Can I Get a Job Without an NYSC Certificate?

In present-day Nigeria, one of the major requirements before you can be able to get a job is having the NYSC certificate. In fact, the way prospective corp members are always eager to serve despite the setbacks they face during registration is proof that there is something very important about this certificate.

However, graduates who don’t have the intention of serving always end up being concerned about whether they can get a job without an NYSC certificate. Other graduates that get concerned might not even be because they don’t want to serve, but because they aren’t eligible due to their age.

This situation can really make a graduate feel uneasy, especially if he or she wants to secure a job to start life. It will actually look terrible if you can’t secure a job with your certificate after spending over 4 years in school just because you didn’t do NYSC.

Now the question here is, are you also bothered? If yes, then I am happy to let you know that you have stumbled upon the right article. This is because I will be providing a genuine answer to that question and also tell you additional things you need to know about NYSC and jobs. So without wasting much of your time, let’s proceed.

Can I Get a Job Without an NYSC Certificate?

The answer to this question is YES. As a certified graduate, you can definitely secure a job without a NYSC certificate. However, there are some exceptions. It’s important to note that such job opportunities are only limited to some private firms and skill-based jobs.

These bodies usually tend to ignore the NYSC certificate requirements due to the fact that they are flexible. But mind you, I said “some”, not “all”, which means that not all private organisations ignore the NYSC certificate or employ graduates without the NYSC certificate.

Some still require the certificate before they can give you a job. Now if you are asking the question “Can I get a job without an NYSC certificate?” and you have the intention of seeking a government job or aspiring for a political position, just forget it.

This is because you cannot get a government job nor venture into politics without having the NYSC certificate. No governmental organisation will give you a job without asking for your discharge certificate.

So our advice for you is if you are eligible, just try to go for NYSC because you can never tell whether you will be needing it later in the future. So to avoid disappointments later in the future, just go for service if you are eligible.

What If I Don’t Have an NYSC Certificate Because I Am Not Eligible?

If you aren’t eligible to serve, probably because of your age or other reasons, you can easily get an NYSC exemption or exclusion letter. Many organisations, including governmental and private organisations, accept the exemption or exclusion letter.

This means you can secure a job in a private or governmental organisation with an exclusion or exemption letter. However, using an exclusion or exemption letter might limit you to some certain things. In some private and governmental organisations, employees who used exclusion or exemption letters can’t be given certain positions.

Also, some organisations pay employees with NYSC certificates more than those with exemption or exclusion letters. Few years ago, a woman online complained about this which proves the statement I made earlier.

According to her, she said she and her friend got a civil service job, but her pay was higher than her friend’s despite the fact that they were in the same position. She later did her research and found out that the reason was because she used a discharge certificate, while her friend used an exemption letter.

So in conclusion, you can get a job without an NYSC certificate, but it’s limited to some private organisations and is not possible in government organisations. And if you don’t have the NYSC certificate, you can always get an exemption or exclusion letter, which can also be used to secure a job, as explained earlier.

And lastly, try and go for NYSC if you are eligible to serve. You don’t know where you will be tomorrow. So if you are eligible, just try and serve so that your situation will not be like that of the ex-minister of finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, who was kicked out of her position because she didn’t have an NYSC certificate at that time. Thank you for reading this article.