POP (Passing Out Parade) was awesome! It’s finally over and you can hardly wait to leave and get on your life. Your bags are already packed.

5 months later. Alawee is gone for good. You’ve submitted your CV in eleven establishments. Two were fake. Three said you were under-qualified. Three others said you were over-qualified.
You never heard back from the other three. Your eyes are dreary from moving from place to place and from one online job site to the other.

What’s more? You’re back in your parents’ house. But there’s really no space for you there anymore. You can tell from the look on their faces that they expect you to be the one sending money home to them not the other way around.

Sounds familiar?
It is not uncommon to find many graduates in Nigeria that have gone through (or are going through) the harrowing experience of unemployment (you’re not alone).

Finding a job can be rocket science largely because there are thousands of others like you chasing the few jobs available.
What do you if you find yourself in this situation? There is no magic solution. However, in this article we’ll consider six things you can do to navigate through this phase successfully.

Work on your CV
Perhaps the problem is with your CV. HR personnel make their decision on who to invite for interviews based on their CV so don’t underestimate it.
It’s your opportunity to showcase your potential value to the organization. No organization wants to hire a liability, they are looking out for people who can offer value, people who have what they need to meet their goals.
Ensure it is professionally written. It is also a good practice to adjust your CV to suit the role you are applying for rather than submit the same CV for every job application.
Edit it to emphasize the skills you possess that match the job description. It is also helpful to learn how to take an interview before you attend one. You can only do this by having mock interview sessions.

Begin somewhere
It may not be your dream job. It may seem “belittling” to your new status, but begin from there. At the least it will create monthly cash flow to meet your basic needs. Don’t stay idle.
However, it should be a job that’s flexible enough to enable you stay on the outlook for new opportunities and attend interviews.
Here’s one important tip: look for an organization you’ll like to work in and offer your services to them for free. When they see the value you add, they may decide to hire you. Many have gotten great jobs this way. So it works.

Get an Advanced Degree
Go for your Master’s degree or any other professional course that can boost your CV. That way you’re doing something to enhance your employability in the future.
Funding is however a common challenge here. You can take advantage of the numerous scholarship opportunities available. If you have money saved up already or are lucky enough to have parents still willing to foot the bills, good for you!
However, you should also have something doing by the side that generates cash flow. That’s what the next point is about.

Start your own Business
This may just be a good time to turn your passion into a source of income. It could be anything – fashion design, music, literature, art and design etc.
To find your passion, you only need to answer one question: what do you love doing so much that you can offer to others even without being paid?
To turn your passion into a business, there needs to be a market for what you’re offering. Find the problems you can solve and needs you can meet with what you have. Think outside the box. It may be an already existing business but you can bring something more into it.

Read. Stay Informed
Yes, there is no exam coming up. You still need to read. Become a lifelong learner. The economy of today is knowledge-driven. That’s common knowledge. The rate at which new information emerges on a daily basis is just astronomic.
Chances are that much of what you learnt in school has become yesterday’s knowledge and is no longer useful. That’s why you need to keep learning as long as you live!
Thankfully, you have a smartphone. You can do much more with it. It gives you access to vast knowledge all at your fingertips. Take advantage of it.
Keep learning, unlearning and relearning. Read wide. Beyond your field of study. Stay up-to-date with global trends. Don’t get old and rusty. Who knows, you may come across an idea; one powerful idea is enough to change the world and of course, earn you money.

Don’t lose hope
Yes, you read that right. It’s not a solution? Think again. It has been proven that one of the secrets of high achievers is their positive mental attitude. It is often the deciding factor between success and failure. Here’s an excellent resource to help you do just that.
While you wait, keep hope alive. Unemployment is not a death sentence. You’ve got life, you’ve got hope! Trust God. Stay positive. And yes, happiness is a choice. Choose to be happy.

Culled From: [url]aldroit.com.ng[/url]