Inspirational Thursday: Graduate Holds up Sign at Train Station Avdertising His Qualifications & Lands Job Interviews

Haven't done Inspirational Thursday stories for few weeks, I apologise to some of you who like being inspired by these stories. I have a career today because I knock on doors. I always preach that on Facebook. Not all of us are underwear models who will be handed jobs but we have to let the people with opportunities know that we exist. That is exactly what this job seeking graduate did in London. 

Alfred Ajani, a 22-year-old who studied Marketing at Coventry University and graduated with a 2-1 in May this year, had applied for over 300 positions and was yet to get a favourable response.

Unhappy with the situation, he decided to stand at Waterloo Station on Tuesday (19th August 2014) morning and hand out CVs to people commuting into London through the station, Daily Mail reports

Ajani, who appears to be of Nigerian parentage, stood at the station’s entrance, holding up a placard stating:

‘Marketing graduate (BA Hons 2:1 Coventry Uni) Ask for CV.’

His unusual approach attracted the attention of many commuters, including company bosses, who stopped to talk with him to discuss potential positions and pick up CVs.  

 He has since received several phone calls from interested employers, and even has a job interview when this story made headlines this week.

Speaking about what motivated him to take this unusual approach to job hunting, Ajani is reported to have said that he was frustrated that he hadn’t found a job since May, and that the opportunities he had found weren’t areas he was interested in.

He is interested in strictly marketing/advertising jobs.

“I realised that there are thousands of students out there using the same old methods of applying for jobs online and through recruitment agencies and so I thought I’d try something different. 

I got up early and went to the station. At first people just looked at me but after about 10 minutes people starting stopping and talking. They said they’d never seen anything like it before and were really impressed,” he was quoted.

Thousands of commuters use the Waterloo station everyday. 

A photo of Ajani giving his CV to people at the train station made its way to Twitter, prompting many people on the social media platform to commend his efforts, and offering to assist him.

What lesson can you learn from this story?

Like I said from the top of this article, you can be the best at what you do or have ambitions to be the best, but if you do not let potential employers know that you exist, you will never get a chance.

Create your own chance. Companies in the field you interested in may not be hiring, but they haven't met YOU yet. That's how I approach my career.

I know big brands may not need a blogger or media consultant, but I knock on their doors anyway and a few times I have actually convinced companies to employ my services even though they did not think they needed them.


Sometimes, like Ajani,  you have to employ unconventional means to achieve your dreams.

Happy Inspired Thursday.









So inspiring! Have you ever employed unconventional means to achieve your dreams? Share with us!