[LIFE] My First Job

Hello. Yay! I graduated from Binus University on June 17th, 2014. As an amateur in the real working jungle, I totally had no idea of how it looks like when I started seeking a job. I won't lie; it was so tiring. However, I found it as a worth-taking experience. I learnt a lot.


BEFORE GRADUATION (MARCH-JUNE 2014)

HOLD ON, WE'RE GOING HOME
Some of my friends had a secure position before the graduation. Envious? I didn't, because I was not ready to dwell in a busy working hour. I had to go home and enjoy my time with my family. I'm from Bangka (Binus University: Jakarta) and my family is still there and for almost three and a half years, I seldom came home. If you read about my tiring-yet-thrilling experience of finishing thesis (in bahasa) and you would know the reason why I had to come home before starting working.

No regret at all. I enjoyed my time with my beloved family and commemorated my father's 100-day memorial. For the very first time, I realized how fragile my family without my father and how I love them with all of my heart.

At this time, some people started to ask me about my future plan, a job that I wanted to take, and where I wanted to work (Bangka or Jakarta). I never really thought about it. My focus was my family. At a point, my mom asked me about the same matters and I could not give her an assurance. One night, the thought came to me and I started to think what my passion was. From my organizational experience, I love event managing. The second thing coming to my mind was hospitality. Hospitality was hotel. My mind suddenly clicked. However, I never told anybody about that thought because it was still tentative.


GRADUATION (JUNE 17TH, 2014)

IT'S A CELEBRATION
It was a time to feel happiness. After the struggle (and payment), we could celebrate our winning date. My mom and sisters came to Jakarta and I could give my mom assurance that I gave the best just for her :)

I met some of my friends and some of them had worked. From their story, I could imagine how the working life looked like. Since I took Computer Science, the ideal position is a programmer. I got many friends that worked related to our study and some of them pursued different area. So, sometimes our education background didn't determine what path we want to take.

AFTER GRADUATION (JUNE-SEPTEMBER 2014)

CELEBRATION WAS OVER
The celebration was over. Life went on. Some people said that it was the time to start living your own life. Some people said that you could not be picky for the first job because I didn't have any working experience (Internship? What is that?).

Yes, I was so picky for the first time. Guess what? I didn't get any call from the company that I applied. My excuse of my unfortunate was it was fasting month so the company didn't process the application before the long public holiday.

FIGHT FOR IT
At the end of July, I got the job vacancy for the position that I was so interested! I applied for the job and browsed the information about the company. Well, I felt in love with the working environment there. One day after application, my phone rung but unfortunately, I was not in the position to take the call (taking a bath!). Well, I was so nervous to think that they would not call me back, However, a day after that, I got the call (and was able to take it, phew!). They wanted me to go for the first test. Yay.

I prepared myself well. I had to be there at 7.30 am. Could you imagine that? Jakarta? Rush hour in the morning! My God, to go there on time was just the first test! The place informed for the test was so far from my boarding house. So, I just woke up at 5 am, got ready, and stopped a taxi by 5.50 am. Phew, I got there on time (well, so early, about 6.45 am, but I was the third one coming)!

Well, I passed the first test. However, I failed at the second one, the interview. We (all candidates) were just interviewed for 3-7 minutes. After that, all of the candidates was free to go home and waited for the further contact from the recruitment team (after two weeks, don't hope).

Well, I got the confirmation that they declined my application (and I could guess why, I could not accept one of major condition for the job at the interview). I was so broken-hearted! I meant it and worked hard to get it. However, I got it; I had to accept that, the door was not right for me. After discussing with one of my friends, I didn't regret their decision (thanks, Tan! :D)

MOVE ON AND PRAY
Well, move on! Apply for other vacancy! I learnt to compromise my expectation. I got several calls after dropping my CV. At a point, I happened to read this following post, I decided this was the time for me to really ask (or beg). So, I started 9-day Three Hail Marys devotion. Guess what? I got some calls in the middle of my 9-day devotion. The first one, a bank, a test, at 9 am, I got diarrhea! I got a troublesome stomachache and the first thing I searched after arriving was the toilet. Could you imagine? Well, I felt that it was not my way :( (the job was not my thing also).

The second one, quite fun, I thought that I did good enough and I found the job interesting. I got some tests from some companies also, but I thought this was the one. After three day finishing my I fist 9-day devotion, I started another one three day because I was nervous that I would not make it for the further phases. Thank God, I got the confirmation and passed the second and third phase (interviews).

So, the next one was medical check-up and completing the requirements! Okay, I will explain it in detail.

SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2014, THURSDAY
I passed the final interview, got the cover letter to get medical check-up, and was explained that I had to complete some documents. The difficult document to get was criminal records from police station.

Okay, I got the plan! Going to the neighborhood chairman's (Pak RT) house and asking for two domicile certificates tomorrow. Saturday was the day for my medical check-up.

SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2014, FRIDAY
I phoned some police stations and got informed that I could not take my criminal records in Jakarta because my address on my identity card stated Bangka as my current address. Okay... I was so doomed! I had to go home just to take this f....freaking document! I checked the airfares and it was about 380k IDR!

Still, I went to neighborhood chairman's house for a domicile certificate. I intent to use it to make a specific bank account used by the company for my salary payment and to compromise my address on my identity card, I needed this certificate. Guess what? I could not make the account because the domicile certificate I got was not signed by Pak RW (Pak RT and Pak RW are considered as a couple of neighborhood chairman) and not valid. Pak RT asked 20k IDR for that certificate and I got an incomplete document!

The conclusion was I must go home to make the bank account and take my criminal records because of my address on my identity card.

I'm so tired and I was not feeling well. I felt like I wanna throw up. I came back to my room and got rest. My body was so tired but I could not sleep tight because I had a sad stomach. My plan was tomorrow I took the medical check-up and caught a flight a day after (Sunday) to go home


SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2014, SATURDAY
I got a problem! I literally threw up. I could not take the medical check-up with my condition. So, I went seeing a doctor. I got diarrhea symptoms. I knew that. I changed the plan, taking medical check-up on Monday and going home Tuesday morning.

SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2014, SUNDAY
Getting rest!

SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2014, MONDAY
Okay, I could feel my body was not a hundred percent fit! I could not take the medical check-up with this kind of condition. Change the plan! My friend, Janet Valentina, suggested to phone the company and inform that I could not take the medical check-up immediately and explain my condition to them. Well, thank God, the human resource could take my explanation.

I decided to go home first. I caught the flight in the evening. Happy! Yes! I met my family again! Suddenly, I felt so fit. Yeah! The power of a home. I ate my mother's cooking.

SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2014, TUESDAY
Well, I got the criminal records and the bank account. No major difficulties because I lived there based on my identity card.

SEPTEMBER 24TH, WEDNESDAY
Spending the time with my family and my friends

SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2014, THURSDAY
Going back to Jakarta in the afternoon. I spent almost 900k IDR for going home and back to Jakarta.

SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2014, FRIDAY
Morning: taking the medical check-up. Done, it took just almost 45 minutes.
Afternoon: going to the company for an uniform fitting and signing the contract.

SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2014, SATURDAY
Getting rest after a busy week. I had my hair cut neatly because of the company's grooming standards.

SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2014, SUNDAY
Searching for a new lodger (rent room) near the company. I could not stand the Jakarta's traffic.

SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2014, MONDAY
Moving to the new lodger. It took a lot of energy. My God, I regretted so many things that I bought and stacked in my room.

SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2014, TUESDAY
Getting rest and enjoying my new room before working. The last day of my free life.


MY PRAYER IN THREE HAIL MARYS
1. Getting a job that I need.
2. Getting a chance to go home before working.
3. Moving to the new boarding house near where I work.

:)

It was so beautiful.

The first job was like a mix-match fate. Be patient and don't give up! :)

PS: my colleague said, "Welcome to the hell!" Hahaha, indeed :D