Miss. Olivia
11 years ago I was 23 years old, fresh from university and got employed as a mortgage banker in a local bank in Lagos. On top of my salary, I had commission income, transport and entertainment allowances. It was good right? But not all that glitter is gold.
However 6months into it I was disappointed. I realized that rosy picture I painted of work life in the finance sector was born of artlessness. Underneath that suit and immaculate appearance, I was just a saleswoman, advertising one peddling products I could not even convince myself to buy.
I also felt like I was doubling up as a club hostess peddling my services to clients, in this case they were property agents, and bribing them with fine food and alcohol in a bid to get engaged for mortgage advisory services in the event of a successful home sale. This happened on an almost daily basis. I found it absurd I spent 4 years studying accounting that turned out to have little to do with my job.
People at work were miserable. Humiliation was a tactic used to encourage sales performance. Tight date lines sent everyone panicking, which you’ve to deliver. I was told some would sleep with property agents to get business. How true I don’t know but I wouldn’t be surprised. It was a lot of money if you did well.
It was a bitchy industry. I was not sociable and didn’t try to get along with most of the bankers. Probably one reason why I was the victim of horrible rumor's.
The story went that I accused my mentor, someone I held in high regard, of raping me after I tried to seduce him and got rejected. That was sick. I never did any of those things; never seduced him, never accused him. I then knew why he avoided me for the longest time... Since we had never spent enough time for him to know me enough to know I wouldn’t sink that low, he likely believed them more.
Sexual harassment was common. I think because many of the women were fine with sexual exchanges, the men assumed all of the women wouldn’t mind their advances. Of course not all the men were disrespectful. A few did come to my aid at various times.
I felt that the environment negatively impacted everyone. There was a lot of money to be made and it led to people becoming mercenary, selfish, backstabbing, demeaning… those who were not, were also affected like me.
I felt my mental-wellbeing under constant attacks and it affected my personality. I was distrusting and temperamental. It hurt the interactions with people I was close to. In distress, I seek the solace of short term pleasures, consoling myself with the food and alcohol that was always on offer, but I only felt worse. My self-esteemed dipped. I was not proud of the person I had become… At some point I realized this was not living. No amount of money was worth selling my soul. I left after 2 years into the job.
You see, our work life has a huge influence on other areas of life. If you feel constantly feel shitty at work, this negatively influences your character and colors everything else you do. If you feel good at work, your moods will positively impact other areas of your life. Therefore, choose your work wisely.
However I am really grateful to that experience because I learnt so much about life and how to better identify the right career path for myself in such a short time and at an early stage of my life. It’s all good.
Thank you Bogger for letting me share my story
How was your first job experience like? Kindly share your story.
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