How Tenda Got His Groove Back and Claimed His Financial Freedom

I won't lie to you, I was struggling. I thought that when I left university and could get a job, things would ease up a bit, but that's not how it turned out.

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I'd heard about how difficult it is for new graduates to get into an internship programme or to find an entry-level position in a good company, but I didn't realise that hundreds of people would be applying for every available position – or that it would take me nine months to land a gig. And, by then, I was in deep water.

It all started when… Being a student was tough enough. I mean, no one in my family had ever had the chance to go on and study after matric, so I wanted a good education, no matter what it took. And, believe me, it took a lot! My folks could never have afforded the tuition fees, so I had to take out a student loan and, even with that, I had to work part-time to cover my rent and food.

I can tell you that, by the end of fourth year, I couldn't look at another can of pilchards! I lived on peanut butter sandwiches and pilchards on toast most of the time.

Looking sharp Then, when I started job hunting, I knew I had to look the part. No one was going to hire me if I pitched up for an interview in jeans and a T-shirt. So, I opened a store account and bought a suit, some shirts, a few ties and a decent pair of shoes. Little did I know how I'd wear out those shoes looking for work!