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When job hunting you will hear and read all kinds of advice. While some are useful, some are actually not. It is easy to get misinformed, don’t always believe everything you read! The labor market changes all the time, the practice today might not be relevant in the next couple of years.
Read this!
- A cover letter is not necessary while job hunting
This is not true. Many recruiters and hiring managers read cover letters! A cover letter will make your application stronger.
Highlight your best skills, knowledge, and emphasize your interest and desire to work for the company you are applying to.
- You cannot get a job without experience
While most jobs require a certain level of experience to be considered, there are still jobs for people with little or no experience. You must position yourself well to get them.
- Apply for every job you come across
No doubt sometimes the job hunt can get frustrating, but mailing thousands of copies of the same CV to employers is not the way out. Don’t waste both yours and the employer’s time applying for jobs you are not qualified for. Applying for every dick, tom and harry job you see could get you blacklisted. For example – A particular recruiter receives your application for multiple jobs that are not related to each other and you don’t even meet the requirements for any of them. He/she will see you as a pest that doesn’t know what he wants and marks off your name. Then when you eventually meet the requirements for a future job your application won’t even receive any attention.
Take your time to read the job description of any job before you apply. Tailor your CV and cover letter to match the specification for the job, proving to the hiring manager why you are the best person for the job.
- No one hires during the holiday
Though there might be a slowdown, the hiring process doesn’t stop when there is a holiday. If a company is urgently looking to fill a position, they will go ahead and fill it even if there’s a holiday. They can advertise the jobs, interview the candidates and the successful ones will resume after the holidays. So do not miss opportunities or stop job hunting because you are holidaying.
- Nigerian employers do not check candidate history
You will be shocked how many employers in Nigeria actually do reference checks, background checks, and so many others.
Once you are hired, you become a representative of the company and no employer would want any of their staff to dent the company’s image. Therefore before you become a full part of the company you might be subjected to drug tests, undergo background checks and calls to your references. Some employers also check applicant’s social media profiles before hiring them. Be prepared for this and avoid anything that could jeopardize your chances.
