A Guide to Job Hunting as a Student.

Goodmorning, champ

Today, I'd like to tell you a story…a very interesting one actually and it's about Emeka.

Emeka’s predicament

It is convocation day. Emeka stands outside the hall, as family members and friends flock around to offer their congratulations, eyeing the coolers of food and drinks his parents have generously provided. Among them, Big Uncle Chike who had been a source of constant support during his stay in school. Emeka remembers all the times he would visit Uncle Chike’s office, and be given “something small” to take back to school; money that could last him an entire week.

He also remembers Uncle Chike promising to find a place for him to work after graduation.

Emeka greets his Uncle, who laughs the laugh of a wealthy man. “I’m so proud of you my boy. I was just telling your father that you take after our side of the family, ehn?” Uncle Chike says, casting a playful glance at Emeka’s mother who smiles as she hands out packs of food.

“Thank you, Sir.” Emeka replies, then — “Sir, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about after-school plans, Sir.”

“Ah yes.” Uncle Chike says, bringing out a handkerchief to wipe his face. “You graduated with a 2.1, yes?”

“Yes sir.” He says, slightly ashamed. A 2.1 is not bad at all, but somehow he feels like he has failed. Uncle Chike seems to not disagree because he cocks his head in a way that denotes uncertainty.

“Hm, not bad.” He says after a while. “Come to my office first thing Monday morning, let’s see what we can do.”

Emeka thanks him, but as his Uncle turns to speak to his father, he cannot shake off the feeling that things won’t pan out exactly as expected. For one, he knows what the economy has been like. He also knows that there will be plenty of first-class brains competing for a slot at his Uncle’s office. That is, if such a slot even exists. What’s more, he’s not even sure he wants to work a corporate job. He is only looking for something to fill his pockets for the time being.

Like Emeka, many of us finish school without any real knowledge of what to expect in the job market.

Unlike our parents, who had a world waiting to receive them, with access to scholarships, programs (home and overseas), foundations, and other opportunities that gave them a soft landing, the economic reality we live in is not as forgiving.

For one, there are too many people competing for the same jobs. What’s more, the family members we try to rely on are not always able to provide. (That is if we even have them). This has placed the duty of finding a job in our hands.

I am one of those people. I got my first gig in year one and first job towards my year one ending. I’m a medical student and I don’t think there’s anybody in my class that doesn’t have anything doing apart from school. Everyone is either learning coding, product design, social media marketing, copywriting & forex and crypto trading

Everyone is selling something from Iphones, Android phones, laptops, tote bags, perfumes & diffusers. I think we’ve discovered that the guide to getting good grades in medical school is being financially stable too

So these is going to be the part 1 of a series.

So let's get into it 😁

1. Have some form of experience

The truth is nobody hires beginners anymore. Yes, that’s why you see internship roles asking you for 15 years experience. When you’re just 23 years old.

But how do I get experience if I don’t get a job ehh?

Volunteer and take up courses on the skill that you want to get a job with. Before I got my first copywriting gig that paid me. I had to show the business owner that I had experience in what I was telling her I could do for her. And how was she going to believe me if I didn’t have evidence of work to show her?.

Some people got their gate way through volunteer works…Volunteering opens doors of practice for you because you get to actually work real-time on that particular skill while learning how to do it

2. Speak and write very well and have basic skills

   I saw this last week by Cofounder of Garage (Ray) and the fact that this is the truth is quite damning.

   Never undermine the power of good grammar. If you need to work on your grammar, then read more books, and write more. Be respectful too, when communicating with recruiters.

3. Talk about what you want (publicly!):

Sometimes the reason you haven’t gotten a job is because nobody knows you’re looking for one. You need to talk about what you want, publicly, that’s when the people in your circle will remember that actually, their friend’s brother’s uncle is looking for someone who can occupy a position you very well can.

Beyond talking about how you’re looking for a job, something that has also helped me is documenting my learning experiences. If you’re new to a field, and you’re learning, I think sharing the things you’re learning and asking questions publicly, is a great way to signal that you’re interested in working in that field.

It’s amazing how much can be given to you when you show that you want it. Don’t be shy. Dust your social media channels today, and talk.

When you are given the opportunity, do great work:

That's how referrals happen I work with someone, they like my work, and someone else takes me from them. This is a very important lesson because a lot of the jobs you are looking for are being passed under the table by people who know people. Be that talent. If you have done a good job in previous roles, it will not be very hard to convince people to recruit you for new roles.

4. Use job boards:

Believe it or not, there are a lot of opportunities online, you just don’t know where to search. Go online, join job boards, subscribe to their newsletters, and check them religiously. Chances are, your next role is just a click away.

A job board I am particularly fond of, is inclusivelyremote.com. I like it because it was built specifically for people living in our side of the world who are looking for international jobs. Usually, a lot of companies don’t hire from Africa (yes, even for fully remote roles), so Inclusively Remote posts job openings that cater to us, saving you the stress of applying and being told “we’re sorry, we don’t hire from your region.” I also love the fact that their filtering system is superb, and they share tips, tools, and articles that will make you job-ready. So if you’re looking for an international, well-paying job, then you should definitely check them out.

Their founder, Mary Esther offers services that can help make you job ready, like CV-writing and reviewing, tips and tricks for interviews. She too sabi! And you can use her services so that you’ll be prepared before you apply for your next role!

5. Be resilient: I have heard people talk about how they applied 100 times before they were able to get a job.

Bruh! The amount of stress it takes to get a job is definitely not for the weak. So please don’t give up if you are in the job-hunting process and the Nos are becoming too many. Take it as a learning experience. With every new no, your blade sharpens. You learn a new thing not to say. A new way to ask questions. Don’t give up!

Finally, remember that this is your first time being alive, and this means that you will definitely make some mistakes. Don’t allow them to swallow you. This applies to everything in life, from job hunting, to relationships.

I hope this guide has been helpful. If you have any other tips that have helped you while job hunting, please share them in the comment section so that other readers can learn from them.

Thank you guys for giving me the opportunity to share!

I love you, have a wonderful week.

Thank you for reading this piece. Share it with a friend in the process of job hunting