Here is a testimony from a YPF member. Enjoy!
Going down memory lane, I remembered when I was about to pass out from the one-year compulsory youth service, I prepared my CV and sent it out to some persons to help review. Not everyone got back to me, but the ones that did were helpful. Remember, it’s not about the many persons that couldn’t make out time for you, it’s about that one person who did.
Expectations were high, trust me, to say I was hopeful was an understatement. I was excited about what life was about to offer me. I was in the recruitment process of a well-known Bank. I had scaled through the first few stages and then came the Panel Interview Invite. When I got the invite, I was preparing for my professional exams, there was a clash in the date, and so I had to do a mail and lucky me, my interview was rescheduled till after my exams.
I finally went for the interview, and I realized how unprepared I was. I later got a regret mail. Trust me, I had a good cry. Let me mention this, I remember meeting a fellow interviewee, we had a short discussion before the interview began and amidst the discussion, he mentioned Nairaland. I took note and signed up afterward. I have gotten loads of information from that site since then. I also took some online courses during the waiting period. It is very important to harness the power of networking. No man is an island.
A month later, a friend reached me and asked if I would be willing to take up a 40,000naira job, desperate me, ‘yes’ was the only word in my vocabulary at that moment. I accepted the job but was actively still looking out for a better job. I am a part of the Young Professional Forum (YPF), Ketu group precisely. The Forum has a WhatsApp group. I remember one of the leaders introducing a Senior Management staff who was just added to the group then. Trust me, I didn’t waste that information, I went straight to DM the Manager, I introduced myself, I can’t remember all our discussion but one result from that discussion was the fact that he saved up my number (I got to know through this WhatsApp Status stuff) and I still hear from him occasionally. You should make some intentional moves sometimes.
A few months later, a colleague at the 40,000naira job sent me a link to the career site of a company. I applied and finally got in. Note that the first job I got was way off my career path, but I accepted to do it and it eventually became the route to the second job, which was very well in line with my career path. Sometimes, you may need to go off your comfort zone to eventually get into your comfort zone.
While on my second job, I learned about an opening in a well-known FMCG company and one of the company’s top managers happened to be on the YPF Ketu WhatsApp group. He was aware of my job search experience and my desire for greener pastures. In fact, he was the one that notified me of the job opening. I applied for the job, it was a trainee role, and I scaled through the test stage. I later got invited to their Assessment Center. I was blown away with the humility of this top manager. A night before the Assessment Center, he drilled me for it, we spent hours together (online) preparing for it. To say the least, I was intrigued and amazed at his selflessness. I didn’t get the job. But the experience was worth it, you would understand why soon, read on. I want to draw out another lesson from this experience – there are still good and selfless people out there. Please debunk the notion of thinking that there aren’t. They may be few, but they exist. They are angels, destiny helpers. May you always meet this set of people.
I stayed on my second job for a year and seven months. I had to resign because I got a better job. And one of the stages in the recruitment process of this better job was an Assessment Center. I remembered all I learned from the previous one I participated in and it helped. This better job I got is with one of the largest professional services organization in the world. God be praised. I know God still has more in store for me.
I also want to point out the place of God. It is God that makes a way. In all I have shared, I see God in it. God touching the heart of people to help. Don’t forget God. Pray when you a weak, down and unhappy. And God will come through for you. As gold in the fire, the experiences we pass through sometimes help to prepare us for the big job.
I shared all this to encourage someone out there. I believe you have drawn some lessons from my story. Please don’t give up! Don’t give in! Your time will come. Brigette Hyacinth said and “It’s not about the many ‘No’ you receive. It’s about that one ‘Yes’ you get.”
