Embrace the detours on the road to your dreams, for they often unveil hidden treasures along the way. They certainly did for me …
I knew it was going to take time and effort to apply for and get a new job, but I stood up towards the end of an entire day of training at Nando’s and asked to speak to the hiring manager.
I was embarrassed and was feeling uncomfortable about what I was about to say but I said it anyway: ‘Thank you very much for welcoming me here today and for the opportunity to be part of the Nando’s team but I am not made for this job.’
I handed over the badge, scared to hear the trainer’s reaction. I thought he’d tell me off for wasting the company’s time.
In my home country of Greece, walking away after a day of training would have been a big deal – it would have been frowned upon.
But to my surprise, he said: ‘Thank you for letting us know. We appreciate your honesty and we wish you luck.’
I felt relieved that I had spoken my truth and even more relieved that he hadn’t been angry with me.
On the training day, the team I was part of won every game and the whole day seemed perfect, at least on the outside. It felt like a great team to join for a short while, until I could get my first ‘proper job’ in the education industry, which was my original career plan.
But in reality, I had just fallen into the same trap that many young foreign nationals of my age fall into – working on something they don’t really want to do just to earn fast cash and buy some time in the UK in the hope that, in time, they’ll find the job of their dreams or the one that fits with their qualifications.
Then life happens. We get tired, we get comfortable, and the years fly by, one after the other, along with our dreams.
Deep down, I was afraid to leave Nando’s training day.
I’d be back at square one and I’d need to hunt for a new job. Without a job, I couldn’t continue living in the UK. So, I needed to find work quickly.
But I wanted to find a job that suited my qualifications and was aligned with my career aspirations.
So, I went for it.
I got an interview for a part-time job at The University of Brighton International College (UBIC).
Read my next blog to find out how I got on the first rung of the career ladder in the UK.
