Your case can be different, if you decide to act differently. Life is fraught with challenges, it depends on what you are currently faced with and how you choose to handle it. For most fresh graduates, the challenge is getting their dream job. A sage once said “Unemployment is synonymous with pride. Unemployment is synonymous with lack of creativity. Unemployment is synonymous with a lack of people skills”. Unemployment is a global phenomenon but your case can be different, if you decide to act differently. These days, I hear that many of our graduates are unemployable but the graduates that are employable are still scouting for jobs. I recently heard the story of a young man who made a decision that he would never be jobless for one day after the completion of his studies. After he completed his studies, there was no job opportunity in sight except that of an eatery that needed a security guard. He decided to take the job even when it was much below his educational status. He would dress neatly; address customers courteously while directing them to park their cars. He would also greet customers, courteously tell them he is a graduate and respectfully hand his curriculum vitae to them. He ended up getting four different job offers. Presently, he is a director in a company overseas.
The story above present some lessons everyone needs to learn, especially the teeming graduates out there that are scouting for a job. The first lesson is that of humility; the young man did not feel the job was contemptible. He humbled himself and decided to take the job. He knew he had to start somewhere but he had a vision. Many young people today do not possess this attitude of humility; they want to start their work life in a very good company that can pay them a very fat salary. This is a good desire but wisdom demands that you make the best of the situation at hand. While you keep sending out your CV, you can take up a small job somewhere or even become a voluntary staff in a company of your choice. It is possible for the company to absorb you to a full staff when they see your level of commitment even without being paid salary. I know no one graduate prays to become a washerman, but if you need to become a laundry person temporarily, do it aside from the fact that there is a lot of money in laundry business these days. People are increasingly busy; too busy to do laundry and at times, too lazy to do any laundry. Humility is the pathway to honour; it is the stepping stone to greatness.
The young man in the story above also displayed creativity in the way he did his job as a security guard in a car park. Someone else would have carried on in self-pity but he did the job cheerfully, politely addressing the customers and introducing himself as graduate in need of a better job. The customers must have been impressed with his warmth and wisdom. Creativity is critical. While you are waiting for that your dream job, be creative; start learning or doing something and do it differently enough for people to notice your excellence and patronize you. You could learn how to bake cakes and be creative in your design and customer service delivery. Learning a skill during the period you are waiting for your dream job is a creative usage of time in itself. Think, come up with an idea and create products. Render a service. Nearly every manufacturing company needs a marketer; you can take up a marketing job. You can become a freelance writer; it depends on your line of interest. Make sure you are sitting idle and praying to God; do something! A sage once said if you are jobless for 90 days after the completion of your studies, you don’t really need a JOB; what you need is a THERAPHY.
As you do the job, be creative and also demonstrate people skills. Be friendly and accommodating. Show courtesy, be helpful at every possible opportunity and make people feel important. Your friendliness will create an aura around your person and turn you into a magnet of fortune. The young man in the story above was nice to the customers who come to the eatery. He was smart enough to know that these customers are possibly top executives or influential people who could recommend or connect him to his dream job and lifestyle, and that was what happened. These days, beyond good credentials, you need relationship skills. Like they say, it is not what you know that matters, but WHO you know. As you go on in life, please do not despise anyone, regardless of their economic status. In a nutshell, be humble, creative and friendly and that issue of unemployment will soon become history in your life.
I believe in your GREATNESS!
IDOWU OMISORE
Speaker. Author. Talent Coach. Youth Consultant.
Order for Idowu Omisore’s bestsellers; Invest Your Youthful Years, Dream and Achieve Greatness (with the Foreword written by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola [SAN]).
Call now to book Idowu Omisore for your coming programs. He’s a fantastic Spirit-filled speaking sensation!
+234 805 937 1461, +234 704 500 8591
idgreatness1210@gmail.com
http://www.idowuomisore.wordpress.com
Follow Idowu Omisore on Twitter @IDGreatness
PIN: 25B64154
Idowu Omisore's Blog 