PLIGHT OF UNDERGRADUATES
Now more than ever, I can pronounce that experience is the best teacher especially in the school of life. Just to highlight some features that stand out in the school of life, experience is the best teacher, there are no notes either hard or soft copy, during tests the best external memory is from experience folder and many more. You realize that nearly everything borrows from experience.
For the past 3weeks or so, my days wouldn’t be described as the best courtesy of this requirement called attachment. I have been out and about knocking offices, making calls, dropping CVs, and all those activities that lead one to attachment. I have tried all avenues, called relevant people to no avail; it seems the only solution is keep the move, complain less, take a chill pill and believe that good things come to those who wait. I am hopes up that something good will come up the soonest; giving up is not my thing anyway.
In all these, I know that there are many individuals who fall in my class. For those who are yet to go for attachment, or those in their final year and will soon be job hunting, I wanna share some nuggets of wisdom from my experience.
- PAPERS ARE NOT EVERYTHING.
Do not be tricked to believe that having papers is the only ticket to that job/attachment; sadly, it is not. In today’s world, nearly everyone have papers hence employers are using other criteria to getting the best candidate. You may have heard of people with first class, education level up to PHD but again they are jobless. Do not get comfortable and think things will miraculously fall into place just because you have the papers; they are not everything.
- NEVER EVER OVERDEPEND ON YOUR RELATIVES.
I said over depend; sort of being like a parasite. By relatives I mean even your parents and siblings. Your family might have produced the best CEOs, managers and high profile persons in the country but that is just a blood relation so don’t over depend on them. It is always good to have a plan B just in case they bail out on you, otherwise you may look desperate and end up getting nothing. Have a second thought the next time you relax and wait for a job/attachment to land on you because you have a blood relation with that CEO.
- THE EARLIER THE BETTER.
To some extent, it is partly my fault that I have not got an attachment because I was not very early despite warnings from a pal. I wouldn’t wish for you to go through the same but you’ve got to start the hunt the minute you realize you need an attachment/job. The early bird catches the worm buddy.
- NETWORK, HAVE CONNECTIONS.
At this juncture you need to `know people’ to get a job/attachment. In today’s corrupt world, 90% of those in jobs landed there courtesy of a connection. When an opportunity presents itself to network, grab it, don’t miss out. Keep and maintain contacts, you may need them someday.
- PHYSICAL TURN UP IS NECESSARY
Most companies will recommend that you use email to send your particulars and that is necessary in this digital era. However, think of it this way, the email is at everyone’s disposal hence unlimited interested parties will send and the HR, as human as he or she is, may be ends up reading none. This is the point where you need to physically present yourself to the company, get persistent, talk to the manager maybe; that way you express yourself better and even increase your chances of success.
- AVOID UNHEALTHY COMPARISON
Unhelathy comparison is the kind that will leave you questioning God asking `why not me’. Everyone has their own success story, different line of luck, being a bit patient never killed anyone. You need to wear that upbeat attitude, encourage yourself, and say that everything happens for a reason. Get spiritual at times, turn the pages of the Bible and read that God does not test us beyond what we can handle, His timing is always the best, and that He has plans to makes us prosper.
- MIND WHO YOU IGNORE.
`Tenda wema nenda zako’(do good and leave). My cousin keeps narrating a story of how he helped a lady with clutches cross the road and this lady mastered his looks. One year later in his job hunt while he was almost giving up, the two boarded the same bus and after exchanging words, the lady made known to him of a job vacancy. She pushed for it till he landed on that job. Doing good pays.
All in all:
- The hustle is real
- The disappointments are real
- The lack of jobs is real
I am glad to have gone through this whole experience because it makes me long long and long for self-employment at some point in life. For those who get jobs/attachments without much struggle, take a moment and thank God because some of us are wishing to get such a chance.
Now, got to draw a plan of the companies I will visit tomorrow; if only this was not a requirement.
Maybe you guys may assist me acquire attachment preferably in the department of finance, planning or human resource. Below are my credentials lightly:
- Computer literate.
- Done accounting package’s: QuickBooks
- Done CPA up to section 5 and passed.
- Completed 3rd year taking Bachelor of Science in Strategic Management.
- A strategic thinker.
GOD BLESS YOU.
I know most of you have begun a countdown to Valentine.
