Being employable for job opportunities in Nigeria today should not be underestimated. Nigeria produces thousands of graduates every year. And a lot of people are changing jobs now more than ever. This means that there is fierce competition for job seekers in the job market today. Therefore, you must stand out in the crowd. Why? So that you will get a better chance at landing your dream job. How do you make yourself stand out then? Well, in this article we will share some tips on how you can make yourself employable and increase your hiring chance in the job market.
Tip #1: Have Great grades
Do not be deceived, having good grades is very essential to landing your dream job – especially if the job is in line with your course. The competition is already fierce as it is, now imagine you having a 2:2 competing with a first-class candidate. Although, having good grades is not just enough in some cases as there are other factors attached. But it cannot be underestimated, because it creates a soft landing that you build other factors on. So, if you are still in school, work hard to come out with good grades; it will improve your chance in the job market. However, if you are already a graduate, then you need to work on other aspects which we will talk about in this article.
Tip #2: Improve soft skills
Soft skills are basic requirements for almost every job worldwide. What are soft skills? They are traits and interpersonal skills that portray how you relate to people. Examples of soft skills include communication and problem-solving skills, teamwork, work ethics, and so on. Companies want to know how you relate with others and how fast your thinking is. So if you can develop your soft skills, you have increased your chance of being hired.
Tip #3: Develop IT skills
Knowing basic IT skills is another thing that can make you employable for job opportunities. It might seem cliche but some graduates do not know how to use IT tools such as Microsoft Office, Google suite, zoom, and others. And in recent times, when companies have moved to the digital world, there is a need for employers with IT skills. So make sure you learn how to use these major tools to increase your hiring chance.
Tip #4: Take online courses
Online courses have made it easier for people to alter their careers. In recent times, most schools do not teach in-demand skills such as software development, graphics designing, and so on. So, you can go to online platforms such as Coursera, Futurelearn, and so on to learn these skills. You can even learn soft skills and basic online skills from these platforms.
Tip #5: Get Masters Degree or Certification
For some fields having a masters degree can make you more employable. These fields include the engineering field, lecturing field, and so on. So to leverage your chances in these fields you need to get a masters degree.
In addition to that, there are professions that need professional certification. For instance, in the accounting world, you need to have professional certifications such as ANAN, ICAN, and so on. This helps to make you employable for job opportunities in big companies.
Tip #6: Internship/Volunteering
We cannot overemphasize the importance of internships and volunteering. In recent times, a lot of companies tend to hire applicants that have experience in their arsenal. This is because some companies are not ready to pay for training expenses. Only a few companies do that though. So to gather job experience, you can intern at organizations or go for volunteering jobs. This will fill up the experience space in your CV and can improve your employability status.
Tip #7: Craft a Killer CV
Your CV is the first thing a recruiter sees when they want to hire you. Therefore, you need to create a killer CV. However, you should have your CV tailored to the type of job you are applying for. Ensure the skills you list in your CV are relevant to the job you are applying for. Keep your CV short and straight to the point (nobody has time for long CVs again).
Tip #8: Network
Networking goes a long way in making yourself employable for job opportunities in Nigeria. These days, who you know is as important as what you know everywhere in the world. So do not think it is only a Nigerian factor. Make sure you network with professionals in your field to increase your chance of being hired.
How do you network, you ask? Well, a great way of networking is through your online presence. Follow relevant people in your field and engage with their posts. You can reach out to people on LinkedIn as well and before you know it, you have a lot of people in your corner.
Tip #9: Create or Improve your online presence
Create an online presence that makes it easier for employers to find you if they decide to search your name. Engage in relevant conversations on social media. And you can even have a small blog on medium where you share your thoughts about things relevant to your industry. Use keywords relevant to your field to optimize your profile make you visible. This way you are making yourself employable for job opportunities in Nigeria.
Tip #10: Read Extensively about your Industry.
Reading extensively about your industry is one of the ways of increasing your hiring chances. This will keep you abreast of every happening in your industry. And you will be able to keep conversations going. This will help you during the interview process as well.
Conclusion:
Most companies/organizations are not hiring you because of what they can do for you. They want to know what you can do for them and how much value you can add to the organization. All the tips in this article will help you build yourself and give value to others. Therefore, if you follow these tips, you are on your way to landing your dream job.
