ΕλληνικάChoosing to Dream | “We must never stop fighting!”
Mr. Mahmoud is 63 years old and Bangladesh is his country of origin. He has been living in Greece for more than 20 years and he sets the example of a person who has not only faced efficiently the difficulties that came his way, but he also made good use of the opportunity he saw.
Always with his backpack, after having handed out his CV to pastry shops all around Athens, he was coming to Generation 2.0’s office, filling it with his optimism, smile and warm heart. You could tell by his self-confidence and persistence that he would soon find the job he was looking for. And he did!
“I work as an oriental confectionery maker. I found this job after a great effort and by seeking job opportunities on the internet. Before that, I was working as a women’s clothes tailor. More specifically, I was doing embroidery on clothes, in Iran and Dubai.
I learnt the work of the oriental confectionery maker in Greece, Turkey, Italy and Iran. Before finding my current job, I had been searching for a job for 2,5 years. I faced financial difficulties, which however made me stronger. I did different jobs, even for just one day; it didn’t matter to me to work only as confectioner.
My persistence played a great role in finding a job because I wanted to work in Greece and not leave the country. Like I usually say, if someone wants to climb the highest mountain in Greece, Olympus, he has to try it! In addition, my daily job search was also important, as well as my visit to the Generation 2.0 RED’s office.
I feel I have lost many job opportunities in Greece due to the fact I am middle-aged. They were looking for employees of 25-30 years old. The first question made to me was: “What is your age?” and I was replying: “And what If someone is old? Should he put an end to his life?”. All the things I learnt through my experience, are not possible for a young person to do.
Something important for finding a job in Greece is to speak the Greek language. Because, if I didn’t speak Greek and I was being asked for a fork, I would bring a knife!
The Generation 2.0 RED career counselling service supported me, while we did job search every week on the internet. It was the right time to find this job now.
As an advice to other people, migrants and refugees who are currently seeking job in Greece, I would say that, even if someone doesn’t speak Greek, he should never stop trying. Problems always existed and will always exist. Life is a song, a struggle. We should never stop fighting!”
TIP:
When looking for a job opportunity at businesses or organisations that haven’t announced any job openings, it is a good idea to send your CV accompanied always by a motivational letter. There is a chance they can notice something in your CV that fits well their needs and also appreciate the time you devoted to write a letter to express interest especially for them.
