Abiodun Philips

[‘Wale Adejimi @Ifwal95]

It was during my interview with two ASML managers in early 2022, while I was still a Master’s student in Germany 🇩🇪.

One of them looked at my CV and asked:

“You graduated with your Bachelor’s degree in 2017. Why did it take you until 2020 to start your Master’s?”

I loved that question because it gave me the opportunity to tell them my story and show them what it took for me to get to where I was at that moment.

I told them I graduated in 2017, completed the compulsory one-year national service in Nigeria, and initially hoped to start an academic career. I tried to get retained as a lecturer, but it didn’t work out. I eventually returned to my local town and started teaching Physics and Mathematics.

But I knew I wanted more.

I wanted postgraduate education abroad, particularly somewhere I could get exposure to advanced scientific facilities and technology. The problem was simple: my family couldn’t afford to sponsor an international education for me.

So scholarships became my only realistic route.

I applied to different countries and different programs. I got rejected multiple times. But I kept searching, sending applications, contacting people, and improving my profile.

Eventually, in 2020, Germany came through for me. I got the opportunity to move to Germany 🇩🇪 for my Master’s in Photonics.

By the time I finished telling the story, I could see it in their faces — they really felt for me 😭😭😭

Dem go dey think, “This guy don suffer!” 😭😭😭😂😂

By the end of that interview, I told my girlfriend (now my wife) that “I’m getting this job.” 😂

I even started putting extra effort into my Master’s thesis experiments in the lab because I was already imagining myself joining the company after graduation.

The next email I received was an invitation to another interview with some team members, and that one was very casual.

Then I got the job 🎉🥰

They sent a moving truck to pack my belongings from Germany, booked my flight to the Netherlands 🇳🇱, and lodged me in a five-star hotel for about two months while I settled in.

That question has stayed with me ever since because it reminded me that a gap on your CV isn’t necessarily an empty period. Sometimes, it contains one of the most important parts of your story. 💯

Image frame: First week at the job 🤩🤩🤩

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@Ifwal95 RCF

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@Ifwal95 Because we took over from your set. Myself and Mr Emma your successor

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@LegacySiu Essien

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@LegacySiu Sterling, Benayoun, and Anelka

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@LookingForMide I’m

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@TitaniumMD @NASA @AYOKUNLE_MD During my teaching practice at TASUESS, I spoke with him because he was a great example to his juniors, especially Doyin, who always spoke highly of him. One thing was clear then—he is a genius. I’m never surprised by his achievements. Congratulations, @Oloruntoba_Ettu

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@_onlyscott Di Maria

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@TifeRMFC Sterling

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@toshine4u TEMIDE

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@Teeniiola Number 20 is wrong. Kiribati is the first to see the sun. They are ahead of New Zealand by 1-2 hours

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@_layoooo @OurFavOnlineDoc I can attest of his goodness and kindness. My Tasued experience would never be complete without him in it. Rest well brother

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@tradaxd @OurFavOnlineDoc That’s their real age. At least I know of Olumide who is a friend

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@UtdChapters Ozil

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@Kepler_banks @Engr_Ashile @arojinle1 According to international date line, this country is the first to see the sun.

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@Adeklinsmann2 @Sen_Adedotun Dare

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@oluwaadeola5 @SirJarus Pls share

[email protected]

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@IBLaideAdebimpe @MasterBolaji Bro, it’s not straight forward like that. Yes, tax can serve as expenditure-reducing mechanism, but that largely depends on what income is spent on. If large share of disposable income is expended on necessity, higher tax rate will be inflationary.

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@MasterBolaji @FinPlanKaluAja1 Disinflation is actually the first step to reduction in price. I have never seen any economy hit with two digit inflation figure and all of a sudden the value changed to negative. I think the stabilisation initiatives of the government is working

[Abiodun Philips @abiophilips]

@MasterBolaji @FinPlanKaluAja1 He is actually right. What he described is called disinflation in Economics. It simply means price level is still rising but at a slower pace.