Let me make my contribution.
I am a procurement analyst in an oil servicing coy in Nigeria. I started working first in a logistics warehouse before moving to the oil industry. I have a certification though in logistics.
I will like to say that the OP is largely correctly because he limited it to fresh graduates. Fresh graduates can start off a career without MSc, certifications and 'long leg'. MSc, certifications and networking become more important as one gains experience.

in the case of MSc: There are many recent graduates in the oil industry with MSc in top schools in the UK and US. These days, it seems most oil firms even prefer graduates from private universities like convenant university. Many of them are given internship opportunities probably because of referrals from their parents who are well-to-do and connected. However, BSc holders still have gone loads of chances. I participated in entry level interviews in my company. I have seen at least 3 MSc graduates in to schools in Europe (IFP, Herriot Watt, Imperial) who could not scale the interview. In same interview, some BSc holders passed and got offers. I know of a PhD holder in environmental science from Imperial College who did not pass the first stage interview. She is currently an intern with us. At least 2 BSc holders from Convenant university made it. Other BSc holders from schools in Nigeria, US, UK made it too. MSc counts but BSc holders have also got a chance at entry level.
The story chances at for experienced hires. They may need to have masters.

Certifications; I have got a certification because I read materials engineering but wanted to switch to logistics management. Certification can be good and has gotten me to this point in my career (I have APICS certification). But nothing beats a good grade and a good course. With a good grade and good course and smart brain, you can still go far (for a fresh graduate).

Networking - Networking is not in itself bad. Getting referrals and recommendations are not bad. People still get jobs from 'oga-at-the-top' connection. I know someone a fresh graduate that joined Total cos his uncle is a senior director in Total. I also know 2 fresh graduates in Shell that got in through strong political influence. Same in the organization I work in. But there is still a place for merit in selection, for fresh graduates.
For an experienced person, networking may even be necessary. I got recommendations from people whom I have worked with in the past. It helped me secure my current job. I also try to network as much as possible.But most entry level positions in my firm do not need any recommendation. Apart from political influence, what recommendation can a fresh graduate get?

Fresh graduates are the luckiest people in the labour market because they are least affected by the influence of nepotism. It becomes harder as the years rolls away. That is why there is always the need to network.

I will say, the OP is 80-90% right

xfire: Following my recent write-up in the Nairaland thread ‘'Top 10 Most demanded jobs in the oil and gas industry”, and other posts and articles I have written in the past, I have received several questions that indicate that some fresh graduates still have a few misconceptions about what it takes to compete and succeed in the labour market. I decided to write on 3 misconceptions that some fresh graduates make, and hopefully this will be beneficial to many.

Misconception #1: I must have certifications to get a good job in Nigeria
This is not exactly true. You do not necessarily need certifications to get a job in Nigeria. There are countless number of established and experienced professionals in the manufacturing, banking, construction, oil and gas, and other sectors who do not any certification at all. I personally worked in the FMCG industry before moving to the oil industry. I am on my third job. I do not have any certification whatsoever. Most of my past and current managers do not have any certification. All they have is their wealth of experience and the several trainings they have attended during the course of their career in same company. Maybe I will get some certifications along the way as I progress in my career. Being employable as a fresh grad in Nigeria is not about the number of certifications you gather. I know people with wonderful certifications who are still unemployed or underemployed. I am not entirely ruling out the relevance of certifications. It is important in the IT industry, for instance. Even then, a fresh graduate in an IT related course should be more concerned about his/her grade and ability to scale through various recruitment hurdles. A smart and employable grad in an IT related course will get a good job irrespective of whether he/she has a certification or not. Certification becomes more relevant as you gain experience.

Misconception #2: I must have a Masters degree to have an edge over others
Another misconception some fresh grads make. If you want a career in academics, then furthering your studies is essential, if not mandatory. But if you are looking out for a job, a Masters degree will not necessarily give you a significant leverage over others. If you are still young, you may consider a Masters before going for a job. Who knows? Maybe I would have considered a Masters degree if I had graduated at a much younger age. However, have it at the back of your mind that you will still have to compete with every grad out there to get a good and meaningful job. You do not even need a postgraduate degree to work in the respectable and prestigious oil and gas companies. I can say (with no certainty, just personal observation) that about 75-80 % of those in the oil industry did not have any form of certification or Masters at entry point. I can say (with all certainty) that about 75% of the fresh engineers recently recruited by my employers (a multinational oil firm) are fresh grads from school with no MSc.
You do not even need an MSc to get promotion at work. Promotion in organizations is generally based on your productivity and performance, and not your degrees. In most firms, you will even need to get a leave of absence if you want to embark on a full-time Masters after employment, and your job is not guaranteed on returning.
I am not saying a Masters is not important. I hope to acquire one soon. It may be helpful if I am aiming for a managerial role in another organization, or if I am looking forward to a political appointment sometime in the future. Masters degree is great, but grads need to know that it does not necessarily equate to employability. You may decide to enroll for Masters while you continue your search for a job.

Misconception #3: I must press buttons (know people in high places) before I get a good job in this “corrupt Naija”
Another lie from the pit of hell. No reputable private organization, even in Nigeria will risk placing its future on incompetent or untested employees. Every growing organization knows that its most valuable asset is its employees. Companies are always looking out to hire the best hands. Organizations in Nigeria usually have well-structured recruitment processes that make it difficult even for influential employees to slot in candidates. A few public firms, such as NNPC still recruit largely on merit (I know it will sound incredulous for some but that’s the truth). Nepotism is still a cancer in the Nigerian corporate world, be it public or private. But its influence is widely exaggerated.

[size=14pt]What then makes a graduate employable in Nigeria?[/size]
As competitive as the Nigerian labour market is, the attributes that make a graduate employable are still foundational - Good grades, aptitude test writing skills, interview skills, communication skills, basic computer skills. Get good grades. Ensure you are good and prepared enough to pass aptitude tests. Your communication skills (writing and speaking) should at least be above board. Practice well for all kinds of interview formats. You need not have excellent computer skills – just basic. Believe me, you will get multiple offers within a short period. If you have good grades but have poor test writing and communication skills, you will still struggle to get a job.

TRUE LIFE STORY:
I want to share the story of a particular lady who is 3 sets after me in school in the same engineering department. She is quite brilliant. She graduated with a CGPA of over 4 point out of 5, and also clinched a departmental award on convocation day. She was also the best female student in her set. She finished youth service at a relatively young age of 23 years. However, despite numerous job aptitude tests and interviews, she couldn’t get a job for over a year (1.5 years to be exact). She applied to so many firms but she never got an offer. She became so frustrated, and shared her problems with me. She felt she was not getting offers because she didn’t know anyone. I told her not to develop that mentality, if not, she will resign to fate and be defeated. At a time, she considered going for NEBOSH certification (at a cost of about 350k) but I discouraged her because I knew it wouldn’t add any value to her as a fresh grad. That’s simply a waste of resources. After relating with her, I found out that her test writing skill was just a little above average, while her interview skill was particularly awful. I encouraged her to practice sample job aptitude tests more frequently and to pay particular attention to improving her interview skills. She started working on both. Anytime she had interview, she would call me to review her level of preparations. I always found it a bit frustrating because I would need to spend considerable time to tutoring her on interview etiquettes; how to answer interview questions; what to say and what not to say; what to ask and what to ask; what to do and what not to do, etc. I am happy to say that after all the stress she made me pass through, she now has 3 offers she is considering (2 job offers and one scholarship offer). This made me realize her problem was never lack of intelligence, but basic interview skills.

N.B - I am NOT a professional tutor on interview questions and answers, neither am I planning to be professional career counsellor. The true life story was to further drive down my points and enlighten young grads.

Probably If I had rehearsed with you before going for my last interview it would have been a different story, I don't know my fate yet tho, but am not so positive about it.

Reading through threads by Mr Xfire I realise that Nigerians are very brilliant,intelligent and smart and not like what I hear on news but this keep me wondering why the country is not growing with so much talented personnels, I truly love this country and the people here, please can we make a difference in this country? Because we have all it requires to be great

Dear Mixty, the portal belongs to an Electricity Distribution Coy currently recruiting into different positions after privatization. I believe you were NOT required to provide ANYTHING other than your professional details. Its okay to be skeptical about recruitment posts, just don't make stupid comments when you should be asking for further clarification where necessary. So if you're still in conflict, please don't apply. By the way, the portal closes sometime next week I think.
All the best.

Mixty:
This dude has been scamming since 1862.

tuwayz: Reading through threads by Mr Xfire I realise that Nigerians are very brilliant,intelligent and smart and not like what I hear on news but this keep me wondering why the country is not growing with so much talented personnels, I truly love this country and the people here, please can we make a difference in this country? Because we have all it requires to be great

Yes we could. But unfortunately the environment isn't so friendly and favourable.

Hugo70: As a graduate of Industrial physics, wit work exp not related to oil n gas or construction coy. Pls watz d best certification that will give me best opportunity in construction n oil n gas. And probably d cost pls.

As an industrial physicist, you want a single certification that will make you relevant both in construction and oil and gas? That one go hard oo. There is very little that relates both industries together. IT is relevant in the oil and gas but not so relevant in the construction industry. The only discipline that appears to be relevant to both is SAFETY. You wanna go that line?

dollyptosh: Probably If I had rehearsed with you before going for my last interview it would have been a different story, I don't know my fate yet tho, but am not so positive about it.

Hey bro, sometimes we are too hard on ourselves. I have gone for two different interviews after which I thought my performances were below par. Guess what? I was scaled through and the feedback I got was that I was one of the best in both cases. Sometimes, we set high standards for ourselves. So keep the hope alive.
It's also important you learn from your mistakes. Every interview is a learning opportunity. ALL my interviews without any exception were learning opportunities. Keep improving. You will achieve your set goals.


Cheers......

tuwayz: Reading through threads by Mr Xfire I realise that Nigerians are very brilliant,intelligent and smart and not like what I hear on news but this keep me wondering why the country is not growing with so much talented personnels, I truly love this country and the people here, please can we make a difference in this country? Because we have all it requires to be great

Hey, thanks for that comment . There are many,many smart guys out there. Just that many of them do not come on Nairaland to impart their knowledge. Probably they do so in different ways.
The answer to your concern is simple. It takes more than a number of brilliant Nigerians to change this country. I wouldn't want to go into political discussion as this is not the political section.

Cheers.....

2sExy1: Yes we could. But unfortunately the environment isn't so friendly and favourable.

Bros...I have you in mind oo. I will get back to you soon.

Cheers....

xfire:
Hey bro, sometimes we are too hard on ourselves. I gone for two interviews after which I thought my performance was below par. Guess what? I was scaled through and the feedback I got was that I was one of the best in both cases. Sometimes, we set high standards for ourselves. So keep the hope alive.
It's also important you learn from your mistakes. Every interview is a learning opportunity. ALL my interviews without any exception were learning opportunities. Keep improving. You will achieve your set goals.


Cheers......

Hmmm got the message. It was actually my first time of going for an interview and truly have learnt from it. Thank you sir

xfire:
Hey bro, sometimes we are too hard on ourselves. I gone for two interviews after which I thought my performance was below par. Guess what? I was scaled through and the feedback I got was that I was one of the best in both cases. Sometimes, we set high standards for ourselves. So keep the hope alive.
It's also important you learn from your mistakes. Every interview is a learning opportunity. ALL my interviews without any exception were learning opportunities. Keep improving. You will achieve your set goals.


Cheers......

. Hmmm got the message. It was actually my first time of going for an interview and truly have learnt from it. Thank you sir

that's good.

taiwolusol:

You just have to agreee with me that on an average, an M.Sc graduate will beat a B.Sc graduate everytime...

wrong. I wrote a test with NLNG which we wrote with M.Sc holders. I know a good number of those M.Sc holders who didn't pass while B.Sc holders passed.

thanks a lot sir for the insight on misconception fresh graduates have. I noticed that the 1st criteria to landing a good job is your grade. ( your result) not necessarily attaining a higher degree or professional course, my question is, how does one with a poor grade( say 3rd class) get a job or there are no chances for them at all in the labour market. thank u. thanks a lot sir for the insight on misconception fresh graduates have. I noticed that the 1st criteria to landing a good job is your grade. ( your result) not necessarily attaining a higher degree or professional course, my question is, how does one with a poor grade( say 3rd class) get a job or there are no chances for them at all in the labour market. thank u

belindy: thanks a lot sir for the insight on misconception fresh graduates have. I noticed that the 1st criteria to landing a good job is your grade. ( your result) not necessarily attaining a higher degree or professional course, my question is, how does one with a poor grade( say 3rd class) get a job or there are no chances for them at all in the labour market. thank u. thanks a lot sir for the insight on misconception fresh graduates have. I noticed that the 1st criteria to landing a good job is your grade. ( your result) not necessarily attaining a higher degree or professional course, my question is, how does one with a poor grade( say 3rd class) get a job or there are no chances for them at all in the labour market. thank u

Mehn...it's always harder for 3rd class student. It only means that you have to push harder. I have never seen a vacancy for 3rd class. So if you wait for only online vacancies, your chances are virtually non-existent. Spice up your degree with a PGD/Masters and certifications, and while you are doing that, start going round to distribute hard copy CV's to different firms. It's a lot of work for 3rd class but it has to be done. Don't limit the firms only to the big names as you can acquire experience in small/medium firms. As you acquire experience, you grade will begain to pale into insignificance. Wish you luck.

belindy: thanks a lot sir for the insight on misconception fresh graduates have. I noticed that the 1st criteria to landing a good job is your grade. ( your result) not necessarily attaining a higher degree or professional course, my question is, how does one with a poor grade( say 3rd class) get a job or there are no chances for them at all in the labour market. thank u. thanks a lot sir for the insight on misconception fresh graduates have. I noticed that the 1st criteria to landing a good job is your grade. ( your result) not necessarily attaining a higher degree or professional course, my question is, how does one with a poor grade( say 3rd class) get a job or there are no chances for them at all in the labour market. thank u

I empathize with you. I have relatives that graduated with 2.2 and third class, and I'm fully aware of the stress they faced in the labour market before they finally made their breakthrough.
I wrote an article on that on jarushub.com. Here is it. I hope you find it useful:

www.jarushub.com/10-tips-for-graduates-with-2-2-and-lower-grades/

Cheers....

Hugo70: As a graduate of Industrial physics, wit work exp not related to oil n gas or construction coy. Pls watz d best certification that will give me best opportunity in construction n oil n gas. And probably d cost pls.

AutoCAD and PDMS can boost your opportunities if added to your certificates.

.

Hi,

Please lets try and take note of some of the key words xfire used in his post. "Misconception" i.e views that are incorrect based on faulty thinking or understanding. And i honestly think this applies mostly to fresh graduates, as they have a very faulty mentality about securing a job.

That been said, I do not think xfire is trying to imply that getting a masters degree, getting certifications or having connections cannot get fresh grads their dream jobs (else ill be forced to vehemently disagree with all three points ). However, I agree 100% with what has been listed, based on the mere fact that most graduates look towards getting certifications, getting an MSc. or having connections before working and improving basic writing, interview computer and communication skills.

Having an MSc is great (I plan on getting mine soon), same with getting relevant certifications, but neither can hide or cover up for a graduates' frailties on the basic employable skills.

"You need not have excellent computer skills – just basic" - I had the opportunity of meeting loads and loads of Nigerian graduates (from reputable Nigerian Unis), during my service year, who fall into this category; Its really sad that some Nigerian graduates do not have basic computer skills. Really really sad.

Lastly, about the MSc. thingy, there are loads and loads of Nigerian grads with Masters degree from reputable university (Nigerian and foreign), who are still very much jobless. This is particularly common in the Oil & Gas industry, as most employers will favour experience above degree. I shared in an earlier post about one of my mentees. He had his BSc and MSc degree in a reputable university in the UK (name withheld ), he is currently having his internship (very embarrassing pay) with the company I work for, and is currently working under my supervision. Truths be told, I was and still am a little disappointed with his technical "know-how". I expected alot more with all the caliber of degrees he currently possesses.

Loads of truth in here.

Thumbs up xfire.

Thank you very much for the very educative piece. Pls Mr xfire, when moving from the FCMG firm to oil and gas, did they consider your previous experience or you applied as an entry level engineer?

Mayb u shd write sth on communication and writing skilks so i can learn.please do....i js graduated 3wks ago

Tiimmy: Hi,

Please lets try and take note of some of the key words xfire used in his post. "Misconception" i.e views that are incorrect based on faulty thinking or understanding. And i honestly think this applies mostly to fresh graduates, as they have a very faulty mentality about securing a job.

That been said, I do not think xfire is trying to imply that getting a masters degree, getting certifications or having connections cannot get fresh grads their dream jobs (else ill be forced to vehemently disagree with all three points ). However, I agree 100% with what has been listed, based on the mere fact that most graduates look towards getting certifications, getting an MSc. or having connections before working and improving basic writing, interview computer and communication skills.

Having an MSc is great (I plan on getting mine soon), same with getting relevant certifications, but neither can hide or cover up for a graduates' frailties on the basic employable skills.

"You need not have excellent computer skills – just basic" - I had the opportunity of meeting loads and loads of Nigerian graduates (from reputable Nigerian Unis), during my service year, who fall into this category; Its really sad that some Nigerian graduates do not have basic computer skills. Really really sad.

Lastly, about the MSc. thingy, there are loads and loads of Nigerian grads with Masters degree from reputable university (Nigerian and foreign), who are still very much jobless. This is particularly common in the Oil & Gas industry, as most employers will favour experience above degree. I shared in an earlier post about one of my mentees. He had his BSc and MSc degree in a reputable university in the UK (name withheld ), he is currently having his internship (very embarrassing pay) with the company I work for, and is currently working under my supervision. Truths be told, I was and still am a little disappointed with his technical "know-how". I expected alot more with all the caliber of degrees he currently possesses.

Loads of truth in here.

Thumbs up xfire.

Great.
I am certainly not saying that having an MSc or couple of certifications is not essential. Like I noted, if I had graduated earlier, I would probably had gone for my Masters before thinking of a job. They may even be very necessary in some cases or career fields, but they are not a must-have to get a good job. Meaning that it can not be substituted for basic employability skills.
Definitely, I am planning to go for an MSc in a top school. I will also get a few certifications along the way. But those will never substitute experience and technical know-how.

@ the bolded above
In most cases, technical know-how is gained by experience and personal intellectual ability not necessarily by additional degrees. I also have a similar example. I once gave an example of a PhD holder (from a top UK school) who is currently an intern in my department though he doesn't work directly under me as we are not in the same unit. He wrote the entrance skills test (for graduate engineer) about a year ago as a PhD holder but he couldn't scale through! Despite the PhD, he still needed pass the job tests to be considered for interview since he has no experience. He later applied for an internship position and was selected on the basis of his PhD in a relevant field (so his PhD still counted for him). But that's all he is for now - an intern.

pinkiepetite: Mayb u shd write sth on communication and writing skilks so i can learn.please do....i js graduated 3wks ago

I have written about a lot of job and career related topics including CV writing and communication skills. Follow this thread and you should learn a lot:

https://www.nairaland.com/1576265/achieving-dream-career-story-lessons

obiscolly: Thank you very much for the very educative piece. Pls Mr xfire, when moving from the FCMG firm to oil and gas, did they consider your previous experience or you applied as an entry level engineer?

Yes, it was counted in my interviews. Experience always count. Even for well-paying entry level positions, employers seems to be a bit more favourably disposed to graduates that have had similar or related experiences or activities. But fresh graduates have a bright chance.

Hugo70: As a graduate of Industrial physics, wit work exp not related to oil n gas or construction coy. Pls watz d best certification that will give me best opportunity in construction n oil n gas. And probably d cost pls.

Ever heard of instrumentation & Controls Engineering?

http://timmsvillee..com/

ndcide:

my cousins are in shell. they are extremely brilliant guys. they gut in through STRONG referrals at the last minutes .

Abeg link me with your cousins na i brilliant too

xfire:
Yes, it was counted in my interviews. Experience always count. Even for well-paying entry level positions, employers seems to be a bit more favourably disposed to graduates that have had similar or related experiences or activities. But fresh graduates have a bright chance.

Thank you very much. Really appreciate!

I am a graduate of Environmental Technology graduated with a 2:1. Am in my early 30's; age has not really helped my job search. I finished Nysc in 2011. I have not really worked in my line of study since then. I operate a mini poultry farm. But I really want a professional career am just using d poultry to pass time and gather resources. In my quest for experience I got a job with a PSP operator in Lekki last month. The job is not really professional and the pay is quite poor. I supervise the waste collectors as they carry waste bin and load the compactor trucks. The smell is quite terrible, people often run away from us... Anyway that is not the issue. The issue is that I am looking for how I can grow in Safety n Environmental mgt. I am planning to do Nebosh IGC next year. For now am trying to raise funds from my poultry biz n the job. Some people are telling me to rather go for Msc that Nebosh is waste of money since I don't have experience. What would you advise... What I really need is a job to gather relevant professional experience and this job isn't doing that for me... @ Xfire and others I would appreciate your advice, suggestions and opinions... Sorry for the epistle

Good grades sha... those of us with 2.2 chai!! diaris God ooo

Hanibal:
Good grades sha... those of us with 2.2 chai!! diaris God ooo

Bros diaris God o, me now con finish with 3.4 and i just tire bros.. i tire... well God dey

crixtex:

Bros diaris God o, me now con finish with 3.4 and i just tire bros.. i tire... well God dey

Someone finished with 3.49 in my school. I do not know him in person but I remembered him in my prayers for a long while after I saw that list. I could only imagine his frustration. May the good Lord direct our steps.

One important thing now is for one to remain solution oriented and not lose focus. One has to find ways to boost oneself. A masters program should be in order, to supplement the 2.2 degree and make bigger opportunities possible for this entry level stage.

I love this thread. God bless the OP