How I Landed My First Job

A sudden shout pierced the air as the watchman barked, forcing us to cease our filming and leave. Well, my first drop. 

This is one of the first blog articles I thought of when I decided to start writing. Unsure where to begin, my mind raced with confusion but also optimism. Sometimes, I feel my life could be a web series. 

So here I am, sharing my first job experience across multiple chapters, like a web series, partly due to time and energy constraints.

Let’s start from the beginning.  

What if I told you that you could get a job by randomly calling someone? Or while waiting for a person you don’t even know? Or even when you’re being kicked out of a park by a watchman? 

Yes, it happened to me. 

It was during the pandemic. I was in my third year of engineering and had recently lost my granny. The air felt heavier, a constant reminder of my grief. I was surrounded by the sterile scent of hand sanitizers and the muffled silence in my home. I was depressed and confused like every other student, as if living in a never-ending loop of uncertainty. I didn’t know where to take my life. I was clueless, yet not hopeless. I always had dreams and optimism for the future. 

So one day, my childhood friend, my college mate, and I met up and decided to start a YouTube channel.

‘We should have a name that revolves around storytelling,’ my childhood friend suggested enthusiastically.

‘No, we need something that screams media presence,’ countered my college mate with a determined face. I, trying to balance the creative chaos, said, ‘Why not something that captures the essence of life itself?’ After several deliberations, we finally named it Life Story Media. 

Sounds good, right? 

Next, we needed a trailer. But first, the marketing keeda in me wanted us to have branded T-shirts for interviews and shoots. 
 So we ordered T-shirts from my classmate, who was all business, hardly cared why, just how many. 

We got it printed. The cost was ₹350 per shirt, which was quite expensive for me at that time. But those shirts were more than just clothing; they symbolized our commitment to turn our aspirations into reality. It was an investment in our shared dream of making Life Story Media a recognizable name. I somehow managed to arrange the money and paid it off. 

Now that we had our merchandise, it was time for a solid trailer. I worked really hard on it using footage from Canva, Pexels, iStock, literally anywhere I could find. And finally, I came up with something that looked pretty good. 

We were all set. 

But we were clueless about what to shoot. 

So all three of us decided to do a trial shoot. 

At 2 p.m., right after lunch, we headed to a park with a large lake. It was a lovely afternoon. We were happy to finally start something of our own. I carried my tripod and selfie stick, which I had gotten earlier for product reviews. 

Just as I fixed the tripod under one of the park’s roofs and was about to hit record, a watchman showed up and stopped us. 

It was 2020. 

People hardly knew what content creation meant. 

The way he spoke to us was harsh, and I felt disheartened and disrespected. His words echoed in my mind, stirring feelings of rejection and embarrassment. It felt as though I was thrown out, not just of the park, but also from a chance to start something new. I wondered whether this dream of content creation was realistic or just an illusion. We left the park, clicking a few selfies of the lost cause on our way out, attempting to find humor in our shared disappointment. 

My friend then said one of his friends lived nearby and suggested we go meet him. 

So, we went. 

While waiting outside for his friend to come down, my other friend showed me a WhatsApp status. It said in bold letters: 

“Hiring telecallers. Only Hindi speaking.” 

That line caught my attention instantly. 

Without thinking twice, I called the number mentioned. The person on the other end picked up on the first ring. 

I said, “Hi, I saw your WhatsApp status that you’re looking for a Hindi telecaller. I’d like to work.” 

She simply said, “Okay, come for an interview.” 

It was that quick. 

My friends just stared at me, still processing what had happened. 

The next day, I wore the only decent formal T-shirt I owned. No resume in hand, no preparation, nothing. I just showed up. 

The office was a duplex that had been converted into a workspace. Around seven or eight people were working together, laughing, and chatting. The walls had motivational quotes and team pictures. 

While I was taking it all in, the interviewer called my name. 

She asked for my resume. I said, “I only have LinkedIn.” 

She raised an eyebrow but took a look at it. 

She thoroughly reviewed my profile and then asked me to speak in Hindi. 

So I said, “Mera naam Prajwal hai. Aapka naam kya hai?” 

It was awkward. My first ever interview, and I had no clue what to say or how to act. But she smiled. She was by my fluency. 

Then she asked one final question. 

“Do you know Canva?” 

That was the only tool I knew back then. 

So I confidently said, “Yes, I do.” 

She nodded and said, “Okay, you’re selected. Come from tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. sometimes upto 9 p.m.” 

I was stunned. 

I had just gotten my first job. 

A real one. 

My friends thought it might be a scam, but it wasn’t. It was a startup. My first real start towards something meaningful. 

Ironically, I got the job for my third language, Hindi. Out of all the migrants in Bangalore, I managed to work as a Hindi telecaller. That’s something I’ll always be proud of. 

It was one of those lovely accidents in life. 

And I’ve always believed I loved languages, and they loved me back. 

I truly feel that life can change at any moment, even through the smallest acts. What we do, even the tiniest thing, matters more than we think. 

I once heard that when a plane is traveling across the world, even a small half-degree change in its direction can make it land in a completely different country. 

That’s how I see it. 

One small action can change everything. 

So, while Life Story Media quietly faded away, a new door opened. My first job. 

We never spoke about YouTube again. 

My family was shocked. “How can you work when you’re still in college?” they asked. 

I told my mom I’d study after work. I didn’t. 

But I was happy. 

Really happy. 

Because that was my first job. 

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And on my first day, I was so anxious that I almost passed out. 

As I prepared for Day 1, little did I know that the first step into my new job would be filled with unexpected moments and anxiety that almost made me lightheaded. The journey was just beginning, with many more stories to tell. The anticipation of what this new chapter holds keeps me energized and eager. Stay tuned to discover how my first day unfolded and the lessons learned along the way.  

Read Chapter 2. 

Peace Out