moreeni: I'm going to re-write my CV asap. That long sentence I can't even make sense of is leaving MY cv. Employers,look out for meeeee.

Way to go girl!

hustla:

Take a 'cue' on your English 1st!

this dude was right and correct on his/her sentence. U re being ignorant and unknwledgeable. Shame on u

hustla:

Take a 'cue' on your English 1st!

loooool lmfao

OSAEI:





i guess u hv gotten one already

guy it is not by cv/resume that works it is by grace!!!!!

Na wa 4 these guys oo.

Please make yourselves relevant first and see what comes afterward. I use myself as an example. I have been on at least 3 key jobs, Bank, telco and presently non-bank financial services. In none of the jobs did i know anyone, i sent in my CV, got shortlisted, attended interviews and got the job. In all three jobs.

This pessemism aint gonna take you guys far. If you do not have a good degree/certificate and your CV does not represent a serious person, that 'big oga' will smell your mediocrity from afar and will tell you how there is embargo on recruitment and how everything else is working against your employment. Guys let us be optimistic for once.

My only regret is that this bit came out a bit too late today, i would have used it to review my CV which i shipped out today in an effort to further change career industries.

Nice one. Thumb up!

Madam Adenike nyc one @ 2 u Op also...

;DJust remembered how my former employer saw a well laid out cv among those sent in by applicants, he picks it and then calls the lady he wants for the job and told her to go make hers look just like that one. badt guy you'd say abi, but he kept the good cv and later called the applicant for interview.

Hiding ur date of birth at d bottom of ur cv wil not help matters,wat employers luk for firstly is ur dob irespective of ur esperience n sch,especially wen there is age requirement n

lekibraky: abeg go sit down if you write only your name for cv you get a job so long u have a right link na cv dem won chop or who u know

Haha I beg help me tell am no be by cv these days na man no man --padi padi ooo if you like decorate your cv with colours -- spray am perfume - na dustbin or alakara e go end up

[ ;Dquote author=Revolva]
Haha I beg help me tell am no be by cv these days na man no man --padi padi ooo if you like decorate your cv with colours -- spray am perfume - na dustbin or alakara e go end up [/quote]

The CV that works in Nigeria now is a letter from Senator, Minister or Presidency.

Some companies actually do the real thing sha...few. I wish some organization will do some research and list them so that people do not waste valuable man hours sending resume to man-know-man companies.

Etemma1:
Bio-data

Your bio-data which consists of your date of birth, sex and state of origin are not necessarily your most important details. Infact, it could serve as a disadvantage. Should you apply for a particular vacancy and you are past the age requirement, if your age is the first thing a potential employer sees, you are likely to be disqualified even before your CV is given a proper appraisal. So it’s best to keep those details at the tail end of your CV.


Adenike Fadina is the Project Manager for Nigerian lifestyle site, www.pulse.com.ng. She has several years of experience in the Nigerian Media/PR industry and is passionate about empowering the Nigerian job seeker with the right tools to improving their job search process.

source:http://jobfinder.com.ng/blog/2012/12/05/the-cv-that-works-in-nigeria-adenike-fadina/

tpapi: Hiding ur date of birth at d bottom of ur cv wil not help matters,wat employers luk for firstly is ur dob irespective of ur esperience n sch,especially wen there is age requirement n

You're right Tpapi, The OP was spot on aside from the quoted above.

When you submit your CV (especially when you did not do it in person )

There are three very important things employers want to find out immediately.


Who they are dealing with as in male or female (call it sexism if you will but its true)

Your Date of Birth.

And if in Nigeria , your ethnicity - yeah you heard me right. So your state of origin really matters. Whether it works against you or for you is another issue.

But you making it difficult for employers to find that information is a big minus. Business executives are very busy people and do not consider your CV a novella.

I have had the misfortune to access a candidate with such a CV at some point and what I asked him was simple - If you know this is one information I'll have much interest in seeing, why hide it ?

I read so many people's comments here with dismay. It is time for us to grow up in our thinking; two wrong head can never make one right head. For the fact that many don't use CV to get job doesn't remove the important of CV writing. Don't be caught on aware please. You may not have anybody who will connect to any better job but you have your CV which is the powerful instrument you possess. Do you part and let God do His own part too. I have seen where people are sent packing because of the wrong way they enter into their well-paid job simply because the person that link them up to the job is no more in the company.

I know that we Nigerian can survive in any given lucrative job and that account for why someone that studied Arabic is doing well in the banking system and also a friend of mine that studies Yoruba is doing wonderful currently with MTN now. But we still need to play our part.

Just little correction in what she posted above, don't pull down your educational qualification if you're not that experience (Fresh Graduate Take Note). But if you're highly experienced, your experience comes immediately after your profile, this is because the more experience you have the lesser your educational qualification. That is why you will see those lucrative jobs in managerial position requiring for 10 to 15 years plus experience, they know that many possess the educational qualification but how many got such experience as still want to change job. They need your experience more because you'll bring in great innovation in no time into their company.

The important of CV cannot be overemphasized. And if you're one those that still believe that CV don't work here in Nigeria, you better not even prepare any CV, don't even go sch at all and wait for God grace. DON'T BE LAZY! If you don't know things please ask question. Nobody will punish you for asking questions.

The bottom line is that, your CV speaks so much about you and your cover letter is your sales copy, is your advertising copy that tell employer to come grab you before anyone else does because you're too hot right now.

its fun how tinz happen in dis country,u are talking abt writing good cv,chai! last year i want for uba plc interview,we stood on the queue for 5hrs only to see five guys and ladies with files each attached to the front of da files are complimentary cards they walked streight to da secretary,b4 we jack robbinson we were told to come back da next day,other na long ttinz...cv na long tinz for we country..there is notin to change in dis country presently if all those old fools in aso rock no die now now!

Pulseng: Nice one! Miss Adenike. I'll definitely take a queue on this..

Please sorry if I may correct you,the right word is "take a cue" not queue"okay
At least we all learning from our nuance mistakes

Ronney Mister: Dat one na story-story......In Nigeria,wot rili wrks is who u knw...ur connection n d very special grace of God,not ur CV presentation BullCrap...........

Exactly

For those of you dissing the op for that write up, you don't need to.
If you don't need advice on how to put up a nice CV that gets you a job, just click on the next thread and move on....

I hate it when people don't appreciate other people's efforts after they've gone through the stress to bring up something that's supposed to get them enlightened

I had first thought the post was a poem nt knowing that someone out there had reinvented the wheel. If it was a matter of cv many people that are employed wud hv been unemployed while the unemployed would hv been employed.
Alpha Conde

Effectiveness,efficiency is 1 of those things an employer see,b
4 given out JoBs

Ngwakwe: In my Company, I don't really employ people based on the presentation or the volume of their CVs rather by grading their intelligent quotient. Half of the Jobs in Nigeria can be done by anybody with high IQ after brief training or even on the Job training.

Don't mind the voluminous thesis people call CV and University abused Script called Certificate.

Natural(talent) and Home acquired Intelligence is still an assets when combine with definite specialized training and education not forgetting industrial/workplace experience.

Always talk with your "would be" employee without minding the "papers" to ascertain his/her Intelligent Quotient before issuing an appointment letter.

God bless you! People forget that there are professional CV writers.

Great article!

The one input i have is regarding the size of one's CV. The 'KISS' (keep it simple stupid) principle is generally applicable however in some industries 2 page CV's aren't taken seriously. My CV is currently 5 pages long and would be classed as short in comparison to many others CV's in my sector.
So in summary consider the sector you're in when deciding on the length of your CV. It is usually good to look at as many other CV's as possible and get feedback on your CV in order to get a good idea of what is generally acceptable.

What is key as well is having a great cover letter (ideally addressed to a specific individual) that is tailored to each application and highlights your specific fit to that job. Also try to alter your CV - within reason of course - to fit the current job you're applying for.

Etemma1: I have observed that writing a CV in Nigeria is something people put off for as long as possible and when they eventually get to it, they have the impression that so long as important elements such as work experience, educational qualifications and bio-data are in place, a CV is complete.

I beg to disagree. I believe that your CV is an account or narration of yourself. It is YOU talking about YOU in YOUR very own words and in the best way possible. It starts from who you are, to all the places you have been and how you have contributed to those places; your achievements, how you spent your time, and even personal details like your marital status and so on. Bearing this in mind, every detail and information provided must be meticulously considered and articulately presented. Put your most flattering qualities or accomplishments up front and then move gradually to less flattering qualities.

In writing your CV in Nigeria, presentation is everything! Your content, layout, template, font type, font size, line spacing, bullets and borders are all crucial in achieving a great looking CV. If someone has 3 years of experience and another has 6 years of experience, and they are both applying for the same job, the ONLY thing that differentiates them is the way they both present their work experiences.

The basic elements of your CV in Nigeria should be profile, work experience, achievements (if any), trainings (if any), educational qualifications, bio-data, hobbies and referees. Please note that no particular format or template is cast in stone, every template can be amended to suit a particular requirement at any given time.

Profile

I would rather a profile to an objective. An objective is simply a goal while a profile is a brief description that summarizes your qualities, vis-a-vis where you are coming from and where you hope to be. It shouldn’t be more than two sentences or three short sentences at most.

Experience

Your experience(s) should indicate the name of the company, your designation/title, your job description and the duration of service. The address of the company is not compulsory except you are applying for a job outside of your state or country of residence. Your experience(s) should follow a chronological sequence (most recent to least recent). Also stick to the present tense when describing your current job description.

Achievements

This is a run-down of exceptional accomplishments you have bagged over a period of time. It can include a record breaking GP, an award, a surpassed target, an impeccable record and the likes. Your achievements are supposed to score you extra points with a potential employee but if it does otherwise, chuck it.

Bio-data

Your bio-data which consists of your date of birth, sex and state of origin are not necessarily your most important details. Infact, it could serve as a disadvantage. Should you apply for a particular vacancy and you are past the age requirement, if your age is the first thing a potential employer sees, you are likely to be disqualified even before your CV is given a proper appraisal. So it’s best to keep those details at the tail end of your CV.

Points to bear in mind:

Chose bold and legible fonts
Use simple and unambiguous words. Leave no room for vagueness.
Have a focus and find a way to infuse your interest and specialization into your CV
Be accountable. Always account for time spent. Ensure your CV reflects that you are constantly adding value, honing your skills or getting more education.
Never include in your CV what you are not a 100% certain will be a plus.
Keep your CV to a maximum of three pages except you have had several years of experience.
Ensure that you can defend everything that you have written in your CV
Lastly, don’t forget to KISS! (Keep It Short and Simple!)

See you at the top!

Adenike Fadina is the Project Manager for Nigerian lifestyle site, www.pulse.com.ng. She has several years of experience in the Nigerian Media/PR industry and is passionate about empowering the Nigerian job seeker with the right tools to improving their job search process.

source:http://jobfinder.com.ng/blog/2012/12/05/the-cv-that-works-in-nigeria-adenike-fadina/

can you pls upload a sample of your cv or any standard one you have?

hmm, Guess my CV is tight as it potrays most of what Miss Adenike stated. Graduated as joint Best Overall student in my undergraduate days, though, i am an HND graduate. Am also a chartered Insurer, won 2best student awards in the process and have never worked in an insurance outfit before despite submitting my CV in most insurance companies. My opinion, Nigeria is S̶̲̥̅Ơ̴̴̴̴̴̴͡ corrupt that good cvs doesn't necessarily fetch you a good job unless ur just very fortunate.

Even if u get ur job thru connection.
1day u will need d CV den it might b too late snc u don't bother to learn.

Adebeeyee: hmm, Guess my CV is tight as it potrays most of what Miss Adenike stated. Graduated as joint Best Overall student in my undergraduate days, though, i am an HND graduate. Am also a chartered Insurer, won 2best student awards in the process and have never worked in an insurance outfit before despite submitting my CV in most insurance companies. My opinion, Nigeria is S̶̲̥̅Ơ̴̴̴̴̴̴͡ corrupt that good cvs doesn't necessarily fetch you a good job unless ur just very fortunate.

Wat steps do I take as an accounting graduate to b a chartered insurer.I av interest in ds field.
Can u xplain d steps,cost and time for d xam or project.

Adebeeyee: hmm, Guess my CV is tight as it potrays most of what Miss Adenike stated. Graduated as joint Best Overall student in my undergraduate days, though, i am an HND graduate. Am also a chartered Insurer, won 2best student awards in the process and have never worked in an insurance outfit before despite submitting my CV in most insurance companies. My opinion, Nigeria is S̶̲̥̅Ơ̴̴̴̴̴̴͡ corrupt that good cvs doesn't necessarily fetch you a good job unless ur just very fortunate.

Wat steps do I take as an accounting graduate to b a chartered insurer.I av interest in ds field.
Can u xplain d steps,cost and time for d xam for chartered insurer.

they are giving applicants appointment letters with money in Abuja without CV. CV is for people dat hv nobody in d system. may GOD help usthey are giving applicants appointment letters with money in Abuja without CV. CV is for people dat hv nobody in d system. may GOD help usthey are giving applicants appointment letters with money in Abuja without CV. CV is for people dat hv nobody in d system. may GOD help us

A well written CV is just an opportunity to be called for interview.

I dey laugh oooooooooo.......c.v indeed

3 page cv? Before u finish d letter vacancy don go na

I think Most of the pple who are opposing this write up are not even graduate bt if they are that means their own don bad b dat.If u know CV does nt count pls go and start doing recharge card business it wil also favour you.My best frnd who is in NLNG undergoing training in london nw does nt know anybody(now is pay is nt less than 400k) and few of my frnds in NNPC.If u are agree wit ur leaders then stop voting for them and stop receiving peanut 4rm them.