"On These Corporate Streets: Vox Pop Edition" seeks to hear the voices of young career professionals who share their individual experiences on subjects many can relate to. In today's edition, young Nigerian workers tell us how they got their jobs without applying for them the conventional way.
Words on these corporate streets report that there are a lot of employees who got their jobs without having to apply the conventional way. If you agree with me, the whole application and interview process can be tiring.
Just in case you’re looking to get a new job, you stand a higher chance of getting it when you meet recruiters one on one and pitch yourself to them. At least, that was what I learned from the stories of these five young Nigerians.
One of the attendees had sent me a DM after getting her ticket, asking how possible it is to get jobs at a hang-out instead of applying conventionally. Well, asides from testimonies from the previous editions of WorkitOut With CareerBuddy, I had to reach people who have gotten their jobs through networking and recruitment events to give an answer.
Their stories not only show that it’s possible but also show us how it’s done!
Ebun, Content Marketer
“I just switched into a new role early this year, but I got my previous job at an event and was there for two years. I studied Mathematics in school and even though I finished with a 2:1, I didn’t want to pursue that path. I’d most likely be a teacher by now, who knows.
Being a social director in my faculty back in school made me discover my love for advertising and PR, and that was what I wanted to do. After school, the next thing was to come to Lagos because I felt this is where all the opportunities are, but my father did not permit o. I am a woman and I understand his fears about me leaving Abeokuta and coming to start my life in Lagos.
Luckily before NYSC, a friend invited me to an event in Ikeja. She was heading the protocols and needed an assistant, and I volunteered to help even if she wasn’t going to pay. The event had big people there, and I mean big people! Sorry, I can’t mention names. Anyway, I decided to hang around and shoot my shot. I walked up to the person who would later become my boss; had a fun chat with him and told him what I was up to and that was it!
My dad was surprised when I told him I would be resuming a new job the following Monday and who I would be working for. Last Last, he was the one who helped me get a place to stay. I eventually did my NYSC year at the agency and stayed after youth service. And I enjoyed my stay all through. I just had to leave because I wanted something fresh.
Dansabe, Process Analyst
I got my current job via Linkedin. I’m kinda active on the platform and even though I don’t consider myself a Linkedin influencer, my posts get some engagements.
My current CEO made a comment on a post I had written and we took that conversation to the DM. To be honest, even though he said my article was intriguing and he wanted to have an intellectual conversation, I suspected he was trying to get to know me and possibly poach me. I was even looking for a better job sef. The following day, he reached out again and asked if I was willing to join his team. The only other discussion or interview we had was around salary and benefits.
Ayobami, PR executive/Graduate Student
I graduated from OAU and there’s this event that holds every session: Beyond Ife. It’s a massive career conference that prepares undergrads for employment and getting into the corporate space. I attended passively in my 300L, but when I began to think about the reality of life after school, I just knew I had to be serious with my life.
I volunteered for the next edition and was really into it. Asides from working behind the scenes, I made sure I participated in every activity. I met one of the guest speakers afterward, and because I was part of the workforce, I was able to get his personal contact. I stayed in touch with him till I was done with my final exams. It was as if he was waiting for me to leave school because a week after my exams, I got an internship offer from him.
I couldn’t resume immediately though because I was still on my project, but I couldn’t let that opportunity slip away either. From being an intern, I moved into being a full staff till I left the country for my master's. In fact, we’re still in touch.
Ayoola, Brand Strategist/Content Marketer
I’m juggling two jobs at the moment and I got one from Linkedin. It’s a Brand Marketing role. I am a content marketer and my boss found my profile interesting. He asked if I was willing to join the team as a content specialist and I took it. I was the only one on the team and I did well. Months later, I got a promotion only if I could commit to the company as my only job. I negotiated; kept my former job as contract staff and took on the Brand Management role here.
Leila*, Data Engineer
After the lockdown, my church hosted this career conference and job fair. Actually, it used to be a regular thing until the lockdown. This edition was however a different one. An event like that was held for the first time after a whole year of COVID and it felt like a tech conference. Apparently, many people had spent that period making transitions into tech and there were a lot of people at the job fair, especially newbies.
So, this guy walks up to me during the networking session and we talk. He needs someone with a data background for a cybersecurity job at his company (I would be trained) and that was how he scheduled an interview for the following week. I get the job, but it turns out he actually wants to date me. I knew what that meant.
But I didn’t want to leave the job, nor did I want to date a colleague or even a boss. Someone referred me to another company and I left. But we are still good friends and I still come in once in a while to help with something, and he pays. Maybe I like him small sha.
A quick tip: you might want to prepare for pitching yourself on the spot; call it an elevator pitch if you like. There will be a lot of people looking to get the attention of recruiters who’d be attending. Nothing stops you from beating them to it. Nothing!