A sincere thank you to The Coli **Free Daps and Reps**
Black Bolt
Superstar
Much congrats breh. Don't let up now, you've only just started
My classes are filled with black men of all ages trying to get to 6 certs
That's what I want to hear!
If we can sneak in and dominate a portion of the IT field, maaaan
Congrats bro. I like hearing success stories from folks like us and not a celebrity. That gives me motivation.I'm trying to do my own thing but I'm my biggest enemy at the moment.
In my case, I think I will always be my worst enemy. I know all my secrets, fears, and weaknesses. But it seems like it gets easier every time you "defeat" yourself, like success breeds more success. Your only have to win once and you'll get better at knowing what you want and achieving it despite yourself.
thats whats up though bruh any type of motivation is good and real talk the coli has help me get my self confidence up as well..even though I'm a conceited nikkka any way but I've humbled myself till i got back on the coli. Also the bruhs on here and ladies as well always got some good advice just gotta weed thru the trolls. Salute you on your new gig bruh and isn't it funny that you just happen to be an IT dude just like the rest of us
Evil genius Jay
The TSC PLAYAZ!!!!
thats whats up though bruh any type of motivation is good and real talk the coli has help me get my self confidence up as well..even though I'm a conceited nikkka any way but I've humbled myself till i got back on the coli. Also the bruhs on here and ladies as well always got some good advice just gotta weed thru the trolls. Salute you on your new gig bruh and isn't it funny that you just happen to be an IT dude just like the rest of us
You know, it does make you wonder
.shyt, it was fate breh
its the energy of the universe bruh shhhhhhhhhh… don't say nutting though we still on the coliYou know, it does make you wonder
shyt, it was fate breh
I been meaning to make this thread for about a week now
It's a long one so
When I came to this board I was a shell of man brehs, Grew up anger, bitter, and resentful of everything and everyone. I was angry 24/7 and it was always focused on myself. I hated everything about me. Sometimes I wished I wouldn't wake up the next day.
I've resented the fact that I had to be the son,husband, and man of the house at the age of six. But it did me no good to hold that hate in my heart.
Bounced from job to job, never knew myself or what the hell I wanted to do with my life
Relationships came and went like I was on autopilot. No game, no sense of direction, I simply existed for 25 years
When my grandfather passed away, it was the first time I had met someone on their deathbed. I only saw him on holidays, so I felt guilty that I didn't spend much time with him.
But it was his final words to me that shook me out of my personal void for a moment.
"I've seen you over the years son, and you've always looked in pain and downtrodden. You need to hold your head up high.You are a man of god, you deserve to exist like anyone else. I believe you will figure it one day."
It hit me like a truck. I really didn't know the man, but here he is reading me like he has known me since I was a little one. It was hard to choke back the tears and even now I tear up a little when I think about it.
I didn't believe him. But I believe my soul did. His words consumed my thoughts. I wanted to know what the hell he saw in me. But my doubt was enough to keep it from uplifting me completely.
About a year later, I thought I was on the fast track. I was in an automotive school, straight As, respect, alright job.
Then mom had a seizure and retired from her job of 30+ years. Every time she has had a major seizure I was there. Like every single time. If not, she would be dead right now.
But this last one almost took her out even with me finding her at 6:00am.
Hospital was about to send her home while still having a seizure because she could answer yes or no
It made really think about my long term goals. I didn't want to end up like my parents working two jobs each, barely any retirement, barely any happiness.
At this point, I dropped out of school, my job transferred me to an under performing location with less hours, so I quit.
Fast forward a few months and I'm trying to learn web design by self teaching myself. I needed pictures of Africa and I wanted REAL pictures not the BS that they love to toss in your face.
Then I found The Coli
http://www.thecoli.com/threads/the-africa-the-media-doesnt-tell-you-about.211483/
Coming from majority "white" sites, this place was like breathing fresh air for the first time.
I was reading everything like
Then I stumbled into Higher Learning
and read this thread
http://www.thecoli.com/threads/it-certs-and-careers-lets-discuss-it.9043/
I'm like holy shyt
"I could do this...nah I'm not smart enough, why bother."
"Fool,you've been messing with computers since you were eight."
"I've got nothing to loseCept $300?!"
"Don't fail"
I studied up, took apart my computer, reassembled it, studied some more, and
Past the A+ cert in one try
But no jobs were available.
Had to take another automotive job and I was there for a month.
Dudes only paid me once
I got out of there quick, but not before folks stole over $500 worth of tools
I was back to square one with nothing but lint in my pockets and a beat up car.
So a few weeks ago some on made a thread about certs. Can't remember what was said, but someone asked if anyone had experience looking for work. Think it was @calixprynce . I said no, I looked for a solid month or two but everyone wanted 3-5 years experience. With a four year college degree and a few certs to boot.
Anyway it got me thinking, I haven't looked in a few months, why not take a peek?
Clock was ticking though. I had maxed out credit cards and was shuffling debt (paying bills with bills)
And I had to start paying off automotive school loans in a month. I'm like
I lead a meetup group and a white dude was like "I got connections"
I'm likehook me up!
"I'll email you
(He never emailed me btw)
But when I got home, something awakened inside me like,
"Why the hell are you asking for help?!"
"Do you not realize how intelligent you are?! You know that dude isn't good for it."
"Make it happen on your own"
fukk.
I rewrote my resume from scratch and took it to the web. Again, same BS with the jobs.
Cept for one job. Sounded up my alley, entry level gig, full benefits, FULL TIME, not a call center, only 30min drive, willing to teach.
If yall don't know how Indeed works, they sometimes show you how many people apply for a job. By the time I had finished submitting my resume, the counter had hit 80+ people.
I almost didn't send it. My self doubt starting kicking my ass again,
"You know half of em have degrees! And with your spotty work history, who the hell is going to hire your dumbass. A+ cert?! That's a baby cert, you barely passed the test. You think you "did good enough" to compete on an equal level with grown people?! Who do you think you are
"
I applied to that and about ten other positions. Typeset game was on point I swear.
Got a phone call around 8:00pm a day later
*click*
"Hello?"
"Yes, this is Eric with *name redacted*. Calling to conduct a phone interview, you have time?"
*AHEM*
"Yes"
*talking and getting general information about me*
"I would like to offer you an interview, time and date work for you?"
"uh huh"
"See you then" *click*
I was shaking on the way there. If I didn't get this job, I would have no more money to pay the bills (I had one more month left until I would have been in serious trouble) so it was all hands on deck.
I stammered my way through the initial interview and the technical interview. I think I lost 15 pounds just sitting there. I performed what they asked me to do and I asked about my competition
"Did they get past this part"
"You did better than most"
I went home with a heavy weight in my chest. I thought I bombed out and I would have to go back changing oil and being treated like shyt.They would call if I did or did not I got the job. A day later, a phone call came through.
*click*
Hello
"Hey, this is Eric again"
Hi Eric
"I'm calling to say that you got the job."
Huh
"You got the job"
It's been three weeks now
No more lugging around truck tires for a truck with a Confederate flag all over it
I'll be able to actually save money
I make enough to be able to get a newer car sometime next year
I can pay my bills ahead of time
I can support my mom
I feel blessed as fukk .
Mom damn near cried her eyes out, dad is telling everyone who will listen how I beat out 70+ people for an IT job.
As I typed this up, I felt my grandfather looking down on me like
"I told you so"
So this is my thank you to yall, coming here has kept me sane (believe it or not) and help me achieve something significant in my personal life
God bless The Coli.
Shoutouts: @PhonZhi for the Aloe Blacc thread (The Man played my first day of work, on shuffle
#6certgang for putting in heavy ass work in that IT cert thread
http://www.thecoli.com/threads/it-certs-and-careers-lets-discuss-it.9043/
@tofuspeedstar
@bdizzle
@Data-Hawk
@gldnone913
@aixenv
@kevm3
Too many dudes to list just peep the thread. I read every.single.page. When it was over 150+ pages.
Now what do I study for next?.
tl;dr
I'm starting to learn how to win
Keep ya head up and keep grinding it out man...so much opportunity in the field just keep focused ..on the right path
Threads I like to see on TheColi
