Hello,

The 'tension headache' of most graduates is getting a job. It becomes a 'migraine headache' when all the jobs you see require certain years of experience because "you actually need to work to get the experience".  How do you get a job without experience or how do you get the experience without a job?

Let us go through these points together.

Know your professional skills

Know what makes you different from the other person, what you like doing and what you do not like doing. Know the skills you possess which must have been reflected in your academic or extracurricular activities. They could be marketing, negotiating or leadership skills. If there is need to develop them, this is an opportunity to do just that.

Reflect your skills in your resume in a way that enhances them - not diminishes them

You have acquired a number of excellent skills. It is important you package them well in your CV. The content might be superb and the packaging not attractive.  Make your content and packaging catchy. Put your skills, activities and achievements in an attractive way in your CV. We can help you with that. Click here to find out how

Acquire experience through internship programs and volunteer activities

Most graduates see their first few years in the labour market as the money making period. As such, they think of the salary rather than the experience. This is a faulty perception. See your first few years as the time to gain experience and improve on your skills. Take up voluntary jobs and internship programs paid or not. These would help you sharpen your skills.

Create work samples

When you claim to have knowledge in a field, create samples of your work. For example, you can do graphic or web designs and you do not have a sample of your work. That does not speak of seriousness in you. Let the samples reflect current trends.

Network informally with those in a position to hire you 

In this day and age, it is easy to network informally with those in a position to hire you. Talk with them about your interests and goals. They could be your family members or friends. Seek their advice. Social networks are also good platforms to share your ideas and create networks. Join quality jobs website like Jobberman.com.

Finally, be humble to learn from anybody. Do not limit yourself. Employers want professionals in and outside their fields to help their team think more creatively about solutions. On the other hand, some of us are not meant to be job seekers, we are meant to be entrepreneurs. Not everyone can work in a corporate environment. Why not put to work those vocational skills like tailoring, baking etc. that you possess.

Check out latest vacancies in Nigeria as at July 17, 2012!

Watch CNBC Africa Inter views with Jobberman.com co-founders, Ayodeji (the doctor), Lekan and Opeyemi today, Tuesday July 17 on DSTV Channel 410 at 5:30pm GMT.