Hi Hansel, What’s your background, and what are you currently working on?
My name is Hansel Praise, and my background is in History and International Studies I’m currently the Founder of Reference Point Resources, a vehicle I use to carry out recruitment exercises.
What motivated you to get started with Reference Point Resources?
I was in church a certain day when a pastor proclaimed we’ll be a reference point,
I think maybe I paused or something, and I was like that really sounds interesting. Immediately I penned the words “reference point” down. The next day I went to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to check if the name was available. The name “Reference Point” alone was not available but “Reference Point Resources” so I took it and registered that as my business name.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
What causes repeat business for me is the fact that I deliver as at when due and also the quality of products I deliver which in my case is Talents.
What’s your business model, and how have you grown your revenue?
Contrary to how most businesses operate where you go out to source for clients, clients come to me because I’ve kind of built a reputation for myself and my brand. Clients reach based on trust, we discuss their needs and seal the deal.
I simply increase my rates. I profile every customer that reaches out to me before I bill them and also the level of work varies for each client. More work translates to more money.
What are your business goals for the future?
My business goal at the moment is to increase my brand awareness and launch a new product for employers.
Why is it difficult to get jobs these days?
Well, looking for a job is a job on its own. What does that statement actually mean you might ask? People that have jobs usually go to work daily which means that no day must pass without you either applying for a job or preparing yourself for one such as watching videos on how to ace interviews or preparing for aptitude tests etc.
I will say the number of jobs available is limited compared to the number of applicants equally available. For example, you have an opening for a Marketing Executive. You have over 200 people applying for such a role whereas the organization requires just a single individual, so you can see how it gets very tough and competitive.
Also, skillset. You keep hearing the statement “Nigerian graduates are not employable”. It is because certain workplace skills for productivity are missing.
Furthermore, Job requirements. Sometimes a job might require a certain duration or length of experience and then you might be capable but might not have the length of experience the organization seeks.
What are the common mistakes job seekers make and what are the solutions?
Firstly, When applying, they don’t really pay attention to details. The job has specified what you should use as the subject of your email, ignoring the instruction can hamper one’s chance.
READ: How I Started Keexs, The First Sneakers Brand In Africa
A lot of job seekers don’t pay attention to details
Secondly, you don’t send your CV in the specified or acceptable format.
Thirdly, you don’t send a cover email when sending your CV via email. Also, your CV or email is fraught with a lot of errors, it can give the wrong impression of you.
Then you don’t properly research the openings you are applying to, because sometimes these openings might have expired or the roles have been filled. Some job boards recycle old adverts so one needs to be careful.
Moreso, you apply for jobs and you forget and you don’t check your email. You might miss out on an interview invite.
Advice for Job Seekers out there
Nevertheless, ensure that your CV is in order because that’s usually your first point of contact with the organization. If that document is going ahead of you then it is very essential that I devote time to ensuring that it is a true representation of my ability.
Follow instructions. The job advert says; to send your CV to [email protected] using the subject “graduate trainee”, I send it with the subject of my email “graduate trainee”, and put my cover email in the body of the email “Dear recruiter, please see attached my CV for your consideration. I strongly believe that I possess the requisite skills and experience needed for this role. Looking forward to your favourable response. Kind regards, Hansel Praise.”
I ensure that I do proper research on every job I intend to apply for to be sure it actually exists.
I read the job descriptions (JD) before applying to be sure I meet their requirements.
What are some sources for learning you would recommend for entrepreneurs and job seekers out there?
Several platforms I recommend are Coursera, Udemy, edX, and LinkedIn Learning.
But for me, The best is LinkedIn Learning and this is good, especially for job seekers as well as career people. Udemy will favour entrepreneurs more; there are a lot of entrepreneurial courses on Udemy for one to take.
Where can we go to learn more about you?
To know more about me, you can check:
