Unique Opening

Thank God that at a time when I was most discouraged over looking for a new job, God miraculously provide a very unique opening.

On 11 of September 2007, I received a call from a Consultant of a job agency. I have applied for a half-day job which she advertised. She told me that the position is not available. But she said there is a temporary data-entry position that needed a staff urgently. She said the nature of the work was very simple, just keying in data into a computer system. But it was a full-day job and the location was rather far away from my home. She asked whether I would be interested. If I was interested, I was to start work the next day! There will not be any interview or form filling. Just based on my Resume, they are willing to take me in!

I was shocked at the offer! I didn’t expect that there is possibility of obtaining a job without going for an interview or filling up the application form. I took a little time to pray over it. This seems like God’s answer to my prayers and that of my church friends! I thought to myself that the nature of the work seems simple as it is purely data-entry. I enjoyed typing very much and thought then data-entry should be ok despite my depression. My apprehension was that it is a full day job. I have been working only half-day, or to be specific 5 to 6 hours a day, in the last 4 years plus. I was not sure whether I could cope physically. After some consideration, I decided to give it a try as it is the only opening so far. It seems so unbelievable that I was offered the job without an interview. If I need to attend an interview, I will be required to fill up the application form. And when I declare my health condition in the application forms, I do not hear from them anymore. So this seems to be a very unique opening, which must surely be the kind providence of God :-)

I decided to take on that job and was to report for work the next day. It was a temporary position, just for a few months. The only problem was 2 days later, my mother has got a medical appointment. I asked the Consultant whether she can check with my potential employer on the possibility of me taking leave on that day to bring my mother for her medical appointment. Thank God that my potential employer agreed to let me take 1/2 day leave in the morning to bring my mother for her appointment.

On 12 September 2007, I reported for work at 8.30am. I was not familiar with that area but it took me about 1.5 hours to travel there and find the place. When I found the building and went up to the office, I was kind of having second thoughts. I wondered whether I should call the Consultant and let her know that I don’t think I am suitable for that position. The reason why I reacted that way when I saw the office was because it turned up to be a very huge company and I was greatly intimidated. I feared that the work there will be very stressful :-(

The waiting area was very huge. 2 ladies sat at 2 corners, busy answering phone calls and passing keys to some people who were wanting to use the meeting rooms. I saw many staff started to arrive and enter into their office using a security staff card. As I wait there, my heart dropped. I was so tempted to leave :-( I prayed to the Lord for strength and direction.

Thank God I didn’t leave. A few minutes later, a kind lady from the HR department came and took me around. We entered a huge office using her staff card. There were many cubicles with many people working at different stations. I was introduced to my immediate superior, an engineer by the name of Jack.

Jack turned out to be a very kind young man who was soft-spoken and friendly, and he immediately took away all my fears and apprehensions.

Jack told me that he was glad I came. Another lady who was offered the position before me, didn’t turn up. He said I came at a right time. They are very very busy and needed someone’s help urgently.

Jack and some of his colleagues are in charge of a special project in which they need to make use of a computer software that was customized for that project. I was to help Jack, his assistant engineer James, and a few other engineers who work together in this project. They are all engineers with teams of site-clerks and other staff under them. I will be doing mainly data-entry. Every week they will receive reports from the various ground staff on the site of their projects with the data for me to do the data-entry into the special program. A lot of data-entry work is expected as time goes by. The project will last for another year or so. But they are trying me out as a temp staff for a few months, if possible.

Want to know how I manage on the first day of my new job ? See my next post, for God’s mercies and kindness :-)