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Applying for a job is not complicated, but small mistakes cost people interviews every day. This guide takes you through the whole process, from finding a listing to following up, and shows you exactly what to send.
Quick Answer
Find a job that matches you, read the full listing carefully, prepare your CV and documents, then apply using the exact instructions on that listing. Follow the subject line if one is given, attach your CV as a PDF, and write a short message in the body of the email. Apply early, and never pay anybody for a job.
Step 1: Find a Job
Browse the listings on the site and pick roles that genuinely match your skills, experience and location. You can filter by job type and category.
Applying for everything you see does not increase your chances. Employers can tell when an application was sent without reading the advert, and those go straight to the bin. Three well prepared applications beat thirty rushed ones.
New vacancies go up regularly, so check back often, or join our WhatsApp Channel so new listings reach you the same day they are published.
Step 2: Read the Job Details Carefully
Read the whole listing before doing anything else. Pay attention to:
- Location. Can you realistically get there every day, or would you need to relocate?
- Requirements. Do you meet the minimum qualification and experience?
- Working hours. Some remote roles for foreign companies run on their time zone, which can mean evening or night work here
- Closing date
- Application instructions. These are not suggestions. Employers use them to filter
If the advert asks for a specific subject line, use it word for word. Many employers set up filters that automatically sort applications by subject line, and yours may never be seen if you change it.
Step 3: Get Your Documents Ready
Scan these once and keep them saved on your phone and in your email. When a good vacancy appears with a short deadline, you will be ready in minutes instead of days.
- Your CV, updated
- O’Level result
- Degree, HND, ND or NCE certificate
- NYSC discharge certificate, exemption certificate or exclusion letter
- Birth certificate or declaration of age
- Local government identification or Certificate of State of Origin
- Recent passport photograph
- Your National Identification Number
A note for Isoko applicants
Government and state recruitment often gives preference to indigenes, and many require a Certificate of State of Origin signed by your Local Government Chairman or Secretary. Certificates endorsed by Liaison Officers are frequently rejected.
Get yours from the Isoko North secretariat in Ozoro or the Isoko South secretariat in Oleh before you need it. Recruitment windows are often only one or two weeks long, and secretariats do not open at weekends. Sorting this out in advance has cost many people opportunities they were otherwise qualified for.
Step 4: Prepare Your CV
Your CV should be one to two pages. Anything longer will not be read fully.
Include, in this order:
- Your full name, phone number, email address and the town you live in
- A two line summary of who you are and what you do
- Work experience, most recent first, with what you actually achieved rather than just your duties
- Education and qualifications
- Skills relevant to the job
- Referees, or simply “Available on request”
Practical points that matter more than people expect:
- Save it as a PDF. Word documents change formatting on other people’s devices and often arrive looking broken
- Name the file properly. Use something like Ovie_Emmanuel_CV.pdf, not CV.pdf or document1.pdf. Employers receive dozens of files named CV.pdf
- Use a sensible email address. Something close to your real name. An address you chose in secondary school will count against you
- Check your phone number twice. A wrong digit means you never hear from them
- Adjust it for each job. Move the most relevant experience to the top rather than sending the same CV everywhere
Step 5: Write a Proper Application Message
This is where most applications fail. People attach a CV to a blank email, or write one line saying “I want to apply”. Employers reading fifty applications will pass over both.
You do not need long grammar. You need four short things: which job you are applying for, why you can do it, one relevant fact about your experience, and how to reach you.
A simple template you can adapt
Subject: [Use the exact subject line the advert asks for. If none is given, use: Application for (Job Title) – (Your Name)]
Good day sir/ma,
I am writing to apply for the position of (job title) advertised on isokoJOBs.com.
I have (number) years of experience in (relevant area). In my most recent role at (company or organisation), I (one specific thing you did or achieved). I hold a (your qualification) from (institution).
I live in (your town) and I am available to start (when). My CV is attached for your review.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
(Your full name)
(Your phone number)
(Your email address)
Keep it to that length. Read it once before sending to catch any mistakes.
Step 6: Apply Early
Apply as soon as you see a listing that fits. Many employers stop reviewing once they have enough good candidates, sometimes well before the stated closing date.
For government portals, do not leave it to the final day. Portals slow down or crash under load as deadlines approach, and late submissions are not accepted.
Keep a simple note of every job you apply for, the date, and the contact. When somebody calls you three weeks later, you will know which role they are calling about.
Step 7: Follow Up and Prepare
If you have not heard anything after two weeks, one polite follow up message is acceptable. One only. Repeated messages work against you.
While you wait, prepare as though you will be called:
- Read about the company so you can speak about them intelligently
- Be ready to explain, in one minute, why you want the role and why you can do it
- Keep printed copies of your CV and certificates in a folder
- Keep your phone on and answer unknown numbers politely during working hours
- Confirm the interview location the day before, and plan your journey
Not hearing back is normal and it is not a judgement on you. Employers receive many applications and rarely reply to everyone. Keep applying.
Protect Yourself From Job Scams
We check listings before publishing them, but you should still know the warning signs, because scam adverts circulate widely on WhatsApp and social media.
- Never pay for a job. No form fee, registration fee, training fee, screening fee or medical fee. Legitimate employers and government recruitment never charge applicants
- Do not give bank details or your BVN before you have been interviewed and formally offered a role
- Be careful with unusually high salaries for work requiring little experience
- Check the company exists. Search the name. A real employer has some trace online, or a physical address you can confirm
- Be wary of pressure. “Respond within one hour or lose this offer” is a tactic, not a real deadline
- Think before sending video of yourself to a company you cannot verify
If a listing you found here asks you for money, please tell us through our Contact page and we will remove it immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an account to apply for jobs?
No. Browsing and applying are free and no account is needed. Applications go directly to the employer using the details in each listing.
Does isokoJOBs employ people directly?
No. We publish vacancies from employers and recruitment sources. We do not hire on their behalf and we are not involved in their selection decisions.
I do not have a CV. What should I do?
Write one using the structure in Step 4. It does not need to be designed. A clean one page document with your details, experience and qualifications is enough for most roles here.
Can I apply if I have no work experience?
Yes. Look for roles marked Internship, or entry level positions. Include any industrial attachment, NYSC service, apprenticeship, volunteering or family business work. That is real experience.
How long does it take to hear back?
It varies. Small businesses may call within days. Government recruitment can take months. Many employers only contact shortlisted candidates.
Can I apply for more than one job?
Yes, as long as each one genuinely suits you. Note that some government recruitment exercises disqualify candidates who submit multiple applications for the same exercise, so read those instructions carefully.
Start Applying
Get your documents together this week, write your CV once and save it properly, and you will be ready the moment the right vacancy appears.
👉 Join our WhatsApp Channel so new jobs reach you the day they are published.
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