Unemployment struggle is real in Nigeria. Check why a job that pays 70k is not too bad to take.
The end of the compulsory National Youth Service Corps program is usually the beginning of employment struggle for most Nigerian graduates.
The graduates’ struggle to get a job in Nigeria is underscored by the high rate of unemployment in the country.
According
to the statistics attributed to the National Bureau of Statistics
(NBS), the youth unemployment rate in Nigeria increased in the third
quarter of 2017 to 33.10%. This percentage represents the highest ever
in the country.
Despite this figure, Nigerian
tertiary institutions churn out graduates every year, the same way the
NYSC releases graduates into the labour market after serving the country
for one year.
As these graduates get into the
labour market, they face the hash reality of unemployment waiting for
them. While some are lucky to get a job immediately after their NYSC
experience, many others have no choice but to wait a little longer
before they get a job offer.
However,
in the face of this struggle, some graduates, considering their
certificates and the skills they’ve acquired over the years may be
prompted to reject certain job if the offer is not juicy enough.
For
instance, some graduates might reject a job that promises to pay them
less than N70,000. After all, some companies start with 150K and above
for their starters.
But check around, how many organizations in Nigeria pay their starters more than N120,000 apart from oil companies?
There
is nothing wrong to think a certain amount is too small for you as a
starter, but starting with N70,000 is not so bad given the economic and
employment realities of the country.
04031/26/7/2018/Deji Yake/BJO/NAN
If
the organization that offers you N70k is based in Lagos, you might
think the pay is very ridiculous when you consider transportation and
other expenses.
However, that job could be the
stepping stone you need to launch your career. If you do not have any
alternative, don’t despise it, take it and use it as a platform to gain
the experience you’ll need in an organization that will pay you N300,000
when the time comes. Just take it!
