The Job Scour

"Content Writer" for X'Development, a marketing agency. That was what the application form stated when I applied. I didn't even tell Jose when I applied because she'd warned me that in the bid not to be desperate, I shouldn't apply for every single job I see. And honestly, I understand that.

When I think of it, it's funny how I studied Accounting yet my source of income is from Writing, a talent and a skill I honed. Getting out of the university and seeing that there was no job anywhere was tough. I applied to places that my CV resonated with, yet I wasn't able to get a decent job with decent pay. Everyone everywhere else said it was better to get a skill and I almost laughed at that, at first. You mean I spent four years and then some in a university only to come out and not see a job and then get a skill to get one? Why then did I disturb myself with the university process when I could have easily sat at home to learn a skill after secondary school? I asked myself that question a million times before I decided to settle on something I already loved. So I picked writing and even though my CV says otherwise, this is my first official writing job.

"We're here." I look up at the driver and down at myself, making sure my cloth isn't crumpled anywhere. I transfer his money to him and leave the car. As I step out, at first I'm scared because there's no sign of a company anywhere. Immediately I pull up G****e Maps and it says I'm there. Obviously, I calm down, but I'm still tentative when I walk up to someone and ask if X'Development is around the area. I'm directed to pass this lane and I check my time, swearing when I see, 9:45 am.

Not too long after, I see a building, a building which makes me pause and marvel at the skill of photographers because this building I'm seeing is nothing close to what I expected. I pull up my phone for a screenshot and see that it's the same building, the same picture, only that the photographer who had taken the building's pictures had made them look twice as big. The building I see, which says X'Development is a bungalow, painted in a brown and cream slanted style, some parts of the brown look faded which I try to ignore, and well the building just looks nothing like I expected. At least, it's standing quite alright. 

I'm not after the size of the building, I say, as I walk up to the building. When I step in, I'm met with a single receptionist and some people by the side, two ladies and a man sitting as if they were waiting for someone or something. I step up to the receptionist and before I say anything, she speaks without looking up from the keyboard she's furiously typing on. "Theresa Thompson, here for the position of SEO content writer, yes?" I ignore the fact that she mentioned SEO, thanking my stars that I know what it means even though I know next to nothing about it and I nod before I realize she's still not looking up. "Um, yes. Good morning ma'am. That's me and what I'm here for."

Finally, she looks up and seems to run her eyes over the length of me before she says, "It's a good thing you're not late. Please, sit over there and wait with the gentleman and ladies. They're also here for the same position." And without further ado, places her head back right down and keeps on typing furiously. 

I nod even though she can't see me and walk to the ladies who look tired, maybe of waiting or another thing, not my business. One of the ladies is built in a way that I call every man's dream. Hot lady with a banging body putting on a gown that brings out everything beautiful and well a hot wig as well. I slide my eyes to the other lady, who looks not just tired but angry. She also does look a bit old, considering the fact that the job has an age limit. But she's beautiful, and well, reminds me of a woman back home. Which reminds me that I need to call my mother once I get home. Finally, I nod to the man—who well, looks cute, has a tie on and is so tall it feels like I haven't seen anyone taller which is not true. The place is just a bit small. He smiles back and I notice a dimple which makes me smile as well—and I sit. It's barely a minute before my brain boots and I grab my phone rushing to my best thing in the world, G****e, as my other twin best thing YouTube will not be appropriate for her.

"What does an SEO content writer do?" I type in, and in five minutes, I gulp in the information G****e gives me, smiling that I've at least been able to do something reasonable. Then I G****e "Questions most asked at interviews" Now, mind you, I know I was supposed to do this earlier and I'd have done it but I just wasn't ready for another disappointment. Every single time I applied for a job since I left the university, I made preparations at home for interviews which I either never got called for or never went out well. So I considered myself prepared considering every time I've googled this question. Just as I'm about to slide my eyes to check the time, I see one of the ladies—the one I thought looked old—standing up and well, the others were shifting to sit better, but at that time, I thought they were trying to stand up as well, so I did. Which was weird. The receptionist looks at me, more like ogles me as if I'd done something wrong and says in a bored voice, "Sara Bade is who was called. Who is Sara amongst you?"

Trying not to be so embarrassed, I shake my head and slide down to my seat. Then the Sara lady, who doesn't even spare me a glance walks right into the office the receptionist pointed her to. Well, that didn't go too badly, I think, as I continue my search. I want to know everything there is to know about SEO. And if possible, take a course on it when I get home. Maybe one on Hubspot, Udemy or Coursera. Just something to get me more acquainted with it. Gradually, they all go in and out back till it is just me left. So I sit upright, and say a silent prayer, more like a plea actually. And get up when I hear my name. Just because I am petty, I don't acknowledge the receptionist and I walk right straight to where she pointed me to.

I step into an office which looks like it's the biggest place here. There's a burly man with bald hair whose face I can't see clearly because he's face down doing only God knows what. So I stand there waiting for him to acknowledge my presence, which he finally does with a "Hello, Theresa. You may have your sit." 

I say thank you and do just that and then he finally looks up. I peg him to be around his late forties or something. And well with his rumpled blue shirt, he kind of looks tired, and when my eyes slide to his, I almost back away. His eyes change almost immediately but nothing could be compared to the look on his face at first. I decide not to think anything of it as he starts talking.

"You're here for the position of a content writer, yes?" I nod in affirmation and then he says, "What we need is an SEO content writer. Can you do that? Any experience?" I nod again.

"Okay, let's start. Tell me about yourself," he says as he rakes his eyes over me.

I hate this question with passion because I have no Joy in talking about myself neither do I know what to say but I go ahead and brief him on who I am. 

"Impressive. So how long have you been out of the university?"

"A year." 

Hmm, and how do you do SEO writing?

I go ahead to give him a brief of what I just read from G****e and what I understood from it. When I'm done, he laughs in a boisterous, yet funny way and says, "Well, we might have just found a person." Again, he rakes his eyes over me and says, "So, what were you doing while you were at home?"

At first, I blanch in shock because I remember that it stated in my CV that I worked remotely for writing agencies, but I'm low-key scared that I didn't send that CV, or what the hell is going on? I look up at him and smile—in contrast to the riot in me—saying, "I wrote for some companies, sir."

Then he says, "I know. It says that in your CV. But you worked remotely, so…" he stretched the so, "what were you doing at home?" 

Then, it dawns on me what he's insinuating and instead of getting up, insulting him and storming out as I'd usually do, I remember that I need the job and I say, "Working sir. Working remotely doesn't mean I have all the time to myself. It's just working without having to commute to work. It's work regardless, hard work, sir." 

Then he sits up as if he's just getting himself, goes back to the task at hand and asks better questions which I answer promptly, and after that, he stands up and says, "Well, Theresa. Or what are you called? Is it Theresa?" I only smile because it's such an unnecessary question, and I say, "My friends call me Tessa, sir."

"Then you should have told me, ah! I consider myself your friend now. So, Tessa, the beautiful lady," and again, rakes his eyes on me, even longer now that I'm standing, "you will be sent an email if you got the job in three days time. If it is affirmative, you resume the next day. Is that okay?"

Trying to ignore the fact that he just shamelessly hit on me, I nod and say thank you, pulling my hands away from his as I walk out of the office, again ignoring the annoying receptionist.