Having a job is very good as it provides a bit of security for us even though we know that there’s no job with 100% security.

Let me tell you my story of how I got the job I desired so much.

Around 2016, I was having this great urge to work with an organisation that was primarily helping secondary school students with career trainings, entrepreneurship trainings and leadership trainings.

I searched my region but couldn’t see any. Where I live, it’s very rear to see such organizations. But then, I didn’t stop.

I volunteered to work with a school as an ICT tutor. My target wasn’t to teach per se.

My goal was to get close to students to a point that I can have access to them and then do some counselling.

I must confess that I used about 30% of my time counselling students. However, I made sure we covered the syllabus and they understood what I taught.

I had a laptop and so it was easier for me to handle. I tried to bring in the practical aspect of it.

Fast forward…

I left the school after carrying out a Career Seminar Project. It was so exciting for me I felt like I won lottery.

Then, more than six months later, I had to leave because I needed money.

I was not paid.

But I continued to mentor some of the students outside the school.

I got my second job.

Then the third…

… and then, I was jobless again because I knew something was eating me up.

I went in again for my search. This time around, I checked online and I saw a school that was doing exactly what I wanted.

This story might be long but just follow me…

I was fortunate to realise the date of their graduation. And so, I planned for it.

I was able to get the contact of the principal. We spoke and he helped me get the details of the graduation.

Finally, I got to the venue.

In the the process of the event, my “to-be-boss” was called upon to speak as a guest.

When he was done, I went to meet him.

We spoke.

I had to explain to him what I was looking for, and what I was doing – mentoring highschool students.

Before I left there, he gave me his contact, and fixed appointment with him.

And boom… in less than one week, I was working with him.

Didn’t submit any CV.

I was the CV.

Assignment started.

I spent four good year’s working with him, mentoring teenagers, from weekly teaching to daily counselling to guiding a group of 10 year olds start an NGO in the school… and other projects.

That singular experience made me realise that you can control how and when you get a job.

Another one happened to me during the 2020 lockdown.

I was able to write for an edtech company, Bluebic, because I had a personal blog I’ve been managing for a while.

When I applied to write for them, they asked me for proof of experience.

I sent the link to my blog. That was all.

So, if you’re looking for a job and it’s not coming to you, calm down.

Ask yourself these questions and get answers for yourself:

1. What is the responsibility of the role you’re looking for?

This is where it starts after knowing what job role you are interested in.

Let’s be practical, what is the responsibility of the role you’re looking for?

If you know it, that’s fine. If you don’t know it, go and ask. You can ask someone in the organization or check online to see similar jobs.

Such jobs can give you clues of what you want to apply for looks like.

2. Can you begin to carry out personal projects in the direction of that role?

Here’s the game.

Do you have any experience in that role or field?

If you don’t, you’ll be shooting yourself on the foot.

Then, the next step should be this: take on a project that’ll give you relevant experience for that job.

Tech has made this easier. But if yours need more than techy involvement, then look for an organization, and then volunteer to work there or that same organization, you can volunteer.

Don’t wish it. Do the work. That is what will make you unique and distinct.

When you get the experience, you can go ahead and apply with proof.