School – Page 4

Job application, interview, and working tips

January 21, 2018

Screen Shot 2018-01-20 at 5.57.36 PM — Bachelors Graduation 2016

The biggest months for hiring in the U.S.A are January and February (according to Google and general knowledge). I personally just started a new job in January and I can attest to this. After going through many interviews and receiving a handful of offers, I feel as though I can provide a bit of insight on this process. So I will breakup this post into three parts: resume, interview and job training tips.

Resume:

Use more active than passive verbs in describing your experiences i.e. “coordinated” sounds better than “assisted”
Don’t make it too long. A good way to fine tune it is to remove experiences that don’t relate to the job. For example my first job was as a waitress at a smoothie café but I never include that in my resumes now cause I have way more relevant experience for my field.
Include some cool stuff that differentiates you like scholarships or awards you may have won. If you do any volunteering, it can be nice to include that so the interviewer or hiring manager can get to know you better.
Most important: get someone else to read it for grammatical errors because typos are a no-no. If you don’t have someone, you can use online platforms like Ziprecruiter, which not only helps you find jobs but also give you resume tips that are specific to you.

Interview:

Make sure to read the job description!!!!! If you know exactly what the job expects and is looking for then you’ll be able to come up with very good questions to ask at the interview. You’ll also seem very aware of what the job is asking for and interviewers get very excited about that.
Get some Intel from someone who already works there or at a similar job. You’ll be able to learn some of the lingo from them and also learn about the work culture of the place so you can make a more informed decision about whether you want the job or not.
Try to remember the names of everyone who interviews you so you can send a thank you email for the interview that mentions the names of those who interviewed you.
Know your resume very well so if they ask you a question about your experience, you can expound on the points you put on your resume.
Also, don’t assume the interviewers will print copies of your resume so plan to bring at least 3 copies of your resume with you to the interview.

Job Training:

Bring a small note pad and a pen at all times so that you can write stuff down that you’ll probably not remember otherwise.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s better to ask them during job training than to ask them later and look like you weren’t paying attention when you were being trained.
Try to learn everyone’s names. I am so bad at names; I had to write them all down in my notepad during my first week at my job.
Dress to impress. Don’t participate in casual Friday until you’ve worked there for a while so you don’t go overboard. Also this is a time you’re getting introduced to a lot of people, so you always want to look professional.

Thank you for reading. I hope all these tips help you in your job search or starting process. Good luck! J ❤

The 1st time I realized I was dark-skinned

January 10, 2018

This post was inspired by Gabrielle Union’s book “We’re going to need more wine”. Despite being absolutely gorgeous, she grew up being told she was “pretty for a dark skinned girl” or “pretty for a black girl” in a small suburb in California. This led her to wanting to try to assimilate to her white suburban peers who occasionally used the N-word in front her as they did not perceive her as a “regular black person”. This led her to wanting to be the best black person she can be. Even in Hollywood, she felt that it was her against all the other black actresses. This led her to later admitting during an acceptance speech for an Essence Fierce and Fearless Award that she was in fact a mean girl, far from the uplifting person that the award described.

I could really relate to her story as I went through the same thing in middle and high school where some people didn’t consider me black because I was African. People would speak ill of black Americans in front of me because I wasn’t considered one of them. This led me to feel like I didn’t really belong because I wasn’t black enough for black Americans and I wasn’t Asian or Hispanic or part of any other minority group in my schools. But despite all this, I never realized I was dark skinned until like 10th grade (form 2 for my Kenyans).

I was probably 15 or 16 at the time and I was riding the bus from school when our bus driver had to include another bus route in our trip because the other bus driver called out of work. So this light skinned black American guy sits next to me on the bus and starts to talk to me. He had cut stripes in his eyebrows like a lot of people did when Soulja Boy popularized it (see picture below). I could tell that we went on the same level mentally but talking to him was better than watching trees go by in the window. He seemed obsessed with his looks as he kept asking me if I thought he was cute. He also asked me to tell him if he looked more like Souljah Boy or Chris Brown. I told him I didn’t find Souljah Boy attractive (the gangsta look is not what attracts me to a guy) and that I didn’t like Chris Brown anymore since he beat up Rihanna (mind you I had a huge crush on Chris Brown in 6 and 7^th grade before that horrific beat down happened).

soulja boy

Eventually, the guy gets a call from one of his friends on his cell phone ( we weren’t really supposed to be using them on the bus but the bus drivers broke that rule too so no one cared as long you were discreet). So the guy start to describe where is at and what he’s doing. At some point he says “I was talking to this pretty dark skinned girl, I wish you could see her”. Oblivious to me, I didn’t actually think he was talking to me and I started getting mad wondering why he would be talking about another girl while sitting next to me. I didn’t realize that “pretty dark skinned girl” was me until I saw other girls on the bus looking at me while seeming jealous of me. Shortly after, we reached his bus stop and he got off while saying that he hoped to see me again. I said “cool” but deep down I was still in thought about whether I was dark skinned or not.

Now that I think about it, I think the gradient of skin color depends on each individual person’s perspective. For the guy on the bus, he probably saw me as dark skinned since he was light skinned with a yellow skin tone. Growing up in my family, I always knew I was the darkest when compared to my two brothers. My mother is light-skinned while my dad is darker skinned so I think when I grew into looking like my mother, I assumed I was light-skinned like her. I knew to non-black people (especially whites and Asians), I was automatically dark-skinned to them just like most black people but it gets complicated when the person judging your skin color is of the same race. In Kenya, people are split into three groups: yellow, brown, and black. In Kenya, I knew I wasn’t yellow or black; my mom still refers to me as brown.

What has actually helped me understand my skin tone better is make-up. In the world of makeup for people of color, there is one key term called undertone. You can be of the same skin color with someone but have different undertones. Usually the main undertones are red or yellow. I have worn makeup with yellow undertones that make me too light and makeup with red undertones that make me too dark. I recently solved this dilemma thanks to the Fenty Beauty foundation which won an award for “invention of the year” by Time Magazine. I wear the number 410 or 420 in Rihanna’s makeup line and these numbers correlate to a neutral undertone. So there you have it, I am neither light nor dark. I am neutral; somewhere in between my mother and my father. And I hope we may all be neutral in judging people by the color of their skin. And please don’t be one of those people who says “I don’t see color” unless you’re blind. Most of us have been blessed with sight so use it to see someone for who they are rather than to discriminate against them.

Thank you for reading. 🙂 ❤

Taking Stock: 2017

December 26, 2017

This taking stock blog post is from a blog template that I copied from a Kenyan blogger known as ThisisEss or Sharon Mundia. She also copied it from someone else so I am not sure who is the true creator. Either way, this template really helped break down my 2017 for me. Feel free to use it for yourself.

Making: merry with my family and friends. My family played Secret Santa this year and it was really fun!

Eating: left-over cake that my mom made. My mom is no Betty Crocker in the oven but she knows how to whip up some corn bread, muffins, and little cakes with the help of Betty Crocker cake mixes. I probably got this gene from her cause I am more of an entrée chef than a pastry chef.

Drinking: some almond milk to help the cake digest better. I only drink real milk with tea, milkshakes, and coffee based drinks. I still don’t know 100% if I am lactose intolerant but milk has a lot of fat anyway so I avoid it regardless. I will say almond milk is an acquired taste but an added plus is that its shelf life is longer than that of cow milk.

Reading: “We’re going to need more wine” by Gabrielle Union. I follow Gabrielle on twitter and she seems like an opinionated smart woman (as I also like to think of myself) and so when she came out with her book, I just had to get it. I’ve stopped buying books in attempt to save paper (and the amazon rainforest) so I get books from my local public library. This book was checked out in all the libraries and was booked in advance so I’ve just finally been able to get it and I am liking it so far.

Playing: lots of card games and monopoly. If you’ve ever wondered what is the easiest way to bring a group of people together: card games are the answer. Everyone usually knows at least two card games so you can always learn a new one. My favorite card game would have to be Spades as you play with 4 or 6 people so everyone can have a partner. It’s very strategic and involves some betting so it is a bit more interesting than other card games in my opinion.

Creating: room for new things to learn and do in 2018. One of the things I really want to do is to perform with my guitar at an open-mic night at a local café. I’ve never played my guitar in front of people who aren’t family or friends so this should be a good challenge.

Wishing: I was in Kenya for Christmas so I could be enjoying the equatorial sun and all the partying Kenyans do during December. To put in perspective how serious Kenyans are with their partying, a lot of people end up broke by the time the new year comes and have to eat bread and tea for the whole month of January. From what I hear, it’s usually worth it though.

Enjoying: being at home with my family. The Gulf Coast still experiences some cold during winter but I am super happy that we never get buried in snow. We actually had an inch or two like three weeks ago but it wasn’t really anything significant.

Liking: the present that I got from my Secret Santa. It’s an Anne Klein purse that I am totally in love with.

Wondering: what the new year has in store for me. 2017 went by so fast. There were a lot of good moments, great achievements, and some challenges as well. One thing I’ve learned is that self-care is really important and I was more purposeful in 2017 in taking time to really listen to myself. Sometimes we lie to ourselves to try to protect ourselves but the worst person you can lie to is yourself.

Loving: spending time with my beautiful niece. Watching her grow more and more every day is just pure gold like I could stare at her all day, every day, and never be bored. Even at only one years old, she is so confident of herself so watch out world, we might be raising the next Miss Universe.

Hoping: that I will be able to stick to my health goals in 2018. My dad and I signed up for a gym together with the intent of working out at least three days a week. We haven’t been fully consistent especially with the holidays but in 2018 I hope we’ll be able to stick to a schedule. I also want to play more tennis in 2018. If any of you living in Mobile want to play tennis, please feel free to message me. I am always looking for more players and I am willing to teach those who don’t really know how to play.

Marveling: at how I’ve grown as a person. Of course I don’t mean physically but I have grown 2 inches in the past year so that’s pretty amazing as well (yay late bloomers!). I think I became more of a team player in 2017 and I also figured out what I will not tolerate in relationships (romantic or not).

Wearing: a robe at almost 2PM because if I could live in a robe 24/7 I would. Also, wearing some nice socks that don’t cut off circulation and leave you with streaks on your legs. Good socks are a must in life. I think wearing socks also makes my sleep a 100x better.

Noticing: that only 5 years stand between me and the end of my twenties. May the lord give me guidance on how to approach the next 1,825 days. I don’t take my health and anything for granted so cheers to the 9,184 days that have been blessed with so far.

Knowing: that all that matters is that there’s more in store for me and my life. Life always has a way of surprising us and you have to learn to enjoy those surprises like you’re a one-year-old playing peek-a-boo (fyi that’s how I make my niece smile).

Thinking: about the nice chai latte that I might drink today. If you’re ever in Mobile, AL go to Sartori coffee house, they have the best spicy chai latte that I’ve tasted in a long while.

Feeling: thankful for all the people who frequent this blog. I hope I’ve made you smile, laugh, or helped you learn more about something. I hope you all are enjoying a happy holiday with family, friends, and even yourself. Thank you! See you next year haha! 🙂 ❤

INCEPTION

December 15, 2016

-originally written on June 2, 2011

So on MAY 17, 2011 I graduated from HIGH SCHOOL which means I am officially college bound. Ironically it was also my father’s 50th birthday but that was unfortunately overshadowed by my milestone. On the upside, he never remembers his birthday anyway and he still looks like he’s 40 which means I am destined to age slowly (crossing my fingers for no wrinkles since gray hairs do not run in my family). That’s right forget the crap about embracing age and the nature that comes with it (poor eyesight, aching bones, foggy memory etc), i want to be youthful or semi-youthful forever!

northeastern-1 — Northeastern University, Boston, MA

Anyway, let’s get back on topic and away from my fear of aging, So in 3 months since school here opens in September, I will be an American campus girl ( allusion to savvy’s Kenyan campus girl which inspired me to start this blog). I am excited to move from Alabama which is not a very vibrant place to Boston which is one of the most lively places in the U.S. I’ll be attending Northeastern University to study Pharmacy and they have an awesome program that will enable me to become a Doctor of Pharmacy in six years. So can you imagine that, me as a 24 yr old girl ehem woman/lady that will be referred to as Dr.Mercy! I am beyond excited, not so much because of the title “DOCTOR”, but because of the lifestyle and the flexibility that a pharmacy career offers. I want to first assure you that I am not a GOLD DIGGER but alluding to this phrase that i have recently coined “there’s nothing wrong with being a gold digger if you are digging your OWN gold”.

Either way, like everyone else in this world, I have a dream (MLK voice) where I live without the worry of money. I am not saying I want to be Oprah or Donald Trump rich…I just want to be comfortable. In the U.S. as a single person it is possible to live comfortably on 30K considering you have a normal apartment etc. The starting salary of a pharmacist is between 75-79K and the median salary is 100K which means that this dream will essentially be reality if all goes well. Bring a husband and kids in the picture and a picturesque house and Voila!, that’s the so-called American Dream that you have possibly heard of. Of course kids will come later since by my standard 24 is too young to start a family i am leaning on earliest at 26 and latest at 28. That gives me 2-4 years to settle down, “figure myself out”, and most importantly enjoy my dwindling YOUTH. Also, just so you don’t think I am a self-centered selfish person which isn’t 100% wrong, I plan to come to work with the WHO (World Health Organization) or Doctors Without Borders to facilitate medicine in developing nations. Haven’t worked out how i will do it but I do know that in order to do so, I think I should work in some pharmaceutical development company and somehow guilt them into giving out some of their samples to people in need in developing nations whether it be TYLENOL or some Anti-biotics. Anyway don’t be frightened into thinking that, à la “The Gardener ” (google movie for reference), experimental medicine will be distributed to these poor people as a ploy to use them as guinea pigs. I think the transparency will be the key in making a sustainable impact to the disenfranchised communities that I want to help. I’m all about sustainability in terms of outreach as exemplified by philanthropists such as Bill Gates (who I really look up to, like the rest of the world).

Anyway, this is the most challenging part of my dream because it doesn’t rest solely on my abilities.

the American Dream

After starting a family and raising my kids to the best of my abilities, I plan to retire at the age of 50 or 55 despite the fact that the retirement age in the U.S. is 65. Following my retirement, I plan to return to Kenya and live somewhere nice, maybe Westlands or Nyahururu and maybe try to get a position in the Ministry of Health that actively aims to help people or just start a chain of Pharmacy clinics in Kenya.

Either way something inside me tells me I am destined for greatness and to produce great change…so if Kenya’s government has not gotten its crap together by say 2040 then I with the help of the disillusioned Kenyan masses want to start a revolution where we demand honesty and accountability from the government instead of sitting in front of our TVs and taking whatever they throw at us with our 4 o’clock tea. In essence, I just want to be a part of something that gives back to the country that I owe my entire existence to. I love KENYA and I want nothing but the BEST for it.

So my fellow readers and Kenyans, I apologize for indulging you in 5 paragraphs all about ME although i am guessing that’s what I usually do so in that case Thank You for indulging in 5 paragraphs about my hopes and dreams. I wish you all the best in your dreams and future. And in 50 years I hope to come back and tell you all that everything worked out perfectly despite life’s unending surprises. In the meantime, what are your dreams, and have you achieved them? If not, how do you plan to do so?