Job Hunting at 45 and the Painful Reality

Last week I wrote in a guest post elsewhere where I asked whether it was possible to get a corporate job at 45. I put everything in my mind on that post; all the doubts and fears I have and all the steps I had taken to even arrive at writing that post. Deep down, I knew that this would not be easy at all but there was still this little part of me holding out on this one sliver of hope, just in case.

The results of the interview arrived today and, as it turns out, the application wasn't successful.

I cannot deny that it wasn't entirely unexpected, but that does not mean that it did not hurt me. When what you truly need failed, it leaves a lot of food for thought. For me, it brought back all the questions that have been in my mind about my age, my experience and the job market around me.

At 45 years of age and without a formal work experience, after graduating from university over 20 years ago, I was well aware that I stood no chance against younger graduates. They have the energy and also the type of experience that employers look for, and with few positions available, in this very city.

It was my wife who informed me about this job that there is an opening. She then beg me to apply for the job despite the fact that it is not stable and the salary is very little. But I was not convinced. All the same, I had no choice but to go for it.

Now that I didn't get the job, I was back at square one again to that reality which I didn't want to confront. This is not only about me, it is about my family, the responsibilities resting on my shoulders and also the fact that no matter what happens I have to find a way to make things work.

Sometimes life only gave you what was available not what you really want, but it still my responsibility to make something out of it. Life have taught me that not all your wishes would come true, but you can only deal with what life have offered to you and I have to begin to see it differently.

Now that the job application has failed, the best option left for me is to find another way to boost and revive my trading business, this is something I must do as I can't just stay still in one place. What I know for sure is that I will not give up.

We always says that people pray not to let Nigeria happen to them. But here in Nigeria, it is already happening to a lot of us, it is so difficult now for me to run a small business that I am trying to use to feed my family. And here I am struggling but I am still being hopeful. Though this was a rejection, but I know it isn't the end of the road for me, I still know that somehow things are going to work out.

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