Nigerians, being resilient and dogged people aren't ones to sit back and do nothing after completing their tertiary education even when the economy makes it tough. This explains why graduates take smart steps to find jobs that fit their skills and personality. Also, considering that a larger part of Nigeria's recent graduates are GENz, it makes it easier to think that the Nigerian workforce is about to have a big pool of the best creatives out there. However, the gist remains that there are specific jobs that recent graduates are doing and they are making enough money from it. 

If you are a few days or a few months away from graduating from the university or polytechnic, you may want to read through this article to have an idea of what is happening out there in terms of jobs and remuneration. 

See what some recent Nigerian graduates said about finding their current job

The tea is not detailed until we have heard from the horse's mouth, so we asked two people who are recent graduates what they do for a living and how much they earn from it. 

HubforJobs: Hi!

Graduate 1: Helloooo! 

HubforJobs: How long have you been a graduate?

Graduate 1: Not too long. I graduated in 2021. 

HubforJobs: Great! How has it been?

Graduate 1: I honestly wanted to leave the university so soon but I guess I didn't know it's a different ball game out here. 

HubforJobs: What do you mean? You have a job. You are lucky! 

Graduate 1: Yes, I do. I just didn't think I'd grow up so fast. 

HubforJobs: Oh! That? That's inevitable. We grow up everyday. What do you do? Where do you work?

Graduate 1: I am a software engineer and I work at the Guaranty Trust Bank. 

Read also: Landing a Software Engineering Role in 2023

HubforJobs: Nice. For how long now?

Graduate 1: 5 months. I had earlier worked at a Fintech company for 6 months. I remember applying for GTbank's graduate trainee program and totally forgot about it. Then one day, out of the blue, they sent me an email. A good one at that!

HubforJobs: Oh! Wow! That made you leave the Fintech Company? 

Graduate 1: Yes! I mean, the salary was better. So, I bid the Fintech company goodbye. The last time I checked, I was in tech for the money! 

HubforJobs: That's funny! The salary must be huge. How much do you earn? 

Graduate 1: Presently, I earn N250,000. I was earning a hundred and fifty thousand naira at the Fintech company. Now, you see why I left? 

HubforJobs: Yesss! The pay is impressive! Do you think you would earn more at GTbank? 

Graduate 1: I will. I'm just starting my life here and I'm choosing to look on the brighter side while enjoying my tech money.   

HubforJobs: Wish you the best! 

Graduate 1: Gracias! 

Graduate 2

HubforJobs: Hello there! We know it's a work day. Sorry to take your time. 

Graduate 2: I don't mind. I'm free for a couple of hours. 

HubforJobs: Thank you! You are free for a couple of hours? What do you do?

Graduate 2: I am an online tutor. I work for the Online School of English for Russian people. 

HubforJobs: Hearing that for the first time. What did you study? And when did you graduate from the University?

Graduate 2: It's possible. I studied Education and English Language and I graduated in 2021. 

HubforJobs: Fantastic! Your job sounds like you work from home. Do you?

Graduate 2: Yes, I work from home in Nigeria because the company I work for is in Russia. 

HubforJobs: You've taught English for how long? 

Graduate 2: August makes it the 10th month I've been working with them. 

HubforJobs: 10 months is a long time too. Guess you've loved the ride?

Graduate 2: Absolutely! A very flexible job with sweet pay. 

HubforJobs: By Sweet Pay, You mean?

Graduate 2: Well, because it's an international company, I get paid twice a month. On the 15th and 30th/31st.

HubforJobs: Ah! Great! How much are we talking about?

Graduate 2: The salary is not a fixed one. It is dependent on the number of classes I take in a month. Some students take a break during the summer period and this technically means that I don't take many classes. However, I've still not earned less than N300,000 in a month. When students are off their breaks, the salary sometimes spikes to N350,000 - N370,000.

HubforJobs: From teaching? 

Graduate 2: From teaching Russians how to speak English. Also, the school gives a 20% bonus on every salary above 80,000. So, if you have taken classes worth N80,000, you get a salary of N96,000. The same applies to all salaries above N80,000.

HubforJobs: This is interesting and encouraging at the same time. 

Graduate 2: I think that's the plan. To encourage employees to put in their best. You can choose the number of classes to take per day. When you remember there is a bonus, you may want to do more. 

HubforJobs: Oh! That's how it works? Got it! You are going to be there for a while? 

Graduate 2: Yeaa! As long as it pays the bills. 

HubforJobs: Ah, right! Wish you the best!

Graduate 2: Thank you!

We had the above chat with two people who just graduated but have jobs now. While that includes programming and Online tutoring into the list of jobs that recent graduates can do, you want to see more. 

Recent Graduate? These Jobs may work for you! 

Have you thought about these?

Social Media Management 

If you are social media savvy, you probably just have to take a few more courses coupled with grit to blend into this role. According to research, people between the ages of 18-24 years use social media more, followed by people between the ages of 25 - 38 and this can also mean that they are able to operate and find their ways around social media better. Furthermore, looking at the category of people currently in the field, the likes of Bolaji Billions, Omolola Dada, ade. richards, Hadasah, and co, who are thriving now, they started off while still in school and got better when they graduated. They've moved from just being social media managers to being Social media experts and Social media coaches. Glassdoor says that the average salary one could receive as a social media manager is N125,000 per month. 

Read also: Job Description of a Social Media Manager

Content Creator

You don't have to sulk about not having anything to do after graduation if you have a good phone and an eye for aesthetics and can come up with a couple of reasonable ideas. You can start creating content and have people notice what you do; that's literally how to break into the digital world. Whether you want to become a freelance content creator or work for a particular company, it's a good decision. However, while applying to companies and clients, you may want to continuously hone your skills because several other people are striving to be the best out there too. According to mysalaryscale, as an entry-level content creator, you can earn between N90,000 - N100,000 monthly. 

Entrepreneurship 

We must all come to terms that the normal 9-5 jobs aren't for everyone. While some people enjoy the idea of sitting in offices or in front of a computer to get tasks done, other people will prefer to identify a need and then buy goods in a certain quantity to sell to people. If you are someone like this, there is no need to stall on your potential, identify a particular product, and work around your target audience. Who knows, you may even become a personal shopper of the product for a client. The amount an entrepreneur earns depends on the amount of sales they make on their product, which is why it is important to have app laudable market skills.

Community Manager

With each passing day, community becomes a necessity and the energy is retained only by an agile person. Businesses and Organizations, in the long run, convert their customer base to a community and if you are that person who can relate with people so well and bring life into a circle, you should check job openings related to community management.  According to Glassdoor, the average salary a community manager can get is N150,000/month. 

Creative Writing

While people would love to read what a copy is saying, it must be interesting. If you are a recent graduate with incredible writing skills, then, you must have been sleeping on yourself.  Businesses and Brands hire people (could be entry-level too) who can write so well that it catches the fancy of their clients and customers. Come to think of it, creative writing is a versatile skill and you can use it anywhere. Salaryexplorer says that the average salary of a creative writer in Nigeria is N230,000. 

An Extra Tip you may need:

From time to time, some big organizations specifically roll out job vacancies to hire graduate trainees. Some of these organizations include commercial banks, Telecommunication companies, Agricultural firms, and Multinational food and drink companies among many others.

How do I get these Jobs? 

We are aware that even after having the required skills, finding the best job board or site can be a challenge. Not to worry! Our platform, hubforjobs helps you to find the best job vacancies and you don't have to stress a bit about if they are genuine ones. We have that covered! All you have to do is, take a few minutes, and log on to our website to create an account if you have not. Then, use the features provided to find the type of job you want, you can also fill in your preferred location. You can even get to see other jobs that you qualify for. Start sending applications! You are closer than you can think. 

We would love to connect with you on social media, check us out: 

Facebook: Hub for Jobs

Twitter: @hubforjobs

Instagram: @hubforjobs

LinkedIn: HubForJobs