butanep:


I will like to have a personal chat with you. How can i reach you please?

butanep:
Inspiring thread

I need someone to review my CV and cover letter.


Gold45 please can you help?


Thanks in anticipation.

Aude:


No I am not in HR. I was once unemployed and it took a lot of soul searching, observing people and being open to criticisms to get me to where I am today. I really do like your posts and I am happy that you didn't feel I was encroaching on your territory. I am certainly open to networking and I am willing to pass on my experiences and advice to anyone who is willing to listen. I don't consider myself a pro but I think I have something to bring to the table.

Gold45:


Im pretty surprised you aren't a HR.
Territory keh, I have a million fishes to fry. Any extra hand is welcome.
Once I am a bit free, I'll contact you so we can talk more. (may be in a months time or next year)

Aude:

I responded so you can email me now.

enigmatic16:


I like d way u responded 2 comments n I wud like u 2 review my interviewing skills or mentor me in that line...I am fresh graduate, just past out from nysc 2weeks ago and I could use a guide in this terrain... wud appreciate it if u drop ur email so I can contact u

Gold45:
As an international Recruiter,
I have noticed some things that hinder my recruitment in Nigeria, it is heart breaking when someone comes to me and says I'm relocating to the USA or Canada or wherever, what placement can you get for me and just by chatting with the person, I know that it will have to be a menial job despite the diplomas and degrees.
There is a reason why I have Recruited over 50 expatriates from some unimaginable countries into Nigeria where they got perks like:
3 bedroom furnished apartment in the Lekki area a few bus stops away from the company
2 domestic staffs to do the cleaning, cooking and driving.
Comprehensive health insurance
Approx. 10M annual salary
28 working days paid vacation
3 working days paid leave
Approx 3M in other allowances
Return annual paid tickets to their home country annually
In some cases a lesser paying job for the spouse is guaranteed.

I have facilitated the purchase of some Multi Million houses which Companies bought for their expatriate staffs. The minimum being 700M for 20 units of 3 bedroom flats, and some up to 2 Billion just for these expatriates.

You must be thinking why, below are some of the reasons in my opinion.
1. Education
Our universities don't help matters, they split one course into 3 units for students to study and graduate and use 20 years old techniques / syllabus to teach. As a result, fresh Nigerian graduates and even West African graduates can not stand fresh graduates from other parts of the world until they have experience or go for more classes. I begin to ask, what is the craze to get admission and graduate for?

2. Lack of seriousness on the part of the students
As if that isnt enough, many of their results were bought in the sense that in a new setting, they can't defend this result. A Bsc Econs holder couldn't pass an exam to place her in a 200level equivalent in the USA. While in school, a lot of them joined cults and turned to private prostitutes just to get the good grades. News Flash!!! Recruiters are fully aware and can't be deceived.

3. Inability to speak good English
What breaks my heart now is that many of them can't speak good English. They are well educated in the best schools but nothing to show for it. If that cert. goes missing today, and they have the opportunity to write another exam to receive a new result, 80% won't pass. Yes, English isn't our mother tongue but when you want a job in a company where English language is spoken, you have to speak English too. Your command of English is highly important. It can speak a lot about you even before you present your certs.

4. Greed
Now, once in a while, I see a graduate who has ticked all the wrong boxes still forming "I know my worth and wont settle for less". I'll simply tell you to call me next week as that's when I'll be recruiting for the big fishes and that will be the end. The bad part of these incompetence is that you never know you have them. Hence, there's nothing to lower those over inflated egos.

5. Nonchalant attitude
Some feel once they have gotten their certs esp. the 1st class and 2nd class upper, they have tried abeg. Cut them some slack, give them a break. But they don't understand that its just the beginning. You must seek more exposure by all means. Keep reading, keep find ways to polish your trophy, keep learning from those who are there.
For example; I can say, 90% of graduates, cant write a standard cover letter, 85% cant write a standard Resume / CV. My mum looked at an applicants cv one day, laughed and said, My CV was as naive as this when I applied for my first job. Meaning, that CV was in vogue in the 1970's!!! I'll talk more on the CV later.

6. Unrealistic desires
Okay, we all know you didn't spend years in the Uni for nothing. You didn't go to Boko Haram infested areas during your service for nothing etc. But baby, its time to wake up! Life isn't rosy anymore. There is tight competition out there. There are over 2000 people better than you graduating every year. The best tool you have when job hunting is experience. I daresay experience is more valuable than degrees in some cases. Start where you are as long as i can recharge your phone, transport you to and from work and pay your basic bills, it will be worth it.
Learn from Dami:
Dami (not real name) ticked 3 wrong boxes and due to the strict requirement, could never see the light of the job. What did Dami do?
He wrote a new application letter volunteering to work for free only asking to be allowed to benefit from the Company's transport as he lives far. 2 years later, Dami got a job in that company as an Assistant Mgr.

7. Lack of Packaging
You are a brand, you wish to be the face of a company, how can you sell the company in a good image if you can't sell yourself? Start with your CV and cover letter.
I don't care where you are from unless the job specifically asked for candidates from a particular region. telling me you have an experience as a waiter in a 7* hotel when applying for the post of a teacher will make me shove your resume in the bin.
Indicate all that apply and leave out the unnecessary details. I skim through 80 - 100 Cv's in 1hr or more. Meaning at a glance, I want to see what I want shouting back at me in your resume. Keep it straight to the point and Brief. Don't lie! Be creative, learn new ways to write a cv. Always ask someone who likes you to proof read for you. Always run a spell check. Don't have one CV. I have more than 8. Always create a new CV to fit the new job. Indicate in the section for skills, all your skills which was listed as a requirement.

8. Failing to test all spirits
Apply to all positions you feel you are qualified for.
Secret: You don't need to have it all. Hr Managers are there to brush you up!

I have to stop now.
Below is the cv of a guy with just WAEC ( I edited it for him )


The other pix are for laughter effects

Aude:


No I am not in HR. I was once unemployed and it took a lot of soul searching, observing people and being open to criticisms to get me to where I am today. I really do like your posts and I am happy that you didn't feel I was encroaching on your territory. I am certainly open to networking and I am willing to pass on my experiences and advice to anyone who is willing to listen. I don't consider myself a pro but I think I have something to bring to the table.

Aude:


No I am not in HR. I was once unemployed and it took a lot of soul searching, observing people and being open to criticisms to get me to where I am today. I really do like your posts and I am happy that you didn't feel I was encroaching on your territory. I am certainly open to networking and I am willing to pass on my experiences and advice to anyone who is willing to listen. I don't consider myself a pro but I think I have something to bring to the table.

prettyboi1:
Nice article. I keep saying a lot of us Nigerian youths are very unenlightened....even the so-called 'educated' ones. All we brag about here is "I went to school", "I have a degree", "I am a first-class/second class-upper/second class lower student", "I studied engineering ", "I'm a doctor" etc....who the fvck cares? If you can offer me practical thinking and solutions, you don't interest me, screw your 'certificate'.

yorex2011:
I'm usually saddened when Nigerian graduates and students are belittled, using qualifiers as "half-baked" and "unemployable".
Considering I'm a recent Graduate myself.
We are compared with our counterparts from other developed countries, forgetting that we are a developing country.
True, there are a number that fall short of expectation, but it is like that in other countries too.
I recently registered for a massive open online course (MOOC) organized by IFP school France, and i am impressed at their methodology, and i imagined, that's how it should be in their schools there too, learning is convenient and interesting, unlike here in Nigeria where we have to go through hurdles, such as economic hardships, poor amenities, difficult learning conditions and yet still graduate with good grades.

Nigerian graduates should not be belittled, if not for anything but for the fact that we triumphed in difficult conditions.
Everyday we see topics of Engineering students building stuff and here on Nairaland are still insulted, and their efforts rubbished. Do they think its easy building something out of nothing, it shows our innovative and never say die spirit.

We should try to help out, we wont get anywhere by criticizing everyday, we should try to offer solutions, seek out ways to improve the state of things. Rome wasn't built in a day.

I'm currently looking for a job, but i helped a fellow nairalander review his cv once, I'm not a professional CV writer, but i read a lot and I did it, as a way of contributing to some form of development. Same with a group i created for unemployed graduates where we share ideas, information, tips, ideas. Its not much but I'm contributing the little i can.

We sometimes forget the days of humble beginnings, someone that schooled in Nigeria, maybe holding a good position, calling graduates unemployable...

Nigerians are good people, hardworking, it goes beyond what you see, its a way of life, even if 90% of us can't write a cover letter or 85% of use can't write a CV, we will keep persevering, we will keep going till we overcome

Note that a future president, future CEO, future Nobel prize winner is currently among these so-called half baked.

God bless us all

sakalisis:
Hi OP

I am a freelance technology (Phone) researcher and entreprenuer, am a certified Java programmer coupled with my knowledge of phone and laptop repairs. I also graduated with a strong 2.1 in Physics Electronics from the best technology university in Nigeria.

My email is sakalisis@yahoo.com. I will be looking forward tp your reply.

Thanks.

Aude:

I responded so you can email me now.

Johniyke2flex:
Came here looking for the way forward, but as usual, OP has only stated the problems.

Is it not irony that some of these HR managers that only became polished after they had spent many years undergoing trainings from top tier companies would later turn around and complain about the unavailability of employable graduates?

Nigerian graduates are employable. Just a few of them are a mess, and those few need just rechannel their manpower to something else.

We are constantly being judged by the standards of developed nation. It is absolutely wrong. In life you get what you pay for.

I was very surprised when a very close friend that I graduated with some years back echoed those same words..."Nigerian graduates are unemployable." I was mad. Is it this same guy that graduated with a weak 2.2? Is it this same guy whose uncle help facilitate his employment into the multinational where he currently works? He was the least intelligent in our group, and there he was, spewing trash. Of course I echoed all that in my mind.

He had become refined and polished, but cowardly, he had dissociated himself from the system that produced him. He had clung to the system that cleaned him up, and was judging others by his current standard. That's the irony of the Nigerian situation.

Give everybody that equal opportunity and watch the Nigerian graduate soar to high heavens.

I may not have that perfect CV, and, I may not have attended an ivy league school, but, I am employable, and, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Gold45:

smh, how do you know the job description more than the staff

ambassadorgozie:
DEAR RECRUITER,

I am Mr Paul, studied International relations and graduated with 2.1 from a federal university, certified in French language and HSE, proficient in the use of MS office suite ,and i write articles..
Please help to fix me somewhere.

My email is ambassadorgozie@gmail.com .
I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards.
Paul




Help a jobless graduate..

Merci beaucoup!

Gold45:


I'll do a post on that later

ok. Thank you.

jonnywaka:

Ambassadorgozie, first rule of thumb for any recruiter to take your seriously is your email.
If you graduated with a 2.1 you should know better. You want a job and you want a recruiter to take you seriously, please change your email to something more professional; like your full name or first letters of your name. Professionalism is the watch word.
Just a tip.
Good luck in your job hunting. Good things will c9ne to you.

exotiqueify:


Relax my brother, i do not know ambassadorgozie personally, but i think his mail was coined form what he aspires to be(an ambassador),(he studied International Relations) and his name, gozie.....Hence, ambassadorgozie@........com

amicable09:
Dear HR manager, sorry in as much as you are pained, we are also more pained. One of these days I will write an article and post my pains too. Truth is we don't know what you recruiters want! I've noticed your preferences vary as well as the CVs and Cover Letters.

We apply and get short listed, you bomb us with questions during the aptitude test that has no relationship whatsoever with the job role. Fortunately, we ace the test and are invited for an interview then you make the interview look like a war zone... very hostile looking panel throwing questions at you, other times you meet other HR Mgrs who simply act as though they are doing you a favor, haba! Me, I tire for all of these attitude sef. If there is a particular thing you are looking for just say it! if you want to pay a graduate 20k because we studied in Nigeria then say it as well, it is not when we say what we want then you will post us to a later date,, Next week! Not fair jare

Gold45:
Please, I'll reply more on this later in the day. I am busy now.
Thanks.