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Monday, July 10, 2006

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THE NEW JAMB
Sorry it’s been a while, I just didn’t have the words.

A lot has happened to me over the last few weeks. I’ve been writing bank tests and I also had an interview. Although they’re for positions that are in kaduna and I’m not too keen but we’ll see how it goes. In the last three weeks, I’ve written three bank tests; one UBA, one oceanic bank, another UBA test just last week Saturday, one Bank interview and I’ll be writing another one this Saturday but for FCMB this time. At the rate, I’m writing these tests one would think I really wanted a banking career up North but the truth is …. Shhhhhhh don’t tell anyone.. I actually don’t want a career in banking and even if I did I most definitely do not want it in the north. I really, really do not want to live here. Why? That story is for some other day.

Anyway, back to the bank tests. Some where okay and orderly, started on time and ended at a decent hour but some namely the oceanic bank test were an absolute nightmare. Test was supposed to start at three but didn’t start until about 5pm. The crowd was indescribable (according to grapevine, oceanic bank is the highest paying bank hence the large turn out), the hall was not large enough to contain us all and the officials of the bank did not want double seating , so we wrote the test in batches. I didn’t want to rush so I didn’t get into the hall until around 11.30 p.m. the test lasted for 50 minutes and my batch left the hall around 12. 40 a.m. and I didn’t get home until about 1.20 a.m. by the time I finally got to write the test, I was cold and tired I’d been waiting for more than six hours (I got there at 4.30p.m.) in my office clothes and my feet were screaming for mercy. There was no light so they had to put on a generator and there were flies everywhere in the hall. At that point, I was in no frame of mind to be writing an aptitude test but I just had to do it and hope for the best.

All the drama involved in these tests reminded me of the days of almighty JAMB and POLYJAMB exams. In fact, these bank tests could be considered the new JAMB only this time the exams are for graduates. While we loitered around the hall waiting for our turn to write the test, most people talked politics and football but my girl and I spent our time checking out some of the oceanic bank staff. There was his foine guy but he was a bit short. According to my girl, "if I come find work and I find husband, all good now. Make I sha no leave empty handed".
I'd like to give kudos to the staff of the bank. They stayed until the last batch of people had written the test . I know they were just doing their job but they could have easily told the rest of us to go home, but they didn't instead they waited till past 2.a.m so that everybody had the chance to at least write the test and i think that's really something.
"
THE NEW JAMB
Sorry it’s been a while, I just didn’t have the words.

A lot has happened to me over the last few weeks. I’ve been writing bank tests and I also had an interview. Although they’re for positions that are in kaduna and I’m not too keen but we’ll see how it goes. In the last three weeks, I’ve written three bank tests; one UBA, one oceanic bank, another UBA test just last week Saturday, one Bank interview and I’ll be writing another one this Saturday but for FCMB this time. At the rate, I’m writing these tests one would think I really wanted a banking career up North but the truth is …. Shhhhhhh don’t tell anyone.. I actually don’t want a career in banking and even if I did I most definitely do not want it in the north. I really, really do not want to live here. Why? That story is for some other day.

Anyway, back to the bank tests. Some where okay and orderly, started on time and ended at a decent hour but some namely the oceanic bank test were an absolute nightmare. Test was supposed to start at three but didn’t start until about 5pm. The crowd was indescribable (according to grapevine, oceanic bank is the highest paying bank hence the large turn out), the hall was not large enough to contain us all and the officials of the bank did not want double seating , so we wrote the test in batches. I didn’t want to rush so I didn’t get into the hall until around 11.30 p.m. the test lasted for 50 minutes and my batch left the hall around 12. 40 a.m. and I didn’t get home until about 1.20 a.m. by the time I finally got to write the test, I was cold and tired I’d been waiting for more than six hours (I got there at 4.30p.m.) in my office clothes and my feet were screaming for mercy. There was no light so they had to put on a generator and there were flies everywhere in the hall. At that point, I was in no frame of mind to be writing an aptitude test but I just had to do it and hope for the best.

All the drama involved in these tests reminded me of the days of almighty JAMB and POLYJAMB exams. In fact, these bank tests could be considered the new JAMB only this time the exams are for graduates. While we loitered around the hall waiting for our turn to write the test, most people talked politics and football but my girl and I spent our time checking out some of the oceanic bank staff. There was his foine guy but he was a bit short. According to my girl, "if I come find work and I find husband, all good now. Make I sha no leave empty handed".
I'd like to give kudos to the staff of the bank. They stayed until the last batch of people had written the test . I know they were just doing their job but they could have easily told the rest of us to go home, but they didn't instead they waited till past 2.a.m so that everybody had the chance to at least write the test and i think that's really something.

13 comments:

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

yeah big ups to the staff of oceanic bank, they tried. keep taking all your chances one will surely open. better start dreaming kaduna cos it was revealed to me in a dream that you'll be there for the next five years...:)

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

love your blog keep up the good work and do check out my blog sometime :)

Pilgrimage to Self said... Best Blogger Tips

I don't believe it!! Bank tests till way into the wee hours of the morning? Na wa oh! And I bet you that the Oceanic bank workers will not be paid overtime. Poor you, I do hope it was all worth the trouble in the end.

Olawunmi said... Best Blogger Tips

that sounds like a nightmare!

lol at you checking the blokes out. all in a day's work abi? lol

keep ya head up!

TEMITAYO OMOLOLA said... Best Blogger Tips

@PTS over wetin!!! even oceanic bank is not that great.
@trae pls dream good dream for my life abeg not all these kaduna business you hear.
@naija girl thanks. I will check it out.
@Olawunmi. It was more than a nightmare abeg. And the guys well... lets just say they have a serious shortage of tall blokes. I took a random sample and not one of them guys was tall as in really tall. But like u said it was all in a days work. U know in naija we are constantly shufering and shmiling.

Nneka's World said... Best Blogger Tips

Serious! Tests in the morning, na wa oh!
Wishing all the best in your results.

Biodun said... Best Blogger Tips

Pele o Adunni, big ups @ waiting to take d test, cos me n my lazy sef would have gone home, I am impressed @ d bank staff performance, n about u n ur friends checking guys out, too funny!

ayoke said... Best Blogger Tips

What???????? 12.40 kini? Gosh! May all these efforts bear beautiful fruits - even if it is one them bank guys:)

Keep at it, dear. It will turn out just fine!

Tutsy said... Best Blogger Tips

Chineke! na which kind test be that? Only in Nigeria.....arrant Nonsense!!!. Anywayz u didn't tell us how u did now? I hope u were invited back for an interview.

And abeg pardon my ignorance, why are u guys taking a test? aren't u guys college grads? why are they setting up screening tests if only qualified individuals where invited to fill the opening? Didn't the bank's human resource department narrow down the pool of applicants? and what is the position for sef? Okay i will stop bombarding u with questions but i am dying to know. Partially because i have a good girlfriend here in the states who just left for Niaja in April to take up a position in prominent financial institution there and she didn't mention going through such mess...actually they were more than happy to have her join the company. So abeg fill me in....

In conclusion...lol i have to admit i love ur girlfriend's spirit...that is a winner right there...lol.. i no blame her jare...abi if she no get job she should at least get a man...lol.. that's a classice. Anywayz i wish u the best on ur job-hunt and always remember to stay positive.

Dinma said... Best Blogger Tips

Getting jobs in nigerian banks especially now that everywhere is not that easy. You must be very fortunate. Nice meeting a nigerian blogger just like me.

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

dang! you have to take "tests" to get jobs? What the heck?! Nigeria sha! Good luck, and keep us posted..

Onada - Fashion and Photography said... Best Blogger Tips

girl i hope you are a job soon! and a high paying one too! nawa for the time of these bank tests.

adefunke said... Best Blogger Tips

Girl you should have done the FirstBank test, the test was organised and orderly none of that testing into the wee hours of the morning business. And considering the fact that they tested well over 40 thousand applicants nationwide that was no small feat.