“We are in the house with this great inspiration. Thank you Tolani for saying yes to this interview”.
“Can we know you, and can you tell us a little bit about your educational background”?
Response: “My name is Tolani Eniola and I currently work as the Human Resources Associate for Chicken Republic; a brand of Food Concepts Plc. My first degree was a B.sc in Sociology from Bowen University, Iwo. Afterwards I was posted to Osun State for the compulsory one year national service to this great nation. I also attended the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom and graduated with an M.sc in Human Resources Management.
I am always on the quest for more knowledge, and I currently have two professional qualifications – CIPD (UK) & PHRI (USA).
I still have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge; and aspire to acquire more qualifications”.
“When did you realize you wanted to practice HR?”
Response: “I have always been fascinated by all things relating to people. Be it socialising, managing people or dispute resolution, I got my ‘aha!’ moment when I first heard about the course ‘Human Resource Management’ during my final year at Bowen University. I was discussing with my close friend, Debola on the next step to take after graduating from University. She encouraged me to study to Human Resources as it astronomically in demand in the labour market. She also said it will boost my employability.
Subsequently, I did my research and felt the course fitted my profile and passion, so I was determined to pursue a postgraduate degree on the subject. I got my degree in HR management and haven’t looked back since”.
Beauty and Brains
“Can you just share with us a little bit on how you started out and what made you focused?”
Response: “Like I mentioned earlier, I have always had a passion for HR related issues and during my sojourn in the UK to bag my postgraduate degree, I volunteered to offer HR services to my local church in UK which included the processes of recruitment and selection.
Also when I was in the University of Birmingham, most of my friends were also studying HR management. This helped in a lot of ways in terms of having a great support system.
After I got my HR degree, I worked with different Banks such as Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland, and The Co-operative Bank. I earned good money but was unfulfilled career wise because my job function was not HR related. I never lost my focus and kept hunting for HR jobs till I finally got an HR job in Sainsbury’s HR Shared Service, Manchester. This tremendously helped me in terms of acquiring knowledge and the much needed ‘work experience’ when I came back home to Nigeria. Although, the salary I earned in Sainsbury was much lower than what I earned in the bank; I must emphasize that this was a big career decision I made along the way. In hindsight, it was a good one because I found it rewarding and fulfilling”.
“Can you share with us some of your challenges in building a career in HR? Did you at any point feel like giving up?”
Response: “When I graduated from University of Birmingham, it was quite difficult to get an HR job in the UK. I went from one Recruitment Agency to another, seeking HR jobs but I always got the same feedback, “You have the HR qualification but unfortunately you don’t have HR experience”. Unlike Nigeria, experience is very crucial in the UK workplace.
Eventually, I had to settle for a banking job but I was not fulfilled. I need to stress that I never gave up but kept pressing on till I got an offer with Sainsbury’s HR Shared Service to work as an HR Advisor”.
The Goal getter
“Did you have mentors or people you looked up to? Can you tell us a bit about them and why you decided to choose them?”
Response: “Yes, Dr. Ben Carson is one of my Mentors. He is currently retired as an American neurosurgeon. Growing up, I chose him as one of my mentors after I read his book titled ‘Gifted Hands’ which provides a detailed account of his life and how he was raised by a single mother who instilled his faith in God. Ben Carson was the lead neurosurgeon in a 70 member surgical team who separated conjoined twins in 1987. He also developed a hemispherectomy technique for controlling seizures. He came from a humble background, yet he excelled in his profession through hard work and the boundless help of God. His story has motivated me enormously and has taught me that irrespective of your background or status you can succeed.
In terms of my HR career, Mr. Tunde Ogunrinde is my mentor. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer at ‘Just Food’. He has over 20 years experience in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) and hospitality industry. Mr. Tunde constantly motivates me and has keen interest in my career growth & development. He is always willing to offer advice and help to me. I have learnt a lot in terms of my profession from him. Lastly, he has taught me that it is important to create a healthy work – life balance”.
Furthermore, I’ve always been skeptical about working with a female boss. My perspective changed when I started working with my current boss Mrs. Claudette Russel. I call her the ideal HR role model and leader; she has over fifteen (15) years wealth of HR experience internationally. She has inspired me in several ways that you can be a successful wife, mother and career woman as she is able to balance between work and family.
Claudette is very intelligent, extremely analytical and is excellent when it comes to emotional intelligence. She operates the open door policy whereby employees in my company can feel free to discuss anything with her and the HR team. Additionally, I’ve learnt different skills and terms like ‘leave your comfort zone to the stretch zone’. She frequently allows me to take initiative and gives constructive criticism in a very professional manner.
Tolani talking to our graduates on staying focused at the BI Empowerment Christmas Gig
“So where does Tolani see herself in the next 10 years?”
Response: “I am driven to be the best at what I do. Ten years from now, I hope to take on new HR managerial responsibilities in a multinational company, as well as develop HR policies and strategies for this country (Nigeria). I will also have obtained more HR qualifications by then.
In addition, I hope to set up an NGO that is committed to empowering youths and offering support to the less privileged in our society. So watch this space!” Lol!
“Can you kindly give a word of advice to young aspiring HR consultants and also to the youth as a whole?”
Response: “Firstly, it is important that you put your trust in God because he is the author and finisher of our faith”. Kindly take note of the nuggets of advice below:
“The Nigerian work environment celebrates educational certificates, so it is vital to bag a degree from any reputable institution as well as a professional qualification(s) related to your career path. This will open doors to limitless opportunities.
Be mindful of the friends you keep. They can either build you or ruin you. So it is imperative that you evaluate the type of friends you keep. Ask yourself questions like “Is this friend adding meaningful value to me?” For instance, as I stated earlier, my close friend; Debola gave me good advice and that is why I am in the HR industry. Also, Tokunbo counselled me to join HRCI and also gave me the reading materials; as a result I bagged the PHRI certification.
Tolani with Tokunbo Fasoro ( founder BI Empowerment)
Networking: this is the ability to build and nurture relationships. This is a very important aspect of HR. I strongly recommend that HR aspirants attend HR seminars/workshops from time to time.
Be prepared to start small, even if it means to work with a small company. Take full advantage of this time to gain experience and expertise as this will ultimately open doors for work with bigger organizations.
For HR aspirants, find HR internship jobs in order to gain experience.
In HR your personality matters a lot due to the varied personality and behavioural traits all the employees will possess. Therefore, it is important to carefully understand the human psychology and have in-depth knowledge of the business objectives to ensure organizational success.
You must be committed to lifelong learning and growth because laws and norms constantly change. For example the norms that were generally acceptable 20 years may no longer be acceptable now”.
“Thank you very much Tolani. It has been a real pleasure hearing your story and gleaning a lot of wisdom from you”.
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