This book reveals the insider secrets of obtaining the job that you desire after graduating in Nigeria.This book tells you how to get a job after graduating on Nigeria with the honest approach that works.
You have just come out of school. Perhaps you are awaiting for the posting of your NYSC or you already have your NYSC Certificate. The most important thing you might think of is how to find a job after graduation. All of your friends are announcing job opportunities online, and you feel like you’re being left out. Do not panic. This guide will tell you exactly what is working right now if you’re a newbie.
I recall my own post-school hunt. I haven’t even gotten passed 80 applications in three months. Only two replied. One was a private money-lender who demanded payment of a debt. The other was an interview and I went down there and froze. That was a lesson I learned more from failing than from succeeding. So I’ll tell you what I learned, and what helped me, finally get a real job.
The tips for finding a job after you graduate begin before you graduate.
The strategies for getting a job after graduation start before you graduate.
Most of the graduates sit at their desk with their laptop and begin to send out their CVs to every place. That is a mistake. You must have a plan before you start. Ask yourself the following two questions. What do you have to offer that is valuable to others? So where are these people getting jobs?
List all of your abilities, including the small ones. Do you know how to use Microsoft Excel? Are you able to write simple reports? At any point have you led a collaborative project? These count. Employers don’t expect you to know everything. They desire somebody who can learn rapidly and be punctual.
Writing a CV that gets noticed, especially for fresh graduates, is not an easy task to accomplish.
For fresh graduates, it is not easy to create a CV that is noticed.
The initial impression a recruiter has of you is from your CV. They spend approximately 6 seconds on it. Thus, it’s necessary to pack the seconds full. Please refrain from using fancy templates with columns and colors. Keep it simple. Paper with black text.
Clearly write your name and phone number on top. Next, write a short profile (2 sentences). Sample: A Mass Communications graduate who has had internships in social media management. Looking for entry-level jobs for graduates where I can grow my writing skills.
Include details about education but not too detailed. Your SS3 result is not something that anyone should know. Include any extracurricular activities, class projects, leadership positions etc. of volunteer work. If you don’t have any experience, create a section named Relevant Projects. Share your experience of a university project in which you addressed a genuine problem.
This is a basic CV template you can copy:
[Your Full Name]
You can drop by our offices to pick up a keycard so you can access this site and can reach out to us via phone, email or LinkedIn.
Profile
Recent graduate of [Your Course] and have [one skill]. Seeking [job type] in which I can grow and develop.
Education
Course Code: BSc in Course Name, University Name, Year [Yr]
Relevant courses undertaken: [Please list 2-3 courses that are related to the career]
Experience (or Projects)
The Project/Intern Title and Organization/Class Name.
What you did (action words, such as created, helped, organized)
One outcome or consequence (regardless of how small)
Skills
Examples: Google Drive, Canva, Basic HTML, Customer service
Certifications (if any) â count as free online course
Go to the official app store and download LinkedIn app to check how other fresh graduates have their profile structure. Research other professionals in your industry and examine their CV summaries.
Finding graduate jobs in Nigeria without getting scammed is a straightforward process.
Getting a graduate job in Nigeria without getting scammed is an easy thing to do.
Numerous job sites have bogus job listings. They request fees and/or forewarn you about expenses for interviews. Don’t pay for a job. If there is any company asking for payment prior to enlisting, it is not on the level.
Jobberman, MyJobMag and LinkedIn are the best websites for fresh graduates in Nigeria. Also check the careers page of big companies like GTBank, MTN, and Dangote. They frequently advertise their graduate trainee programs on their own websites.
Create an email notification for these sites. Apply within the first 2 days of the job posting. Following this, the recruiter may already have a ton of applications.
Being nervous is normal, but how do you prepare for a job interview after graduation?
It’s normal to be nervous, but how do you get ready for a job interview after graduation?
Interviews are intimidating because you’re afraid of being asked tough technical questions. For entry level positions, however, they are primarily interested in whether you are honest, humble and easy to work with.
Work on speaking your responses to the following three questions. Tell me about yourself. What are your reasons for applying? What are you worst traits?
Don’t answer the weakness question by responding that you work too hard. That sounds fake. Have a real but non-harmful comment to make. Example: When others ask me for assistance, it is sometimes difficult for me to say no, but I am working on being more selective of my tasks.
Make one question to ask them as well. At what point will I find out if I’m in a new phase? What is your typical day like in this position?
These are some of the most frequent errors that college graduates make when searching for a job.
The worst thing one can do is to send the same CV for every position. Your CV needs to be tailored to different positions. For a detailed-oriented task, include an example of when you have investigated job work carefully.
Another error is neglecting to network. There are very few jobs advertised online in Nigeria. Someone hears and tells a friend that there’s an opening. Spread the word amongst your contacts that you’re looking for a job. Your Pastor, neighbor or old lecturer. Do not be shy. Be clear â I want an entry level marketing position. Have you any contacts who are seeking employees?
Unfortunately, this is not to be a bad thing; it could take time for this to occur. The job scene is tough. Some freshmen look around for six months or even longer. It isn’t as if you aren’t good enough. It indicates that the system is slow. Continue, and also be productive while waiting! Get a free online skill from a site such as Google Digital Garage.
This is an actionable checklist to help you secure a job quickly after NYSC.
This is a checklist that will help you to get a job quickly after NYSC.
Follow this checklist each week until you are on the job.
Add one new skill or project to your CV (even a YouTube tutorial is good!)
– Apply for 5 jobs, ignoring 3+ years exp. jobs, if they are not your level
Leave three LinkedIn messages with people in your industry â NOT a job, but advice.
– 5 minutes of practicing a verbal interview question
Reach out once again to a person from last week’s email or phone call (kindly)
– Investigate and learn about one thing for 30 minutes, through free resources: Excel, Canva, basic coding.
Let two people in the “real world” know that you are looking for a job. Let two people in the real world know you are looking for a job.
The dropouts and the children have left the building, but the questions remain.The children and the dropouts have gone but the questions haven’t.
You will be turned down. Many times. It’s not your future. All of us, who have a job today, have been rejected somewhere. The difference is they didn’t stop.
One of my mentees applied to 120 jobs and has accepted a paid internship. The internship position converted to a permanent position after 6 months. She has a staff of 5 today. The first job is simply a door. It doesn’t have to be flawless. It must open.
Summary: Make a simple CV, only submit to legitimate job sites and let all your contacts know you are job hunting. Get going with the list above today and keep in mind that a REJECT is NOT a stop sign, it’s just a slower lane.
