ANOTHER FIRST

The moment I clicked the send button I knew there were no second chances. This was the first time I was going through an online interview. Well, don’t take it as if I come from the cradle land because at least I knew such exercises existed. I deserve some credit, don’t I? They say new experiences are like ‘another first’, 1st day at school, 1st day to swim, list them all. What they forget to highlight though, is that, a first experience could go really right OR really wrong.

I had received a call earlier in the day, from the Communications Manager stating that my online interview would begin at 2.30pm and all instructions would be sent via email. The only information I had about the interview was that it was going to be a test. A test could be anything, questions, story writing or even a questionnaire.  The possibilities were so innumerable and I knew I had to brace myself the best way I could.

It is 2.00pm and I am already at a local cyber café near my home. It was a nerve relaxing strategy because I was not going to jeopardise a great opportunity because I could not be there in time. .As I patiently sat tight, I received an email from the Communications Manager, Lucy Wanjiku at exactly 2.18pm.

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for the interest in an internship placement with ActionAid  Kenya.

As agreed on phone, you shall take the written interview today at 2:30 PM. I will send you the written question at exactly 2:30 PM. You will then have a maximum of 45 minutes to answer the question and send it back at 3:15 PM.  Kindly prepare adequately for the task.

Thank you.

Lucy Wanjiku | Communications Manager | ActionAid Kenya

Tel: +254 (0) 722616691 | Ext: 2509

E: lucywanjiku@actionaid.org Skype: lwanjiku

ActionAid is a global movement of people working together to further human rights for all and defeat poverty.

‘Kindly prepare adequately’, this statement was quite mind boggling but I still hoped, my earlier preparation would give me an edge. It possibly cannot be rocket science, little Beth would whisper.Quite comforting I must say, because as much as I tried putting up a confident look, I was shaking in my boots.

2.30pm

I check my email account and I don’t get any inbox.5 minutes later, there is still no email and I cannot help but think I  probably got cancelled out. I kept refreshing my account and gluing my eyes on the computer just to ensure there were no setbacks. Anticipation can sometimes drive you insane.

2.40pm

I receive an email. ‘Phew! Finally’ my little angel does a happy dance.

                        From: Lucy Wanjiku 

Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 11:04 AM
To: Lucy Wanjiku
Cc: Edna Indimuli; Makena Mwobobia
Subject: Upcoming Interview Question 2:30 PM to 3:15 PM September 18 2014 -Internship Positions

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for the interest in an internship placement with ActionAid Kenya.

As agreed on phone, you shall take the written interview today at 2:30 PM. I will send you the written question at exactly 2:30 PM. You will then have a maximum of 45 minutes to answer the question and send it back at 3:15 PM.  Kindly prepare adequately for the task.

Thank you.

Lucy Wanjiku | Communications Manager | ActionAid Kenya

Tel: +254 (0) 722616691 | Ext: 2509

E: lucywanjiku@actionaid.org Skype: lwanjiku

ActionAid is a global movement of people working together to further human rights for all and defeat poverty.

 This time, attached to the email, was a project profile from which I was supposed to derive a story that could possibly be published in a national newspaper. The project was dubbed ‘The Girls’ Forum Model’ ‘They have a very articulate nature ‘I thought to myself. Every instruction had been meticulously laid down, thereby showing a sense of perfection.

I was seated in solitude at a small corner hoping it would improve my concentration. While that was taken care of, my nerves were still a bit jittery. ‘I can do this! I can do this’ I kept humming this new mantra I had developed. In a deep breath, I began going through the project profile. In this moment, I couldn't help but try to remember what my O level English teacher taught. I call them’ The lessons that never die.’ Simple tips, 1^st reading, which involves a casual read trough, 2^nd reading-reading while identifying the main points and finally, the writing itself.

The first 15 minutes were a smooth ride until I noticed something. My ideas were not as in sync as I intended. Paragraphs in a story need to be connected and intertwined lest it loses flow. .A twitch of panic, can totally disorient your mind, but I wasn't about to become a victim of self-doubt.

‘The Girls Forum Model’ was described to be focusing on safe spaces for the girl child. Trying to meet the story head on wasn't giving me progress. It’s commonly stated that it’s wise to have a plan A and B. In this case therefore, my plan B was to connect with the story by the virtue of being a girl child. Reliving the moment as a girl child opened my mind to a world of vast exploitable ideas.

‘It works’ I couldn't help but murmur. For a minute, it felt like a Eureka moment, so overpowering and profound. Everything seemed to fall into place just as I needed it to be. Sometimes in writing, you easily get lost in oblivion losing touch with what surrounds you. You might be wondering what I lost track of especially after narrating how I found my redemption in writing. Time, time is what caught up with me.45 minutes looked like a myriad of time but truth is, at 3.25pm is when I hit the last full stop. I obviously didn’t have time to revise the document to give it a perfect feel.

I was back to square 1.Feeling void and having a relentless fear of failure, but hey! In life you've got to cut yourself some slack. I had given my best and the least I could do, is become my greatest upholder.

ActionAid loved my story and I secured an internship spot. What more could I ask for than ‘another first’.