Fits and all, my team in the office conducts interview for would-be employees of our organization. On one occasion, the lady that sat facing the team for the final interrogation bore the name Amah. Digging deeper during the session, I asked her to tell me more about her hobby and skills. She said she likes to sing, and in fact a member of the choir in her Church and can also cook; she does catering occasionally. At the end, we didn’t find her suitable for the position, for her performance during the written interview gave her away.
About a year later, among the many guests driving in during a wedding reception was Amah, pulling a Toyota Sienna. In consternation, I looked at my wife. My curiosity made her raise her head to behold the same lady. I told my wife she may just be taking a ride in her sister’s car. My wife was skeptical, for the sister to the lady in question was her M.Sc. classmate in the University. My wife told me further that she remember her classmate allude to her sister’s poor IQ academically but smart catering skills as though it runs through the blood, for her late mum was a topnotch caterer in the 90s. My wife’s wife classmate further told her how all efforts to make her sister Amah see the gold in the catering often meet the brick wall. Amah was bent on paid employment. On enquiry about the car, the sister confirmed that Amah indeed owned it but obviously not out of paid employment.
Later, that evening, my wife reminded me the few events where Amah was the caterer. This was about four months down the line after the interview in my office. They were smaller events cum birthday and anniversary celebrations; nonetheless, it appears that was when Amah began to look inward. I was part of the guests during an anniversary celebration recently where surprisingly, she was the caterer. Unassumingly, she walked up to me to offer a warm pleasantry like an employee to a boss. This was when the idea of writing this piece was conceived.
If we had engaged Amah in our organization, I am sure that the twelve months pay would not be enough to buy such a car. Perhaps, after the interview with us she felt like committing suicide. However, as she looked inward, twelve months later, she has every reason to keep looking inwards. If that is her only achievement within that period, then it is proof that looking inward pays much more.
Has your job search been frustrating, are you fed up with your current situation, are you losing your peace in spite of all the paraphernalia, do you feel like something is missing, do you feel you can do more than your present occupation or vocation, do you feel empty, is the joblessness biting hard? All these may be signs that you should look inward.
