Surreal

I received a phone call 3 days ago, from an unsaved number. Even though I had an idea who it was from, I picked it up anxiously. I have been waiting for this phone call, and I was hoping the caller would give me the news that I wanted.

"Sorry it took longer than expected, the manager had a very tough decision to make."

And I thought, oh, no. But then,

"We would like to offer you a place ---"

The rest of the conversation was a blur. I was so happy. Ecstatic. I think the caller could tell how happy I was.

Let's go back to the beginning.

I have been looking for an internship since I was in the first year of University. I have also tried to get a part time job since, forever. But I never seem to have luck with job hunting, from all the applications I've filled in, all the CVs that I've sent, I have only had one face to face interview and one telephone interview. This made me feel like I'm unemployable or something along that line. But what I've always thought was that, if I didn't apply, then I obviously wouldn't get a job. So I might as well kept trying, and I have heard other people applying to many places and didn't get a place, just like me.

In second year of University I tried applying for engineering internships, and my thought was that, the more places I applied to, the higher the chance of me getting a place. But I didn't get any place. I guess this might be because as I was applying to a lot of places, I didn't put much care into each application therefore it resulted in being rejected. So this year, I wanted to put effort into each application, so I applied to fewer places but when I did the application, I researched the company properly and just generally do the applications with care. I managed to get a phone interview from one of the company, but I didn't pass that stage. I got rejected from the other remaining companies, except one, there was one company that still hasn't replied, the company which I would like to work in the most.

I finally heard back from the last company 4 months after I submitted my application. They invited me to their assessment centre, and I was so excited about this. I felt really grateful just to be invited to the assessment centre as I am looking forward to knowing what assessment centres are like, I want to experience face to face interview with an engineering company. I was scared and nervous even before the interview day, but on the day I felt more relaxed as I met the other candidates as they were friendly, and the HR team at the company made everyone felt welcomed. I wasn't quite sure of how I did with the group activity, the competency based interview, or the technical interview. I knew for sure that the technical interview could have gone better as I couldn't answer a few of the questions. But I finished the day feeling alright, I thought that whatever happens at least now I know what assessment centres are like. Having said that, I also felt that I wanted to intern in this company more than ever, it is the one company I felt that I knew quite a bit about, I have looked up to this company ever since I moved to UK.

I have prayed everyday for an internship, I prayed even though I doubt myself that I can get an internship. But I don't doubt prayer, I found comfort in praying. I have researched the company as much as I can, went to the university's Career Service to get help on my CV and help on assessment centres. I didn't know what the outcome was going to be, but at the time I just wanted to give it my all.

And then I got the phone call. Alhamdulillah.