Let me start with a story – everybody loves a story

A friend of mine graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from FUTO some years ago. As is commonplace, he had big dreams of doing big things when he would get a big job with big pay.
However, life gave him a kick in the nuts when two years post NYSC, he was still pushing CVs to companies where there was either 'no vacancy' or they wanted 'at most 25 yr olds with at least 5 years job experience'. Our friend told me he was subsisting on the money he made as a private home tutor teaching Maths and Further Maths.


By fate or chance, he read some books and developed a new mind-set. He decided to do what was, according to him, “the craziest thing I have ever done in my life”.

He prepared an application with his degree and certifications, his 4.0CGPA, his projects and everything else. He then attached a cover letter stating that he was willing to work without any form of financial compensation. He professed a love for the company and the great strides they had achieved and even listed some of the projects the company had undertaken.

He sent it by registered mail to the head honcho of one of the biggest construction firms in Nigeria (read: Bulius Jerger ). There was no reply. Three weeks later, he got a reply via email from the HR division asking him to resume with them at his nearest convenience.
Even though he was working for free, he had the grit and work ethic of the owner of the company. There were amazing perks – free rides to work on the staff bus, highly subsidized meals in the cafeteria . He even got the annual Christmas package for staff. He did everything that was assigned to him with diligence. He was the last to leave work and even pitched in on some weekends. He recounted to me how was solely responsible for his superior’s PowerPoint presentation at a conference.
He began to bear responsibility and was integral to his unit. An outsider would not distinguish him from other paid staff.

Long story short, this continued for many months (over a year). His pocket began to lose weight . Being fully committed at work meant he could not make money from home tutoring. Mama & Papa Engineer wanted their son to take care of the financially.
He had to make money.

He explained his predicament to his immediate boss – one of the few people in the company who knew his status.

After much waiting, a reply came. Unfortunately, he would not be able to convert him to paid staff, but he was willing to personally recommend him to a friend who sat on the Board of another construction firm. That he did.

That was how my friend got his big job with big pay. His experience from the first coy also looked great on his CV.

That is the end of my story.

Many times, we will be stuck in a place where our words can’t take us any further. It will not be easy. Do not expect anybody to have mercy on you. There are no hand-me-downs. Men who succeed are those who reach out and take. Look at the Forbes billionaire list, there is nobody there who inherited his father’s money.

This power of dramatization or taking action is not peculiar to job hunting. In all spheres of life, people who dramatize are often noticed while ‘gentlemen’ die in silence
Take a look at Harpic, the popular toilet cleaning agent. The very first adverts for Harpic were modest. Just some fancy jingles showing pretty ladies in nice frocks dancing and shouting ‘Harpic! Harpic!!’ . Sales were plateauing and they were barely breaking even.
Then they harnessed the power of dramatization, newer adverts had a popular actress staring a very dirty toilet (Yes, dirty toilets were shown) and then the Harpic difference was shown.

The results: production demand of Harpic tripled the next quarter. Sales went up and Harpic became popular.


The power of dramatization is the same reason why makers of breast milk substitute don’t spend time talking about how much Calcium or Vitamin A the product contains; they dramatize- they just show you a chubby baby being fed by a smiling mother.
Stand up and be heard. Actions speak louder than words. Life is a battle and only those who fight well will get the prize.
May God bless our struggle.

Cc: lalasticala

If your friend failed as a volunteer staff, he wouldn't have been recommended by his boss to his friend's much better firm.

The moral lesson from this story is that in everything one does, he should put in his best regardless of what goes into his pocket at the end of the month.