Standard CV Samples for Different Jobs in Nigeria

Standard CV Samples for Different Jobs in Nigeria

Writing a standard CV is a not an easy task for many people; especially, fresh graduates without any work experience. How do you write a standard CV for a Nigerian job? What do Nigerian employers look for in a CV?

In a bid to answer these questions, I have compiled this list of standard CV samples for different jobs in Nigeria. This list is meant to show you what a great CV looks like, and also aid you to write a solid CV.

In this post, you’ll also learn; how to write a winning CV, get answers to frequently asked CV questions, top tips on how to write Applicant Tracking System compatible CVs, and much more.

Without further ado, let’s get started…

What is a CV?

Curriculum vitae (CV) is a document that holds information about an individual’s course of life, especially things like; education, skills and work experience. The primary goal of a CV is to project a person’s qualifications.

When do you need a CV?

You need your Curriculum vitae (Resume) as soon as you reach an employable age.

Standard CV Samples for Different Jobs in Nigeria

  1. Academic Teacher CV Sample
  2. Administrative Manager CV Sample
  3. Blockchain/Cryptocurrency Brand Ambassador CV Sample
  4. Business Development Manager CV
  5. Chemistry Science Fresh Graduate CV
  6. Computer Engineer CV (Mid-Level Professional)
  7. Corporate Lawyer CV Sample
  8. Cyber Security CV No Work Experience
  9. Data Analyst CV Sample
  10. Electrical Engineer CV Sample
  11. Engineering Fresh Graduate CV Sample
  12. Mechanical Engineer CV No Work Experience
  13. Pharmacist CV Sample Entry/Mid-Level
  14. Quality Assurance/Quality Control CV Sample
  15. Quality Assurance/Quality Control CV No Experience
  16. Quantity Surveyor CV
  17. Student Internship CV

 Standard CV Samples for Different Jobs in Nigeria: Sections to Include in Your CV

Your standard CV for jobs in Nigeria should contain, but not be limited to the following sections;

  • Profile or Executive Summary
  • Bio-data
  • Skills or Expertise
  • Employment
  • Education
  • Professional Membership or Certificate
  • Referee
  • Leadership Experience
  • Papers Published or Projects Executed
  • Selected Achievements or Awards
  • Hobbies or Interests

How to Write a Standard Nigeria CV

  • Profile/Executive Summary

Contrary to using an “Objective Statement“; your Profile/Executive Summary is your pitch. It is a brief introduction that will tell an employer who you are, what you are about, and what strengths you can bring to the organization. For this reason, it’s not something that should be written in a haste.

 Take your time to think through what your “Unique Proposition” is.

  • Contact(s)

This section should always occupy the top part of your CV. It should be the first thing an employer sees when they pick up your document.

Your Contact section should contain;

  1. Your Full name (the way it is written on your credentials).
  2. Contact details (address, phone number and email).
  • Biodata

For this section, you’d want to stick to only the basic details. Including your religion, height and state of origin, is not necessary; unless required. If you have to include a Bio section, restrict it to just your;

  1. Gender
  2. Date of birth

The bio section is not as necessary as it used to be 10 years ago. This is because, many employers nowadays, with the exception of most government agencies; are not interested in your gender, DOB and state of origin. Hence most modern CVs omit the bio section.

However, some jobs will be specific about the type of employee they want; for instance, they can specify the gender, age range, state of origin etc. that they want for a position. In that case, you have to show in your CV that you meet those requirements by including a bio section for it.

  • Education

This is where you indicate your academic journey, and certificates acquired with dates. Ensure you include the dates you started and ended each academic period. Also, you can include notable achievements made, during the course of your study.

Your educational background can follow this format;

Certificate acquired- course of study -the name of the institution- start date and end-date –Grade acquired/notable achievements made.

Note: If you have a running program, include all the details and the year of possible graduation in view.

Consider this example;

Bachelor of Engineering-Petroleum Engineering, Covenant University, Ogun State (2020 in view).

  • Skills

This section can contain both soft and hard skills; also known as interpersonal and technical skills. You need to include technical skills; because, they might just be, the distinguishing factor between you and other applicants.

Therefore, list the technical skills you have, software/tools you can operate/handle; you can go forward to mention things you’ve done using those skills. Hard skills are very helpful when you want to differentiate yourself from the other applicants.

  • Professional Certificates/Membership

Are you a member of any professional body? Do you have certifications in any professional course? List them in your CV.

Use this format to list your professional certificates/membership on your CV;

Certificate- Name of the body that certified you- Year of certification.

Or

Position/Membership status- the name of a professional body – registration number (if applicable)- Year of induction

  • Employment

When including your employment details in your CV, don’t forget to give a brief description of the businesses/companies, and what your assigned tasks were/is.

Other things to specify in your employment section include;

  1. Name of businesses/companies worked for.
  2. Position/Portfolio.
  3. Date of resumption and departure.
  4. City/State the business is situated.
  5. Achievements/Duties.
  • Referees

Though most employers won’t call your referees to ask them questions about you as they used to, it’s still important to include a referee section. This is because, your references will serve as testimonial, that you can be trusted to be of good behaviour. 

Your referees don’t necessarily have to be your relatives.

Example of people you can use as referees;

  1. Past/current employer
  2. Cleric
  3. Landlord
  4. Lectures/Teachers
  5. A colleague at work or school
  6. Prominent persons in the society, etc.

 How to Optimize Your CV to Pass-through ATS

So let’s break down the most important things, to factor in, as you optimize your resume for the ATS. 

1.Keywords

For your CV to go through the ATS; you should consider aligning your CV with the stated job description(s).

Identify keywords that are used frequently and prominently in the job description, and ensure you include them in your CV; because, these are the very terms, a recruiter will input in the ATS, when they are searching for the best-matched candidates. Hence, you should ensure that, your CV contains those keywords; as, this will enable you to have a good ATS score.

2.Job Titles

Consider using the exact job title listed in the job advert; because the ATS considers job descriptions when ranking candidates.

For example;

If you are applying for a secretary position; but, your current job title is an office assistant, the best thing to do, is to list yourself as a secretary on your CV. As a result, the ATS identifies that you line up with that job, and increases your score.

3.Formatting

Your CV format can disrupt the parsing process. Therefore, keep the format simple and straightforward; especially the columns, headers, fonts and graphics. The worst thing that can happen to you; is when you are qualified for a position, but your information parses into the ATS as a mess; the ATS will not score you as a strong match. 

You can get in-depth knowledge of how to optimize your CV, to be ATS compatible here. 

Frequently Asked CV Questions

Am I Obligated to Write My Age on My CV?

You are not obliged to write your age on your CV. A prospective employee should be measured by his/her years of experience, skills & abilities; and not age. Although in some industries, the age is sometimes a prerequisite to get selected. It’s very important to understand the requirements of the industry you intend venturing into.

Am I Obligated to Write My Full Address on My CV?

This is a debated issue with varying opinions. I think the reason why leaving full addresses on CVs, was common in previous times; was because job applications were submitted physically, and sometimes, offer letters were dispatched to physical addresses of recipients. Technology has changed a lot of things, and the major part of the hiring process is done online, these days.

However, there are two things to consider:

1. For the applicant; I am aware that, some people have security concerns, with leaving their private addresses on CVs; mostly when they do not know whom the information will be exposed to.

2. For the recruiters; knowing your geographical location, is sometimes very important for various reasons; one of which is; estimating the impact, distance / commute time, may have on the prospective employee, and the organization. My take is; rather than putting details of your full address on your CV, applicants may rather limit the information to “the city and state”. E.g., Victoria Island, Lagos… Egbeda, Alimosho LGA, Lagos.

How Long Should an Entry-Level CV/Resume be?

Entry-level candidates Resume; the popular belief is to keep the resumes to one page, as most employers assume that; candidates that are new to the post-varsity workforce, wouldn’t have enough career information to take more than one page of resume. 

But according to a recent study that involved nearly 500 recruiters, hiring managers, HR professionals and nearly 8,000 resumes; recruiters are 2.3 times more likely to prefer two-page resumes, over one-page resumes; regardless of a candidate’s job level. 

So, why the change in opinion?

I think there are two factors to consider. 

First, graduates of nowadays are entering the workforce with more exposure, to strengthen their CVs; unlike their predecessors. From internships to freelance gigs, and even contract work; students are encouraged to secure opportunities, throughout their university journey, to help explore potential career paths, build their skills, and meet the demands of the new job market.

Secondly, a recent study also found out, that, employers value resumes that provide a strong career narrative. In other words; recruiters would reward a CV that makes a good statement, and not just a mere display of professional and educational experience. In other to do this, the resume will take up more space.

Standard Nigeria CV Samples: Conclusion

Hope you found this list of standard CV samples for different jobs in Nigeria helpful? This is a growing list; more samples of Nigeria CVs will be added from time to time. If you didn’t find what you’re looking for or you need a professional to assist with your CV, kindly leave a request in the comment session. Also, if you found this list helpful, do well to, share it with your friends. Thank you.

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