Pulse Cares: How to secure a job that takes you outside Nigeria

Many Nigerians of working-age now have the desire to pursue a job career far away from their fatherland. This is unsurprising when you take into consideration the shrinking opportunities in the labour market.

Nigeria, with an estimated population of over 200 million people, is one of the poorest countries in the world. A Quartz Africa report says unemployment rate has more than tripled in the last five years, peaking in the last two years as part of the COVID-19 pandemic effects.

With over 33.6 million youths population (aged between 15 and 35), Nigeria has one of the greatest numbers of young people, most of whom are skilled in various fields of endeavours but lack access to job opportunity.

It is against this backdrop that the idea of working overseas is becoming increasingly popular among Nigerians, coupled with the fact that it provides an escape route out of the country.

As many people continue to jump on this trend, some have found it challenging to locate their desired jobs while others are simply at a loss on how to secure jobs in foreign lands.

A bit of a heads-up here, securing a job abroad involves crossing so many hurdles, which include immigration. That said, working abroad presents you the ultimate opportunity to upskill in aspects of discipline, communication, and problem-solving as you also raise your qualifications in a foreign language.

According to the United Nations, over 232 million people in the world have relocated to another country in pursuit of gainful employment or better living conditions, what do you need to join this growing contingent?

The first step towards securing a job abroad is to equip yourself with relevant skills that set you apart in the ever-competitive global market.

If you think getting a job in Nigeria is a difficult task, it gets even more difficult for you as a foreign applicant because you're not only competing with your nationals, you're competing with people from different parts of the world who might be more skilled than you're.

To prevent being rejected, you need some in-demand skills that give you a hedge over other jobseekers, these include but not limited to the following;

Your level of education goes a long way in determining how far you go with your career goals abroad. While it's possible to secure a job with a high school diploma, some job roles require no less that a Master's degree in relevant fields.

Note that your skill and education level would also be a big factor in how much you earn. It's only common sense that a mid-skilled worker won't be on the same salary scale as a specialist.

Oftentimes, educational requirements are similar in many countries, but you need to get clarity on the job you're applying for in a particular country to avoid misunderstandings.

If your educational field doesn't qualify you for your choice job, endeavour to acquire the necessary trainings or get a certificate you can use to beef up your qualification.

As per work experience, the requirements for that are usually defined by the role and employer. To avoid complications in your job search, it's advisable to aim for a non-leadership position, especially if you're a recent graduate.

In other cases, your chances of getting employed will rest on your ability to present your qualifications and leverage your valuable skills to make up for the lack of experience, which is why it's always good to contact the employer directly so that compromises can be reached through negotiations.

Your resume is one of the most important application documents you need to get a job outside the country. In most cases, employers will demand for your resume to evaluate your competence level and track records.

Before you submit that job application, ensure you have an updated resume that captures succinctly all your achievements. If you just acquire a new skill, degree, or certificate, make sure everything is reflected on your resume, this will boost your chances of securing the job.

Equally as important as your resume is a cover letter, while some companies will list that as a requirement, others may decide to be quiet about it, but you shouldn't take that for granted. Always append a cover letter to your application, this will help you enunciate the things you're restricted to say in your resume.

The acceptable rules for resumes and cover letters differ from country to country, however, there are standard tricks that can help you succeed regardless of where you're applying to.

Resume: When compiling your resume, bear in mind that the length requirement isn't uniform across countries. If you're applying to a company in the United States, strive not to go beyond one page, United Kingdom is two pages and Australia accepts a maximum of four pages.

Your resume should focus mainly on your work history, education, and skills. Make sure that each item is relevant for the chosen job and go for positions that lets you prove your competence and skills.

Cover Letter: There's no single acceptable structure when it comes to writing a cover letter. The important thing is to provide important information that proves your worthiness for the role.

You should focus on the following points when drafting your cover letter:

There are two ways to apply for a job abroad from Nigeria; you can either go through the hiring company directly or apply from job sites.

Some people have actually taken the route of migrating to their intended country first before starting job hunt. While this is also a plausible way of getting a job abroad, it's capital intensive and not a viable option for anyone without a strong financial backup.

You can use any of the reputable websites listed below to find a job abroad: