USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING

The advent of social media has helped to introduce the concept of ‘social media for professional networking’. Slowly, ‘in-person’ networking is being overpowered by simply connecting to social networking sites. It’s all part of the phenomenon of social media that engages tens of millions of internet users per day.
In today’s ‘networking space’, it is thus important to know how to use social media for your professional networking. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 5 ways to help you do this.
START WITH CONNECTION SITES
Use connection sites like LinkedIn or Xing to look for quality contacts or high-level networkers (HLN) to network with. A quality contact or HLN, according to Entrepreneur.com, are people who are active online, have at least 500 connections and powerful profiles. You should make sure the HLNs you choose to network with are decision makers, executives, media, influencers etc. who are relevant to your field.
Don’t let the fact that you don’t know these people hold you back, simply be transparent when sending them a request or invite and let them know why you would like to connect with them. Try to make the request or invite more about how you can help them and not how they can help you. The more of these people you successfully connect with, the more your visibility increases and the better for you. Increased visibility puts you and your work or brand out there, and this can be especially useful when seeking job opportunities because when headhunters browse through LinkedIn profiles looking for suitable candidates to fill business positions, you’ll be more visible to them.
social media networking
TARGET MARKET CONNECTIONS (TMC)
There are two types of people who market online – posters and seekers. You are a poster when you actively post valuable information, resources, tips and offers. Posters are mostly businesses, firms or companies. Seekers are mostly consumers, actively seeking for products and services. TMCs are mostly used by posters. Posters aim their products and services at these TMCs (groups of seekers actively sourcing for information about products and services).
A keyword search on social sites will take you to the groups and discussion areas of these TMCs. You can then join in the groups and discussions where your target market is active and engage with them. Joining these groups and discussions can also give you information on places your target market goes when looking for something in your industry.
GROUPS, COMMUNITIES AND DISCUSSION AREAS
There are community areas on most social networking sites for people who have the same interests to gather and connect. You can join and monitor these groups, communities or discussion areas, be active there and engage in their conversations with thoughtful and relevant questions and contributions. This helps you establish a relationship with members in the group and thus expand your professional network by exposing you to and giving you a chance to connect with the right people. When members of your group are familiar with you, they will be more willing to connect with you.
Groups, communities and discussions areas can also give you information on relevant events happening in your field that can present an opportunity for in-person networking, or present a platform to showcase your talents or whatever it is you have to offer.
BLOGS AND FAN PAGES
Blogs and fan pages are two of the best ways to engage with your target market, especially if you are a poster (business, firm or company). You can connect or partner with relevant blogs in your field, create your own blog, create and launch a Facebook fan page or Twitter Profile or do all of these together to reach out to fans and enthusiasts in your field. Once you are able to connect with them through your information, resources, tips and offers, and they like they what they see, you can through this, build a loyal following. Consequently, these loyal followers will be happy to tell their families, friends and peers about you, and your word-of-mouth will grow.
SHARE YOUR CONTENT
Whether you are a poster or seeker, it is important to share your professional content or achievements on your social media profiles so your connections, followers or friends can see your professional achievements. If you have a blog or one you contribute to, share your post and links to your post on your social media profile. If you are an artiste and have written or sang songs, made dance videos etc., share them on your profile. By doing this, you increase your visibility in your field especially when your connections or friends or followers re-share your content. Increasing your visibility helps you to make new social network connections, and thus expands your professional network.

WHY YOU MUST T PURSUE AN MBA IN NIGERIA

This may sound very obvious to you if you are thinking about getting your MBA, but the answer to the issue “why get an MBA?” depends largely around the individual.
It may seem impossible to some people, but it comes down to the matter of perspective: Some people will find an MBA program more useful than the others. So, the question remains, do you really need to get an MBA? It does not have to come from the top business schools or through online MBA.
However, there are many factors involved, but the most important ones will be the career plans & aspirations. Read on to find out why you need to get an MBA in Nigeria.

How can I be sure that an MBA is the best choice for me?
The simplest way to consider this is always to conduct a thorough self- examination to see where your strengths lie and what that you want in life. Then, ask yourself: “how can getting an MBA degree help me achieve these goals?”
If your goal should be to advance/alter your current career, start your own personal business and develop business expertise, then certainly getting the MBA should have a profound impact on your life.
Also Read: MBA in USA For International Students Without GRE and GMAT
Getting an MBA degree enables you to have an advantage of others in a large variety of available jobs, command higher salaries and get all of the benefits that go with it.
– Benefits of Pursuing an MBA
1. To be able to advance or improve your career
If you currently have a career, and you would like to either change or advance it, then getting an MBA will certainly worth it.
As soon as you get an MBA, you will definitely progress up in your current job as regards to responsibility and salary. Although you may have to pay for degree yourself. There’s a good opportunity that your employer would want to offset some or all of the tuition for you. This way your work is secured while you develop your network.
In contrast, getting an MBA via a particular specialization may open up completely new possibilities to adjust your current career, because you will have the capability to move across industries.
Why receive an MBA? In order to have freedom to your career track!
2. Management/Leadership skills
Leadership could be the key skill you will learn in your MBA coursework. For being successful in your career, you need to lead the best way to change and manage direct reports. Without the ability to lead, it’ll be tough to advance past your current position.
Why get an MBA? So you can learn to be able to make a change in your business!
3. Starting Your Own Business
Are you among those with entrepreneurial skills? Do you need to become the boss of your separate financial world by starting your own small business? An MBA offers you all the necessary skills and education to achieve that.
Studies have proven that entrepreneurs with MBAs have 50% lower rates of failure in starting a small business. So, why don’t you stop searching for MBA rankings or the best business school online and get started now.
Why get an MBA? So that you can start up a business and you can better have a chance to see it succeed!
4. Business Networking
During your MBA classes, you are going to form lasting relationships and acquaintances along with other classmates. This may eventually result in the formation of valuable business ideas and ventures that may continue for a while after you receive your MBA.

FALZ ENTERTAINING FOOTBALL FANS

Award winning rapper, Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana brought an exciting experience to fans at the Star Fan Park at the NPFL match between MFM FC vs. Plateau United on Sunday, March 19th, 2017 at the Agege Stadium, Lagos.
A huge number of football and music fans gathered at the Agege Stadium to witness MFM FC defeat Plateau United by 2 goals to 1 and also watched Falz perform at the Star Fan Park within the stadium.

Senator Dino Melaye’s Anti-Tribal Mark Bill Passes Second Reading

  In November last year, Senator Dino Melaye (APC-KOGI) announced that he will be sponsoring a bill to stop inscription of tribal marks on children, adding that National Identity Card is enough to identify where an individual is from.

On Tuesday, a Bill for an Act to provide for the Prohibition of Facial Mutilation, Offences, Prosecution and Punishment of Offenders, sponsored by Melaye passed second reading in the Senate.
The Bill is also for the Protection of victims under threat of facial mutilation and other related Matters.
Melaye said that there was no doubt that Africans of old used tribal marks as a means of proper identification.
Leading debate on the bill, Melaye said in those days, members of the same village, tribe or lineage had the same tribal marks.
Melaye said that the hometown and lineage of a child or anyone with tribal marks were immediately identified, while outsiders who did not have such marks were also spotted.
He further explained that parents also used tribal marks to lay credence to the legitimacy of their children.

“The irony of these marks is that it makes victims subjects of mockery by friends. Imagine someone being called a tiger simply because of the thick cheeks resulting from facial marks.
These people have been subjected to different reactions. Some have lamented the marks that are bequeathed on them as generational inheritance.
Many have cursed the day which this dastardly act was performed on them.
Many of the grown adults have confessed that the most terrific debacle of their lives is their tribal marks. Some have become eunuchs because of this stigma.
Imagine a boy in the class of 25 pupils carrying a tribal mark. His mates will call him the boy with the railway line. They are emblems of disfiguration.
Some of them have developed low self-esteem and most times treated with scorn and ridicule including rejection by the female folks.
The reactions of people who interact with them say it dampens and lowers their spirit,’’ he said.

Melaye stated that besides the health implication of the practice, it was an infringement on the rights of children, adding that every Nigerian child deserved the right to live.
According to him, it is time a law is enacted to stop the dastardly act, as the popularity and acceptance of facial marks are waning.
“People now prefer that their identity cards remain in their pockets not faces anymore. Long before the awareness programme on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), many people, mostly children who were subjected to tribal marks had inadvertently been infected with infectious diseases. Sharp instruments used by locals were not sterilised leading to risk of AIDS, including Hepatitis B and C,” Malaye added.
Melaye said the bill, when passed into law will help to check the act, which was a sign of man’s inhumanity to man in a country as great as Nigeria.
He called on his colleagues to support the passage of the bill.
Contributing to the debate, the Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye commended Melaye for coming up with such an important bill.
According to him, many children have suffered stigmatisation as a result of the practice.
Adeyeye described the  act as evil,  adding that if it was for the purpose of identification, there was no way any parent would not identify their children without tribal marks.

“In the 21st century, there is no need to argue that either because of religion or custom someone would use sharp object on their children just for identification.
The Constitution provides that the primary function of government is protection of lives. It is disheartening to note that children who have not been tested to know if they are short of blood are being made to lose blood.
In the 21st century, not only this chamber but every chamber in Africa should rise up to this occasion to stop the pains being inflicted on our children,” he said.
The Chief Whip called for stiff penalty to deter others, adding “our generation must permanently stop that reproach’’.
I pray no child will have the kind of mark I have on my hands. This should be banned and we will proscribe severe penalties for both the parents and the so called surgeons,” he added.

The Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio equally supported the bill, saying it was a welcome development.

“In those days, people wanted it because they were from royal homes, but these days it is no longer in vogue. The international community will be happy we rose to this occasion, so I support this with all my heart.
It is a violation of the rights of children. The child has no option and can’t fight back. Outside the infection, pain can generate something else and lead to insanity.
If we have a law already in existence, we should merge the bill with that of female genital mutilation because they are similar,’’ he said.

He also called for stiff penalties for offenders to serve as deterrent to others.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary, said the bill was commendable in view of what children from some parts of the country were being subjected to.

“I am aware that under our constitution, especially Section 34 (1) forbids torture in humans and degrading treatment. This is no doubt inhuman, and it is our responsibility as lawmakers to add flesh to the bones of our constitution.
On a day like this, I am proud of the senate and I believe that when it goes through the second reading it will go to the committee and return as quickly as possible.
This is so that we pass it and ensure that it is implemented as quickly as possible to save our children from this inhuman degrading treatment,’’ he said.

The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to be returned to senate in four weeks.