Why Graduate Schemes Reject Overqualified Nigerians (And What to Do Instead)
You finished your Master’s with distinction. Your CV lists project management experience, leadership roles, and technical skills that would make any recruiter drool. You apply to a UK graduate scheme expecting congratulations. Instead? Rejection. I saw a LinkedIn post last week from a Nigerian graduate asking why she keeps getting rejected despite having “everything they […]
What UK Employers Really Think During Your Interview
Read this and I can promise you’ll never walk into another UK interview unprepared. Research shows that UK interviewers make their hiring decision within the first 7-30 seconds of meeting you. The remaining 29 minutes and 30 seconds? They’re just looking for evidence to confirm what they already decided. That’s not an exaggeration. Multiple studies […]
Why Changing Your Name Won’t Get You More Job Interviews
Research shows that job applicants with white-sounding names needed 10 resumes to get one callback, while those with African-American names needed 15. That’s a 50% discrimination rate that’s been consistent for over two decades. Yet watching brilliant Nigerian professionals destroy their identities to chase callback rates that barely improve their actual career prospects? Honestly, this […]
LinkedIn Profile Mistakes Costing Nigerian Graduates Job Offers
I used to think LinkedIn was completely overrated. Now it’s rapidly becoming my favorite platform. However, that change took understanding the costly mistakes most of us make without realizing it. The truth will shock you: 93% of recruiters check your LinkedIn profile before contacting you about opportunities. Furthermore, LinkedIn profile mistakes Nigerian graduates make […]
How Much You Should Actually Ask For in UK Salary Negotiations (Stop Underselling Yourself)
I read in the news yesterday that international graduates are accepting salaries below market rate in the UK. Then a client called me, excited about a job offer. Her question? “They offered me £28,000 for a marketing role in London. Should I take it?” That news article suddenly made perfect sense. Look eh, there are […]
Why International Employers Keep Rejecting Your Nigerian Degree (And How to Fix It)
You spent four years grinding for that First Class Honours from Covenant University. Top 5% of your class. Academic excellence that made your family proud. Then you apply for jobs with Nigerian degree international employers and get the same response: “We’re not familiar with this qualification.” Your First Class suddenly feels like a Third Class. […]
What Happens When You Lie on Your UK Job Application
You’re staring at that job application, knowing your 2.2 degree looks weak next to other candidates. Just change it to a 2.1, right? Who’s really going to check? Or maybe inflate that six-month internship into “two years of marketing experience.” Everyone embellishes a little, don’t they? Here’s the thing: In today’s UK job market, that […]
Can International Students Actually Get Sponsored Jobs in the UK?
Everyone told you getting sponsored is just about finding someone willing to do “extra paperwork.” Picture this: You’re sitting across from a hiring manager who just spent 45 minutes telling you how perfect you are for the role. Then they pause, get that look, and say, “We’d love to hire you, but we just can’t […]
Are You Too “Nigerian” for International Professional Success?
“Maybe I’m just too Nigerian for this place.” I heard this exact phrase twice last month. First from Chioma, who got another “cultural fit” rejection despite acing every technical interview at a Toronto consulting firm. The feedback? She’s “too intense” in meetings and needs to work on “executive presence.” Then from my former colleague Kemi, […]
The Real Reason You’re Not Getting Job Interviews (It’s Not Your Qualifications)
“I’ve applied to 200+ jobs and only heard back from 3.” This is what Funmi told me last week. She’s got a first-class degree in Computer Science, internship experience, and speaks three languages fluently. On paper, she’s exactly what employers say they want. But her inbox stays stubbornly empty. Then there’s Emeka, who graduated with […]