It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re looking for a job. You see an ad, apply, and then wait around for weeks or months before hearing back that your application wasn’t perfect enough. But I’ve been there too—and it took me a year and six months of rejection before I finally found success in my career. In this post, I’ll share my story with you so that maybe someday yours doesn’t have such a long road ahead of you!
The beginning
It was a sunny day in May, and I was feeling optimistic about my future. I had just graduated from Delta State University with a degree in Marketing, and I was the third-best graduating student in my class. I had always been a hard worker and had dreamed of using my skills and education to land a great job in the digital marketing industry.
But little did I know, the road ahead would be far more challenging than I could have ever imagined.
I had just served my country in Nigeria for a year and was working for a consulting firm as an ICT officer to save up some money to serve as a full-time volunteer for two years. After completing my volunteer service, I got married to my beloved wife just two months and five days later. At the time, we were squatting with my parents, but we were hopeful that we would soon be able to get our own place and start building our future together.
The job hunt
But finding a job in the digital marketing industry proved to be much more difficult than I had anticipated. Despite the many job opportunities available at the time, I didn’t get any interviews, and my wife and I were getting increasingly worried.
As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, I started to lose count of how many jobs I had applied for. But one thing was clear: I wasn’t getting any responses. I knew I had a good resume, and I was confident in my skills and abilities, but it seemed like I just couldn’t catch a break.
My wife, who was pregnant at the time, was understandably concerned about our financial situation. We were living off our savings and had no steady income. I was doing odd jobs here and there, but it wasn’t enough to sustain us for the long term.
Despite the challenges we were facing, I remained positive and determined to find the right job that would allow me to provide for my family and build a better future for us. I knew that persistence was key, and I was willing to keep trying no matter how long it took.
Little did I know, my perseverance was about to be put to the ultimate test.
It was a difficult and stressful time, but I never gave up hope. I continued to apply for jobs, to network with people in the industry, and to work on my skills and knowledge. I also started a blog (HussleTips) to showcase my expertise and to connect with others in the digital marketing world.
Months went by, and I still had not landed a job. It was frustrating and demoralizing, but I refused to let it get me down. I knew that persistence and patience were key to finding success, so I kept pushing forward.
Exactly One year and Six Months later
One day, I received an email from The Incorporated Trustees of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They had seen my application and were impressed with my skills and experience. They invited me to come in for an interview.
I was ecstatic. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for. I spent the next few days preparing for the interview, studying the company’s mission and values, and practicing my answers to potential questions.
The day of the interview arrived, and I was nervous but excited. I dressed in my best professional attire and arrived at the company’s office early. As I waited my turn, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.
When one of the interviewers finally came to get me, I took a deep breath and followed him into the room. The interview was intense, with the interviewers asking me a series of tough questions about my experience, my skills, and my work ethic.
But I was determined to impress them, and I answered each question as honestly and confidently as I could. I could see the interviewers nodding along, and I knew that I was making a good impression.
Finally, the interview came to an end, and I thanked the interviewers for their time. As I walked out of the office, I could hardly contain my excitement. I knew that I had done my best and that I had a good chance of landing the job. But because I had received so many rejections. I still left with the mindset that I would be rejected.
A few months later, I received a phone call from the company. They offered me the job, and I accepted without hesitation. I was over the moon, and I knew that this was the start of a new chapter in my life.
As soon as the phone call ended, I felt a surge of adrenaline rush through my body. I had to tell my wife the good news, but I still have to manage to control the emotions because I had a seminary class to teach. After teaching the youths, I quickly packed up my belongings, thanked the seminary students for their time, and rushed out.
I ran home as fast as my legs could carry me, my heart pounding in my chest. I burst through the door of our small apartment, panting and out of breath. My wife looked straight from where she was standing close to the kitchen sink, her eyes full of concern.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, looking at me with worry etched on her face.
But before she could say another word, I blurted out, “I got the job! They offered me the position!”
My wife’s eyes widened in disbelief, and then a look of pure joy spread across her face. “Oh my goodness!” she cried, jumping at me, I caught her in my arms together with our daughter at her back. “That’s incredible news!” she said.
We both started jumping up and down, laughing and crying tears of joy. Our daughter Rachel, who was at her back nearby, started crying in response to our outburst of emotions. We quickly hugged and kissed each other, and then I held Rachel in my arms and held her close, all of us laughing and crying together.
For a moment, I forgot about all the hardships we had faced over the past year and a half. The long days of job searching, the rejection letters, the anxiety and uncertainty. All of it seemed to fade away as we basked in the joy of this moment.
I started working at the company as an Administrative Assistant, and I loved every minute of it. The work was challenging but rewarding, and I felt like I was making a difference every day.
Conclusion 🚶♀️
Over the years, I have grown and advanced in my career at the company. I have taken on new responsibilities and challenges, and I have learned so much about myself and the industry.
Looking back on my journey, I realize that every rejection and setback was worth it. They helped me to grow stronger, to become more resilient, and to never give up on my dreams.
Today, I am proud of the person I have become, and I know that I am exactly where I am meant to be. My story is a testament to the power of God for the ability to persevere, be patient, and never giving up on my dreams.
I hope that my story inspires you to keep going on your journey, even when the road is difficult. The reward at the end of the day is worth it!
Your story is a great one.unique .I learnt patience and persistence in achieving success .