Culled from: Zero To Greatness Network group on Facebook Today, I had a conversation with my neighbour’s wife.
She was trying to sell me wall decorations for my place, which I politely declined.
As I spoke with her outside her flat, her 2-year-old son made a noise inside the house…and I called him.
I carried him against my chest and tried to make him smile.
It didn’t work.
I’m good with kids, but I just can’t seem to hit it off with the boy.
While I was doing this, our conversation went towards jobs and career.
I used to think she had decided to be a stay at home mum…but I was mistaken. She wanted to work, but she hadn’t been able to get a job.
I asked her what type of job she was looking for.
She replied, “Any job…any good job…no, a federal job.”
Usually, when a person tells me this, I know it will take them a while to get a job…simply because they are not specific. They are not clear on what they want, and this absence of focus makes it difficult for them to get help. Their network will not know how to help them or what to look out for.
An example: If a person tells you, “I’m looking for any good job.” and another person tells you, “I’m looking for a job in HR.”, who would you call first when you hear of a job opening in Admin?
Yeah. You have your answer.
Even if the second person didn’t tell you Admin, you will call her first.
Focus is key.
Back to my conversation.
I asked her how the job hunt was going.
She had finished NYSC since 2014 and had not gotten a job since then. In the interim, she had gotten married, but still wanted a job.
Here’s a paraphrase of what she told me:
“Uchendu, I’ve gone for interviews, nothing really happens. Probably it’s because I want a federal job…and the way the country is now…it’s just not easy. All the Jobberman, Push CV etc…I’ve used all of them…nothing.”
The words above…the mindset behind the words is the main reason people find it difficult to get jobs.
In plain English – they use negative words to describe their situation to people.
Here’s what I told her:
“Ok...I’m going to give you two illustrations, and I’ll ask you a question after that. Ask me: ‘Uchendu, how’s your job search going?’”
She asked.
My first illustration: “I don’t just understand. I have applied to many places, I’ve had like 5 interviews, and I still haven’t gotten any job. The worst part is that, I’m a grown man…and I cannot even send money to my people at home. And with the way the country is now. It’s really difficult. I just don’t understand.”
I told her, “That’s the first one...ask me the question again.” She did.
My second illustration: “I’ve applied to a number of places. I did 5 interviews, 4 of which I know I did very well and expect to be called very soon. Nothing yet, but I’m confident one of those 4 will definitely work out.”
I then asked her, “If you were told of a job opportunity that just opened up, which of these people will you call first about it?”
Her reply, “The second one.”
My reply to her, “You will call the second one…right? Why do you then speak like the first one?”
Here reply, “[long pause]…hmmm...”
The negativity of the first person’s answer would make you not call him first, even if he needs the opportunity more.
You would call the positive person, who believes in his efforts and his chances of success.
The negativity of the negative person pushes the opportunity away from him.
This, I believe, is the main reason why people do not get opportunities.
They push good people and good chances for breakthrough away from them with their words.
And they sit stagnant, wondering why life has dealt them a bad hand.
The problem is not life’s hand.
Many times people use their words to dig the graves their opportunities are buried in.
But it can all change, with a simple move from negative words to positive words.
This may sound cliché, but many timeless truths are hidden behind clichés.
BE POSITIVE.
#UchenduTalks #30daysOfTheGreatestLessonsLearnt Source: https://www.facebook.com/uchenduezinwa/posts/10210204021915671 2 Likes 2 Shares |
