[Employment Opportunities!] A sure way to secure a job before you graduate from school

I hardly look for a job at any stage of my life despite the scarcity of employment opportunities in Nigeria. Anytime I resonate through my journey, I noticed that most of the time, I moved from being a student to an employed graduate almost immediately – a maximum of just two days’ interval. Interesting fact, I had a time where my employers were waiting for me to finish up as soon as possible. I was even the one that was begging them to give me a little more days because I don’t just want to leave my friends so soon – especially my crush that year.

Let me burst your brain. One of the jobs gave me free accommodation – it was a job in Lekki Nigeria.

I don’t have any prior experience neither do I have any connection to get all these jobs. How exactly do I then get the job? Read this article to the end and you will get the answer you want so that you too can be a better version of me.

Life after school syndrome

A lot of people get scared when they are done with schooling at any stage of life. Examples are

• University graduate during their NYSC (National Youth Service Corp known as NYSC is a one year program created by the Nigerian government that makes every graduate serve their motherland after graduation)
• Secondary school graduate who is about to write JAMB (Joint Admission and Matriculation Board which is called JAMB is an exam written by secondary graduates if he wants to progress into the university)

Though….

 I am still a student at the moment and you probably might be hissing right now.

You might want to say

Just Imagine. You are still a student and you want to advise me on how to get a job? So silly

Before you conclude your judgment on me and I hope you haven’t rained curse on me yet (Smiles), will you take another minute to listen to my story, please? 

My story

Right from secondary school, I have always stayed close to my teachers. Aside from them being my teachers, I built a personal relationship with them too. I have always been a brilliant student which might be the reason I could connect with them easily. Right?

Well, that is not the only reason but it was part of it though.

Immediately after I finished writing my WAEC, i got a teaching job in the school I finished from, to resume as an assistant teacher three days after my last examination paper (In case you don’t know the meaning of WAEC, West African Examination Council is a promotional exam written in west Africa by students who wants to continue their education to the university or those that just needed the certificate).

At the higher institution stage, shortly after i finished my final exams as a national diploma graduate, I went for an interview in Lekki. That was my first interview ever and I didn’t know what to expect. I was nervous and it became more complicated because I had to wait for hours before my employer could attend to me. But then, it was one of the easiest interview ever because it was one of my lecturers that referred me. You can’t believe the questions he asked. Let me keep that for another article

At another time as a university student – a University of Lagos student precisely, I approached one of my lecturers because i perceived he works outside being a lecturer and I sell myself to him – we will talk about how to sell yourself in another article here on Tumihub.com which is why you should stay close to our blog posts. So back to my story, I gave him my number eventually and he started to call me to assist him with one or two things at his office. That was how we connect. Do you know what happened next?

I started gaining experience about my course of study right from his office. When he wants to bid for a contract, we do that together. At a point, I thought he was using me but on the other side, I was learning what they won’t teach me in class. Besides, he always sorts out the feeding aspects at these times. I always try to vent my anger of the stress he put me through on the food I buys for myself – I enjoy myself (Smiles).

 During the long Covid19 break, just before the lockdown was imposed and also when it was eased, I worked with him in his company. I made some money and also gained a lot some experience.

Use them – your lecturers – as my Referee

Another thing I have secured with my proprietor and these lecturers is that it is easy for me to use any of them as my referee in my CV. I can easily rely on them.

There is so much more I really can’t remember.  I remember the time I was struggling to gather my school fee for a particular session, one of them was always asking if I have paid and when I told him I haven’t – I also started my reasons – he asked for my account details immediately and did the transaction.    

Connect with them

Connect with your lecturers. You know why? See the statistics below about the rate of unemployment in Nigeria which also applies to other countries too. If you are a student, look at what you will be competing with when you graduate.

Nigeria’s unemployment rate jumps to 27.1% as of 2020 Q2 which means about 21.7million Nigerians remain unemployed. Also, it was emphasized that this unemployment rate has more than tripled in the last five years. Do you what that means to the next five years?

nairametrics and QZ.com stated these

Whereas, there are jobs at your fingertips. The jobs you can get even before you leave that university you called a scam- well, it is a scam actually (Smiles).

These lecturers are not gods

They are human just like every one of us. No matter how strict they seem to be while in class. Sometimes, they only portray that character because students can easily take advantage of a situation. Students can easily take people for granted and so they (the lecturers) want to avoid it so that it won’t get to the stage of you trying to play with their mustache.

Approach them

If you figure out any of the lecturers you want to connect with, approach them. How will you even do that? Well, all I can say is that you should figure it out. Just be sure that you make your findings of the lecturer and be very sure before you approach him.

If you are a lady, you have to be double sure – I don’t have to explain why because I believe you already know.

One more thing – A bonus

Lastly, stop being scared of those lecturers and school admins. Get yourself together and ensure that you are on your best behavior. Your choice of words is very important too. There is no big deal. Grow your courage and learn how to get things done. Tumihub is here to help you grow that. All you need to do is to stay close to us

Your career is in your hands, take it seriously.

Please share

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