Nigerian graduate, holds up sign advertising himself at a train station, gets a job interview

Posted by: b3rrilyn in GIST Aug 19, 2014

22 year old Nigerian graduate Alfred Ajani has been inundated with offers of interviews after taking a radical approach to job hunting, Daily Mail reports.

Alfred said he’s applied for over 300 positions since getting a degree in marketing in May this year and has been unlucky. Determined to land his dream job, he decided to hand out CVs to company bosses commuting into the City of London through Waterloo Station this morning.

Alfred stood at the entrance to the busy station holding a sign stating: ‘Marketing graduate (BA Hons 2:1 Coventry Uni) Ask for CV.’ His direct approach received a warm response from commuters, with many stopping to discuss potential positions.

Alfred, who lives not far from the station, said: ‘I graduated in May and have been applying for jobs ever since, but it’s very difficult at the moment.
‘The only ones that have come up have not really been what I wanted, I’m interested in marketing and advertising.
‘I realised that there are thousands of students out there using the same old methods of applying for jobs online and through recruitment agencies and so I thought I’d try something different.
‘I got up early and went to the station. At first people just looked at me but after about 10 minutes people starting stopping and talking. They said they’d never seen anything like it before and were really impressed.

‘One woman worked in advertising and took a CV and another guy ran back from his train and said he’d walked past but had started thinking and might have something for me.’
Alfred added: ‘I’ve already had some phone calls and have got an int erview booked for later today. The support was great, one man even bought me a cup of tea and told me “good luck”.’

Alfred has worked as a waiter while studying and has taken positions as an intern in the music industry in a bid to boost his job prospects.
He asked friends to help him hand out his CVs, but thinks they were put off by the early start.

A photo of him giving his phone number to a passing commuter circulated on Twitter this morning, with website users offering their support.
After seeing the photo, one Twitter user wrote: ‘Good on him for putting himself out there!! Time waits for no man!! Love it!!’
Another added: ‘It’s a good idea. I would’ve hired him into my business straight away if I saw him.’

Olympic medallist Kelly Sotherton retweeted the photo, and motivational speaker Gavin Ingham wrote: ‘He will no doubt get interviews and offers whilst others sit at home moaning. Good on him.’

– UK Daily Mail