1, STARTING LATE: Only very few people go to school without the intention of finding job after graduation. Probably the children of the nouveau rich, for whom jobs are already waiting. Or those that want to go into things that don’t require finding job – like music. Fact is, more than 90% of Nigerians that go to school already have the intention of searching for job after graduation. Unfortunately, despite knowing this, many Nigerian students get carried away in the euphoria of being students. Something as far back as your WAEC result can make a difference in getting job. No interviewer will not be unimpressed with a WAEC result that is laced with A’s. If your WAEC result is just average, you have in your undergraduate studies an even better opportunity to make amends. Yet, a lot of Nigerian students still bungle this second opportunity. After spending the first 3 years relegating their studies to the background, they now make a weak attempt to make amends in final year when it is usually too late. The result is usually poor grade, except in the case of few. Not even going to the best schools in UK or US to earn second degree as cover-up makes much difference for many people. For many employers, your first degree is the most critical.

2, DEFEATIST MINDSET: One of the most annoying lines I hear from Nigerian job seekers is, “you will never get job unless you know somebody”. While I will not deny that job-by-connection is very rampant in this society, I have always argued that it is exaggerated. I don’t have any empirical fact to support this, but from educated observation, I have put jobs in Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) as at least 80% merit-driven (and as high as 90% in International Oil Companies); Nigerian private companies at 70% merit-based, and even as bad as public sector is, merit there is still not less than 50%. I have seen too many people get good jobs without any connection to agree that without knowing someone powerful, you can’t get job. No company will want to populate her workforce with dumb heads. We are talking about multi-million naira projects here. If a company wants to recruit 10 people, it is not possible that all the 10 are MD’s family members or kinsmen, there may be as high as 8 spots to be filled by merit. You too can work to be part of that 8. If you attend interview with the mindset that it was just a formality and someone had already been chosen, then it is as good as not showing up at the interview. I got my current job through Tuesday Guardian. I know people that got jobs in Shell, Chevron and even NNPC, without knowing anyone in these places. The earlier you shed that defeatist mentality, the better for you.

3, COVERING FACE WITH ONE FINGER: Some Nigerian graduates pull some stunts that I see as being clever by half or covering face with one finger – an exercise in futility. For entry level positions, aside restrictions on age and course of study, the most critical determinant of invitation for a test is class of degree. Yet, some people draw CVs and refuse to disclose their grades in school. I have heard a couple of stories that it worked for some people, but truth is, that is 1 in 1000. A recruiter that has tens of thousands of CVs on his desk does not have time to ring you and ask for your grade if you don’t put the critical information there. God help you if you don’t have your CVs in the shredder.

4, POOR NETWORKING SKILLS: No, I do not mean MTN or Etisalat. I have discussed the role of networking in job hunting in a recent article. Having a good network of friends gives you access to right job information that may not be available in public space. Not all organizations make job advertisement mandatory in their policies. Some jobs are not advertised. Establishing relationships can help you in accessing such information. Personally, I’m not a fan of job recruitment where the whole world are invited. The first two jobs I got after leaving the university were not advertised and less than 10 of us competed for the positions.

5, LACK OF VERSATILITY: I have always advised friends on the need to be versatile. Being able to say something about almost everything makes you a star of sorts. You wow your interviewers with such skills. Even if you don’t know an answer to a question, there are ways you can maneuver and still get passmark. In interviews that is. Not all questions have yes or no answer. Except you are expressly asked by your interviewer to give a yes or no answer, avoid as much as possible giving yes or no as straight answer. First present a logical case for what you feel the answer is, before landing. I have always been a newspaper person. I had started newspapers from my primary school days. This aids me a lot. I have been in interviews where we digressed to Arsenal discussion, I have been in interview where we strayed to the discussion of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, fuel subsidy etc. All these had practically nothing to do with the Accounting role I was being interviewed for. But hey, what if I don’t watch football or follow news? Well, I have not said being a football fan is a prerequisite for getting jobs, the point I am trying to make is, knowing one or two extra things beyond your primary discipline can be of help sometimes.

http://jarushub./2013/03/22/5-common-mistakes-nigerian-job-seekers-make/

Good write up

لقد قلت لك يجب ترجمته؟

grace of God also matters too

Good

MERCI

Nice write up

Be right back... Beans on Fire.

redcliff: [size=14pt]really dint get the covering face with one finger part. wonder what that has to do with Grades on your cv[/size]

Exactly... Pls, throw more light

iamswizz: لقد قلت لك يجب ترجمته؟

heeeeeeeee!
*runs awt of thread b4 d completion of bomb detonation*

redcliff: [size=14pt]really dint get the covering face with one finger part. wonder what that has to do with Grades on your cv[/size]

Some people don't like to disclose the class of degree on their CV.
Though I don't think it is necessary as general practice, especially if you graduated with an average or below-average degree. You get prematurely judged in this society, sometimes by ignoramuses, if you do that. If any organization requires you to state the class of degree on your resume, they should say so.

Apart from the 'covering face' part which I don't agree with, the rest of the write-up is apt and well-put. I endorse.

Kaxmytex:
heeeeeeeee!
*runs awt of thread b4 d completion of bomb detonation*

haha!
You mean we have Boko boys right here on Nairaland?

God bless u OP. I've done some before and now I've learnt some. Let me go back to the drawing board and strategize and re-strategize.

Nice write-up Mr. Suraj.

Gracias

yuzedo: Jarus, bro, i lives in Banana Island but i hate living the area to go to poor people area like Yabba, Ikejer, Sulurele, etc. How can i get a jobs only in IKOYI, LEKKY, VICTORI ICELAND? Pls advice bro, urgent. thanks.

From: Jnr. Chief Sakatan. Former Deptuty vice Chairman and President-governor of Banana Big Boys Billionare Club, Lagos.

Lol. Write ur phone No nah so dat Op go contact u abi network no de 4 Banana Island.

100likes

I may be interested in anything but football. I can't bear the inordinate obsession with it. I am still to know how it can have a bearing on my life.
I have made unsuccessful frantic efforts to have a penchant for it.
So if I should lose a job opportunity because of that then so be it.
Bar all that is stated above, the tidings are felicitous, instructive and illuminating.

God save us pls

Saecula: I may be interested in anything but football. I can't bear the inordinate obsession with it. I am still to know how it can have a bearing on my life.
I have made unsuccessful frantic efforts to have a penchant for it.
So if I should lose a job opportunity because of that then so be it.
Bar all that is stated above, the tidings are felicitous, instructive and illuminating.

Totally agree. The football example is too specific. Telling your potential employer that you know nothing about football or that you don't watch football is no reason for them to deny you the job offer. Making a good impression does not necessarily include being informed about Arsenal's position on the league table.

I have an issue with point 5.

"What you don't know,you don't know".

Trying to appear smart depends on the nature of the interview/interviewer. I'm sorry but I've never tried to play around a question I didn't know. Most times,honesty and humility may score you a point especially if your response to previous interview questions have been top notch.

I guess its different strokes for different folks.

Nice tips

redcliff: [size=14pt]really dint get the covering face with one finger part. wonder what that has to do with Grades on your cv[/size]

Don't mind the HIM jare! Iregbe!

sauer:
Totally agree. The football example is too specific. Telling your potential employer that you know nothing about football or that you don't watch football is no reason for them to deny you the job offer. Making a good impression does not necessarily include being informed about Arsenal's position on the league table.

Maybe too specific, the general message is that it is always good to know one or two things outside your primary comfort zone. The writer's football example is just what he had come across. It may not deny you the job, but in case of great performance by say two competing interviewees, little things like that can make a difference on deciding who to settle for. It's not necessarily football. Just something extra - it can be movies or just anything.

suraju! suraju! suraju! aka jarus, how many times did i call you?

aieromon: I have an issue with point 5.

"What you don't know,you don't know".

Trying to appear smart depends on the nature of the interview/interviewer. I'm sorry but I've never tried to play around a question I didn't know. Most times,honesty and humility may score you a point especially if your response to previous interview questions have been top notch.

I guess its different strokes for different folks.

Yes, "what you don't know,you don't know" but versatility also gives a lasting impression on the interviewer and gives you a better chance of nipping the job where competition is stiff. Some of the techniques interviewers use are, digressing from the relevant questions for a bit. This may test your composure and how you get out of difficult situations without sounding fool-ish.

A typical example is the 'oga at the top' interview.

i would also want to add that not every job you eventually get is worth taking, you have to ask yourself some critical questions when taking jobs, Read this post on questions to ask yourself , when you eventually get a job offer.

http://www.elijahforce..com/2013/03/job-offer-questions-to-ask-yourself.html

In addition to what Jarus wrote, I believe people don't get jobs for some other reasons. They fail recruitment tests at one or more points.

1. Personality tests: If you don't have the ideal personality for the job role advertised, then you can't get the job. Irrespective of your level of genius. If you're timid when the post requires an outspoken person, then you're at a loss. If you're aggressive when the position requires otherwise, same end result. Read the job ad carefully. Make your assertions and assume such personality. Afterall, man has the natural capacity to manifest several profiles.

2. Aptitude tests: This usually tests your speed and accuracy. Computer based tests have become more common than written tests. You need to UP your game and be very conversant with this format if you wanna land yourself something doing. It is maliciously timed and 'unfriendly'...so to speak. Practice these timed tests, else you'll keep getting 'regret mails'.

3. Skills test: This is more function specific than aptitude tests. Airheads who manipulated their way through school find it very difficult to scale through this kind of test. A Graduate Engineer can't expect to read up everything about thermodynamics and machine design in two weeks in preparation for a skills test. It is impossible. You will fail. Take your studies very seriously.

4. Interviews: If you do not have the capacity to communicate your knowledge base and ideas to a group of people, then you cannot work in a team. A lot of people may argue that speaking english shouldn't be criteria, but I feel it's necessary. Communication is everything.

5. Medical tests: a lot of people lead not-so-healthy lifestyles. They smoke madly, drink heavily...you name it. If they're able to breeze through the recruitment campaign, they still fail the medicals. Probably because of a liver, kidney, or heart related problem. Many companies won't hire you if you have such problems. Take your health seriously.

In summary, I think people should learn to take everything seriously. There is no long-term disadvantage in that, is there?

Gud advice thanks broda