NOT ALL ROLES ARE ADVERTISED: THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECULATIVE APPLICATIONS
Uchechi Moses
The job market in Nigeria and elsewhere is highly competitive. With multitudes of processes to scale through, getting a job in Nigeria has never been easy. Certainly, not during uncertain economic times. Securing a job entails following lots of procedures and processes: advertisement; application; aptitude test (online and/or physical); psychometric reasoning (of various types); assessment centre exercises; interviews; interview chat; partner’s interview/executive chat and lots more. The process is gruelling!
However, not all graduate jobs are advertised. To get these not advertised roles, you need to send a speculative application indicating your interest for a position. This proactive method gives you the access to varied roles and might improve one’s chances of success especially in this highly competitive job market.
WHAT IS A SPECULATIVE JOB APPLICATION?
This involves writing an application to a company to inquire if there is an opening that aligns with your profile even when they are not advertising an opening. This will require you to sending a CV which is usually accompanied with a cover letter explaining your desire and qualification for the unknown position. Although, most multinationals and large corporations advertise their graduate employment schemes as at when due, but having this as the only option for employment is not advisable to your quest on a getting a job. This is because the vast majority of openings, unfortunately, are not advertised – publicly.
Additionally, large firms who usually advertise their openings constitute ~10% – 15% graduate employment annually. Think for some seconds. How many graduates will the large consultancies, banks, FMCG, IT, oil and gas firms employ each year vs the number of graduates we churn out during the same period? Which means if a graduate keeps waiting for particular set of firms to announce their graduate schemes, it will be overly competitive and unadvisable considering this competition.
Furthermore, there are “specialist” firms that although do not recruit often – publicly, but can access profiles from their data bank should they require employees. Talk about the media, design & construction, IT, engineering and entertainment firms. Sometimes not more than two at a time. Now, think again. Will a firm (mostly likely below mid-tier) go on to publicly advertise vacancies for just two positions when it can access CVs and cover letters in their storage?
It might turn out that the firm is not recruiting at the moment or the roles she requires to be filled don’t match with your profile. But they will have you in mind for future vacancies that might arise which aligns with your profile.
HOW TO SEND SPECULATIVE APPLICATIONS
Rushing through an application process is not the right way to sending a speculative application. You need to read up on the firm and craft your CV and cover letter to reflect the role and industry using keywords that might prop up.
Draw a list of employers in the industry you desire to work in. Research about their recruitment processes (kind of aptitude tests during assessment, e-trays exercises. interview sessions etc). This is to get an informed view of the processes and ensure you are preparing properly.
FINE-TUNE YOUR APPROACH
Are you desirous of an opening for pre-NYSC, NYSC or a permanent role? This is you have to say when sending your application(s). Ask yourself, what skills do I have that aligns with the firm? How am I going to sell myself to the company?
Like in any application, speculative or structured; your CV and cover letter needs to be attuned to each company. A cover letter used in applying to a financial firm cannot be used for a consumer goods’ company. State out your experiences; what you have learnt; how you learnt them; how it fits into the role you are applying for; hard and soft skills. Basically, what you can do for the company not what she can do for you.
To send such applications, you need to search the web (preferably the firm’s site and career websites). Scout through the career page to get the email applicants can send their documents to. An alternative is by searching through LinkedIn, connecting with recruiters in concise but thoughtful approach. Yet another is by searching phone contacts of top management executives (preferably of smaller firms) and sending them a succinct yet well-crafted message of why you desire to work with them.
Finally, when contacted by the recruiter for a test or interview. It is important you prepare well enough as you might be drilled on the role and your skill set. This is considering the fact you applied in an unusual manner. So they expect you to be up to the task. However, there exist a chance you might be offered a role you did not apply for due to changes and circumstances within the firm. Think properly before accepting it.
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