First published on Nairaland Career Section September 2014 by Natiotan.

With keen interest we have watched recent adverts mostly tilting towards experienced professionals while millions of fresh graduates who are mostly affected by unemployment cry foul. For example look at this post from a very frustrated nairalander looking for a job

"All employees always ask for minimum of 2 or 3 years experience where do they want someone who has not had a job or have just graduated to get 2years experience from??"

We want to give you some tips on how to boost your CV to also apply for these jobs and also be considered for such openings even when you are a fresher.

1. Your IT experience

many people think that IT experience from the school is something they went through just to collect certificates but that's not true. Your IT is your experience. write it down on your CV and detail everything you have done there in a concise, catchy way.

2. Your private Practice

For example, private coaching and teaching,or going to learn a particular skill, or a private skill you use to make money by the side is experience. You are employed and engaged in something and your CV should have it.

3. Help to Mum or relatives in their shop or trade
when we tell people this, they laugh about it but this is another major way to boost your CV. Package all that you have done with the duration and you got almost a year or years experience.

can you see that you have a lot of years that you have been neglecting? so do some thinking and reworking to your Cv and there you will be- applying as an experienced candidate.

4. Internship- in the Nigerian setting where there are more job seekers than available jobs, internship becomes an option. Don't wait until you have a full time job, seek internship opportunities where you develop your career, earn little allowance, learn on the job and most of all, get experience to boost your CV. This is why we help as many people as possible who are ready to seek internship opportunities after getting them trained and their minds oriented towards it.

5. Volunteering- In Nigeria volunteering is being sneered at because it is termed "Job for free" But in that job for free abounds opportunities for growth and opportunity to discover yourself. Volunteering brings you personal satisfaction and even puts you ahead during recruitment and selection. organizations are beginning to think that people who can give their services free are worth hiring. A major way to boost your experience is via offering free services.

With this, we believe that we have been able to help fresh graduates to boost their experiences. candidates who would like to volunteer or serve as interns can indicate so on this thread. Also those who need help with repackaging their CVs with the experiences they have should also indicate on the thread. Thank you.

Thanks for this. I grew up helping my mum in her petty business, how then do I package it and make it professional in my cv.

Faok:
Thanks for this. I grew up helping my mum in her petty business, how then do I package it and make it professional in my cv.

Give a Professional Name to her business if she has none, then carve a position for what you did e.g Sales Representative, indicate the time and professionally list out the responsibilities you carried out. If it is an on and off thing, call it a freelance or free time- based job. That's a job!

Thanks.

I am currently doing a course in telecommunications and i have done a lot, how do i write it out or list out the things i have done though am not their employee. Thanks

Sorry to digress from the topic. But I'm doing alison free online course, is it advisable to add it to my CV? Is it acceptable in Nigeria

I grew up helping my mum in her petty business
I was in charge of my dads poultry business(both rearing and marketing) for two years
I worked in a car wash for two years to d extent dat i can wash d engine of a car
I worked with a company dat specialixes in home claeaning services,home car washing and fumigatiion
I also did my four months industrial training@an agric firm
Pls guide me on hw to use it write a good experience

OpYzo:
I am currently doing a course in telecommunications and i have done a lot, how do i write it out or list out the things i have done though am not their employee. Thanks

Your course experience should come under "Course/Trainings/Certifications" you give details of the course, your experience and accomplishments in it. Fresh Graduates often neglect adding the courses they have done but it is a powerful boost to your chances. It shows you are interested in growing your career.

tulouse:
Sorry to digress from the topic. But I'm doing alison free online course, is it advisable to add it to my CV? Is it acceptable in Nigeria

Of course! It will have a stronger impact if the free online course was backed with a Certificate. If not, you can quote the duration of the Programme, purpose of your study, the knowledge you have gained and how you can translate it to your work if you are hired.

natiotan:


Your course experience should come under "Course/Trainings/Certifications" you give details of the course, your experience and accomplishments in it. Fresh Graduates often neglect adding the courses they have done but it is a powerful boost to your chances. It shows you are interested in growing your career.

You didn't answer my question.

natiotan:


Of course! It will have a stronger impact if the free online course was backed with a Certificate. If not, you can quote the duration of the Programme, purpose of your study, the knowledge you have gained and how you can translate it to your work if you are hired.

THANK YOU!

timsucces:
I grew up helping my mum in her petty business
I was in charge of my dads poultry business(both rearing and marketing) for two years
I worked in a car wash for two years to d extent dat i can wash d engine of a car
I worked with a company dat specialixes in home claeaning services,home car washing and fumigatiion
I also did my four months industrial training@an agric firm
Pls guide me on hw to use it write a good experience

Now you have brought out a major part of CV writing that we may not have mentioned in the body of the article. CV writing and preparation should be Flexible and Job Position Tailored or Customized. By that we mean that it is very appropriate to write your CV to suit the position applied for based on the experiences you have especially for someone like you who have been exposed to different work experiences. You may not add all these in one CV but you may draw one or two that best describes you as the man for the job. If it is a marketing or sales position, you can quote job 1 and 2. If it is a job at Automobiles or Agric firm or Engineering Firm job 3,4 and 5 may apply. CV preparation should be creative and flexible.

I love this post. Thanks alot, I will be interested in voluntering or better still, work as an intern and will need your assistance . My email Id is mobi47@ymail.com

natiotan:


Now you have brought out a major part of CV writing that we may not have mentioned in the body of the article. CV writing and preparation should be Flexible and Job Position Tailored or Customized. By that we mean that it is very appropriate to write your CV to suit the position applied for based on the experiences you have especially for someone like you who have been exposed to different work experiences. You may not add all these in one CV but you may draw one or two that best describes you as the man for the job. If it is a marketing or sales position, you can quote job 1 and 2. If it is a job at Automobiles or Agric firm or Engineering Firm job 3,4 and 5 may apply. CV preparation should be creative and flexible.

Ok lets assume am applyinf for a job in a manufacturing firm,how do i quote experience 3,4,5