When the list for our National Service came out, I was posted to a school to teach. Now that was clearly not what I wanted for myself, and my plan was to gain some experience in the corporate world. I started taking steps to ensure that I got a company in Accra to work with. You see, I don't have a problem with teaching at all, but I felt I had skills that would be better utilized under a corporate setting. Also prior to my national service enrollment, I had spent 2 months volunteering with an NGO, as a Teacher in the village school. It was a very insightful experience as we had to live in the village with no electricity, no water(we had to collect rainwater), no toilet facilities and sleeping in an unfurnished house. I knew what teaching entailed, and I didn't have the talent to teach.
I told my dad about my decision to change my place of posting, and he told me not to worry and that he would talk some friends. So, there I was relaxed as ever, waiting for my dad to tell me that it went through. Now about a few weeks for us to report I started getting worried, and I realized that even though I trusted my Dad to help me, he was also depending on others and anything could go wrong.
So I got up one morning, determined to put an effort into my situation. At the back of my mind, I knew it was too late, because most companies had the desired number of National Service Personnel as at the time. But what kind of person would I be if I didn't even try? I already had a back up plan, should I still go and teach. I had decided that since teaching would give me a lot of free time, I would start preparing for my GRE. This school was very close to my University, so I had planned that I would go to the University library as soon as school closed.
.. I went straight to the Central Business District of Accra, and my plan was to visit at least 30 companies before the day ended. All my hopes of pitching in the best speech about how I was going to be a dedicated worker should I be given the opportunity, crushed, after visiting the first 3 companies. Their message was simply no, that they already had the right number of personnel, and that I should have done this months ago.
My morale was very low by mid afternoon, and the Sun and my heels were not helping at all. I still didn't want to give up, because I knew there was a company out there that would love to have me, but I had to find them. By afternoon time, I was tired, sweaty and demoralized and I reduced my list of companies to visit for the day. I really thought this was going to be an easy task.
My breakthrough came when the HR personnel from one of the banks told me that they had a few slots for National Service Personnel, and that they were in talks with the National Service Secretariat to transfer some personnel to their company. She took my details, and promised to call me.
About a week after she called to meet her at the secretariat along with my documents. When I got there, there were about 7 other personnel whose posting she was changing to the bank.
I don't know what happened but 3 of us did not get the bank, we were rather transferred to one of the telecommunication companies in Accra. I was still grateful, because my goal was to work in a corporate environment.
My national service at the telecommunication company was a very successful one and after my service, I was offered a position with them.
This was not the only job offer I got after my service(I was dropping about 10 applications per day to other firms), I even got a job with a Nigerian Oil firm for their graduate trainee program, but I don't want to bore you guys with the details of that. My message is very simple, in what ever you wish to achieve, please take the first step, make an actual effort. I used to be a dreamer and a talker, but I have long learnt that positive results entail effort, determination and luck.
Blog readers, if you have any experiences of achieving your goals, kindly share with us. Also any tips on success would be highly welcomed!
u r blessed...tnks 4 d advice. much luv!!
ReplyDelete***MAC-CIDO***
hi am a kenyan n l read ur blog everyday, l agree sucess doesnt come easily l learnt tat the hard way. Being the last born l was pampered so much especialy by my dad unfortunatly he died in my final year in high school n l was devastated my life just seemed to fall apart all my siblings had degrees but since my dad had told me l wud inherit all his property l kinda relaxed n didnt put my all in wat l did. To cut a long story short by the time l realised life is wat u make it n sucess comes if u really want it l suffered for long but once l changed my mindset, so being an achiever is possible if u want it
ReplyDeleteThabnk you very much for sharing this experience. it seemed like you were talking to me personally,I just needed this pep talk. I am also someone who has a lot of dreams and ambitions. I admit that that lately I ve not been doin enough to make my dreams come to passn!ut after reading this,I feel really encouraged to go out there and seize my dreams by the balls(lol). I must achieve all my heart desires no matter the obsatcles.
ReplyDeleteWOW.. dropping 10 job offers per day in this economy ? Lol was that a hyperbole or u meant that literally? Pls teach me the trick to this feat cos I will like to be able to seive job offers like u after my course. I'm a level 200 Bus. Administration student in Gh.
ReplyDeleteElay.
Hi I used to register at most of the job websites namely jobsinghana, jobslist ghana etc and I would make sure I applied to most of the vacancies. Also I used to check the major newspapers for job postings
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