A Guide to Job Hunting in Your Twenties

Yes, capitalism will finish you, but you want to have money to eat and cry.

Tobi’s predicament

It is convocation day. Tobi stands outside the hall, as family members and friends flock around to offer their congratulations, eyeing the coolers of food and drinks his parents have generously provided. Among them, Big Uncle Segun who had been a source of constant support during his stay in school. Tobi remembers all the times he would visit Uncle Segun’s office, and be given“something small” to take back to school; money that could last him an entire week.

He also remembers Uncle Segun promising to find a place for him to work after graduation.

Tobi greets his Uncle, who laughs the laugh of a wealthy man. “I’m so proud of you my boy. I was just telling your father that you take after our side of the family, ehn?” Uncle Segun says, casting a playful glance at Tobi’s mother who smiles as she hands out packs of food.

“Thank you, Sir.” Tobi replies, then — “Sir, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about after-school plans, Sir.”

“Ah yes.” Uncle Segun says, bringing out a handkerchief to wipe his face. “You graduated with a 2.1, yes?”

“Yes sir.” He says, slightly ashamed. A 2.1 is not bad at all, but somehow he feels like he has failed. Uncle Segun seems to not disagree because he cocks his head in a way that denotes uncertainty.

“Hm, not bad.” He says after a while. “Come to my office first thing Monday morning, let’s see what we can do.”

Tobi thanks him, but as his Uncle turns to speak to his father, he cannot shake off the feeling that things won’t pan out exactly as expected. For one, he knows what the economy has been like. He also knows that there will be plenty of first-class brains competing for a slot at his Uncle’s office. That is, if such a slot even exists. What’s more, he’s not even sure he wants to work a corporate job. He is only looking for something to fill his pockets for the time being.

Like Tobi, many of us finish school without any real knowledge of what to expect in the job market. Unlike our parents, who had a world waiting to receive them, with access to scholarships, programs (home and overseas), foundations, and other opportunities that gave them a soft landing, the economic reality we live in is not as forgiving. For one, there are too many people competing for the same jobs. What’s more, the family members we try to rely on are not always able to provide. (That is if we even have them). This has placed the duty of finding a job in our hands.

Even as students, people are job hunting and working. The status quo used to be: go to school, study something, graduate, then enter the job market. But things are hard, and many students now juggle 9-5s with their academics.

I am one of those people. I got my first job during the pandemic. Resumed 300-level to discover that like me, there were more working-class students than ever before. Everyone was learning something: product design, software development, marketing. Everyone was selling something: iPhones, bags and shoes, perfumes. It seemed as though the pandemic had plunged us into the ice-cold bucket of reality, and we had discovered that we were on our own, and inevitably had to fend for ourselves.

It’s sad, but this piece is not about how terrible the state of the economy is (we will discuss that in another issue). It is about how to be part of it. So that you too can make tweets about how your job is killing you, your manager hates you, and how you cannot wait for salary week so that you can party your sorrows away.

Good? Awesome, Now, let’s find out how to get work.

How to find work

1. Have some form of experience: People are not hiring beginners anymore. It’s sad, but it’s true. They want you to have some experience that can easily translate to the job you are applying for. You might say “Well duh, Treasure, that’s why I am applying for a job, to gain experience.” And you will be right, but these companies don’t care. They want you to have fifteen years of experience for an entry-level position. They want you to perform magic.

   So how do you do this? A great way to start is by volunteering. Volunteering was my gateway to gaining work experience. My CV in 2020 was full of roles I occupied in school organizations and volunteer work I had done. These pockets of experience told recruiters “This is a beginner, but she knows how to write, she knows how to do research, and she can lead projects.”

   Don’t be scared to reach out to companies, organizations, or communities relevant to the field you want to work in and volunteer with them, even if it is for a short pocket of time. Mileke, in his Lightbox interview, shared how volunteering opened him up to mind-blowing opportunities.

   It can do the same for you.

2. Speak and write well: My first job was as a personal assistant for a celebrity. Later, he would tell me that the reason why I got to the interview stage was because of the email I sent. “The grammar was great,” he said, “that was why I hired you.” I can’t count the amount of opportunities I have gotten all because I can communicate my ideas well through text. Adia Sowho, the Chief Marketing Officer at MTN even referred to it in an interview, where she talked about why a lot of younger people don’t get hired (listen from 48:00).

   Never undermine the power of good grammar. If you need to work on your grammar, then read more books, and write more. Be respectful too, when communicating with recruiters.

   (Sha don’t use “delve” when applying for a remote role. Iykyk. )

3. Talk about what you want (publicly!): Sometimes the reason you haven’t gotten a job is because nobody knows you’re looking for one. You need to talk about what you want, publicly, that’s when the people in your circle will remember that actually, their friend’s brother’s uncle is looking for someone who can occupy a position you very well can.

   Beyond talking about how you’re looking for a job, something that has also helped me is documenting my learning experiences. If you’re new to a field, and you’re learning, I think sharing the things you’re learning and asking questions publicly, is a great way to signal that you’re interested in working in that field.

   Emmanuel Faith shared in an interview how doing this helped him get into the HR field:

   

   It’s amazing how much can be given to you when you show that you want it. Don’t be shy. Dust your social media channels today, and talk.

4. When you are given the opportunity, do great work: I have had five jobs so far. But I have only applied to two. How? Referrals. I work with someone, they like my work, and someone else takes me from them. This is a very important lesson because a lot of the jobs you are looking for are being passed under the table by people who know people. Be that talent. If you have done a good job in previous roles, it will not be very hard to convince people to recruit you for new roles.

   Watch Femi, the founder of Chowdeck talk about how his former boss, Ezra Olubi of Paystack, invested in his company. Why? Apart from the fact that Ezra seems to be a great guy, it also boils down to trust and doing great work.

5. Use job boards: Believe it or not, there are a lot of opportunities online, you just don’t know where to search. Go online, join job boards, subscribe to their newsletters, and check them religiously. Chances are, your next role is just a click away.

   A job board I am particularly fond of, is inclusivelyremote.com. I like it because it was built specifically for people living in our side of the world who are looking for international jobs. Usually, a lot of companies don’t hire from Africa (yes, even for fully remote roles), so Inclusively Remote posts job openings that cater to us, saving you the stress of applying and being told “we’re sorry, we don’t hire from your region.” I also love the fact that their filtering system is superb, and they share tips, tools, and articles that will make you job-ready. So if you’re looking for an international, well-paying job, then you should definitely check them out.

   Their founder, Mary Esther (who also happens to be my friend) offers services that can help make you job ready, like CV-writing and reviewing, tips and tricks for interviews. She too sabi! And you can use her services so that you’ll be prepared before you apply for your next role! Tell her I sent you!

6. Be resilient: I have heard people talk about how they applied 100 times before they were able to get a job. In an interview, Aisha Owolabi (the coolest content marketer I know) talked about the process it took to get a remote role that relocated her to Mexico. Bruh! The amount of stress it takes to get a job is definitely not for the weak. So please don’t give up if you are in the job-hunting process and the Nos are becoming too many. Take it as a learning experience. With every new no, your blade sharpens. You learn a new thing not to say. A new way to ask questions. Don’t give up!

Finally, remember that this is your first time being alive, and this means that you will definitely make some mistakes. Don’t allow them to swallow you. This applies to everything in life, from job hunting, to relationships.

I hope this guide has been helpful. If you have any other tips that have helped you while job hunting, please share them in the comment section so that other readers can learn from them.

Thank you guys for giving me the opportunity to share!

I love you, have a wonderful week.

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Media I Consumed This Week

Reading: I finished reading The Secret History by Donna Tartt and the gasp I let out? A worthy book. A terrible story. I loved all the characters even though they were all terrible and amoral. The book itself is about murder. But it’s also about guilt. And class, and the desire to be great. I can’t wait to forget everything that happened, so I can reread it again in five years and be floored at how amazing it is.

I also started reading The Death of Vivek Oji, by Akwaeke Emezi. Will let you know my thoughts in the next issue.

I also read this article, about getting older, and I really liked it. The author knows a lot of things I would like to know.

Listening: I have been listening to a lot of albums. I really like Illmatic, by Nas. People get talent, mehn. He was so young when he released that.

Watching: Nothing at the moment, and I like it that way.