The Day I Graduated Broke and Jobless in Nigeria (What Happened Next Will Shock You) - Daily Reality NG 🎓 The Day I Graduated Broke and Jobless (And What Happened Next) 📅 December 11, 2025 ✍️ Samson Ese ⏱️ 18 min read 📁 Personal Growth 👋 Welcome to Daily Reality NG Real Stories • Real Money • Real Nigeria Welcome back to Daily Reality NG, where we talk about the things that actually matter to everyday Nigerians. Today's story is personal. Very personal. It's about the day I graduated from university with noth...
10 Online Secrets That Can Ruin Your Career in Nigeria (2025)
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10 Hidden Online Secrets Wey Fit Ruin Your Career - Daily Reality NG
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10 Hidden Online Secrets Wey Fit Ruin Your Career
These online mistakes don destroy many careers for Nigeria. Learn the secrets wey fit spoil your professional future and how to protect yourself today.
Welcome to one conversation wey many Nigerians no dey take serious until e don too late. Your online presence fit make or break your career, but most people no dey aware of the hidden dangers wey dey lurk for their digital footprint. I don see bright graduates lose job opportunities, professionals get fired, and businesses collapse—all because of small small mistakes wey them make online.
Welcome to Daily Reality NG, where we break down real-life issues with honesty and clarity.
I'm Samson Ese, founder of Daily Reality NG. I've been blogging and building online businesses in Nigeria since 2016, helped over 4,000 readers start making money online, and my sites currently serve 800,000+ monthly visitors across Africa.
Why Your Online Reputation Dey Very Important
Make I tell you something wey shock me last year. My friend Tunde—brilliant guy, first-class graduate from UNILAG—apply for job for one big tech company for VI. E get all the qualifications, pass the first interview, and them even dey ready to send offer letter. Then the HR manager do routine background check online.
Wetin them find? Old tweets from 2019 where Tunde dey insult different tribes, make jokes about women, and even use very offensive language. The company cancel the offer immediately. No second chance. No explanation. Just "we've decided to move forward with other candidates."
Tunde thought say because the tweets old, nobody go see am. E no know say for the internet, nothing dey really delete. And that small mistake from years back cost am dream job wey fit change him life. Na so e be for many Nigerians today.
🚨 The Hard Truth
According to research, 70 percent of employers dey check candidates' social media before hiring. For Nigeria, as digital awareness dey increase, more and more companies don dey do this background check. Your Instagram posts, Twitter rants, Facebook comments, LinkedIn profile—all of them fit either help you or spoil your career. And the shocking thing be say most people no dey know the damage wey them don already do.
Your online presence fit make or break your professional future
Secret 1: Your Old Social Media Posts Dey Haunt You
Remember that Facebook post from 2015 where you dey vex and insult your state governor? Or that tweet where you make tribal joke? You think say because e don old, nobody fit find am again? Wrong! Very wrong!
Employers and recruiters don dey use professional tools wey fit dig up posts from years back. And even without tools, simple Google search of your name fit reveal things wey you don forget. The problem be say wetin seem like harmless joke or venting five years ago fit look very unprofessional today.
Real Nigerian Example
Chioma be influencer for Lagos. She dey hustle brand deals and collaborations. One day, popular Nigerian brand contact her for endorsement deal worth ₦2 million. Before them sign contract, them do background check. Them find old Instagram posts from 2017 where Chioma dey advertise fake products, make false health claims, and even attack people for comment section with very aggressive language.
The brand cancel the deal sharp sharp. Why? Because them no wan associate their image with someone wey get history of promoting fake things and behaving unprofessional online. Chioma lose ₦2 million because of posts wey she think say nobody dey notice again.
⚠️ How to Clean Your Digital Past
Step 1: Search your name for Google with quotes—"Your Full Name"—and see wetin dey show. Check at least 5 pages of results.
Step 2: Go through all your social media accounts—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn—and delete or make private any post wey fit look unprofessional. Look for: offensive jokes, tribal/religious insults, drinking/party photos, complaints about work, arguments, fake news.
Step 3: Use Facebook's "Activity Log" and Twitter's advanced search to find old posts you don forget. Instagram no get good search, so you go need scroll through your feed.
Step 4: If you find blog posts or articles about you wey dey negative, contact the website owner and politely request removal. Most Nigerian blogs dey agree if you explain well.
Secret 2: Public Arguments Online Dey Show Your True Character
I see am tire—professionals wey dey argue for comment sections like say na street fight. Them go curse, use caps lock, threaten people, and display very aggressive behavior. Them think say na just online, e no get weight. But the truth be say how you argue online dey reveal your character.
Employers dey look at how you handle disagreements. If you be the type wey dey quick insult people for Twitter or Facebook when them disagree with you, wetin you think say go happen when conflict arise for workplace? Nobody wan hire person wey no fit control their temper or communicate respectfully.
The Professional Way to Disagree Online
Use respectful language: Even if the other person dey vex, maintain your composure. Talk like professional, not like area boy.
Avoid personal attacks: Attack the idea, no be the person. Never use insults, tribal slurs, or threats.
Know when to disengage: If argument don turn nonsense, just comot. You no need prove point to stranger online.
Take sensitive discussions to private message: Especially if na professional matter or something wey fit expose private information.
🎯 Real Talk
I know say sometimes person go vex you for online space. Maybe them say something wey dey pain you or them attack your opinion. But before you type that angry response, remember: your future employer, client, or business partner fit see am. The 5 seconds of satisfaction from that clapback no worth the years of regret when e cost you opportunity. Count to ten, breathe, and either respond professionally or just scroll past.
How you handle disagreements online reveals your professional character
Secret 3: Your Email Address Dey Speak Volumes
You dey send job application or business proposal with email address like "sexyboi123@gmail.com" or "moneymaker001@yahoo.com"? If yes, you don already lose before you start. Your email address be the first impression wey you dey give, and unprofessional email address fit make recruiter delete your application without even reading am.
For Nigeria, I don see CVs with email addresses like "bigdaddylagos@," "prettygirl2000@," "yahoozeman@," and even worse ones. These people no understand say dem don already disqualify themselves. Nobody wan do business with "sexyboi123." Nobody wan hire "moneymaker001."
How to Create Professional Email Address
Best format: firstname.lastname@gmail.com or firstnamelastname@gmail.com
Alternative if taken: firstname.middlename.lastname@gmail.com or firstnamelastname2025@gmail.com
For business: yourname@yourbusinessname.com (if you get website)
✅ Quick Win
Right now, this minute, go create new Gmail account with your professional name. Use am for all job applications, business communications, and professional networking. Keep your old funny email for personal stuff with friends. This one small change fit open doors wey don dey closed for you before.
Secret 4: You Dey Share Too Much Personal Information
Social media don make us forget boundaries. We dey share everything—where we dey every minute, wetin we dey eat, who we dey date, our bank account details (some people even dey post their debit card for Instagram!), family drama, health issues, financial struggles. We think say na normal, but e get serious career consequences.
First, oversharing fit make you target for fraud and cybercrime. Second, e dey show lack of judgment and professionalism. Third, the information fit be used against you. I know somebody wey lose contract because client check her Instagram and see say she dey claim sick leave but dey party for club the same day. E no funny at all.
Wetin You Suppose Avoid Posting Online
Your exact location in real-time: Post am later, after you don leave. Posting live dey make you target for thieves and kidnappers.
Financial information: No post your salary, bank statement, or how much you get for account. E be like you dey advertise for criminals.
Family drama and relationship wahala: Handle personal issues privately. Public drama dey reduce your professional image.
Health problems (except you get good reason): Too much medical talk fit make employer think say you no fit work well.
Travel plans before you travel: You just dey tell thieves say your house empty. Post pictures after you don comot.
Children's school and routine: Protect your pikin. Kidnappers dey use social media gather information.
Secret 5: Bad Photos and Videos Wey Fit Spoil Your Image
That video of you drunk for party, dancing ontop table at 3 AM? That photo where you dey smoke shisha and pose with alcohol bottles everywhere? That bathroom selfie in your underwear? All these things dey follow you around online, and them fit cost you serious opportunities.
I no dey say you no fit enjoy your life or have fun. But understand say the internet get long memory. Wetin you post today fit show up for background check 5 years from now. And some industries—banking, education, government, religious organizations—them strict pass. One wrong photo fit finish your career for those sectors.
🚨 The "Tag" Danger
Even if you no post am yourself, people fit tag you for their posts. Always review tags before them appear for your profile. Go to Facebook Settings → Timeline and Tagging → Review posts you're tagged in. For Instagram, you fit remove yourself from tags manually. Check your tagged photos regularly and untag yourself from anything wey no professional.
Your online photos and videos speak louder than your CV
Secret 6: Negative Comments About Past Employers or Colleagues
E dey very tempting. Your boss vex you, or your colleague do you bad thing, and you just wan vent online. You go Facebook or Twitter, type long epistle about how wicked your company dey, how useless your boss be, how your colleagues dem na saboteurs. You press post, feel small relief, and move on.
But that post go live forever. And future employers go see am and think: "If we hire this person and problem happen, them go carry our matter go social media too." No professional company wan hire person wey fit destroy their reputation online. Na why them go just quietly move to next candidate.
The Right Way to Handle Work Frustrations
Instead of blasting your employer online, do this:
Vent to trusted friend offline: Call your person, talk your mind, comot the anger from system. No post am.
Write am for private journal: Type am for notepad, express yourself fully, then delete am. E go help you process the emotion.
If e serious, report through proper channels: Use HR, labor unions, or legal means. No use social media as court.
When you leave, leave quietly: Even if them wrong you, maintain professionalism. The world small, especially for Nigeria.
Secret 7: Fake Certificates, Exaggerated Claims, and Outright Lies
This one na disaster waiting to happen. Some Nigerians dey claim degrees wey them no get, certifications wey no exist, or work experience wey na lie. Them think say because of how things dey loose for Nigeria, nobody go verify. Big mistake!
Verification dey happen more than you think. And with LinkedIn, Google, and social media, e don dey easy to catch lies. If person claim say e work for Dangote Group 2018-2020, simple LinkedIn search fit show say e never work there. If you say you get Masters from certain university, one email to the school fit expose you.
When them catch you, the consequences brutal: you go lose the job immediately, them fit blacklist you for the industry, you fit even face legal action, and your reputation go scatter. All the other true things for your CV go no matter again because you don show say you be liar.
⚠️ Be Honest, But Smart
Instead of lie, package your experience well. You no get degree? Talk about your practical skills and online certifications. You never work for big company? Highlight the value you added to small companies where you work. You get employment gap? Explain say you use the time develop skills or handle family responsibilities. Honesty wey dem package well dey better pass lie wey go expose you later.
Secret 8: Inconsistent Information Across Platforms
Your LinkedIn say you be "Senior Marketing Manager" but your Facebook say "Small business owner." Your CV claim say you leave your last job in December 2023, but your Twitter dey show say you still dey work there in March 2024. Your resume say you get 5 years experience, but your LinkedIn profile fit show only 3 years when person calculate am well.
These inconsistencies dey raise red flags. Them make recruiter doubt your credibility and wonder wetin else you dey lie about. E be like when person dey tell story and the details no dey match—you go automatically stop believing them.
How to Keep Your Information Consistent
Update all platforms together: When you change job or get promotion, update your LinkedIn, CV, Twitter bio, and other professional profiles the same day.
Use exact dates: If your CV say you work somewhere January 2020-March 2023, make sure your LinkedIn fit match exact.
Keep job titles accurate: Use the same job title across all platforms. If you be "Marketing Executive," no call yourself "Senior Marketing Director" for LinkedIn.
Review regularly: Every 3 months, check all your online profiles make sure everything dey align. Write down your official work history and use am as reference.
Secret 9: Poor Grammar, Spelling, and Communication Online
You fit think say because na social media, grammar no matter. But your posts, comments, and tweets na advertisement for your communication skills. If every sentence wey you type get spelling error, if your grammar dey scatter, if you no fit form proper sentence, wetin you think say employer go conclude?
Especially for jobs wey involve writing, communication, or client interaction—if your online presence dey show say you no fit write well, you don disqualify yourself. I don see brilliant people lose opportunities because their Facebook posts full of "your" instead of "you're," "their" instead of "there," and other basic mistakes wey show carelessness.
How to Improve Your Online Communication
Use grammar checking tools: Install Grammarly browser extension. E dey check your spelling and grammar as you type anywhere online—free!
Read before you post: No just type and press send. Read am back, check for errors, then post. E go save you plenty embarrassment.
Learn common mistakes: Know the difference between your/you're, their/there/they're, to/too/two, its/it's. These small things matter.
Use professional tone for LinkedIn and business platforms: Even if you dey relax for Facebook, keep LinkedIn professional with proper English.
Avoid excessive slang and abbreviations: Small slang dey okay for casual posts, but if every post be "U no fit tel me noting" style, e go affect how people see you professionally.
💡 Real Example
Ada apply for content writing job with one Lagos agency. Her CV look good, her samples decent. But the hiring manager check her Twitter and see say almost every tweet get grammar mistakes. Sentences wey no make sense. Spellings wey wrong. The agency no even call her for interview. Why? Because if she no fit write correct English for her personal Twitter, how she go write correct content for their clients?
Your online communication skills advertise your professionalism
Secret 10: No Professional Online Presence At All
This one dey shock people. You think say if you no dey online, you safe? Wrong! In 2025, if person search your name online and nothing show, e dey suspicious. Employers dey wonder: "This person get something to hide?" "E never hear about internet?" "How e go represent our brand online if e no even get online presence?"
Especially for certain industries—tech, marketing, media, creative fields—having zero online presence fit actually hurt you more than having small imperfect presence. E be like you dey invisible, and for today's digital economy, invisible people no dey get opportunities.
How to Build Professional Online Presence
Start with LinkedIn: This one na number one professional network for the world. Create complete profile with professional photo, detailed work history, skills, and recommendations. Connect with colleagues and people for your industry.
Create Twitter account for professional purposes: Use am share industry insights, comment on trends for your field, and connect with thought leaders. Keep am professional.
Consider starting small blog or Medium account: Write about topics related to your profession. E go show say you sabi your field and you fit communicate well.
Engage professionally on LinkedIn: Comment on posts, share valuable content, congratulate connections on achievements. Be active but no spam.
Google yourself monthly: See wetin dey show when person search your name. Work to make sure say the results positive and professional.
✅ The Professional Online Checklist
✓ Complete LinkedIn profile with professional photo
✓ Professional email address
✓ Clean social media accounts (no offensive content)
✓ Consistent information across all platforms
✓ Good grammar and spelling in posts
✓ No public arguments or drama
✓ Professional photos and videos only
✓ Privacy settings properly configured
✓ Regular Google searches of your name
✓ Active engagement in professional communities
How to Protect Your Career Online Starting Today
Now wey you don see the 10 hidden dangers, make we talk about practical steps wey you fit take right now to protect your professional future. These no be theory—na actions wey you fit complete today and see immediate results.
Step 1: Do Complete Audit of Your Online Presence (2 Hours)
Set alarm for 2 hours today. Go through everything:
Google your full name in quotes
Check all your social media accounts one by one
Look at every photo, video, post, and comment from the past 5 years
Write down anything wey fit look unprofessional
Check your privacy settings on all platforms
Step 2: Clean Up Immediately (1-3 Hours)
Delete or make private anything wey no professional. No form sentiment. That funny post from 2018 wey you like—if e fit hurt your career, delete am. Remember: your future more important than old jokes.
Step 3: Build Your Professional Presence (Ongoing)
Start creating positive content wey go push down any negative results for Google search. This one na long-term strategy, but e dey very effective. Post professional updates on LinkedIn weekly. Share industry insights. Comment on relevant discussions. Slowly but surely, your professional content go dominate your search results.
Step 4: Set Up Google Alerts for Your Name
Go to google.com/alerts and create alert for your full name. Anytime person mention your name online, Google go send you email. This way, you fit catch problems early before them blow.
Step 5: Review Your Privacy Settings Quarterly
Social media platforms dey always change their privacy settings. Wetin you set last year fit don change. Every 3 months, go through your settings again make sure say only the right people fit see your personal content.
⚠️ The 24-Hour Rule
Before you post anything online—especially if e be emotional, controversial, or potentially offensive—wait 24 hours. Write am, save am as draft, come back tomorrow and read am again with fresh eyes. If after 24 hours you still think say e make sense to post, then post. But plenty times, you go realize say the post no worth the potential damage. This simple rule don save many careers.
Key Takeaways: Protect Your Career Online
Old social media posts fit destroy current opportunities—clean your digital past today
Public arguments online reveal your character—learn to disagree professionally or disengage
Your email address dey speak volumes—create professional email for all career communications
Oversharing personal information fit make you target for fraud and reduce your professional image
Bad photos and videos follow you forever—think twice before posting or allowing tags
Never badmouth past employers online—the world small and your words dey permanent
Lies and fake credentials always get exposed eventually—honesty packaged well dey better
Keep information consistent across all platforms—inconsistencies raise red flags
Poor grammar and spelling online dey advertise poor communication skills
Zero online presence fit hurt you as much as negative presence—build professional digital footprint
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Wetin I suppose do if I don already post something bad wey I no fit delete?
If the post dey blog or website wey you no control, contact the site owner politely and explain your situation. Most Nigerian websites dey cooperative. If na social media and the platform no allow delete (like some comments), focus on building new positive content wey go push down the negative one for search results. Also, you fit explain the situation honestly during interview if them ask—show say you don learn and grow since then.
How I fit know if employer don check my social media?
You no go really know for sure, but assume say them always dey check. According to surveys, 70 percent of employers dey do social media screening. So instead of wondering if them go check, just assume say them go check and make sure say your profiles clean. Prevention better pass cure.
Suppose I make all my accounts private or I suppose delete everything?
You no need delete everything. Instead, do this: Make your Facebook private so only friends fit see. Keep your Twitter public but professional. Make Instagram private if you dey post personal things, or create separate personal and professional accounts. LinkedIn suppose always dey public and professional. The goal no be to disappear—na to control wetin people fit see.
How often I suppose Google myself?
At least once every month. Set reminder for your phone. Also, set up Google Alerts for your name so you go get notification anytime new content about you appear online. This way, you fit catch any issues early before them cause problems.
Wetin I suppose do if someone else post bad thing about me online?
First, try contact the person privately and ask them remove am. Be polite and explain how e dey affect you. If that no work, you fit report the content to the platform (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) especially if e be defamation or false information. If e serious and dey damage your reputation badly, you fit consult lawyer about legal options. But for most cases, building positive content about yourself go help more than fighting the negative one.
I no sabi use social media well, na wa for me?
You no need be expert. Just follow these simple rules: Think before you post. Use good grammar. Keep am professional for LinkedIn. No insult people. No share too much personal information. No post bad photos. If you follow these basics, you go dey alright. And if you really struggle, ask younger person wey sabi show you the basics. E no hard at all once you understand the principles.
Founder of Daily Reality NG. Helping everyday Nigerians navigate life, business, and digital opportunities since 2016. I've helped over 4,000 readers start making money online, and my sites currently serve 800,000+ monthly visitors across Africa.
Don't make the mistakes wey don cost other Nigerians their dream opportunities. Start cleaning your online presence today and build the professional reputation wey go open doors for you tomorrow.
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