Before you send that CV

Is labour still being marketed in the labour market? Or should we say the labour force has become egocentric and unwilling to admit more members to its clique? To ask if people are getting employed today like it was twenty years ago will be nothing short of asking a rhetorical question because of the obviousness of the state of things in the country as far as employment is concerned.

A man once rightly said, ’getting a job is in itself a job’. The truism of this statement can be seen in the extent to which job seekers have to go in order to, in most cases, get a job i.e. something that keeps them Just Over Broke – this being the case of the underemployed ones.

There are several factors responsible for this but few notable ones are; unemployability, inexperience, not knowing how to write a good CV and seek a job, not knowing how to prepare for an interview, etc.

As bad as being unemployed is, being unemployable is worse than it and this defect can be traced to the huge gap in the ‘gown-town’ relationship i.e. the relationship between the school and the society. Our higher institutions are preparing students for a world that no longer exist – a world where there is little or no competition because there are enough jobs to go around, a world whose celebrated and dominant knowledge and skills cannot suffice for today’s fast-paced and evolving world.

There are skills our schools are not designed to impart, things like relationship or communication skills, hence the need for self-education by our graduates because most times, they are technically competent for the job but they lack the skills to keep and grow in it; a defect, a recruiter can easily detect.

Most graduates find frustration in the demands of some employers of labour who place a huge emphasis on experience as a criterion for employment. How can a fresh graduate apply for a job that has as a criterion, a minimum of five years’ experience? This is the dilemma of most graduates who spend most of their time in school within either the four walls of the classroom or those of the library and did not get practical knowledge in their fields before they leave school.

The place of volunteering and internship cannot be overemphasized for such kind of folks because in the end, what will matter is not the number of years you spent in school gaining knowledge but the knowledge in those years.

What a crime it is for a graduate to lack the knowledge of good curriculum vitae. This also, the school will not teach you. There are ways to write an attention grabbing and sustaining CV, and it should be noted that, what a recruiter in the Oil and Gas sector would be interested in seeing is most likely to be different from that of a recruiter in a Public Relations agency.

So, sending the same CV to different companies in different sectors reduces the chances of one receiving a call for an interview as the peculiar skills needed in that particular sector or post are not highlighted in the CV…that’s even if they are known. So, before you send that well drafted CV to multiple companies at the same time, ensure you know what your potential employers are looking for or at least would be interested in and capitalize on such.

Congratulations I would say if interview is your hurdle, you’ve what it takes to get the job. Before you go for an interview, apart from your technical knowledge, do a research on the company that called you; seek to know things like the year it was established, its CEO or Chairman as the case may be, what they do, its vision and mission, its financial strength, how much people in your desired post earn generally (so you can negotiate the pay well), etc.

On the day of the interview, ensure your visage is good, you are corporately dressed (no bling bling, please) and if you are in doubt as to the colours to combine, you can’t go wrong in a black suit and black shoe. It should also be noted that you are actually expected to dress according to the expectation of the organization that called you for the interview.

Plan your time well in order to arrive on time preferably fifteen minutes before the interview (In case there are any changes). During the interview, it is a taboo to slouch or fold your arms, the best you can do is to sit up and cross your fingers with a confident but humble look no matter how difficult or ridiculous the questions. Never lose your confidence even if you know you are saying rubbish and answer a question at a time even if several are fired at you at the same time.

Getting a job begins with knowing that one has what it takes to be hired. ‘The future favours the bold,’ says a friend of mine.

Article written by Fehintola Sotomi

Fehintola Sotomi is a Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Specialist. She is passionate about people and believes that human resources are the key ingredient to a truly successful business. She prides herself in connecting people with top industry experts which has helped businesses succeed. Fehintola Sotomi loves to help individuals learn skills – that will enable them fit into the workplace or build their own thriving businesses. You can connect with her @ivorytots on Instagram