6 Nigerians Talk About Finding Jobs on Social Media

Job hunting in Nigeria is like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are more qualified candidates than available jobs and most employers have taken advantage of this desperation to attach unnecessary conditions to their employment process. 

Many graduates have done all sorts, even things that go against the codes of moral conduct, just to get a good job. The advent of social media made it a bit easier and people have taken to social media to search for jobs as well as position themselves for opportunities. 

However, it has also brought its own share of problems, with various scammers and fraudsters, looking to exploit and harm innocent job seekers.

In this article, we would be exploring the stories of various Nigerians and their experience with finding jobs on social media.

Elizabeth’s Social Media Pyramid

Like many young Nigerians, I went online to search for a job and I saw one with a phone number to call (red flag). I called the number and was told to come for a meet up. I arrived at the place and was surprised to see a lot of people like me with music blaring in the background.

While I was wondering what type of job they would offer me, a man mounted the stage, gyrating and telling us about network marketing, and how we don’t need other jobs with what they were offering. They shared all sorts of juicy stories and different people came to tell us about how their lives had changed since they began working with them, how they’ve travelled out and bought cars, yen yen, yen. I’m not going to lie, the stories were interesting and they were quite convincing. 

We’d spent almost the whole day there and I was falling for the drama until they asked us to pay some money for registration. It was then I realized that these were scammers. I quickly took permission to use the convenience and ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Since then, I don’t take job offers I see on social media seriously.. 

Mark’s Missed Opportunity

I created a great profile on Linked In and after all the work I did, I felt my profile was a bit bloated with superficial stuff but then I told myself it’s the survival of the fittest and I have to try my best to win. 

Not long after, I got the offer for a job as a lead graphics designer. I thought they would give me some time to prepare for the interview. I was hoping I could use that period to brush up my skill as I may have overrated myself in the CV I shared with them but they slated the interview for the next day. Haaaa! 

Let’s just say I’ve learnt my lesson because the interview was quite embarrassing and I realized that a good CV without the necessary skill set was a recipe for a failed job interview and failed job as well. I honed my skills and got the next job.

Odion’s Ordeal

I came prepared, put myself out there and shaped my resume to fit the job offer I saw on Linked In. I did well in all virtual interviews but for some reason the company wanted to test my punctuality and they gave me a date and time for a physical interview on the island. 

I got everything together for the interview and left home on time but my village people wanted to do me dirty; Island that I’ve been going to like bathroom oh, somehow I got lost in transit and had to book a ride after losing my way. 

It cost me a lot of money but fortunately, I was able to make it in good time, sweating and tired. The interviewer was kind enough to give him some time to relax. Thankfully, I aced the interview and today, I still have the job.

Stanley’s Instagram Success

I used to take random pictures for people and post on my social media accounts. On this particular day, I was attending a football watch party at this very cool hangout spot on the mainland and a couple of my favorite celebrities had been invited to the watch party. 

After taking their pictures, I posted and showed it to them and in that very instant I got the celebrities to follow me on all social media platforms and next thing I knew the GM of the place instantly offered me a job as a member of their media crew. 

Titi’s Whatsapp Experience

I had this experience one time on Whatsapp; where someone had posted a job offer and the required skill set was a perfect match for me. I decided to reach out because he had insisted that all those interested should inbox him. 

The conditions were too good to be true; like how is it possible to earn 500k as an Assistant Teacher, in this Nigeria and it’s not even any of these popular big schools o, alarms just started ringing in my head. He gave me a weird address to visit for the job interview and that was when I lost interest. 

Unfortunately, I later learnt that some of my friends were duped of their funds in a bid to get this so-called job. I was lucky I didn’t follow through.

Ada The Banker

I went on Facebook to look at the pictures of old friends and an ad popped up: a popular bank posted a job opening for fresh graduates. 

Once I confirmed that the page was verified, I went ahead to apply and was drafted and trained and the rest they say is history.

Searching for jobs on social media can be a harrowing experience. These stories just made me remember my job-hunting days, the hustle was and is still real. Here are some tips that can help you in your job hunting endeavours.

•Vet Employers: Research companies thoroughly before responding to job postings. Verify their legitimacy and check for any red flags.

•Avoid Personal Meetings: If an employer insists on an in-person meeting in a remote location, exercise caution. Suggest alternative ways to verify your identity without risking your safety.

•Report Suspicious Activity: Platforms like Jiji, LinkedIn, and Twitter have mechanisms for reporting fraudulent job listings. Use them to protect others.

•Network Wisely: Leverage social media to connect with professionals in your field. Genuine networking can lead to legitimate job opportunities.

To get more tips on how to land your dream job and network with potential employers, join me on Fusion’s “Co-working” and “SME Connect” communities.