By Abigail David
The Federal Government has advised Nigerians seeking public sector employment to avoid common application mistakes that could reduce their chances of securing government jobs.
The guidance was published by the Federal Character Commission (FCC) in a public awareness notice on its website, urging applicants to follow official recruitment procedures and remain alert to fraudulent job offers.
According to the commission, many job seekers lose opportunities by failing to follow application guidelines, submitting inaccurate information or relying on unofficial recruitment sources.
Seven mistakes to avoid
The FCC identified the following common errors:
- Applying through unverified sources
- Paying someone to secure a government job
- Ignoring application requirements
- Missing application deadlines
- Providing incorrect or incomplete information
- Failing to prepare for aptitude tests and interviews
- Assuming every advertised vacancy is genuine
The commission warned applicants against using unofficial websites, social media posts or forwarded messages to obtain recruitment information, noting that fraudsters often create fake recruitment portals to deceive job seekers.
It also cautioned Nigerians never to pay anyone who claims they can guarantee employment in the public service, stressing that recruitment into government institutions follows established procedures.
Applicants were advised to carefully review eligibility requirements, including educational qualifications, age limits, professional certifications, work experience and all required documents before submitting their applications.
The FCC further encouraged candidates to apply well before deadlines, ensure all personal information is accurate and prepare adequately for subsequent stages of the recruitment process, such as aptitude tests and interviews.
Clarifying its role, the commission stated that it does not recruit employees into ministries, departments or agencies. Instead, it monitors compliance with the Federal Character Principle, while individual government institutions are responsible for conducting their own recruitment exercises.
The commission added that verified vacancies may be published on its recruitment platform, allowing applicants to access authentic information before applying through the relevant institution’s official recruitment channel.
