Stakeholders in the creative and employment sectors on Thursday urged young people to acquire relevant skills, improve their curriculum vitae (CV) and build confidence to become more employable.

They made the call in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at a career clinic organised by StaffLynk Global in partnership with the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Development.

The clinic, with the theme “From Career Readiness to Real Opportunity,” brought together young people, career development experts, and recruitment firms.

It aimed to equip participants with skills and knowledge required to compete in the labour market.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Development, Olamide Lawal, said the initiative was designed to sensitise young people to developing professional resumes tailored to employers’ requirements.

Mr Lawal said the programme became necessary because many graduates and job seekers in the state do not present themselves well enough to meet employers’ expectations.

He noted that despite Ogun’s status as an industrial hub, some recruiting organisations did not consider graduates from the state suitable for available job opportunities.

“We have decided to collaborate with StaffLynk Global to sensitise young people on how to develop good and customised resumes.

“We also want to create opportunities for them by inviting more recruiting firms so that some of them can get employed today or prepare for employment tomorrow,” he said.

Mr Lawal added that equipping young people with relevant skills and information would reduce the unemployment rate by helping more youths take advantage of employment opportunities.

Earlier, the programme’s convener and founder of StaffLynk Global, Munirat Asubiaro, said the initiative was established to address challenges confronting Nigerian talents seeking employment opportunities, particularly in the global market.

According to Ms Asubiaro, many Nigerian youths lose employment opportunities, not because they lack competence, but because of how they present their skills and professional abilities.

She said the Ogun Career Clinic was established to identify and address such gaps, adding that the initiative would eventually expand beyond Ogun to reach young people across the country.

“I realised there was a gap, and people did not want to hire us because they believed we were underperforming. It is not that we are underperforming, but it is the way we present ourselves.

“That is why we came up with the idea of a career clinic, where we can diagnose the problem and fix it for them,” she said.

However, she urged young people to improve their skills, build confidence, and consistently deliver quality services.

She warned that poor professional standards can affect the reputation of other Nigerian talents seeking international opportunities.

Meanwhile, the guest speaker and human resources practitioner, Esther Eleodimmo, spoke on “Writing a Winning Curriculum Vitae.”

Ms Eleodimmo emphasised the need for job seekers to prepare professional and well-structured CVs tailored to specific job requirements.

She highlighted the importance of clearly presenting qualifications and providing functional contact details, cautioning applicants against relying solely on generic templates or unreviewed artificial intelligence-generated content.

A creative industry stakeholder, Lateef Adedimeji, urged young people to believe in themselves, give their best, and remain committed to their career aspirations.

Mr Adedimeji, who described youths as leaders of the present, advised them to participate responsibly in the 2027 general elections and resist political manipulations.

A participant, Aminat Alese, who described the clinic as inspiring, said it broadened her understanding of CV preparation and continuous capacity building.

She stated, “This programme is really inspiring. It has exposed me to new knowledge and motivated me to go back and pursue goals I have considered very difficult to achieve.”

(NAN)