5 soft skills you need to possess before leaving university

The unemployment rate is becoming endemic in Nigeria, while most corporate organisations are complaining of the unfit status of many fresh graduates from Nigerian tertiary education system.

The worst thing about the situation is that the system continues to release hundreds of thousand of these class of graduate to the labour.

Is there any solution available? Yes!

Based on personal experience as a serial job seeker from my days in the university, I am happy to share with fresh Nigerian graduates those skills they must have to get a job offering with no professional experience.

1. Commercial acumen

Whatever the course or profession you have chosen, ensure you have an understanding of the way to the market through the chosen field or profession.

It is rather funny that a construction or big engineering will prefer hiring an engineer with sales and marketing skills.

Most entry-level roles in organisations such as Ericsson, Nokia Nigeria, Huawei and many IT firms need some salesman attitude to be able to succeed in such role.

With this, graduates of commercially related courses such as Economics, Marketing, Business Administration, Accounting among others should consider developing this skills before exiting school.

2. Networking Skills

One of basic business and workplace requirements is the ability to network and create opportunities for your organisation.

Ensure you keep contact of all important personality with encounter during your schooling day, it can serve as a reason you will get your first job.

In the current world, businesses now rely more on collaboration to grow and engagements. Hence, networking skill is one basic requirement you need to get.

I remember a Partner in KPMG Nigeria telling me that at this stage of his, he is one require to do one thing, secure engagements for the organisation.

3. Team-Working

Life after school relies more on working with others. Individualism is one attribute you need to drop.

Learn to work with others, it will add more credibility to your candidature during job prospect.

I remember being asked by McKinsey Nigeria to narrate situation I have had to work with others to get things done.

So, participate in some team projects while in school.

A group assignment given by your lecturer, and participated actively can be a good experience to tell your prospect employer.

4. Social Media

Before leaving the four walls of your tertiary institution, ensure you are familiar with most of the social platforms which are related to your job.

It is important to note that your Facebook profile can earn you an interview with an organisation.

I remember getting an interview from a recruiter, who stated that he was inspired with my LinkedIn profile.

One of my course mates got his present job with a leading Economic consulting firm through LinkedIn.

5. Analytics

Irrespective of your field of study, ensure you have good analytical skills and be able to use some of the data analysis tools such as Excel, SPSS and others.

I actually got an internship in 2013 due to my ability to perform data analysis using Excel, SPSS and Econometric Views (EViews).

5 soft skills you need to possess before leaving university

The unemployment rate is becoming endemic in Nigeria, while most corporate organisations are complaining of the unfit status of many fresh graduates from Nigerian tertiary education system.

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