13/10/2025
From Rejected CVs to First Paycheck: The Story of Chijioke.
Chijioke sat on the floor of his small room, surrounded by piles of paper, hundreds of rejected CVs that had followed him for years. Some were wrinkled, some torn, others still neatly folded inside brown envelopes. Each one carried the same painful message: “We regret to inform you”
For five long years, that was all he ever received.
After graduating with a second-class upper in Mechanical Engineering, Chijioke believed life was about to begin. He had dreams of working in one of Nigeria’s top oil companies. He imagined walking into his office every morning with a cup of coffee, wearing a neat suit and tie. But reality hit him like thunder.
No company called. No one replied.
He sent over 300 CVs. He attended countless interviews where he was told to “wait for a call” that never came. His friends began to move on, some travelled abroad, others started businesses, and a few got lucky with government jobs.
Meanwhile, Chijioke was still hustling.
He sold recharge cards, helped people repair fans and generators, even joined a POS stand to make ends meet. There were days he slept hungry. Nights when he stared at the ceiling asking God, “When will it be my turn?”
But one morning, something changed.
While scrolling through Facebook, he saw a post about a small tech startup in Enugu looking for someone “good with mechanical design and willing to learn software.” He almost ignored it, he had seen too many of those. But something in his spirit said, apply again.
He did.
Two weeks later, his phone rang. “Hello, is this Mr. Chijioke? You’ve been selected for an interview tomorrow.”
His heart raced. He ironed his only good shirt, borrowed transport fare from a friend, and travelled overnight.
The interview wasn’t perfect, but this time, the boss looked him in the eye and said, “We like your passion. Can you resume next Monday?”
Tears filled his eyes. For the first time in years, someone said yes.
Now, three months later, Chijioke sat again, but this time, not in sadness. He was sitting on those same piles of rejected CVs, holding his first paycheck in his hands.
It wasn’t much, but it was everything. He smiled through tears, whispering, “They rejected me, but God didn’t.”
He took a photo, sitting on the CVs, smiling with his paycheck. He posted it on Facebook with the caption:
Over 300 rejections. 5 years of waiting. 1 God who never failed. Don’t give up.
Within hours, the post went viral. Thousands shared it, calling him an inspiration.
Today, Chijioke says one thing whenever he’s invited to speak at youth events:
“Sometimes, rejection is just redirection. Don’t burn your CVs, your story is still being written.”
And that’s how one man turned his rejection letters into a seat of victory.
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