Top I.T Skills Every Nigerian Graduate Should Have

[mrdigitech]

Every graduate’s dream is to land a very rewarding job upon graduation. Nowadays, this dream seems to be a mirage for many Nigerian graduates, who in most cases are poorly equipped with the right technical skill to cope with the ever-changing demands and requirements of the labor market. Apart from your degree, what else can you bring to the table? How can you solve the current problem at hand and boost profitability? These are some of the questions on the minds of many employers of labor in the country.

I.T skills are very broad and are in huge demand. Gone are the days when you only had to state your ability to use Microsoft office packages on your C.V, and then you are given a pass to an interview. Although these packages are good and are still very much relevant in the labor market, problems confronting modern day companies have become more complex, requiring deeper I.T skills to surmount. Companies are resorting to Information Technology to gain a competitive edge over each other. Cloud Computing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Internet Marketing, are some hottest I.T skills to acquire these days. With that being said, below are the top I.T skills every Nigerian graduate should have.

Basic Programming Skills

Whether you studied Yoruba or Arabic in School, you should, at least, be able to write basic HTML. The world is more interconnected with complex computing systems than ever before. When you interact with your counterparts overseas, you'd realise how obsolete your I.T knowledge is and that computer programming isn't just a thing for I.T engineers alone or the science inclined. Learning how to write basic HTML, which is the special format used for web pages and coding in general, will help you to stand you out from the crowd. It will propel your marketability in the eyes of potential employers.

Backing up to Cloud

Storing files offline is currently becoming a thing of the past these days. When files are backed up to a cloud-based service, they can be accessed remotely, provided you have an internet connection. This cloud storage knowledge allows you to remain productive while on the go. You could start fine tuning your cloud-based knowledge by utilising either iCloud or Dropbox services.

Converting File Formats

Nowadays, there are various file formats available. Having the requisite knowledge on how to handle them can help you carry out your job requirements efficiently. You might be required to convert MS Word to PDF, MP3 to WAV when trying to upload certain files online. In fact, potential employers require you to submit your resume in specified file formats and failure do so will send wrong signals to your potential employers. You must understand these file formats and how to convert them as the situation requires. This will make the job that involves file formatting easy and ensure that your documents and files aren't rejected for using the wrong file format.

Social Media Marketing

Nowadays, when many Nigerian graduates hear about social media, they think it's all about chatting and hooking up with long lost friends. They fail to harness the opportunity it avails to generate leads. These days, a lot of companies are shifting their attention to social media because of the vast amount of reach they possess. Facebook, alone, receives more visits than the world's largest search engine, Google. You should learn how to target certain sections of your country’s population to boost sales, as well as improve people's awareness of the brand you are representing. Companies love employees with the requisite knowledge to drive sales via social media.

Setting up and managing a Website

Thanks to the internet, the world, as we know it, is becoming increasingly interconnected. Nowadays, companies use sites to project their brand to the global community. Knowing how to setup a website is a plus, as most companies prefer using their workforce for jobs like these. You could also improve your knowledge of Search Engine Optimisation because many companies spend a fortune optimising their websites for search engines. Equipping yourself with skills in website building and SEO will improve your value in the eyes of potential employers. You could help them save funds that would have been spent elsewhere with your knowledge.

Online Research

Speedy access to information could be the difference between profit and loss in today’s corporate world. The internet provides information at your fingertips. Your ability to research and get useful information on the web could be used by your company in making strategic decisions. However, you have to be careful about the kind of information you get from the internet. Lots of unsubstantiated and unverified information abound online. Your researching skills will be handy in sifting through online information, so as to differentiate between factual and unsubstantiated information.

In conclusion, the world is evolving at an alarming pace in the area of Information Technology. Any ICT skill you have acquired or learnt that is not being utilised at the moment isn't a waste, because you'll never know when you will be called upon to save the day. Companies are fond of skilled, versatile graduates and that's what they look out for during their recruitment exercises. To stand out from the rest of the pack, get yourself acquainted with the various I.T skills outlined above and watch as your employability and marketability spikes.

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