Most Nigerian students spend their university years focusing on getting good grades without balancing this out with a taste of career planning and what having a job actually entails. Also, despite a few graduates being ‘lucky’ to have undertaken courses that required a couple of months ‘Industrial Training (IT)’ a lesser number of these lucky ones actually use this opening properly.

Here are 3 things to do during your NYSC service year and improve your chance of getting a job post-service:
1. Create a CV:
A very tiny percentage of Nigerian students work during their years at university and thus you will hardly come across a recent graduate – fresh out of university, still serving and in a lot of cases post-Youth Service, having a CV. A CV is your tool for job search and application. Create one during your Youth Service.

2. Apply for jobs:
Applying for jobs is not an easy task and MOST graduates out there remain unemployed because they are doing it wrong (very wrong). To apply for jobs, you need to have an idea of the type of job that is suitable for you, the skill you have or need to develop to be employed and also get a grip with writing a good application/covering letter to accompany your applications. Use your Youth Service year to get a grasps of all these and start to weigh the responses you receive. Ensure you learn about writing a covering letter, read on career paths and employability skills.

3. Attend Interview:
I know your first reaction here will be, ‘no one recruits Youth Corpers’. But in addition to reading articles online about interview preparation, you need to attend interviews to get some real life experience of what job interviews and tests entail. I went in for my first job interview while in 200level at university and even though I got the job, I recall my boss was kind enough to give me feedback on how I performed – I spoke too fast and was in a hurry with my responses. The feedback and experience on my performance at this interview helped me with preparations for interviews after I graduated. I have interviewed hundreds of job seekers, most of whom leave me with a disappointing impression of them; from turning in late for interviews to having no answer whatsoever for basic questions, it is shocking!

Your concern now might be ‘how do I get invited for interviews when I am just a Corper?’. Simple! Apply for entry level roles, roles you will apply for post-NYSC. I recently met a ‘smart Corper’ who omitted information on her CV that she was still in her service year. Here is how she did it: the most recent item on her CV was a job but she omitted information that she was on this job as a Corper and instead gave details of what she did at this job. Her activities at this job were a right fit of experiences for the job being recruited for and it was really impressive that even though she was just 3 months into her service year, she was already testing the job market. Don’t wait until you have completed Youth Service before applying for jobs and attending interviews.

Get out there and get some experience in preparing your CV, applying for jobs and attending interviews. It’s never too early but soon it will be too late!


Source (visit for help on doing all 3 above): The Krine

Evry student should knw that already except he or she is not serious in getting a job

Is it advisable to put physical disability in a CV? ?

pls help! i av OND in Accounting and Bsc in Accounting too includin some proff exam i wrote during NYSc....my pro is how to prepa OND cv.shld i scrap out my Nysc Ceft nd prof ceft out from it? wats d outlook gonna be like?

Hello onlyme07,

I will advise you to only highlight your strengths on your CV. Information on physical disability etc should be made known only when the vacancy/position explicitly requests you to do so.

onlyme07: Is it advisable to put physical disability in a CV? ?

Hello liliangmail,

Why do you want to have a separate CV for your OND?

If your focus is a career in accounting, I suggest you create a single CV to include your OND and BSc degrees (placing the BSc at the top). Also, include professional exams that are relevant to your career path/jobs you wish to apply for.

liliangmail: pls help! i av OND in Accounting and Bsc in Accounting too includin some proff exam i wrote during NYSc....my pro is how to prepa OND cv.shld i scrap out my Nysc Ceft nd prof ceft out from it? wats d outlook gonna be like?

nice job bro! really expository... but i have a major concern myself.. I need to put a well choreographed CV...I need your professional help..if possible send me a copy so i see for my self and use it as a guide... a cover letter inclusive... here ibohanzy@gmail.com 08068588105..
am indeed really pleased with what you guys are doing here...money cant buy this I swear...no empowerment is greater than this...God bless you guys jare! Good Nigerians.. am Hanz..

All the jobs am seeing online that suits me is coming with a requirement of years of experience...

Pls, I need help, I am a graduate of Economics, I graduated earlier dis year and because of that my dept is still computing our results, d problem dat I am having is dat my CV does nt have any grade attached to it, and someone advised me against putting awaiting result, pls am confused, wenever I submiT my Cv, d persons always tinks dat it is a Pass, So, what shld I put as my grade since my Dept is still computing my Result.

Yea...I included my BSc And OND in my Cv .. ..I want to av a separate CV for OND.How Is it going to look like? Smtine u come across job offer that requires only OND !

hmmm


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z8XZLqIMmw


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vdC0i9uqRw

Hello bighanz,

Please visit the following links for help on writing your CV and Covering Letter:

Writing a CV

Writing a Covering Letter

bighanz: nice job bro! really expository... but i have a major concern myself.. I need to put a well choreographed CV...I need your professional help..if possible send me a copy so i see for my self and use it as a guide... a cover letter inclusive... here ibohanzy@gmail.com 08068588105..
am indeed really pleased with what you guys are doing here...money cant buy this I swear...no empowerment is greater than this...God bless you guys jare! Good Nigerians.. am Hanz..

Hello Smartsyn,

If the jobs are coming with years of experience that you do not have, the job clearly does not suit you. Look for jobs that match your level of skills & experience, they are out there. For instance, if you are a recent graduate, look out for entry level jobs.

Smartsyn: All the jobs am seeing online that suits me is coming with a requirement of years of experience...

Hello djsaintboss,

If you are yet to receive your grades and you have an idea of the final grade you will receive, you can state '2:1 (Expected)'

djsaintboss: Pls, I need help, I am a graduate of Economics, I graduated earlier dis year and because of that my dept is still computing our results, d problem dat I am having is dat my CV does nt have any grade attached to it, and someone advised me against putting awaiting result, pls am confused, wenever I submiT my Cv, d persons always tinks dat it is a Pass, So, what shld I put as my grade since my Dept is still computing my Result.

thekrine: Hello bighanz,

Please visit the following links for help on writing your CV and Covering Letter:

Writing a CV

Writing a Covering Letter

thanks I got there bro but unfortunately I couldn't find my way through to what I wanted...pls assist me further.. Godbless...

pls I just graduated from the university a few months back and I've been looking for employment, how best should I position my c.v to get invited for interviews as I am yet to be mobilized tor service.

Hello Sashafm,

There should be no major difference on your CV just because you are yet to serve. What really matters is the content - make sure it contains the right information.

Also, If your concern is that you do not have any work experience yet, the following will help you draft the CV you need (you may also check out other links on the website to help you with writing a CV generally):

Writing a CV When You Have ZERO Work Experience

Sashafm: pls I just graduated from the university a few months back and I've been looking for employment, how best should I position my c.v to get invited for interviews as I am yet to be mobilized tor service.

[quote author=thekrine] tnks man, dis is vry helpful

thank you, the tips were really helpful