Book review: Now that you have that job

A review of Omisore Babatunde Jedidiah’s book, Now That You Are Employed.

AFTER graduation from tertiary institution, searching for a job is next and although that process can take some time, once one secures employment, it is another ballgame entirely.

This is the crux of Omisore Babatunde Jedidiah’s book, Now That You Are Employed.

The 177-page book focuses on the expectations of a new employee in the discharge of his duties.

In his Foreword, Lagos State deputy governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, distinguishes the world of work from the informal stages of one’s life, adding that “as an employee, life becomes regimented and you have to set your stakes high from the blast of the whistle.”

He says: “Academic certificates are not renewable, but knowledge is renewable. The fresh graduate will have to acquire soft skills and human relations’ management to enable the person to navigate the terrain which will present different people with different characters.”

He admits that the wisdom contained in the book are not only applicable to the work environment, but to life on a daily basis.

Also, the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, says the book covers the civil service extensively, making the most of the civil servants’ work life in both its theoretical and practical dimensions.

He gives some of the critical points from the book –Let your work speak for you: You are here for the job, do it, be a value-added staff, understand the culture, always dress like a prospect, among others.

Some of the areas the author focused on for the book is for the new employee to know their worth, be conversant, get regular feedback, punctuality for meetings, planning one’s life, living below one’s means, embracing frugality, avoiding debts, bringing on new ideas, among others.

While the book is targeted at the newly-employed, it is important for those in institutions of higher learning to also own their copies in order to familiarise themselves with those things expected of them when they eventually get employed.

This book is also recommended for jobseekers as it will help them in their interviews, in the sense that when they find themselves during job interview sessions, they will be better equipped to answer questions that will make the employers see them as the ideal candidate for the vacant position.

The author, Omisore Babatunde Jedidiah, has done a good job to enhance workers’ productivity.

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