Top 5 Job Hunting Tools to Use in 2021

Job searching in Nigeria is no piecemeal task, it is a rather engaging and tasking process which if not properly managed will lead to the state of frustration and for some it is depression. These are the ones who have invested so much in the process with absolutely nothing to show for it.

It is no news that job opportunities in Nigeria are hard to come by in the last two decades, making it more daunting is the various economic set back which the world has globally witnessed which does not exclude Nigeria; the Covid-19 indeed came with a hard effect on both the global economy. Not leaving Nigeria out, the ravaging effects of the novel virus had a very tough impact on the Nigeria economy and as a result of this; the effect on the job outlook in Nigeria is not a good one as the outlook has been greatly marred with various inconsistent figures. This has done no good to the job statistic in Nigeria, has the unemployment rate has indeed fallen down to a new low within the last two decades.

Also the recent drop in oil price on the international market which has seen to a drop in the nation’s internally generated revenue, the recent ENDSAR protest another contributing factor has in no small measure affected the job availability in Nigeria. Adding to this many states in Nigeria are majorly a civil servant states that is what they have is a ‘straight jacket economy’.  This means if the government is not paying the monthly salaries of the civil servants who are otherwise known as state workers, there is no other way through which money can go around. This makes it quite difficult for emerging business to thrive, it does in no way give rise to the emergence of an industrialize society. Without these there can be no creation of new jobs for the growing and ever increasing unemployed populace in the country. This realities as painted here leaves us to the bottom line, job opportunities are limited in Nigeria, they are reserved for the few ones who have the qualifications, the experience, the pro-activity and also the most important factor; that is the ones who understands how to effectively search for jobs in Nigeria.

The aforementioned realities painted here is to push home the urgency and the need for job seekers in Nigeria to take the process serious, employing the right channels to searching for jobs in Nigeria. Most people now go around with the belief that getting a job in Nigeria requires connection, a factor which I cannot dispute, but however not everyone is privy to this luxury.

Gone are those days when job seekers in Nigeria holds it as a popular culture of combing through the pages of the national dailies, visiting firms from building to building searching for jobs,  The light of the 21^st century globally and in Nigeria has seen to the emergence of a digitized living and existence and living. The introduction and the subsequent introduction of the information Communication and technology has seen to the creation and introduction of new, better and improved tools which have proved effective in searching for jobs in Nigeria.

The year 2020 will definitely be a different one when it comes to job search in Nigeria as everything related to corporate work, small and medium scale enterprise and every other job related activities are now being made to follow the stream of the digital job outlook, almost everything in the workforce have been made to be tailored for online activity.

With the outlook of jobs in Nigeria with the emergence of the technological advancement of the 21^st century, and the limited job opportunities in Nigeria, you definitely need the right tools to be able to search effectively for the right jobs in Nigeria.

What is a Job Search Tool?

In simple terms, Job Searching Tools can be defined as the necessary tools which can be any means, strategy or methods that can be employed by job seekers to search for jobs. Inasmuch as they help job seekers to find job or facilitate the process of getting a good job, then it can be called a job search tools.

They can be in the form of job advice, online platforms, software programs, digital mediums among many other ones which we shall extensively discussed in the course of this discourse.

They [Job Search Tools] are the various search tools or job finds tools that help job seekers to know or identify the various job opportunities or job openings around. They are intentionally designed and configured to help streamline the job search process, hence helping them to save both their time and energy.

Importance of Job Search Tool

There are many great benefits that are attached to using job search tools, these importance or benefits are listed beneath-

1. Easy of job search– With the emergence and place of job search tools, the process of job search are being made easier for job seekers in Nigeria. This is because the various tools designed to facilitate the job search process goes a long way in eliminating the traditional methods which are rather cumbersome, rigorous and energy sapping process. Job seekers in Nigeria can now search for jobs using these various digitized search tools at the comfort of their homes.
2. Streamlined job search process– this is another benefit that comes with the use of job search tools. Through their application and use to search for job opportunities in Nigeria, it helps job seekers to narrow down their various job preferences. This is made possible because many of these highly digitized platforms collect the data of the various job seekers, categorizing it to search for the jobs that meet their preferences. Thus in this way, a medical graduate is not sent job alerts of an IT graduate.
3. Automated Job Alerts– Another wonderful benefits that comes with job search tools is that they possess the right plugin which enables job seekers that are registered on the platform or subscribed to it get automatic and scheduled job alerts at defined and stipulated time of the day. With or without the subsequent authorization of the user, he or she gets daily job alerts, once it is already initiated; it continues until the feature is disabled. You can get them as pop up messages on your phone, or in the message box. Other ways through which you can get these automated job alerts is through your mail box.
4. Employers to come to you– Adding to the numerous benefits that comes with job  search tools is that it also helps employers to locate their preferred candidates for possible employment.  I guess you would have been thinking that job search tools are only used by job seekers to identify job opportunities with ease in Nigeria, the truth that you do not know is that they are also used by recruiting firms or recruiters to get their desired or preferred candidates. How does this happens, there are many job search tools which are specifically designed to collate and gather the various information and details of job seekers which are properly filed and made available for recruiting firms to access. Also other platforms afford the users to create professional platforms which are accessible to the public. Platforms like the LinkedIn is a platform tailored towards achieving this goal as it is a community of professionals across various disciplines who through network engage with one another.
5. More job Listing– You as a job seeker get to have the opportunity to get more job listing when you are subscribed to any of these various job search tools. When you get multiple job listing as a result of the effective application and use of these various job search tools, you get to have the luxury of options and you are not just limited to a set of job alert or updates
6. Resume Building Tips Another benefit that comes with the right use of these job search tools is that it affords job seekers the opportunity to advance their job search strategy as it gives them the much needed help in numerous areas. Noted among these various aspect is that it helps them to build or create good resume which are quite integral to getting jobs. Online platforms like Delon Jobs gives job seekers in Nigeria and also young graduates the much needed expertise in creating the right documents that are integral and important to scale through the various job search and application process.
7. Tips to find a job – Job search tools also goes a long way in helping job seekers get the much needed tips that will facilitate their job search process. Many of these online platforms are not only informative in their function outlook, but they are also educative. On the pages of these various online platforms under this category you get to see and read about, how to write a Curriculum Vitae, how to answer interview questions, how to negotiate salary in Nigeria, how to write a personal statement  among many other educative topics which can be used to guide job seekers towards a successful job search process.
8. Resume and Cover Letter Writing Services- this already explains the aforementioned, some job search tools and platforms offers Resume, Cover Letter Writing services to job seekers in Nigeria. They have experienced personnel to put you through this process and they are always ready to attend to you. They understand what it takes and means to go through this process and they have the right information that will help you go through the process with ease and less stress.
9. Niche Board– these are customized or already designed boards which show specific job listing as programmed. They are specifically tailored to attend to identify relevant job searches that fit the specification of the user or applicant.
10. The Freedom to do other things- using these various job search tools affords the job seekers who are signed up to using them the opportunity of doing other things. The energy and time which they would have used on the job search process can be used for other productive engagement.

Examples of these Job Search Tools

1. Social Media– the social media has evolved from just being a platform for social engagement and interaction; it has over the years become a viable tool for self-sustenance. When you strategically tailor your social media pages or accounts to attract professional or specialist within the career circle you intend working with. When you follow the right network and you positively engage the right circles, you are bound to get the much desired breakthrough which you as a job seeker desire.
2. Community Organization– These are local platforms that offers job seekers the opportunity to search for jobs within the said locality. They gather the reports of possible job openings and they inform job seekers who are in need of job placement.

• Career centers– these are centers that are specifically tailored to offer particular job openings which are always tailored in accordance to the qualification and profile of the job seeker.

1. Professional organizations– these are professional firms or organizations who offers special services within a particular industry. Under this category, they make public the various job openings with them and they also help job seekers with the right information and tips regarding the application
2. Job alerts– these are dedicated websites that offers to their users the services of sending job alerts to their respective users. These is made possible through specially designed plugins that enables them to regularly send job opening alerts to their various subscribers. Under these feature, the various subscribers of these platforms can customized the pattern at which they want these alerts sent. It can be through mail, phone pop up messages or notifications
3. Job Search Directories– these are platforms which allows applicant or job seekers to search for job openings using some specific keywords. An example of these keywords can be job title, name of the company, salary, or locations.

Marcus Amudipe