12 Reasons Why You Should Become a C.L.O During NYSC

CLO the abbreviated acronym for Corper’s Liaison Officer is the highest-ranking Corp member who leads in supervising, directing, and coordinating the Corp members in a local government or in a particular community.

The duties of the CLO are vital in assisting the Local Government Inspector (LGI) in carrying out his duties.

Some of his duties might include notifying the LGI of available PPA’s in the area, assisting in the clearance process, helping in menial jobs useful to the LGI, monitoring and reporting the activities of the Corp members, leading in the registration of new Corp members, and similar duties.

As much as there are benefits that every Corp member can enjoy, the benefits of the CLO seem to be more surpassing.

Note that the principles highlighted here apply to any leadership position you are privileged to have during the service year.

What are the benefits of becoming a CLO or any leadership position?

1. Inner Respect

There is this aura of great pride and satisfaction that comes with every accomplishment, and that is no different when you realize now that you are the CLO of your local government.

You begin to realize that your new position would increase people’s expectations of you, and that would prompt you to act with high regard in conduct, attitude, and demeanor. The outward expression of appropriate character is only possible through an inward feeling of respect.

2. Leadership Skills Development

Becoming the CLO would certainly improve your leadership skills. The duties and roles of the CLO would challenge the leadership ability in you and make you better.

There would be instances when you needed to appear before a crowd of Corp members, give directions, organize, and control them.

Due to the difficulty involved in leading a people, your patience, your thinking tank, your cooperative spirit, and your standard of morality would all be tested, which would inadvertently increase your skill level.

In the workforce, a leader must make management skills second nature to him. A leader would have to supervise operational tasks, make budgets, prioritize workloads, and carry out other executive duties.

With the training that being a CLO can give, you can learn to develop a very vital skill for the workforce.

3. Public Speaking Development

Another important benefit of becoming the CLO is the art of developing your speaking ability.

Public speaking is a vital part of any leader because he has to always speak to a group of people, negotiate where necessary, and interact with people when working and in other daily duties.

In the job market today, there are many situations that would require you to speak to a diverse group of people about your organization’s mission and goals. These you would need to do with a lot of confidence and poise, which can be acquired by being a CLO.

4. Raising Up Your Business Network

How does being a CLO raise your business network, you may ask? With the close association with the Local Government Inspector (LGI), you are already building a rapport that, if well harnessed, can be a chance to meet more people on the same level as him or even higher.

Apart from the LGI, you are going to be in contact with other senior government workers in the local secretariat, which can easily increase your business network.

These people and the connections you make can give you opportunities to go to different high-profile groups where you can also meet other high-profile figures. Building relationships with these people can yield valuable personal and professional contacts.

5. Boosting Your CV

Imagine a CLO going on an interview with someone else who has a similar level of education, qualifications, and abilities but was not a CLO during his service year. Who do you think the company would likely pick?

Surely it is the CLO because most companies need someone who is a team player—someone who has leadership abilities and can easily coordinate people to achieve set goals and objectives.

A CLO’s experience in this regard would certainly be an added recommendation or advantage for him. A certificate is always issued to him to recognize his position, which can always be submitted during the job application.

Companies and employers recognize the role and efforts involved in becoming the leader of a group of people, and they respect the initiative it takes to head a group.

With leadership experience on your resume, you’re more likely to get the attention of a hiring manager. A student’s leadership role is also a great talking point during interviews.

6. Earning Menial Income

They are small opportunities for the CLO to make earnings during the course of duties. Although most of the means might be illegal, they are generally the crumps of money that enter his pockets now and again.

Some of this money includes small payments for registrations, bribes from ghost Corpers, tips from Corp members planning to travel, and the rest.

The LGI would sometimes be moved to give him something in appreciation for his efforts once in a while. All these contribute to the little income he gets, which can be a bit of a motivating factor.

7. Sense Of Fulfillment And Satisfaction

It is satisfying to realize you are doing something that makes you happy, something that brings happiness to others, and something that brings you respect and honor from others too.

The confidence that you acquire can give you a feeling of fulfillment and the motivation to do more challenging tasks in the future.

In the world of employment, everything is all about confidence, which can express itself as an expression of fulfillment and satisfaction in life.

8. Developing New Talents

The duties of a CLO require that he learn one or two skills that he may not have known before. Some of these skills may include taking records, financial accounting, file documentation and its arrangement, taking inventories, and things like this.

This new role and the tasks involved can be challenging, but the talents you can learn can give you experience in carrying out the different multi-tasking duties of being a manager in a company or organization.

9. Developing Negotiation Skills

Corp members and CDS groups in different local governments carry out different projects during their national service year.

Most times these projects are done collaboratively with all CDS groups in the area, which might raise conflicting interest between the group’s goals, needs, and projects.

CLO’s need to learn to establish priorities and learn to compromise when necessary when dealing with different CDS groups in an attempt to bring these groups into accepting and willingly supporting the project.

read: NYSC Bye-Laws During Orientation Camping

10. Respect From Colleague

At the time you rise as the CLO, people’s perception and regard for you change. Fellow Corp members recognize that they are under your authority and would inherently be moved to show you a higher sense of respect.

If the CLO is involved, active, and successful, this respect would increase and would be done willingly without grudge or doubt.

Even outside of official duties, a CLO would be recognized and his honor duly accorded. Due to the high regard, other Corp members can easily approach them with challenging tasks and opportunities.

11. Hone problem-solving skills

A CLO’s role demands that he be multi-tasked to take care of his personal life and that of other Corp members. The demanding task in his hands challenges him to develop his problem-solving skills and his creativity.

In addition to the overwhelming task, he is expected to still keep everything in his life in balance.

The skills acquired in the exercise of the role of CLO can become very useful in carrying out future jobs, family responsibilities, or serving your community.

12. Art Of Taking Responsibility

A CLO must realize that, by extension, he is held responsible for the welfare of all Corps members under him.

He must make sure they attend their PPAs, adhere to proper protocol when traveling, show up for general meetings, be eligible to receive allowance payments, and uphold all NYSC-established codes of conduct.

If for any reason the life of a Corp member is in danger or in trouble, he would be involved in answering for their whereabouts.

In the job market, a high sense of responsibility is expected of leaders. Leaders aren’t only responsible for themselves; they also have extended responsibilities that affect a wide range of people.

Leaders of a group must not only make sure that tasks get done but that all members of the organization are performing to the best of their abilities.

If someone doesn’t follow through on a task, leaders make sure that, ultimately, the task is completed. The responsibilities of a CLO can be a lesson on how to hold on to being accountable.

My dear Corp members, the act of becoming a CLO is indeed a privilege. Endeavor to aspire for it and you will be glad you did. Thank you for being here again on your No. 1 NYSC media blog.

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