No one told me patience could be so painful. I stared at my phone screen for hours while equally checking to see if my ring volume was at its highest so I could hear whenever a call came in but there was nothing. It was exactly three months since the National Universities Body declared a nationwide strike. My colleagues and I insisted that the strike could not exceed a month but one month had long passed, then two and now, three.
Source
I was getting broke since I lived alone at home so I decided to go out in search of a job to make some money and keep myself busy but none was forthcoming. It seemed all job owners in my city had converged secretly and agreed not to employ an undergraduate.
I was frustrated. However, sometime the week before a friend of mine, William, called to inform me of a job vacancy in a hotel not too distant from my apartment in the students' lodge so we prepared our credentials and headed out to apply for the job.
It was feedback from this organization who had promised to give us a call on that particular day that had kept me up all afternoon and into a greater part of the evening.
I was dozing off when I heard the buzzing that accompanied my ringtone. I jumped up, took a hasty sip from the sachet of water I had been drinking to clear my throat then picked up on the second ring.
"Babe!" It was William's hoarse voice. My heart dropped in disappointment so I lowered myself onto my mattress to help resist the urge to smash my phone against the wall.
"Hey William" I tried to sound as alive as possible.
"Those guys from the hotel, have they reached you yet?" I tutted.
"They haven't o, I've sat by my phone all day and …nothing " I heard William sigh at the other end
"The day is almost over Treasure. I would advise you to submit another application tomorrow."
I massaged my temple till it began to hurt
"So what about you?"
"I got a call from the petrol station I applied to last week. I'll be starting with them by Monday."
I congratulated him, promised to drop an application somewhere else the next day, and hung up. If only my father was well-to-do like the fathers of most people I knew, I wouldn't have to stay back at school to look for a job when others were back at their parent's houses eating, sleeping, and taking advantage of the break to give their bodies rest.
I wasn't even asking for an unrealistic life. All I needed was one call from the many places I had submitted my resume to. No one knew when the strike would be called off and since I had no source of income, I could barely feed. Thankfully, I had a roof over my head but then, I could barely pay my utility bills too.
Even that night, I barely slept. I kept checking to see if a call had come in while I dozed off or if they decided to send an SMS instead. There was still nothing. By the next morning, I was up and about submitting my curriculum vitae to different organizations, hoping at least one of them would contact me back.
Two days later when I had still gotten nothing, I decided to engage in dry-cleaning service so I got a couple of items I would be needing with the only available cash I had and sent a bulk message to my contacts so they could patronize me.
Sometime that week, I saw a poster saying a waitress was needed urgently at a bar but the pay was meager compared to the bills I had to settle so I ignored it.
That hotel where William and I had applied would have been the best option because their payment plan was favorable and the work hour was something I could keep up with when school was in session. I decided to let it go since I was already feeling better starting something of my own. The response was discouraging at first but after a week, things began to look up. I caught a cold a few days later and had to call a girlfriend of mine who was out in search of jobs to come to assist me because I couldn't afford to not deliver the clothes I had been asked to wash and iron. It was in the midst of this fracas that I got that one call I waited almost two weeks to receive.
"Congratulations, you have been offered a job with Pearl Hotels International to occupy the position of a waitress. Please be at the hotel on Monday by 8 am to confirm you have accepted this offer…."
On the 18th of June 2022, I resumed with Pearl Hotels as a waitress leaving the laundry to my friend who would give me a commission every month. In the end, it was a win-win situation.
That was a distressing situation for me too, but mine came one month before the strike was called off. But still quit the job due to stress from work and school.
I'm sorry. It can be stressful to juggle school and work. Thank you for reading.
Yeah, you were wise to leave the laundry business with your friend. Many people will shut one door because another door opened. But you allowed two doors of income to function simultaneously. I guess the Hotel call took almost forever, but finally you got the job. Nice story. Thanks for posting.
True. Knowing how to manage open doors is a gift we all need the universe to give us. Thank you for your support.
Iy was indeed a win-win situation, I know how it feels applying and waiting for that one call that will give your face a cause to smile.
I'm glad you can relate. Thank you reading.
When situations seem desperate there is always hope that helps us get ahead, fortunately you got the job to cover your expenses. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Good day!
Thank you for the reading. I am glad it turned out great too.
It reminds me a lot of when I disembarked from the ship with nothing for the internships and needed a job, it was stressful to walk around with no money. Your story makes me empathize with her.
Trust me, living without money is a another level of stress on its own. Thank you for reading.
I admire your zeal, even when the job felt like it wasn't coming you started up a drycleaning service so you wouldn't be idle. I'm glad it later turned out fine and you got a job.
Thank you for your support
Those were distressful times. At least things changed for the better with time and the laundry was profitable too.
I know right? Thanks
This must have been an exceptionally stressful time for you. Not knowing when the strike would be called off and having to carve out a means to survive in the interim, without any qualification, is an unenviable position to have found yourself in. You're a smart woman - Keeping your options open was a good move! When you write your pieces, remember to be aware of your punctuation. You tend to leave off periods/full stops and commas and it's a relatively easy fix to elevate the flow of your writing. Another piece of advice is to refrain from telling the whole story and try to show the reader what is happening through an exploration of the senses. eg: You mention barely having enough to eat but this would have created a lot more empathy and hit home harder if you had shared what that experience of hunger and fear felt like. The sense of urgency in securing employment could have been driven home with more vivid imagery.
Thank you for sharing part of your life story with us in The Ink Well. We look forward to reading more from you.
Oh my! I still have a long way to go. Corrections noted. I'll do my best. Thank you Inkwell.
These are powerful words. Your story reminded me when I finished my college and I needed something to keep myself busy. I had to ask a friend if searching for job was that hard or lucky wasn't on my side because I know the number of printed letters I submitted and the numbers of foolscaps I submitted with photocopies of credentials with no effect.
Some of these companies will keep these letters so that it won't look like they are desperately in need of employees. It's a good thing everything played out well for you at the end.
I'm really sorry ma'am. But most of them keep the letters for future reference. When they lose a staff, they might call one or two people who submitted in the past. Talking from experience though.
Happy to know that finally you received that blissful call.
Me too. Thank you.
I am glad that you work at the hotel you have been longing for, patience pays and kudos to Williams because he is a good friend.
Of course, darling. The patient dog eats the fattest bone 😉
It reminds me of the day that I distributed more than ten application letters across hotels in Abuja after my degree. That phase of one's life is filled with pressure and high expectations.
First I recently found out you are a Nigerian. Now, you are in Abuja. Fate is working 😁
The phase of job hunting is not easy 🥺
Congratulations on that, patience is a virtue.
Indeed. Thank you.
Waiting is one of the most difficult things for mankind, it's really not easy especially when it has to do with job. One thing I love about you is that you are not the lazy type, even when it looked as if there's was no work for you, you still didn't give up. Well, I am so happy that at the end, you didn't wait in vain. Congratulations from this side 😁
I am happy everything turned out well. Thank you so much for your support 🙏🏿
You are welcome ma
A win-win indeed. It's lovely you got up to work; if not get a job find something positive to do. Lovely read dear and a beautiful encouragement in trying times.
Thank you so much Whitney. I appreciate you.
Awwwgh🥹 I appreciate you too dear.🤗
What a touching story..glad you could find a way out of it. Kudos!
I am glad I did too. Thank you very much.
You're welcome.