Everybody knows unemployment is a big issue in this country. So many are searching for jobs long after completion of tertiary education and youth service, with few offers in sight.

We come over here to complain about the lack of job opportunities. But my experience over the past 4 months in this arena has been very interesting.

On average, hiring managers forward 3-4 job vacancies/offers to me each week, asking me for candidates I can refer to them for one job opportunity or the other.

I just moved cities and changed jobs within Nigeria, and my experience on my previous job and the new one is the same: the HR department has a LOT of open roles. They are looking for job candidates but cannot find any.

One of the HR staff keeps coming to our side of the office almost every day that they are looking for candidates to fill this role, do we know anyone to refer?

Only yesterday I was speaking with a manager on a job I'd left 2 years ago. He was complaining that he had roles to fill but didn't have candidates. I had a similar conversation with yet another ex-supervisor of mine - looking for staff for a new team he was putting together.

And it makes one wonder: so many jobs, so few qualified candidates? Or what exactly is going on?

Like I said, the last 4 months have given me a clue to what is going on.

Over the last 4 months, I have had to seek staff for short-term roles. And my experience has been lamentable. Horror stories. I could write a book on them.

The number of candidates that talk a good game but cannot deliver scrap, that promise Mount Everest but deliver an anthill - is appalling.

Initially, I kept an open mind and was willing to take people on their word, and trust that they would be reliable enough to deliver. I wanted to open up opportunities for young people to earn income commensurate to their skills. I actually had a dream to through my short-term role opportunities, nurture a pipeline of promising talent that I can whole-heartedly refer to my previous colleagues and managers who come to me seeking job candidates because they have done great work I can vouch for (I don't just refer anyone because these people come to me because they know I do quality work and value quality work and will only refer quality talent to them - I have a reputation to protect).

But after quite a few false starts and hundreds of thousands of naira down the drain, I have to ask myself: are our graduates really employable?

From my experience, and those of others, here are a few ways our graduates shoot themselves in the foot and deny themselves a chance of a rewarding job opportunity or offer:

1. Lack a can-do attitude. I remember once contacting a job candidate who had applied to fill a role to do a preliminary interview. I could tell from his CV that he had almost no experience, but the job to be done was not that technical so I felt this is something someone that learns fast can do. On calling him and explaining the work to be done in detail, imagine what the fellow told me? He sighed and started grumbling and hissing "I don't think I can do this kind of work o". And this was basic research and data gathering oo, work every university graduate would have done in their final year. I just jejely left him.

I wonder why a graduate looking for work would act that way. This is a job you sent your CV for, no one forced you to send it in. The least you could do is do research on what the role entails, and convey confidence when your interviewer calls by explaining that even though you have limited experience, you can learn quickly. I guess he wasn't really looking. But these are those people will look at, and say the Nigerian system has failed job seekers.

2. Lack a growth mindset (allergic to learning and constructive feedback). I have noticed this trend with youths, particularly in the 21-28 age range. They do not know how to handle feedback on their work output well. If you tell them their work needs improvement, they act like you have slapped them in the face. And when I see this sort of reaction I just want to shake them and tell them: you are too young to be thinking your work will be perfect from scratch! That's the value of time and experience - it improves the quality of work. You work cannot be 100% at the first attempt or even the second attempt, but with refinement, feedback, work and skills get better. But these ones will go around to report you to others that you are wicked or other falsehoods, meanwhile, you are only looking out for their own progress. (Let me iterate here that I do constructive feedback - I don't shout or insult or put down people's personalities in the name of feedback because I know this is not helpful: it only destroys self-esteem. So I am referring to normal, even-toned, dispassioned feedback. And this is the feedback they take offense with. SMH)

3. Religious fanaticism. You hear of candidates that tell interviewers that they cannot come to work on Fridays. Or that they have to leave early on Wednesdays for choir practice. Meanwhile, the first interviewer is a Muslim, and the second interviewer is a Christian, a church deacon. Imagine what the interviewers think of such candidates. When these candidates get the job rejection, they will be consoling themselves that they are facing persecution for their faith, not knowing that what they are facing is the consequence of stupidity.

That's all I will say on this one. In all things, apply wisdom.

4. Entitlement mentality. I think this is an issue I will blame the motivational speakers on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn for. They have sold this stupendous idea to young people that they can get a job that will earn them millions with almost zero experience. They convince them to toss aside "low-paying" jobs and demand to be paid "their worth". They lie to them that only paid internships should be pursued.

Let me clarify something here. I absolutely hate the idea of jobs that pay graduates what can barely take them home. But the unfortunate reality is that in a capitalist market, money follows value. People will pay you a high salary because they believe you will deliver a high value to their company. Not because you hold a certificate paper, because everyone holds that, and you know what they say about supply and demand. If you don't have in-demand, hot skills that are scarce, be ready to take up that peanut-paying job and that unpaid internship to learn what you need to learn to be in demand. It is called stooping to conquer.

But many job candidates don't understand the market they are in yet. So they struggle in this area.

5. Poor work ethic. This is one I can write a book on. It appears many graduates don't understand that employers employ them to ADD value. So they engage in behaviors that erode or destroy value for their employer. And wonder why no one wants to hire them.
What is value to an employer? Time and Trust.

How is the value of Time and Trust eroded?
i. By missing deadlines. This is when someone is asked to complete a task by 3 pm on Wednesday, but instead, completes it and send it by 5 pm on Friday. And does not apologize or communicate ahead of time that there will be a delay so their employer can manage the impact. Time is money - this is unacceptable behavior
ii. By being unreliable. This is connected to the above in a way. When a supervisor gives work to you, they want to be able to go elsewhere and come back assured that you will do the exact work. But sometimes, there is no communication, and after the time elapses, the work is not done. When your employer has to engage in prayer and fasting for you to deliver your work on time and in good quality, know you won't last long. You are creating too much stress.


6. Refusal to self-develop. In the world we are living in, the biggest disservice you can do to yourself is to end your personal learning and development with a BSc or BA. Even if you cannot afford a Master's program, there are so many free online courses that allow one to take up relevant digital skills (mind you, digital skills go beyond software programming, so there are skills for you if you absolutely hate the idea of coding).

And even asides from digital skills, there are so many other things to learn to become workplace-ready (employable). You need to learn business writing, proper verbal and written communication skills, telephone and email etiquette, emotional intelligence, team and collaboration skills. And all of these are available - for FREE! - on this internet. Same internet all of us are using. So it is always disappointing when I encounter a job seeker who has been searching for years but in all this time of searching, did not set apart time to ensure they have the workplace skills to succeed.


After all my plenty story, I'm still hoping we do have employable Nigerian graduates out there. Those that know better than to fall into the above-listed traps. What do you think? Share in the comments

Omor you write oo.
Well me I'm just starting life and I haven't reached anywhere yet. But I love your advice and I'm sure it will help me in future.

Wow. This was a nice read. You hit the nail on the head

You have a point, but I don't think employability is the issue here; it is clearly lack of employment in the country.

Was there ever a scenario in this country where the space advertised was 10 and 100 people applied; at the end of the day the employer says he Was disappointed with the people that apply and encourage fresh applicant to apply?

CamusMidas:
You have point, but I don't think employability is the issue here; it is clearly lack of employment in the country.

Was there ever a scenario in this country where the space advertised was 10 and 100 people applied; at the end of the day the employer says he disappointed with the people that apply and encourage fresh applicant to apply?

Yes! This happens many times.

mollie12:


Yes! This happens many times.

Source?

An interesting write-up, @mollie2.

It presents a few hard-hitting questions.

Unfortunately, it also reads like a tirade typical of the average low-paying Nigerian employer with a god complex.

The rant starts from your title: "Are Nigerian graduates employable?"

Fresh graduates have little to no experience and will typically seek entry-level jobs to gain experience.

On average, hiring managers forward 3-4 job vacancies/offers to me each week, asking me for candidates I can refer to them for one job opportunity or the other.

Are these hiring managers looking to fill vacant entry level positions? Because there's no shortage of young graduates out there searching for their first jobs.

Let's look at some of your points.

1. Lack a can-do attitude...

Yes, a can-do attitude is a mindset valued in the workplace.

However, you mention nothing about can-do attitudes here.

Instead, because you had one bad experience, you jeer at the unemployed who lament Nigeria's failed employment systems.

The least you could do is do research on what the role entails...

That's what the job requirements section of your job posting is for. No research needed.

Religious fanaticism. You hear of candidates that tell interviewers that they cannot come to work on Fridays. Or that they have to leave early on Wednesdays for choir practice.

Imagine what the interviewers think of such candidates.

What interviewers think of such candidates is irrelevant.

How is wanting to go to church on weekdays religious fanaticism?

You seem incensed that applicants want to maintain lives outside their workplace.

The title of this point should have been: "A lack of workplace fanaticism."

4. Entitlement mentality. [Motivational speakers] sold this stupendous idea to young people that they can get a job that will earn them millions with almost zero experience.

A lie cleverly intended to mask the ridiculousness of the next statement you make.

See next quote:

They convince them to toss aside "low-paying" jobs and demand to be paid "their worth". They lie to them that only paid internships should be pursued.

I said it - a typical low-paying employer, seeking "rockstar" talents to pay peanuts to.

For those reading, never let anyone convince you that you aren't worth reasonable pay, even if you have little to no experience.

Employers don't only pay for your skill; they pay for your time and effort, too.

If you don't have in-demand, hot skills that are scarce, be ready to take up that peanut-paying job and that unpaid internship to learn what you need to learn to be in demand. It is called stooping to conquer.

It is called slave labor, indicative of the terrible workplace you run.

Conclusion:

This rant-like write-up is just a demand for employee subservience.

Unpaid internships, peanut-paying yet high-demanding jobs... all unreasonable demands of fresh graduates.

And unreasonable demands breed hostile workplaces.

Try again.

This time, try to put yourself in the shoes of the unemployed when you write.

N2B2:
An interesting write-up, @mollie2.

It presents a few hard-hitting questions.

Unfortunately, it also reads like a tirade typical of the average low-paying Nigerian employer with a god complex.

The rant starts from your title: "Are Nigerian graduates employable?"

Fresh graduates have little to no experience and will typically seek entry-level jobs to gain experience.



Are these hiring managers looking to fill vacant entry level positions? Because there's no shortage of young graduates out there searching for their first jobs.

Let's look at some of your points.



Yes, a can-do attitude is a mindset valued in the workplace.

However, you mention nothing about can-do attitudes here.

Instead, because you had one bad experience, you jeer at the unemployed who lament Nigeria's failed employment systems.



That's what the job requirements section of your job posting is for. No research needed.



What interviewers think of such candidates is irrelevant.

How is wanting to go to church on weekdays religious fanaticism?

You seem incensed that applicants want to maintain lives outside their workplace.

The title of this point should have been: "A lack of workplace fanaticism."



A lie cleverly intended to mask the ridiculousness of the next statement you make.

See next quote:



I said it - a typical low-paying employer, seeking "rockstar" talents to pay peanuts to.

For those reading, never let anyone convince you that you aren't worth reasonable pay just because, even if you have little to no experience.

Employers don't only pay for your skill; they pay for your time and effort, too.



It is called slave labor, indicative of the terrible workplace you run.

Conclusion:

This rant-like write-up is just a demand for employee subservience.

Unpaid internships, peanut-paying yet high-demanding jobs... all unreasonable demands of fresh graduates.

And unreasonable demands breed hostile workplaces.

Try again.

This time, try to put yourself in the shoes of the unemployed when you write.

Nothing more to add. I'm sure you are one of the target unemployable folks this post set out to address.
With each rebuttal, you have corroborated my initial point. Looking for excuses to remain lazy and not make the needed changes to become employable.

And by the way - on your points on me paying peanuts. Lol. You missed where I said I lost hundreds of thousands of naira on low-value hires.

My payout rate was NGN50,000 per week (that comes to NGN200k per month) for fresh graduates because I wanted to give young people a chance. That's more than 6x the national minimum wage. But with submissions like yours, I now see why most employers of labor insist on paying peanuts. Since people don't want to take corrections and learn how to improve themselves and their value.

N2B2:
An interesting write-up, @mollie2.

It presents a few hard-hitting questions.

Unfortunately, it also reads like a tirade typical of the average low-paying Nigerian employer with a god complex.

The rant starts from your title: "Are Nigerian graduates employable?"

Fresh graduates have little to no experience and will typically seek entry-level jobs to gain experience.



Are these hiring managers looking to fill vacant entry level positions? Because there's no shortage of young graduates out there searching for their first jobs.

Let's look at some of your points.



Yes, a can-do attitude is a mindset valued in the workplace.

However, you mention nothing about can-do attitudes here.

Instead, because you had one bad experience, you jeer at the unemployed who lament Nigeria's failed employment systems.



That's what the job requirements section of your job posting is for. No research needed.



What interviewers think of such candidates is irrelevant.

How is wanting to go to church on weekdays religious fanaticism?

You seem incensed that applicants want to maintain lives outside their workplace.

The title of this point should have been: "A lack of workplace fanaticism."



A lie cleverly intended to mask the ridiculousness of the next statement you make.

See next quote:



I said it - a typical low-paying employer, seeking "rockstar" talents to pay peanuts to.

For those reading, never let anyone convince you that you aren't worth reasonable pay just because, even if you have little to no experience.

Employers don't only pay for your skill; they pay for your time and effort, too.



It is called slave labor, indicative of the terrible workplace you run.

Conclusion:

This rant-like write-up is just a demand for employee subservience.

Unpaid internships, peanut-paying yet high-demanding jobs... all unreasonable demands of fresh graduates.

And unreasonable demands breed hostile workplaces.

Try again.

This time, try to put yourself in the shoes of the unemployed when you write.

you have spoken my mind,, you saw through his ranting,, the joy is that graduates are becoming smarter,, about 10 of my friends
whom we finish university in 2020 are all into business and doing well ,None is ready to slave their prime years for a job that pays peanut and demand so much from you,,
look at the way he was ranting as if all Nigerian graduates are daft,,this same people that are not employable to him are the same people when they goes outside the country ends up as hot cakes, dont worry we dont blame you ,,we blame the useless leaders that kept this country this way,, just like revolution, a time will come when most of you employers will have just u and your families to pay that peanut of a slavery you called salary, it is just a matter of time.

mollie12:


Nothing more to add. I'm sure you are one of the target unemployable folks this post set out to address.
With each rebuttal, you have corroborated my initial point. Looking for excuses to remain lazy and not make the needed changes to become employable.

And by the way - on your points on me paying peanuts. Lol. You missed where I said I lost hundreds of thousands of naira on low-value hires.

My payout rate was NGN50,000 per week (that comes to NGN200k per month) for fresh graduates because I wanted to give young people a chance. That's more than 6x the national minimum wage. But with submissions like yours, I now see why most employers of labor insist on paying peanuts. Since people don't want to take corrections and learn how to improve themselves and their value.

so he is lazy because he did not agree with your points? you already access him on nairaland and comes into conclusion that he is an employee who needs your job to survive, so the need to improve? your arrogance stinks even from here,, take ur job and shove it up ur ass

I know some graduates that cannot spell names correctly

Hell no

People just have to pass

.

Speaking for myself, i doubt if we are employable.

I studied an animal health related course and i can boldly tell you that i know nothing about animals apart from the names of livestocks and maybe their gestation period.

How to treat them? No!

We had few practicals when i was in school but practical was just anothrr theory class done in the lab or on the field.

Though i am not practicing what i studied byt the truth is that, i feel i wasted my time going to school! I merely earned the certificate.


NB: If i read, i can understand what i learnt but i can't apply the knowledge on the field

Yes

Hehehe.

You made some valid points in your write up,but I can tell you that some Nigerian graduates are the best you can get.

Most people don't go for interview again because of the Nigerian factor(nepotism),so they prefer staying back at home,instead of wasting their money on transport.

Another area where I fault some employers is the years of experience they keep on talking about. What happens to training these guys,who knows they might be better than the ones who have spent years in such job.

Another thing I noticed about interviews in Nigeria is that,they don't interview you based on the job you applied for and your field of study.

No, to an extent

Most of us will not employ ourselves if given the opportunity

What kind of defamatory thread is this? Foreigners will read this and draw up silly, fallacious conclusions about our educational system and youth's mental capacity and tomorrow, y'all will claim Nigerians aren't being accepted in certain places.

Most of us are highly unpatriotic... This is a nonsensical thread!

Yes

So many not eligible

mollie12:
Everybody knows unemployment is a big issue in this country. So many are searching for jobs long after completion of tertiary education and youth service, with few offers in sight.

We come over here to complain about the lack of job opportunities. But my experience over the past 4 months in this arena has been very interesting.

On average, hiring managers forward 3-4 job vacancies/offers to me each week, asking me for candidates I can refer to them for one job opportunity or the other.

I just moved cities and changed jobs within Nigeria, and my experience on my previous job and the new one is the same: the HR department has a LOT of open roles. They are looking for job candidates but cannot find any.

One of the HR staff keeps coming to our side of the office almost every day that they are looking for candidates to fill this role, do we know anyone to refer?

Only yesterday I was speaking with a manager on a job I'd left 2 years ago. He was complaining that he had roles to fill but didn't have candidates. I had a similar conversation with yet another ex-supervisor of mine - looking for staff for a new team he was putting together.

And it makes one wonder: so many jobs, so few qualified candidates? Or what exactly is going on?

Like I said, the last 4 months have given me a clue to what is going on.

Over the last 4 months, I have had to seek staff for short-term roles. And my experience has been lamentable. Horror stories. I could write a book on them.

The number of candidates that talk a good game but cannot deliver scrap, that promise Mount Everest but deliver an anthill - is appalling.

Initially, I kept an open mind and was willing to take people on their word, and trust that they would be reliable enough to deliver. I wanted to open up opportunities for young people to earn income commensurate to their skills. I actually had a dream to through my short-term role opportunities, nurture a pipeline of promising talent that I can whole-heartedly refer to my previous colleagues and managers who come to me seeking job candidates because they have done great work I can vouch for (I don't just refer anyone because these people come to me because they know I do quality work and value quality work and will only refer quality talent to them - I have a reputation to protect).

But after quite a few false starts and hundreds of thousands of naira down the drain, I have to ask myself: are our graduates really employable?

From my experience, and those of others, here are a few ways our graduates shoot themselves in the foot and deny themselves a chance of a rewarding job opportunity or offer:

1. Lack a can-do attitude. I remember once contacting a job candidate who had applied to fill a role to do a preliminary interview. I could tell from his CV that he had almost no experience, but the job to be done was not that technical so I felt this is something someone that learns fast can do. On calling him and explaining the work to be done in detail, imagine what the fellow told me? He sighed and started grumbling and hissing "I don't think I can do this kind of work o". And this was basic research and data gathering oo, work every university graduate would have done in their final year. I just jejely left him.

I wonder why a graduate looking for work would act that way. This is a job you sent your CV for, no one forced you to send it in. The least you could do is do research on what the role entails, and convey confidence when your interviewer calls by explaining that even though you have limited experience, you can learn quickly. I guess he wasn't really looking. But these are those people will look at, and say the Nigerian system has failed job seekers.

2. Lack a growth mindset (allergic to learning and constructive feedback). I have noticed this trend with youths, particularly in the 21-28 age range. They do not know how to handle feedback on their work output well. If you tell them their work needs improvement, they act like you have slapped them in the face. And when I see this sort of reaction I just want to shake them and tell them: you are too young to be thinking your work will be perfect from scratch! That's the value of time and experience - it improves the quality of work. You work cannot be 100% at the first attempt or even the second attempt, but with refinement, feedback, work and skills get better. But these ones will go around to report you to others that you are wicked or other falsehoods, meanwhile, you are only looking out for their own progress. (Let me iterate here that I do constructive feedback - I don't shout or insult or put down people's personalities in the name of feedback because I know this is not helpful: it only destroys self-esteem. So I am referring to normal, even-toned, dispassioned feedback. And this is the feedback they take offense with. SMH)

3. Religious fanaticism. You hear of candidates that tell interviewers that they cannot come to work on Fridays. Or that they have to leave early on Wednesdays for choir practice. Meanwhile, the first interviewer is a Muslim, and the second interviewer is a Christian, a church deacon. Imagine what the interviewers think of such candidates. When these candidates get the job rejection, they will be consoling themselves that they are facing persecution for their faith, not knowing that what they are facing is the consequence of stupidity.

That's all I will say on this one. In all things, apply wisdom.

4. Entitlement mentality. I think this is an issue I will blame the motivational speakers on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn for. They have sold this stupendous idea to young people that they can get a job that will earn them millions with almost zero experience. They convince them to toss aside "low-paying" jobs and demand to be paid "their worth". They lie to them that only paid internships should be pursued.

Let me clarify something here. I absolutely hate the idea of jobs that pay graduates what can barely take them home. But the unfortunate reality is that in a capitalist market, money follows value. People will pay you a high salary because they believe you will deliver a high value to their company. Not because you hold a certificate paper, because everyone holds that, and you know what they say about supply and demand. If you don't have in-demand, hot skills that are scarce, be ready to take up that peanut-paying job and that unpaid internship to learn what you need to learn to be in demand. It is called stooping to conquer.

But many job candidates don't understand the market they are in yet. So they struggle in this area.

5. Poor work ethic. This is one I can write a book on. It appears many graduates don't understand that employers employ them to ADD value. So they engage in behaviors that erode or destroy value for their employer. And wonder why no one wants to hire them.
What is value to an employer? Time and Trust.

How is the value of Time and Trust eroded?
i. By missing deadlines. This is when someone is asked to complete a task by 3 pm on Wednesday, but instead, completes it and send it by 5 pm on Friday. And does not apologize or communicate ahead of time that there will be a delay so their employer can manage the impact. Time is money - this is unacceptable behavior
ii. By being unreliable. This is connected to the above in a way. When a supervisor gives work to you, they want to be able to go elsewhere and come back assured that you will do the exact work. But sometimes, there is no communication, and after the time elapses, the work is not done. When your employer has to engage in prayer and fasting for you to deliver your work on time and in good quality, know you won't last long. You are creating too much stress.


6. Refusal to self-develop. In the world we are living in, the biggest disservice you can do to yourself is to end your personal learning and development with a BSc or BA. Even if you cannot afford a Master's program, there are so many free online courses that allow one to take up relevant digital skills (mind you, digital skills go beyond software programming, so there are skills for you if you absolutely hate the idea of coding).

And even asides from digital skills, there are so many other things to learn to become workplace-ready (employable). You need to learn business writing, proper verbal and written communication skills, telephone and email etiquette, emotional intelligence, team and collaboration skills. And all of these are available - for FREE! - on this internet. Same internet all of us are using. So it is always disappointing when I encounter a job seeker who has been searching for years but in all this time of searching, did not set apart time to ensure they have the workplace skills to succeed.


After all my plenty story, I'm still hoping we do have employable Nigerian graduates out there. Those that know better than to fall into the above-listed traps. What do you think? Share in the comments

Bitter truth

.

Yes! I am employable.

Nice points

No, except the ones that made extra effort to standout

You are saying rubbish

OP
Is all this the same reason why the US is experiencing a shortage of staff and THE GREAT RESIGNATION?

Loads of unfilled roles in the US too, is this as a result of "motivational speakers" or religious fanaticism?

VERY employable

It depends

YES.... you thought i was going to say no

Lol