A job at last for uni graduate Jesse

By MAZIE SELMBIA
THAT feeling of helplessness ad frustration one gets when, after graduating with a degree from university and all the excitement that comes with it, one cannot find a job to repay one’s parents, gripped Jesse Dickson.
“I could sense that my parents were starting to lose hope. I felt that I have let them down by not doing enough to find a job.”
His parents had pinned their hopes on Jesse to help them after university. They hugged him after his graduation.
Later Jesse would hear them having quiet arguments between themselves about money, food, lunch money and tuition fees for his younger siblings.
“I always bury my head in guilt and shame when overhearing them, because they had invested a lot in me just to come back and be an extra mouth to be fed.”

“ I always bury my head in guilt and shame when overhearing them, because they had invested a lot in me just to come back and be an extra mouth to be feed.”

The family is from Komiufu village in Eastern Highlands. His parents moved to Port Moresby in search of a better life, with his younger siblings. He was left behind in the village to attend elementary school but later joined them in the capital city to complete his primary and secondary school education before attending the Divine Word University.
He graduated with a Bachelor in Health Management degree last year.
He now knows how hard it is to look for jobs.
“I followed Facebook and Linkedin pages and websites for job adverts. I had at the ready all my references and necessary documents for job applications. I re-edited and modified my curriculum vitae over a hundred times.”
He noticed his parents observing children who had gone to university, graduated, and secured jobs.
“My parents thought that it would be that fast and easy with me too, after I graduated.”
As days passed, the joy and excitement over Jesse’s graduation started to fade. Then out of the blue, his break came in May last year.
Jesse received a Whatsapp message from an ex-university colleague advising him to send his CV to an email address. There was a vacancy at the PNG Institute of Medical Research for a project coordinator.
“It was a dream organisation for me to work in as a lot of my university colleagues were working in project-related and management roles with the institute.”
On his way to the office for the interview, he saw the institute’s sign board and took a picture of it after gazing at it for some time.
Jesse left his application at the front desk. He left the building with his fingers crossed.
“It was the first application that I put much effort into, ensuring that my CV and resumes were written properly and applied with all my heart.”
Then it happened.
“After a few days, my phone rang and it was from the PNG IMR for an interview as my application was successful. I was speechless, I did not know what to say. It was my first positive news after hundreds of applications.”
He then broke the news to his parents who cried.
“Their reaction motivated me. I prepared well for the interview. I was the first candidate called. And I got the job on the spot.”
Jesse, 26, is now the project coordinator for the National Covid-19 Seroprevalance Study Project at the institute.
He wants to be a responsible Papua New Guinean by giving his best to anything that contributes to the country’s development.
Now Jesse is happy to see the smiles on his parents’ faces. He knows how hard it had been for them.
“I have started taking over responsibilities from my parents while still learning and giving my best to the project.”
And of course he thanks God for everything.
“My parents’ prayers have been answered. For that, I made sure to give my first salary as a first fruit offering to the church.”