Experience | jackies2cents

A Job Seeker’s Tale

Posted on August 12, 2020 by Jackie Hanson

“Who is Jacqueline?” Slowly raising my hand, I responded, I am, please. Looking in my direction, she said, follow me. I stood up and walked behind her into a conference room and while with one foot still out, before anything else, she blurted, shut my door. I froze for a second and proceeded to shut ‘her’ door wondering why she had frowned. I remained standing until she whispered through her nostrils that i should sit.

I was beside myself with raised eyebrows and ‘wow’ wandering for space in my cheeks. One question after the other, the interview came to an end in about 25 to 30 minutes. By that time, I had already formed my impressions about her and i couldn’t wait to get out of there gasping for some fresh air . My observations would later turn out true. I’ll be quick to add that I wasn’t intimidated by her mean demeanour neither did i fail the interview.

We were three ladies who had applied for the position but somehow, I was confident I would make the cut. I did.
When I received the call notifying me of my appointment, I wasn’t excited. I dreaded leaving my workplace at the time, a good boss with good benefits, and an environment I looked forward to going each day. Who doesn’t want any of these benefits? The only difference was this new offer was giving me a shot to garner professional experience in another field. So I accepted the offer regardless.

However, two weeks at my new job, I was ready to resign. I sent in my letter and she was disappointed and requested a meeting. At the meeting, I met a different personality than what I had encountered in the past few days. What changed?
She asked me why the sudden decision and I laid down all my concerns without mincing my words. I can’t work in a hostile environment, her disrespect towards us, (staff) verbal abuse, and sheer disregard for people including me. It felt as if I was walking on eggshells at work and it affected my productivity. At the end of the meeting, she appealed to me to stay because she was already impressed with my work and try to disregard her attitude. She admitted she could be rough sometimes so I should manage. Yes, manage.
Meanwhile, my former boss was waiting to accept me back with open arms.

To some people, this may be the pettiest reason ever to resign from a job, that’s ok.

I’ve been to several interviews where candidates are treated with so much regard as the human beings we are. And I’ve been to some places where candidates are disrespected and looked down on.
The idea that jobs are hard to come by and so people will settle for anything thrown at them is what motivates some business owners and heads of institutions to treat job seekers as pieces of worthless things and you’re expected to ‘manage’ or be emotionally intelligent.

While acknowledging that, embracing the nuances of human emotion in the workplace can have pragmatic benefits, such as better collaboration among employees and building a happier workplace, it is also imperative to ensure that, people at work are looked after.
We leave our emotions at the door when work begins and this has devastating effects not only on businesses but also on employees from the cleaner to the CEO.

Inasmuch as employees and prospective employees should take time in self-assessment to become better at managing their emotions, i.e listening to and accepting constructive criticism, resolving conflicts, or making better decisions, employers shouldn’t also make excuses for their shortcomings in managing people. Thomas Carlyle once said, “A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men.”

Dear Employers, we know we are replaceable and jobs are indeed hard to come by. We are desperate and would do anything to get or stay employed even if we are mistreated and unappreciated but please be nice. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Job Seekers.

Ps: Thank you for reading this far. I’m happy to announce i found a new job and i will tell you about it soon!

Light and Love,
Jackie Hanson.

EVERY MILE MATTERS

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Jackie Hanson

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Abraham Attah’s story excites me. I watched his interview recently with Ghanaian Broadcaster, Abeiku Santana and listened keenly as he recounted his story on how he was once a street hawker to becoming a celebrated actor today and living the life that most people envision. I’m sure you know the story too… By the way, i must confess shyly, I gushed over him anytime he laughed. (Insert silly laughter)

I read a story of a woman whose story almost broke the internet after she gave birth 40 years post marriage. If she lived in my part of the world, the chastisement, judgement, and name calling would have been enough to make her feel worthless. It took four decades for her to finally own a son she can call hers. I shudder to think about the countless times she cried herself to sleep and the many days on which she felt incomplete among her peers. All those days her faith wavered, yet, she held on and now she has her reward.

Recently, my cousin graduated college after six years. If you’re guessing it’s no news because Medicine students spend even more years in school, then I’m sorry to burst your bubble. She needed only four years to get hold of that degree certificate she proudly has now. I hadn’t experienced someone get so fulfilled in a long while until I saw her clad in her graduation gown that day, I felt so proud of her. When she recounted her predicament, you could testify that it hadn’t been easy. Today, she has a new song.

I envisioned to finish my first degree at 22, start my career and be on my way to becoming one of the finest communicators, get married and start my own family…
At 26, I have now graduated University. But, I look back and see what I’ve been through. They look like detours but not exactly. I’ve not attained it all but I’m glad that I have the experiences I have gathered along the way.
It tells me that, although I’m not where I want to be yet, I’m definitely not where I wouldn’t have loved to be.

I’ve been through good and bad days, I’ve met amazing and bad people. I know you have too. Take a moment and reminisce, see how all those experiences have shaped your perspective and built your character…
There’s hope to be found when life takes you on a detour. Every tear, pain, every feeling of rejection, every sorrow you gathered on your way, they don’t define who you are or what you will be. It’s history. You can choose to stay and wallow in your past if you want to. But here’s your motivation, you aren’t what you used to be and your past is not prophecy of your future. Get rid of the “shoulda, coulda, woulda’s” and position yourself to embrace what the future holds for you. If you’re already continuing in His lead…for the win. Don’t beat yourself because really, every mile mattered.

Light and Love.
Jackie Hanson.

My 2-Day Training Experience On Technical Report Writing

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Jackie Hanson

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Working in an Engineering firm and performing basic roles of an Accountant and Administrator but with no academic background in either of the above mentioned couldn’t be ever daunting. In a pursuit to gather some of experience, I have been presented with opportunities that rarely have anything to do with my career choice.

My boss, an astute and diligent Engineer with about 40 years working experience received an invitation from the Ghana Institute of Engineers, GhIE, to sponsor eligible staff to a 2 day Non-Residential Seminar on Technical Report Writing.
He told me we could go together if I wanted to. I gawked at him in amusement and asked if he thought I was well deserving of that opportunity. After all, I’m not an Engineer and have no idea of the practice so clearly, I shouldn’t be his choice. He asked me to think about it and get back to him. Well, I reluctantly obliged to go.

On the first day of the Workshop, I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect at the meeting. I felt like a novice in the midst of skilled and professional people.
Although it was scheduled to start at 9:00am, the first session begun a few minutes past 9:00 because of a few distractions here and there. You know “Ghana man time”…
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Upon entering the conference room, we met a man, perhaps in his late 30’s with his eyes fixed attentively on his computer. Obviously, he was the “Professor” to take us through the sessions. After the 13 member class had settled, he rose from his seat to address his new class.
He was about 5.6 feet tall and had some strings of grey in his beard and clad in a pair of knitted trousers with long sleeves shirt, neatly tucked in. He introduced himself as Dr. Kobby Mensah PhD, Lecturer and Coordinator of the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Marketing and Communication Lecturer, part time, at the Ghana Institute of Journalism. He gave participants the opportunity to introduce ourselves just as he had done. The exercise made me realize that I was the odd one, they were all professional Engineers. I admired the 3 ladies for their deftness as Engineers. There was almost something interesting to talk about for some time after each person’s introduction. It was one of the early signs that told me I had signed up for an interactive class led by an interactive lecturer. He had a way of making comments to arouse our interests to also pass a comment or two. Most of these comments left the class in guffaws.
LECTURE

When the last person finished introducing himself, we zoomed straight into business. Little did I know that, the training was going to be a great tool for developing myself. Hitherto, I thought it was going to be strictly related to the various branches of Engineering as to how to write Engineering reports and using Engineering jargons. But no! It rather employed the antics of Journalism to communicate effectively in business, or better put, Engineering. That realization made me feel relaxed and made me settle for the whole package in store. Little bouts of joy popped in my head at the thought of being a Communications person, I could fit anywhere!

He made prime use of Audio Visuals in his lecture, allowed for contributions and questions as he went on. What I expected to be a training strictly related to how to write Technical Reports was rather a range of different subjects merged together ranging from how to collaborate with colleagues as a team in an organisation to how to explore every opportunity for personal growth. And of course, the main dish, how to gather information, how to write and present technical reports.

My highlight of the Workshop was when we were grouped in 2 halves to develop a product and create a user guide for the product. After several deliberations, each group was able to create a user guide with images and texts. Each group was represented by a member to make a presentation on their task and was open for appraisal.

Listening to people who speak very good English and sound great is such a delight to me. The lecturer, Dr. Kobby Mensah is an epitome of that. One of the lessons that is going to stay with me forever is the constant motivation throughout the session to make utmost use of every prospect that is presented to us regardless of our expertise or academic background. What seemed like any other workshop to others, was to me a guiding light to expanding my horizon beyond what I’ve ever imagined.
So well, you know who to call for your organisation when you need content for your website, I will gladly be at your service.
Email Address: jackiehanson.gh@gmail.com
Thank You!