The Tyranny of Job Search in Nigeria

A few weeks ago, I asked a number of young people (on National Youth Service Corps programme a.k.a. NYSC) who currently work with me how long they think a job search takes in Nigeria. The question emanated from my probing into knowing if they currently have updated CVs, realising it’s just a few months to the end of their “service year” and invariably, the end of their contract with the organisation I work with. They, thereafter, will be job searching probably for the first time in their lives!

In response to my question, each of these young people gave the duration they thought it takes to get a job in Nigeria—ranging from a few weeks to maximum of about two months. I further enquired how they came about the duration they estimated, making them describe the process of job search using the scenario of a fresh graduate who commences his/her job search right after the completion of NYSC. Their responses all sounded like a movie script to me: You get your CV ready, search for job in the company you like to work in, they get back to you in a week to invite you for an interview and bum! you get the job in a few weeks. “Seriously?”—I’d thought.

Then, I asked another question: “How many jobs (on the average) do you think someone will typically apply for to get a first invite for an interview? “A few jobs, I think!”, “Maybe five”, “Why won’t they get back to you when you apply for a job?”—where some of the responses I got.

I then had to share a few examples of job-seekers I knew. The first is a friend of mine who at the time of his last job search, has had six-years of quality work experience in Nigeria and Europe. He’d worked with a top-European Bank in The Netherlands, worked at the Nigerian operation of one of the world’s biggest breweries and also worked at a leading Telecommunications in the United Kingdom. On his return to Nigeria after the stint in Europe, he had to job hunt. The process from job application to obtaining his offer letter took the duration of approximately four months. This was someone we could consider a high-profile candidate!

A second example is someone closer to me. On completion of his NYSC at an international organisation, he worked with one of the world’s biggest Information Technology Consultancies in India for one-year. Since returning to Nigeria four months ago, he’s been on a job search and has not clinched an offer letter as yet (although he has participated in a number of selection processes).

These examples and the reality they point at, simply indicate that many job seekers have the wrong perception of how long the job search process actually takes.

Many job seekers are disillusioned about how long a job search quest could be. Worse still, many are clueless about the actuality in organisations with regards to their pursuit to attract and select the right people into job roles in a bid to grow their enterprises. That is why job seekers fail to prepare appropriately to fit the profile of that “exceptional candidate” that is able to prove why he/she is the right one for the job amongst many others.

Let me share a few facts that could help job seekers realise the possible reasons the job search process usually takes long. More importantly, I will also mention a few leads to how job seekers can ensure that the efforts they invest the job search process are not rendered futile in the end.

·         The Increasing Hunt for Talents….Looking Beyond The “Graduate” Title.

What do companies want in the first place and who are they looking for? …A graduate? I beg your pardon! Not just a mere graduate. Companies are interested in succeeding amidst a fierce competitive environment where they contest for market share—and if they must succeed, their huge capital and assets alone cannot achieve success…they need the RIGHT people. So, in simple terms, to keep surviving, companies only need and are interested in the right people; and if you do not appear to be one of those, they would not waste their time to get back to you.

·         Increasing Tediousness of The Selection Process: Companies Increasingly Under Pressure to “Get it right!”

Lately, many companies do more than interview in a bid to select the right candidate. With the ethics and competency issues that have recently emanated from the leadership of some large organisations including Fortune 500 companies, the Human Resources practice has adopted other methods of predicting future performance of potential employees. Thus, companies have introduced multiple selection tools. These include psychometric tests, competency-based selection and Assessment Centres—comprising a mix of selection methods, amongst others.

To ensure, therefore, that the candidates who eventually get the job offers are the best in the skills and attitudes required to succeed in the job, companies are ready to “do it properly” and this invariably makes the process pretty long.

·         Recruitment is not all they do!...Companies Have Their Core-Work.

Why do they often keep you waiting, even when you’re their right choice? Job seekers rarely remember that recruitment is not the core work of many of these companies. They have their core business and recruitment is only a way of bringing in new staff into the company to contribute to the core business. When job seekers pass through the individual stages of the selection process, they often expect an invite to the next stage as soon as possible. However, the Human Resource teams in those organisations have other things to attend to besides the logistics of recruitment in itself.

·         Global Financial Crises Resulting in Increasing Over-Head Costs. Yes, we need you…but can we pay you?

Would you be surprised to know that there are companies who take a number of candidates through the selection process, choose the best candidate from the lot and at the point of giving the job-offer, management announces a freeze on recruitment! Oh yes! Such incidence occurs quite often. Thus, the Human Resource teams are usually forced to keep the offer letter till the freeze on hiring is lifted.

My little advice to job seekers:

·         Make sure you’re the right person: Stay focused on a particular career path, gain quality experience as much as possible, related the experience in the most explicit and captivating way on your CV (For tips on CV writing: www.editmycv.com)

·         Prepare to prove yourself: Get to know about selection methods and their purposes. Find out what Competency-based Interviews are, research how Assessment Centres are run and get to know the tricks to do well in Aptitude Tests.

·         Prepare to wait: More often than not, it takes a long while for companies to make the right decision, and there’s nothing you can do about it.