JUST BEFORE YOU POST THAT, THINK!!!

 ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’ I yelled. This is Africa for God’s sake, who does that? It is not your bedroom neither it is your personal album. This is a social media platform alias public domain’.

It’s been long I screamed like this. Yes, when my best friend told me she was going back to her ‘serial cheater’ boyfriend. Well, unlike that case I yelled to myself as I browsed through my Facebook home page. I know it’s really not my business but I just have to let it out. I was tempted to ‘report’ but then it was not my business.

  ‘Why would someone upload a naked picture of themselves’

(Am back. I apologize for my long absence.)

In today’s technologically advanced world and the upsurge of several social media platforms, information about anyone can be gotten within a twinkle of a ‘star’. One post and picture can be viewed by millions of people at once as everything that goes online becomes part of the public domain

I remember stalking people and downloading their entire life story from the internet; all I needed was their first name. In light of this, the internet; social media has become a very powerful tool used by everyone including Job employers.

This brings me to a question I ask myself anytime I am on twitter or Facebook

“If I am asked during an interview to log on to your Facebook page or twitter page, how would I feel? Would I be scared that the employer may see something ‘not professional’ or would I be relaxed knowing that they employer would like what he sees… (I would allow you personalize that question)

When you have a Facebook account, twitter account, blog, LinkedIn, MySpace....you name it, it’s your personal account. However, it depends on how you are using it. Before you go ahead and utilize your freedom of speech on any social media platforms make sure you watch what you are saying. Social media has given us tremendous amount of power in terms of job opportunity but it has also made everything we do much more vulnerable. 

Remember that saying. Yes, the one that says "choose your words (and pictures) carefully because anything you say or post can be used against you".

Did They Really Say That? Funny Interview Stories

I remember arguing with an interviewer when all he was saying was against my great institution, and how we ‘weren’t taught well’. I guess if you walked in at the heat of the argument you would have said what is wrong with this girl. I did not care if he was my prospective employer…I gave it back to him. How on earth could he insult my Alma Mata?

 “No sir, why do you think my school is like that, is that a biased view or what, you should not judge something you really don’t know much about. Is this interview about me or my school, I replied angrily.

How could I, you may ask. Well, mine story is ‘logical’ I was defending a cause (my alma matter)

This incident reminded me of a friend’s story, Titi during an interview. The interviewer asked her the dreaded “What’s your biggest weakness” question. “Well, am a terrible procrastinator, and late comer. My mum had to hurry me up to get to this interview in time” she replied. I could only imagine the interviewer’s face as she said ‘really’? And Titi replied, ‘abi u want me make I lie’. That kind of honesty at an interview is obviously inappropriate.

I remember the story of a young lady who walked into an interview panel, and straight to the seat reserved for her without even greeting. The interviewers asked her why she just walked in and sat and she replied ‘where the seats not for me’

As I tried penning down my thoughts for this article and what I should title it, I stumbled on a list of weird and funny interview stories. Enjoy:

• The recruiter asks: What is your greatest weakness? The MBA responds: Kryptonite.
• The recruiter from a tobacco company asks: Do you mind if I smoke? The MBA responds: Yes, I mind. I am allergic to cigarette smoke
• Candidate said he was so well-qualified [that] if he didn't get the job, it would prove that the company's management was incompetent.
• Stretched out on the floor to fill out the job application.
• Chewed bubble gum and constantly blew bubbles.
• Candidate kept giggling through serious interview.
• She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me and the music at the same time.
• Applicant challenged interviewer to arm wrestle.
• Asked to see interviewer's resume to see if the personnel executive was qualified to judge the candidate.
• Announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat a hamburger and french fries in the interviewer's office.
• Without saying a word, candidate stood up and walked out during the middle of the interview.
• Man wore jogging suit to interview for position as financial vice president.
• Said if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty by having the corporate logo tattooed on his forearm.
• Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering specific interview questions.
• When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing around my office.
• Pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a flash picture of me. Said he collected photos of everyone who interviewed him.
• During the interview, an alarm clock went off from the candidate's brief case. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for another interview.
• A telephone call came in for the job applicant. It was from his wife. His side of the conversation went like this: "Which company? When do I start? What's the salary?" I said, "I assume you're not interested in conducting the interview any further." He promptly responded, "I am as long as you'll pay me more." I didn't hire him, but later found out there was no other job offer. It was a scam to get a higher offer.
• He whistled when the interviewer was talking.
• Asked who the lovely babe was, pointing to the picture on my desk. When I said it was my wife, he asked if she was home now and wanted my phone number. I called security.
• She threw-up on my desk, and immediately started asking questions about the job, like nothing had happened.
• Pointing to a black case he carried into my office, he said that If he was not hired, the bomb would go off. Disbelieving, I began to state why he would never be hired and that I was going to call the police. He then reached down to the case, flipped a switch and ran. No one was injured, but I did need to get a new desk. (purported to have appeared in The Wall Street Journal 1989)

(The list Culled from http://isodontneedablog.blogspot.com/2008/07/funny-interview-stories.html)

Here is an opportunity to share your own funny, weird interview story and don’t forget to follow on twitter @fashionalle and like our Facebook page (link below)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/WritaNista/360161460721444 

JOB REJECTION: IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME!

‘My once white eyes have somehow become red or say pink. I really don’t know if it is the constant exposure to exhaust fume, getting beaten by the rain daily or the fact that I have cried nearly every day since the last one month. Yes, all I wanted to do was cry; cry out the pain and frustration of being rejected. How come? I know am smart and would be a great asset, see all my qualifications, yet they keep rejecting me.’

My name is Bimbo Shopemi. I am 24 years old university of hallways accounting graduate from Kogi state. I am ACCA certified. I am a passionate individual who seeks to contribute to the growth your firm. I have high-level communication skills, including engaging and informative formal public speaking. I am a quick learner who is adaptable, flexible and able to work effectively in any environment. I always set high standards for quality of work and consistently achieve project goals. I am also a team player who quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups and maintains an effective network of individuals.

Over the last nine months, I have applied for almost fifty jobs, precisely forty six and, as yet, only about fifteen have gotten back to me – some rejections after so many interviews

Dear Bimbo,

Thank you for honoring our interview invitation. The interviewer found the discussion very interesting and informative. It was highlighted that your academic performance was quite impressive, and the skills and capabilities you demonstrated were very as high.

However, we believe you are too qualified for this post and you are just too good for us. Based on this, we are indeed sorry to inform you that we will discontinue the recruitment process and add your resume to our database of potential candidates. You will be contacted should any opening that matches your skills arises.

We wish you the best in your future endeavours.

Warm regards

Maybe not exactly, but u get my drift. They tell you how great you are and then the BUT.

They all sound like my ex-boyfriend, ‘it’s not you, it’s me’…

And just like being dumped by a boyfriend, job rejection by a prospective employer can be very painful. You lose hope and you start questioning your self-worth.

But one thing we forget is that I may not have gotten this jobs but I still have other interviews lined up. There will be many jobs, other rejections, and greater opportunities.

I just have to focus on building myself and preparing for the next opportunity knowing fully well that life has a great plan for me.

LIFE AS A PR GAL- MY FIRST ONE WEEK IN C AND F

Being unemployed, I have been used to waking up just anytime. But things have changed; I needed to be in the office at 8:30am daily. With ‘first day at work excitement’, I dashed out of bed at 5am on Monday. Monday was basically on the overview of the company and we were introduced to the staff.

From Tuesday to Friday, getting out of bed was rather painful, there was no ‘first day at work excitement’, and my body hasn’t gotten the memo yet that I now have a job. Thus, I struggled out of bed and blindly made my way into the bathroom.

A series of lectures which is to last for almost two weeks was prepared for us. The training so far has been literally refreshing. I got reminded of those important things I was taught in school that pertained to PR. First newspaper in Nigeria, Iwe Irohin, Henry Townsend, Ivy Lee definition of PR…

Through Tuesday and Wednesday, I made some new ‘colleague’ friends and learnt quite a lot about my new office and its environs. My geography knowledge and retention skills were tested several times as I had to find my way to the office which was quite far from the bus stop I usually alight.  I also had to remember a lot of names or better still, just describe them.

I and my colleague were given our first main work on Thursday: to write on a topic for the blog. Mine was “why is social media more important than traditional media”. Rushing home I did some sharp research and writing, had to sleep late in order to complete it.

On Friday, I had a somewhat annoying journey to work, submitted my write-up… (waited endlessly for a response). Helped a colleague do a work, ate my first meal in Lekki and had a cold.

So far, I can’t really say what my life as a PR intern would be till I start the real thing. I have 12 months here to make an impression so I’m going to put everything into it and do the best that I possibly can. It’s going to be a lot of work, but it’s also going to be really fun and I’m up for the challenge!

A NEW JOB

I apologize for my prolonged absence. I took a break from writing and everything else for the past three months to focus on some stuff but am back, back with good news. I GOT A JOB!!! WOO HOO!!! Well, am sure u happy for me, am no more an unemployed graduate.

‘Give me the gist,’ I can hear you scream.

‘Be patient,’ I reply. ‘So, where do I start from’...

I began my career into a world I had always longed to be in; a world that has a reputation for providing a fast paced work environment, where creativity, time management, attention to details and most importantly communication skill is key.  I mean the Public Relations world.

The process started with writing three articles as part of the application criteria, an interview- written and oral and then a chat with top management. Then the main journey began July 2^nd, 2012. You may say four years as a communication student should have prepared me for these. Maybe a bit, but PR is much more than what we were taught in class.

For the next coming weeks, I would take you into my life as a PR gal. Also I would be writing on several PR related topics. Stay tuned

DIARY OF A ONCE FRUSTRATED, UNEMPLOYED GRADUATE: WHY YOU?

GLOBACOM (CONTRACT STAFF) is accepting CVs. HND IS N50K, BSC is 62k. Dress corporately and drop your CV with a passport photo at No 54 Saka Tinubu street, V.I, Lagos.

Yes, I got the message too and just like you, I went

On getting there I thought it was unemployed youth rally day.

There were over 4000 unemployed youth soldiers armed to the teeth with their credentials

Must have scared GLO as they said we should disregard the message.

While there, I decided to have fun….

And so I was doing my journalist work…

As I wondered in the midst of the soldiers…

A thought creeped into my head…

‘if Glo was actually recruiting why out of the thousands of us would I be hired?

Is it because I attached my hottest passport (seriously, if you were GLO you would give me the job because of this)

Or is it because I have a BSc hons from Covenant University

(If u see Covenant University students there, it was like Tuesday chapel service)

Or is it because am hardworking

(Uhm! Am sure if Glo said the job was to rebuild the office from scratch so many people would willingly do it.)

So why?

Why would the employer see me and say Eureka!, we have found what we looking for?

Why out of the several millions of unemployed graduates should I be picked?

What makes me different?

Am thinking….hope u r too…

Someone once said 1 machine can do the work of 50 ordinary men but no machine can do the work of 1 extraordinary man.

So dearies, how extraordinary are you?

DIARY OF A ONCE FRUSTRATED, UNEMPLOYED GRADUATE: FAITH FOR TOMORROW

                                                   FAITH FOR TOMORROW

….she had heard that shaving powder, cement, hair gel, bleach

and rat poison would do the trick

and so as she shook this mixture together, she said her last prayer

‘Dear God, u promised me a bright future, all those dreams you laid in my heart

Now four years after graduation, am still here with nothing at all

Why Lord, Why did u give me all these dreams when you knew you would abandon me

Why? Why? Well am coming to meet you so please accept me in your kingdom’.

And she shook the mixture one more time and was about to drink it,

She got a text; she didn’t want to read it.

She didn’t want anything that would make her change her mind

Kemi had had it up to the peak…

But then she remembered she wanted to text all her loved ones just before she ends it all.

As she opened her inbox, the text carried CHEVRON and she fainted……

As I read thru this post on writanista.blogspot.com

I realised that I may not have intended committing suicide but I was no different from Kemi

Just like Kemi, I have given up

Just like Kemi, am fed up of the ‘wait’

Just like Kemi I had lost hope and faith and just anything that looks like them…

But reading this article has opened my eyes….

And as I began to catch a glimpse of hope, my morale began to high (morale high)

How did I forget so fast…?

How did I become so negative?

How did I forget Jeremiah 29: 11?

How did I erase the picture of my bright future from my mind, all my great dreams?

Cos if I have had this in front of me

I would have known that a great story without challenges is a boring one

I would have known that someone like the woman I would become has to undergo some challenges

And so this period is only adding spice to my biography….

GIVING UP IS THEREFORE NOT AN OPTION FOR ME, IS IT FOR U?