When will I fit in?

This passing week has been the longest for me since the year began. If someone ever told me that it would come to this, I wouldn't have believed…and to think that life has just began, makes me desire better times ahead.

I am just a young man growing older by the day, trying to fit in properly into a world and not sure yet what becomes of tomorrow. But surely, I am hopeful for the best.

Growing up, I heard allot about the labour market or favour market, as some people may like to call it. I saw my parents go out everyday and return late most times; they went in search for our daily bread. I didn't pay attention to their struggle (...it never really concerned me), all I cared was that I had food to eat when I was hungry, and I went to school like my peers. My parents made this all possible (and I am most grateful to them for their efforts).

Now the story has changed. I have finished my education, at least, up to University level and I have served my fatherland (NYSC). What is now left, if not to face life and the reality that I was ones so naive of. The onus of fending for myself to ensure that I feed the way I want, have my desired wardrobe, further my education if I so wish, acquire properties, settle and become a fully responsible man (you know what I mean), all these worries/cares are now most evident and I am yet to fit in. ***na wao…

They say: the end justifies the means. In my case, the end (thinking positive) is simple: A job (with good or reasonable pay). Since the completion of NYSC, I have been trying to get a job. I have written and forwarded applications to establishments that advertised openings especially online, from the banking to the oil sector and so on. I have been to a series of interviews, nearly nailed some, and that is just what it is; nearly. The end after all, is not just as simple as I thought.

The challenges of getting a job in the Nigeria of today, especially for a fresh graduate are very enormous. Usually, when the job is real, it is for those who have been referred to the employer by a member of his family, a friend or colleague: the, who-do-you know factor – “ima-madu”. The “year of experience factor” is another crazy one. You will see a job being advertised for fresh graduates and the employers seek for 2 or more years of experience on the job. Is the applicant supposed to burrow the years of experience from somewhere or someone, or may be an “experience” bank?

In order not to sound misleading about my situation (that is not my intension here) on the matter of finding a job, those who connect with me on LinkedIn would have noticed that I have recently edited my experience status. It reveals that I am a Design Assistant at Beautiful Ideas Ltd. February 2015 – present (1 month) ***smiling*** Yea… I got this SME job as a result of my applying for one of the federal government’s program for unemployed graduates. I know some graduates are currently benefitting from it too. It might not be the best alternative for graduate, but it could be the next reasonable alternative for those who are just tired of being at home doing nothing… you never can tell what it could lead to. 

I have barely spent two weeks on the job, and I am nowhere close to satisfied with managing the job. Don’t get me wrong, the job is a great job (we are into Interior Decorations and I design concepts for implementation by the project specialists) and one that encourages one’s self development, but mehn… the place is far. I have been trying to come to terms with the distance – Ikeja to Lekki-Aja area; Omo na die… those people traveling to Ibadan get to their destination even before me – that’s how bad it is. I purposely have refused to say anything about the constant terrible holdup under the dreadful heat, imagine it yourself (that’s if you don’t wear similar shoes already).

Hear me complaining… I see people who make such journey from more distant places, to and fro, daily and they didn't just start today.

I don’t know what will happen but I know the table is about to turn to my favour. I am thinking patience, I am thinking entrepreneurship, I am thinking of a job that will suite me no matter its peculiar demands, and not one that will finish me… I still love my life and my quest to fit in properly into my world is very much on course.

I could dedicate the whole of this piece to lamenting about this job palava, but I won’t – that is, if I have not already done so... lol! I know this phase will pass sooner… I will just have to psych myself to remain positive about my options in a quest to fit into a world.   

Thanks for taking your time to ready my lengthy nonsense… You have just put a smile on my face.

Sosongo etieti!

It may interest you to know that a greater part of this piece was written inside a Danfo (my way back from work on Thursday 12th February, 2015)... Na so I see am o. 
***smiling face***

One Love friends...e go better.