A friend(actually a couple of readers) of this blog has previously asked, what happened to your job search?
I started this blog to document my journey job searching, random musings, work fashion etc. The former was the core subject.
Arduous does not even begin to describe it. I tend to be very private with certain aspects of my life but this blog has somehow reached out to those parts and I've learned to open up in my own 'weird-ish' way.
Today, I will literally disembowel the entrails of the process I went through looking for work as well as my current stand-point. I figured it'd be easier to do this in a diary kind of formula to make
for an easy read. We'll call it 'Seekers Diary'. It's going to be a 3-part series detailing my 2013 after which i'll have a constant update of my goings on every last Friday of the month.
Disclaimer; Some of it is downright sad and depressing, bits hilarious, other bits sound whiny but its all part of what went down. My sharing it is not as a form of weakness, or to implore a pity party from anyone,
it just is what it is..someone else out there might have faced or is facing a similar travail and well, cheesy as it may sound, sharing really is caring. All said and done, body dey inside cloth.
As promised here goes:
JOB SEARCH DIARY 2013 (PART A)
THE PLAN:
List companies I want to work for, those that I don't, random adverts in dailies/job blogs etc. Apply to all. Door-door applications drop. Reach out to networks.
CASH PLAN:
Make jewelry for money.
THE DREAM:
Stability, Capability; abilities abilities.
and prostitute red lipstick for visibility when I drive top down downhill from the cottage:-).
JANUARY-APRIL;
Left home for Nairobi. Had an interview with a private university as a junior lecturer. Got this through a network. Round one went well. Kicked out of round 2. Followed up with my network for reasons. Apparently, I failed on religious grounds(different faith with institution)..na wa oo!! Same month, reconnected with doctor who'd hooked me up with my 3rd year internship.
Applied to the companies on the list in this post.
I failed 2aptitude tests which was a huge blow to me 'coz I have previously tested very well. Got aptitude phobic.
I remember I got the results of one of the aptitudes while I was on the bus heading home after a long day. The tears that stung my poor and already blinding eyes could not be held back.
Moral; For your own matatu dignity, do not open emails on your way home.
Do it while reading the magazine letting the dogs out in your little space.
Got a client referral for my jewelry all the way from Doha. *Excitement*
If this works, I could be one of those geniuses who actually reaped from a simple hobby turned side hustle. Oi!! Counted my chickens too soon..this would take time. E-mailing was taking these people too long (responses after 1.5months..no feasible progress). Moved on, anticipating.
Sometimes in March, got a direct job offer from a private agribusiness firm. Peanuts for pay..hand-mouth phrase literally..choi!! The beggar in me took it! Small office, 5employees(3directors, the secretary and I).
That structure should have been my 1st warning sign..lol. 2weeks into the job..the job description was 'twisted'. Found out the ol' geezers were embezzling money from donors..I ran like I was possessed!(
Later that month, I applied for graduation. Got a call a week later telling me I bloody had TWO MISSING MARKS. What?????!!! Me??!! Worst thing..Both were in common units. These are done by EVERYBODY in campus and a class can have anything from 2000+ students/lecturer. Public
universities jor. We poor kids don suffer tire. I had to graduate in June else my mother would make pepper soup with my head on this account! Oi!!
Went back to school. Scrounged the ground back and forth for my marks. Secretaries in the offices lived up to their infamous regard in the African market..no help offered, just bandy-wording and smirking of lips.
1ST QUARTER STATUS;
Job Status; Zero.
Cash plan: Jewelry doing OK but not moving enough volume for stability.
The dream: My stability not in sight+now I wasn't sure if my degree cert. would be ready by June.
Watch out for the 2nd quarter of my diary next week Friday!
Xoxo
Kazini Daily!!