How to Get a Good Job After NYSC (Youth Service)
In this article, the Scholary Web team will be providing answers to members of the National Youth Service Commission. That have been searching for things like How to Get a Good Job After NYSC in Nigeria, How to secure a job after camp, Get a job after clearance or batch.
Being a copper is like the most amazing that has happened to you all your life. No more exams, lectures, and deadly assignments. You are officially an “apple of the Federal Government’s eye. I’m sure you must have heard the rumors.
“There aren’t enough jobs out there anymore”,
“First Class graduates are roaming the streets”,
“The Pay is terrible”.
Well, some of the rumors are true. There aren’t enough Jobs provided for the graduates out there. So you need to outsmart the competition by preparing ahead.
Immediately after my NYSC, securing a job/internship was not so easy. I wasn’t ready to bow to the pressure of being a teacher and to make matters worse, I had little or no experience
But soon, I discovered these tips in the hardest way possible.
Here are the 5 tips that I soon learned to secure an internship and a job afterward.
1: Acquire a Skill
A man once told me that the problem with Nigeria is a result of celebrating and hyping the Academicians over the professionals who know the technical aspect of every trade.
Skills are the way forward. And presently, the current government administration has made various policies to support skill acquisition. Going the extra mile to acquire one or two relevant skills will make you an edge over your fellow job seekers.
You can learn the following skills during your service year.
Computer Networking
Digital Marketing
Shoe and Bag Making
Graphic Design
Video Editing
And so many others.
Your grades do not really matter when it comes to skills.
Keys to success: My keys to turning this around were getting an early jump on exams and really focusing on understanding the material. Practice exams are critical for understanding what kind of questions are asked.
2: Learn How to Be Original With Your Cv/Resume
We believe so much in following protocols and being generic. So many graduates just believe in duplicating someone else’s work.
Let’s take an experiment: Collect a CV of 100 graduates and review them, over 50 percent will use the same format, 20 percent might tend to use the same cv templates with common generic words and phrases.
Graduates need to take time to craft their own original resumes. Definitely, your cv must follow a particular rule but make sure you express yourself. Be different, and make your Resume strike a chord in the heart of the recruiters.
Additional Tip
3: Networking
Honestly, I think I was the only person in the world who didn’t have a godfather or uncle that promised me an automatic job placement immediately I completed my NYSC. So what did I do? I had to NETWORK. I did not know anyone in a position of influence. I made everything tough on myself by playing the same game trying to cold apply to jobs. I ended up just getting lucky but my friends that forged a connection either through clubs, student organizations, or just through other life connections like family friends had a much easier path. Playing the large number game and shooting out as many applications as possible worked out in the end but is a suboptimal strategy.
You’ll need to research what you want or where you want to go. If you plan on working with UBA, you’ll have to connect with UBA staff and Executives on LinkedIn and Other Platforms. Another way is by asking friends and family. someone might know someone who Knows someone else that might be able to offer you a golden opportunity or recruitment insight.
A referral from a good employee is the best tool in a recruiter’s pocket so it is a win-win.
Bonus Tips on How to Get a Job After NYSC
1: CDS and Personal Projects
Community Development Service (CDS) is one of the four (4) Cardinal Programs of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in which Corps Members contribute positively to the development of their host communities throughout the period of National service.
Many Corpers don’t really put their heart into it since it was somehow forced on them and if given an option, they’ll abandon it. NYSC reminds us that CDS is one of its core Programmes. This allows corpers to become beneficial to their communities and various Places of Assignment.
How can CDS get me a Job?
Well, CDS projects are one way to “advertise” yourself or your skills. We’ve heard stories of Corpers who were impressed In these areas and were rewarded with Job Placements.
Undertake various personal or CDS group projects, not for the aim of getting rewarded but for the benefit and progress of your immediate environment.
5: Attend Relevant Seminars and Workshops
One thing about your service year is that there is always free time. Spend it by attending seminars/workshops that will give you more exposure. If you are going to work in a bank, attend financial workshops and learn. Attending these programmes also gives you the opportunity to network with peers and professionals.
These tips might not Land you at “Chevron Nigeria” or KPMG, but definitely closer to your dreams. The competition out there is truly harsh and the game is not fair. So you have to separate yourself from the competition and get ready to get that dream job immediately after NYSC.
Credit: Lifeafternysc
To sum up, we hope we were able to answer your questions. And equally, solve most of the puzzles you have been having. As regards your life after National Youth Service Programme. Kindly use the comment section to share your thoughts and also tell us what you think.
Life After The NYSC: The Grim Reality!
To begin with, if you haven’t begun to consider what will happen to your life and job after the NYSC in our country Nigeria, you’re already in huge danger.
In our culture, parents and guardians feel that training their children or aiding teenagers ends when they graduate from higher education institutions. That is, in my opinion, completely incorrect, yet it is the unavoidable fact. You’re on your own after you leave higher education.
Whether you like to believe it or not, no one gets a free meal after their NYSC. Unless your parents are top politicians, the rest of us would have to battle for our lives after the NYSC.
Our lives are measured in terms of time. So wasting time means wasting our life. I hope I could forget all I recently talked with a neighbor when she informed me she was about to start her NYSC.
For many people, this is a year of fun and frivolity. If you fall into that category, forget it. This is one of the most significant years of your life. This year should be spent planning your future, considering what you want to do, where you want to work, where you want to live, and what you’ll do if you don’t find work in the first one or two years. In reality, many will have worn-out occupations in their first several years after completing the NYSC. You can say GOD FORBID, but that’s the harsh reality.
Additionally
As a corper or potential corper, I recommend that you save at least 10% of your pay EVERY MONTH. You don’t have an option. The first year following service is frequently the most difficult for most graduates since it is the first time they are confronted with the realities of life. The exhilaration of school and NYSC has worn off, and the harsh reality has confronted them. Save your cash. Have a concept of what you may do. Make plans for the coming years.
Learn a new skill. The current economic situation is difficult. Every day, people lose their employment. The current economic slowdown may last till next year. You must be prepared. This news should not depress you; rather, it should motivate you to be more aggressive and forward-thinking. If you want to acquire a talent, now is the greatest and most appropriate moment.
To be successful, you need to be much more than a graduate. To succeed, you must plan ahead of time, have a backup plan, be focused, disciplined, and determined. Being unemployed is the worst situation one can be in.
Impending joblessness and depression may be prevented with a little discipline and vision. Be astute.
Be prepared, as the Boys Scouts say.
Lastly, simply use the comment section to leave a comment on this webpage, by asking questions and also share your thoughts.