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This is Nairobi I tell you, where you have to hustle even though
the bustle never fails to excite. Am on my fourth job in the span of a year.
The first job was bound to pay me nothing so I had to quit even before I started
because it also had the expensive rules I was not going to force someone to pay
bills to keep me within it in the name of gaining experience. Insurance it was
complete with a letter of appointment. When I see my former campus roommate making
ends meet while juggling it, I praise him for his patience and determination
even though he was a family man even before joining the company.
I was introduced to my second job through an SMS. It was a network
marketing company that still continues to operate even though the concept is
too much American as opposed to Kenya because it reeks of being a pyramid
scheme at the expense of being a real job. Whether a side hustle or not, I am
not courageous enough to accept the ideology that you can make millions using
network marketing because it enriches the owners more than the individual who
struggles to bring business. And sincerely speaking (sorry- writing), there is
no need to pay to continue working. You are taxed, then pay the company for working
for them. It does not add up. But because it is business, who cares. It also
provides a source of employment.
My third job happens to be the teaching job. I had always had this
desire and passion for teaching ever since my mum beseeched me to become a
teacher but thought of it as a lowly paying job. There is a possibility that
some day, I will be a teacher or a professor again. Teaching did virtually
offer a very profound platform. It is the most flexible and has no too much
pressure provided you cover your syllabus in time, students never complain of
your intellect and you deliver. The best thing about teaching is that it offers
an avenue of telling stories. You also can play chess during your free time and
juggle scrabble with amateurs who were on my receiving end most of the time.
Ideally, what I have forgotten to opine is that even though I was
not able to use the multi-level networking platform to my advantage monetarily,
I used it as a platform to learn. And I learnt one or two things about the
profession. Luckily, there was an avenue of free learning and thank goodness, I
learnt Photoshop via the platform and honed other skills because I am not a go-getter
when it comes to marketing even though Nairobi has an unlimited supply of
jobless people who I was to reach to form part of my network and alas, I would
be on a payroll while not struggling sometimes as long as my recruitees were
doing their job satisfactorily.
Now
I have this job that requires me to be creative. An online job that combines my
writing skills and graphic design skills which are amateurly honed. I love the
job although it is quite demanding. The best thing is that it is also helping
me out in matters pertaining to my blog. If things go well, I will be highly
exposed on the different ways of driving traffic to my blog. Our company is an
e-commerce one that retails products online. As a digital marketer, I have to
ensure I drive traffic to the site through the various social media platforms.
It’s not easy this days if you never invest on advertising on the major
platforms.
This
ought to be most restrictive job however. You see, coming from a teaching
platform and then joining a firm that expects you to work, work and work, it is
usually very tricky. One thing is, you have been used to a lot of independence
which will be curtailed while in an office setting. Secondly, Nairobi people
never take lunch. But once in a while, as a lecturer, you got a reprieve when a
schoolmate took you out for some chicken and chips because the chap was feeling
papers and wanted to tell you of his new found status.
There
is also the possibility that your colleague may stua you with something
good when he receives cash from a side hustle. Consequently, it is very
friendly working as a teacher. The only downfall is that you may never grow if
you stick there for long or become contented to a point where you cannot move
or think clearly because of being held back by the notions of contentment or
thinking there no other avenues to prosperity.
However,
despite teaching being a poor paying job and one where there is little chance
of making a big break, there are ladies and chics who may temporarily absorb
most of your cognitive resources because of their sheer beauty and attractiveness
because we men are visual creatures and look for the slightest available mating
opportunity for anything we see in skirt if we do not reign in on our carnal
desires.
The
reason I was so quick to change jobs was because I was finding it demoralizing
seeing staff turnover increasing each day. The working conditions were however
improving. My major bone of contention was that being a single dude, I would
have been caught up in a quandary. What with the hot chics- thank goodness I
never ate the forbidden fruit. Again, there was liquor. Cheap liquor that would
have made me addicted for nothing yet I was trying to avoid the bad habit of
drinking 2nd generation spirits. To make matters worse, I was
struggling a lot. Sometimes teaching that which I could because students were
there and someone had to teach because there is rarely any specialization in
most middle level commercial colleges. But I gave my best. That I am sure
about.
Looking
forward, I know I could have had one year experience by now had I stuck to one
job. But I am zetetic. I need to know where possible that which I can in my
quest for knowledge. Reason why I never limit my potential. My brain is only
being in use at ten percent. Why can’t I just stretch it a little bit to a
figure like 20%. My quest for knowledge is usually very amorphous. When this
job opened up to me, it was an opportunity long awaited.
Having
previously read on one of the daily newspaper about some career advice that in
the current world, what comes your way should be taken with open arms, I took
this job solely because I wanted to also be either a part of the success or
failure of a growing company. It has not disappointed so far. In future when I will
have the opportunity to practice that which I did in campus. I will give it a
shot. As at now, money is a driving force. And it should be because we need to
pay bills. Anyone who does not work for money is philanthropic and well into
charity which is something I usually am passionate about.
However,
if you read my previous posts, you may well be shocked that I did lament about
the lack of jobs in the country. There are jobs. The only folly is that the HR
department sometimes wants experienced individuals. There is also too much
pushing and connections in the job industry.
Some
people again never want to alert their mates of potential jobs because they
think the salary is too little the chap may work for a few days before calling
it quits and putting the credibility of the person pushing for the mate to get
a job in doubt. This may be due to the pay most employers give because it may
make one to shy away if one makes an analysis of the expenses and the income
which may only mean one runs into more debts after receiving a salary.
What
I have however noted is that patience pays when working for organizations.
Those who are patient enough usually reap the fruits that are varied. The
organization may grow and your salary may increase or the terms and conditions
may be revised. As I sit penning this down, I am still looking for greener
pastures. I am not going to restrict myself to something that will not guarantee
me the kind of life I want. If the BIG BREAK comes early on, well and good.
As
at now, let me chill in my current job hoping things will get rosy after the
probation period ends.
HASTA
LA VISTA BABY
[Photo
source: My own]
