Lady Who Lost Job Due to Covid 19 Works as Security Guard Despite Studying for Master's, Reveals Challenges
- A lady, Judith Alexander, said she lost her job in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and had no other choice than to join a security company
- Judith, who is a graduate of Mass Communication and currently studying for her masters, works as a security guard to survive
- The young lady who works long hours and receives a little salary at the end of the month said her job comes with a lot of challenges
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A Nigerian lady who lost her job due to the COVID-19 pandemic has said there was no other option left than to become a contract security guard.
The lady identified as Judith Alexander is a graduate of Mass Communication who is currently doing her masters at the University of Lagos.
Source: UGC
How it started
Speaking with Briefly News, Judith said her former company laid off some staff in 2019 and she was part of those affected.
The young lady, who got her first degree from the University of Jos, said she never envisaged that she would become a security guard.
In her words:
"My former company had to lay off some staff and it happened that I was among those who were laid off. Since then, I have been applying for jobs but there is no job to hold on to."
Withdrawing savings to pay tuition fee
After Judith lost her job, she fell back on her savings to survive and pay her bills. But she drained the savings to pay her tuition fee and had to join a security company to survive.
In her words:
"Falling back to my savings was the best decision for me as I was surviving and paying my bills from the money I saved when I was working.
"The recent expenses were when I had to withdraw all the money in my savings account to pay my Tuition Fee which brought my account balance to a Zero account and prompted me to join the security company."
According to Judith, her career plan is to become an information officer in the Nigerian Armed Forces. She said she is optimistic about achieving it someday.
Challenges of her job
Judith said her job as a security guard comes with lots of challenges including low salary and long working hours.
In her words:
"Low pay is a challenge. One thing is certain about contract security jobs: it's usually a low paying job as the parent company takes the lion share of the pay.
"Long working hours is another challenge. I resume by 6am and close by 6pm. I work sixty hours per week as against forty hours per week as specified under the National Minimum Wage Act."
The young lady said some members of staff of the company she works with look down on her because she's a security guard.
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Security guard given dream job at the same bank he was gateman
Briefly News previously reported that a young security guard served as an inspiration for many after he displayed a ton of determination. According to a Facebook post by Karabo Lefa, the security guard found out there was an opening at the bank where he was working.
As a graduate, he saw an opportunity to get the position and so he asked his manager if he could apply. After he did the aptitude test, it was found out that the guard was actually the best-performing candidate.
Karabo wrote:
"Long and short is this security guard told this bank manager he is a business graduate, and asked to be included in the ongoing aptitude test. On Monday he was hired as the best candidate. Never underestimate yourself, always be assertive."
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Source: Briefly News
