here, she is my wife and I must stand for what is right. This insensitive woman can't continue to control, manipulate and distress me. Talking about distress, he suddenly remembered he had a hospital appointment with his doctor that morning and he completely forgot to go. His blood pressure had been very scary lately and he was being monitored subject to certain medications to decide his daily dosage of regular medication.
He sighed and made to come out of the car but again his heart skipped a bit and he was now really angry at himself. ‘Why am I so scared of this woman, this is absolutely disgusting, this is just terrible he continued to think with all kinds of annoying expressions on his face, yet not verbalizing his thoughts. He sat back in the car and decided to control his feelings, and calm himself before going into his house.
Thinking about his house; he remembered again the stench that would usually greet him every time he arrived home. Sam a very neat and tidy man began to struggle adjusting to his wife's very dirty nature since she had their first baby. Dirty clothes, towels, underwear, unwashed dishes, baby laundries, decomposed food from the kitchen, burnt meals, and sofa soaked in baby urine all produced a very offensive stench that welcomed anyone into his once upon a time very neat and clean apartment.
He remembered his wife the very cute and attractive dark girl he married five years ago now looking five years older than her age; fat, shapeless, dirty, with unkempt hair and sweaty, dirty and smelly body.
Sam suddenly became depressed as the thoughts and memory of the several and severe quarrels they've had flooded his mind.
His very cute wife suddenly became consumed with eating; she ate everything in sight and consequently became very big and shapeless; still she doesn't care as in fact her appetite for food has continued to grow day after day.
Just two children, yet she looks very old. What's worse is her unbridled tongue, she nags 24/7, always complaining and always demanding. She is extremely selfish and doesn't really care about Sam or his problems and challenges. As long as he pays all her bills, there would be peace, if not there is war!
The current battle has been over her demand for a fabric to use for her best friends cousin's wedding. She doesn't really know the bride but if the bride is related to her best friend then she must be involved. The fabric is 85 thousand naira for five yards and Sam must buy it for her if he wants peace in the house. Yet she has refused to take on any job or start any business.
Just then, Sam's phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. He looked at the caller ID, it was Ronke. Ronke is a 35 year old sophisticated lady; very beautiful, intelligent and exposed. Lived and schooled in the US and UK for about 25 years and only returned three years ago to head one of her father's businesses.
A friend introduced them at an event and since then, Ronke has been on Sam's case; she likes him a little too much for comfort. A couple of days ago, she opened up to Sam about her feelings for him and actually asked that they begin to date and in return his advertising agency would handle all the communication of her father's entire multi billion naira business - a very tempting offer; Sam had promised to meet with her this night and only remembered after seeing her call. His first inclination was to pick up the phone, ask where she was at and go meet up with her immediately, but then decided against it. He looked at his phone still ringing, looked at main door to his apartment, looked at the ringing phone again, looked at his entrance door, suddenly he picked up his briefcase, picked up the phone got out of his car and went towards the entrance to his apartment, he cut the call and decided to go into his house instead. I'm a man, I can't run away from my challenges and responsibilities, I must take charge and control, I am stronger than all these challenges and temptation, I will do what is right, I will overcome.
Dear friend, we daily face challenges, problems, difficulties, frustration and disappointments in life. Many times we pray, plan hope, work hard and anticipate good returns but unfortunately things don't turn out as planned. We expect friends and loved ones would be supportive, understanding and caring and alas, we find we're all by ourselves. Being a real man at times can be tough and daunting.
But do you know my friend that life is like that? Life and nature don't take it easy on men of great worth and value. If you will ever become great and outstanding in life, you must go through tough and challenging times. The purpose is not to destroy you; it's actually to prepare you emotionally and psychologically for that great position of responsibility.
Life through difficulty seasons you and equips you with the capacity to make tough but right choices. Life builds you to lead and overcome opposition, treachery, loneliness, rejection and frustration. Success is not for the weak, timid and soft, it's for the tough, rugged and determined who in the face of great challenges and temptation still decide to do what is right not what is easy and pleasurable. Doing what is right even when it hurts my friend is an attribute of the real man.
Would you be a real man today?
Think it, do it, achieve it and be the ultimate man, it's all in your mind!

 - IS SHE THE ONE?
www.skytyms.blogspot.com
Olu went to his room shut himself in and locked the door. He was too upset and didn't want to react in a way he would regret. He was so upset, he couldn't stay still, he kept pacing up and around the room really annoyed and exasperated. This must stop he said aloud. I can't take this anymore, this is absolutely wrong and unacceptable; in fact this is way out of line. And I must decide and declare my stand immediately.
Suddenly he stopped pacing, walked over to the wardrobe and began to take Remi's clothes off the hanger flinging them on the bed. He removed all her clothes, packed up all her shoes where she arranged them neatly in a corner in his room, picked up her bag of under wear, her make up bag, her handbags and her box of trinkets and jewelry. He removed her church hats from where she hung them neatly on a stand and began to put all her stuff in her very big box.
After about 15 minutes, he opened the door rolled the very big box to the middle of the sitting room, went back to the room, brought her shoes neatly packed in a big shopping bag and placed it next to the box in the sitting room, went back for her trinket box and 2 boxes of church hats and placed everything neatly in the middle of the sitting room. His mother, lying on the couch watching TV sat up slowly with a scowl on her face, Remi, who was having dinner at the dinning a few steps behind the sofa close to the kitchen dropped her cutlery and stood up; wrapping and tying her short bathrobe firmly around her, with shock in her eyes and a tint on anger and disbelief in her gaze.
What's all this about Olu? She asked sternly. ‘Nothing’ Olu replied, I just think you should go back home tonight’ ‘Home, what do you mean home?’ Remi questioned raising her tone now with anger in her eyes and her voice, ‘this is my home!’ she hissed between clenched teeth, jabbing her right hand, bent at the bow, downwards with her fore finger pointed towards the floor. Now she was really angry.‘Sorry dear, this is my home, not yours, we are not married remember, you used to come and sleep over occasionally at the start until you decided to move in your things and become a cohabiter; you are not my wife, you are only staying here and I allowed you because you're a friend and you've been good to me once’.‘Shut up Olu!’ his Mum, interjected. What nonsense are you saying? Is it Remi you are speaking to like that? ‘Apologize this instance’ she commanded, taking sides with Remi.
Olu looked at his mother and grinned with anger in his eyes, not this time mum, not ever again, you and Dad can do what you like with all the wealth and so called inheritance, I am not and will never marry Remi, my life partner is my decision to make not yours, you can disown me if you like, you can as well bequest all your wealth to her, I'm done with this drama, I'm out of here, he concluded storming out of the house towards his car. As he banged the door behind him, he heard Remi lamenting loudly to his mother and his mother consoling her and threatening him at the same time, he shook his head and smiled to himself. He felt really good; he felt free and almost wanted to start running. For the first time in his life after 32 years of being that good and obedient son, he garnered the courage to stand up to his Mum, he felt really happy and free!
He got into his car and immediately put a call through to Abi, ‘Hey Abi, I did it! I've asked her to leave, I told my mum off too, he said happily as he drove out of the premises, I'm on my way to your house; hope it's not too late, I'll be there in a few minutes’ he concluded the phone conversation and hung up, driving pretty fast and with excitement towards Abi's residence.
As he drove he began to think of the events of the last couple of months. It's been kind of bitter sweet as it were; sweet with Abi, really bitter with Remi, his mum and his dad.
His very rich and controlling parents insist he marries Remi; the daughter of a close rich friend. Though he's known Remi since they were teenagers, he never really liked her. Remi was quite saucy, condescending, and haughty. She wasn't kind to her peers or respectful to elders. The fact her parents were very wealthy had taken over her sense of responsibility and ethics. No one really liked her and it's likely Olu's parents wanted their son to marry her because of her parent's wealth.
Olu, who was raised to always obey and do the bidding of his parents, consented when his parents told him three years earlier they had arranged for him to be married to Remi. He believed his parents knew what was best for him even at age 29 and he was willing to obey. He endured in silence all the discomfort and frustration of his relationship with Remi who incidentally was in love with him and was even going to settle down with her, even though he didn't really like much less love her.
Till two months ago when he met Abi, a very beautiful and sweet young lady who recently relocated from the north to Lagos on transfer. They work in the same IT firm. Immediately Abi joined Olu's team in Lagos, their friendship was almost automatic.
Abi really challenged Olu intellectually and her sense of independence and maturity intimidated him. He kept wondering how a girl can be so much in control of her life, choices, and future. She spoke with so much confidence, audacity and courage. She was so much in charge of everything Olu felt really intimidated and inferior, despite the fact he was older and from a wealthier background.
Abi was so in charge, she was so intelligent, she knew so much about life, about men, about relationships, about money, about business, about career and about planning a great and exciting future.
This consequently enticed Olu and he concluded Abi was the girl for him. In comparison to Remi, Abi was way beyond her class. Abi was indeed a wife material, a reliable backbone, a good, wise, respectful and purpose driven individual. For Olu, Abi was just it.
Olu had been complaining and lamenting to Abi about his dilemma and the very difficult relationship with Remi. He's also told her about how his parents want him to marry her. Abi never said much, all she said to him was follow your heart, choose what is best for you, it's your life at the end of the day.With so much excitement Olu got out of his car as he arrived Abi's residence and ran towards her two-room self-contain somewhere in Magodo where she lived.
Abi didn't let him in, she instead came out to talk to him, it was past 9 in the evening. She was a bit uncomfortable about his late night unplanned visit but she didn't say.
Olu with excitement narrated all that happened in his apartment a while ago to Abi, how he insisted Remi must leave and how for the first time in his life, he stood up to his mum. He was so happy; Abi could feel his excitement and sense his delight. She was happy for him. All she said at the end of his story was, congratulations, I'm happy for you.
Suddenly, Olu calmed down and began to speak gently to Abi, he suddenly began to confess his love and how he would want them to date and how he would very much want her to be his wife. Abi remained quiet, listened to him carefully and allowed him finish.
‘Olu,’ she began to speak after he was through, ‘I've heard you and I appreciate all you've said and how you feel about me, but truth be told, it can't happen. I don't want to sound arrogant or condescending but let's face it, you are not my type. I can't date you, I can't marry you. You are very good looking and rich and many ladies would do anything to have you but not me. I am looking for a man to look up to, a man that can inspire me, a man I can learn from, a leader, a mentor, a guide, someone I can run to and cry to. Olu if I marry you, the reverse would be the case, I would be the one carrying you and I don't think that is what a good marriage is about, I'm so sorry’
There was silence, a prolonged silence that became awkward after a while. Abi then turned to look at Olu and suddenly discovered he was in tears. This really ticked her off. Is this a man? She thought to herself. I'm sorry Olu, goodnight; see you tomorrow and she walked away from him towards her apartment, bolting the door behind her.
Dear friend, who is a real man? It is that man who can take charge and is in charge. A man strong emotionally and disciplined. A man who can make decisions and is self-reliant, he is that man with a personal revelation of whom he is, a man on a mission, a man with a vision, a man of purpose, determination, strength of character and power.
This is beyond material possessions and good looks, its more than the hair cut, the well groomed beard, the designer apparel, the shoes and expensive wristwatch. It far more than the powerful and expensive car or money in the account, being a man is in the personality, the maturity; it's about having answers, it's about been reliable, dependable and inspiring.
Would you be a real man today?
Think it, do it, achieve it and be the ultimate man, it's all in your mind!
IT BEGINS WITH YOU.

Nigerian Teachers threaten to strike over new resumption date

Nigerian Teachers threaten to strike over new resumption date

www.skytyms.blogspot.com

The Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, have threatened to go on a nationwide strike if the Federal government does not shift the date of resumption as well as put in place measures that would protect their members from contracting the deadly Ebola virus while teaching in schools. 

Speaking in a telephone interview with Punch, the National President of the NUT, Michael Alogba, said the union had taken a decision not to allow any of its members go into any school to teach if the eradication of the deadly virus has not been scientifically and medically proven. Continue...

"In any sane society, decision such as this will not be taken until the government and all stakeholders have met and discussed the issue at stake and are sure that the nation is scientifically and medical free from the scourge. But this is not the case in our country. When they arrived at the early October 13 date, they wrote us and we agreed with their argument but when this new date was given, they did not because of the influence of some powerful school owners who put pressure on them (Federal Government) to announce the September 22 date. Anyway, we have written to tell them that if the   Federal Government does not shift the date and provide all necessary safety measures in schools before Monday next week, all NUT leaders will meet in Abuja by 9am on Tuesday to decide our fate by ourselves. Though I don’t want to preempt the outcome of the meeting but as teachers who have families and who should protect our future, I mean our students, we will shun the classes; we will call for strike. What kind of government is this, don’t they know that children can never be as hygienic as adults? Don’t they know that the immunity level of children is not as high as that of adults? Why do you want to open schools when you have not cleared out the virus; when you still have about 400 people under surveillance in Port Harcourt and Lagos? You are aware of what is happening at the Obafemi Awolowo University. How are we sure that there is no primary or secondary school pupil that has had   contact with an Ebola patient. It’s good that the   NMA (Nigerian Medical Association) has spoken and we have told them too that we would not cooperate with them. That   is why we are going to take a drastic action on Tuesday to protect ourselves and our children. I can tell you that we will shun schools; we won’t cooperate with them. In other words, we will embark on strike.” he said

He warned that if by next Monday, September 15th the Federal Government had not extended the new date, the executive council would meet by Tuesday 16th September where a drastic decision would be taken.

Meanwhile after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja yesterday the Health Minister said there was no going back on the resumption date. According to him, there was no scientific basis for school resumption date to be postponed

"First unlike other countries, there is no community transmission of the disease in Nigeria; not one yet. But we have taken precautions, what we are doing, we may as well have said everybody should just be moving about, but we are taking precautions. There is no scientific basis for school resumption to be postponed. There is no community transmission of the disease in Nigeria. That is what separates Nigeria from other countries. It is what I call irrational fear; we don’t need to be irrational about this.” he said

The Nigerian Medical Association as well as the House of Representative Committee on Education have spoken against the new resumption date.