AIESEC Newsletter
LAMIYA'S AMAZING AIESEC STORY
If you’ve started reading this article it might mean two things :
1) You are a fan of reading stories and spending your time just to enjoy.
2) You really want to learn What were the ways of achieving success.
In both circumstances I have something for you.
I will start from the beginning. I am majoring in Management.I was studying my junior year in university( 3rd course). At the same time I was working in advertisement company full-time, where I was project manager of short-term projects. It was good, I learned many things, but my day looked like this : 9.00a.m-6.00p.m. stressful work regime, then 6.30p.m. running to my evening class to university. I liked the principle of the job that I’ve been doing, but I would tell you , even thought I was earning money ,this was not what I really enjoyed. Why? Because I was working in the “box”, in other words doing things within the organizational frames, as like as other employees did.
I didn’t feel that I am a student, I didn’t fill independent at work, I just felt myself as a part of daily mechanism, with no sense of youth life, and very transparent goals .
Time for changes. Isn’t it?
I’ve always dreamed to travel and see the world, to study or work in foreign country, to meet different people from different cultures and backgrounds. Dream became a desire and I’ve started to take various steps towards that, starting from research.
Fortunately, one day , when I met my younger cousin, and told him about my concerns, and wishes, the fraise he told me was the following :
“If you want to go abroad, I would advise you to join AIESEC.”
That moment I didn’t even get what AIESEC is about, I just trusted him,
and sent my application form.
Not knowing almost anything, I said Ok.
Passing through all the interview stages I was kinda on the way to
understand that this is a world’s largest students run organization ,
which develops your leadership , communication,
team working and other essential skills , which will help you to be
successful in future. I’ve passed and became a member in April,2011.
In that moment I thought that I already know a lot of things, which comes from my previous jobs experience, and lalalallala… I am a specialist. I was wrong. Yes , I was using the skills I got previously, but, engaging in leadership through
AIESEC was like a white paper in my life, where I was the writer.
First meeting with AIESEC first Local Committee(LC) Executive Board
andmembers was held in Khazar University. There was a lot of people.
The Primary question in the beginning of our meeting was :
Ask yourself “Why am I here ?”
said Members Committee President (MCP) of AIESEC Azerbaijan–
Alex Apetrei .Hmmm…? Isn’t it obvious , I am here to go abroad,
I told to myself.My thought was like: I’m not gonna do anything else
in here. Blablablablabla….
Some time passed.
Lamiya is engaged to all leadership positions available ☺
Do you think I got them all ? No. I applied . I failed. I applied again , I took another, and another, and every single time I was so excited like a first time.
During one year of being an active member , I took a leadership positions three times on different projects, and helping in other projects too.
Some of my friends and people around me were asking : “Why, having all this skills , being so active you are working in student organization, not in a company and moreover -FOR FREE ??? You must be crazy …”
To what I’ve always replied : “This is an amazing feeling when you do the things you LOVE to do, and you put your energy, effort, time, to do the actions that bring an impact. You are one, but you are not alone. There is an atmosphere, where you know that people around you, the friends I found there are like a unbreakable mountain for you, who are supportive towards you from your very first steps, during your actual work, and after that. You are not in the frames. You are an independent individual, who can change the world to better. And working as a volunteer makes you understand this value.”
You are probably wondering “What it gave me”?
Well , here they are :
The skills :
- Managerial skills: Planning, Organizing, Leading, Controlling
- I learned How to take an action first ( initiative)
- To work with team as a leader
- To work with team as a team member
- To set clear goals
- To take responsibility
- To make my own decisions
- To carry about others
- To be strict & soft
- To be flexible
- To motivate & direct others
- To communicate
- Improved my English
- Improved the cultural sensitivity
- Improve understanding of local corporate culture
- Transformed from saying : I → We
Achievements in actions :
- Event manager of Re-integration event (Event purpose: Gathering all members. Sharing Exchange(Internship) experience, team buildings, goal-settings , motivation and other activities.)
- Organizing Committee President (OCP ) of “National Conference” (Flame-3).
Winter , cold. Oguz , 78delegates out of 85 planned. ☺
- Organizing Committee Vice President (OCVP ) of “AIESEC Career Workshops”
in a field of Finance & Logistics.
(Note : I’ve always was afraid to interact exactly with finances, because it was hard and scary for me to do so. But I’ve learned how to push myself and overcome challenges.)
- Coaching Next OCP of National Conference (Flame-4)
It is fantastic , when you can share what you’ve learned and done . Pleasure to work with very hardworking person, who is a dreamer just like you. It is an honor indeed.
- Members Committee Vice President (MCVP)of Communication & Finance (elected) of AIESEC in Azerbaijan for 2012-2013.
In corporate world we call it Top management of the organization, to which I’ve applied , I’ve researched a lot, and put a strong effort to get . I couldn’t even dream about that, but it happened because I couldn’t stop, I wished a constant improvement of myself and others, and NEW NEW NEW changes & challenges.
Note: I’ve quit this position, because of unexpected surprise about which you’ll find out later on, by the end of the story.
All this projects and events gave me an opportunity (since I was only 21) to :
- Meet with Top Management of Azerbaijani companies.
- Learn how to act on sales meetings
- Negotiate
- Be sharp by time & actions
- Improve public speaking ability
- Patience + Adaptability
Help & Develop other people
Note : “What not kills us, makes us stronger ” ;)
In only one year, my life has changed up side down ( in very good meaning) . ☺
AIESEC is a source of my inspiration even now .
Lets not forget about one of the most important factors:
The Entity is not successful without its people !
I’ve earned great friends there, had the best coaches, and tons of support and positive energy! ☺ Always say “THANK YOU” to those people in AIESEC, who were near, who inspired, motivated, and just sincerely smiled to me saying : “Don’t worry , everything will be fine”, when I was running around like a crazy , worrying about something. ☺
Where am I now?
Writing to you from the my dream country – The United States of America ☺
How? During my work in AIESEC, I’ve also applied to Global UGRAD program through IREX. I haven’t expected that it might happen to me, cause it seemed like something Unreal.
BUT, I got the scholarship ( grant ) to study one academic year in Bethany College , Kansas ☺ ☺ ☺ yeeeeeeeey! Nothing is impossible ☺
Do you know what were my answers on essay questions about ?
About leadership, Contribution to society, about Amazing experience I got in AIESEC and learned how to share it with people. You never understand, if you won’t live it in real.
My dream came true . And my current goal is to learn as much as I can, use skills that I got in AIESEC ( By the way already using. Just got involved in project, where I will need to make a recruitment , create a team and evaluate local businesses, to improve shopping experience in town. ) , implement this knowledge when I get back home.
And of course continue working hard to achieve further goal . ( Believe me , I have many ☺)
Need more hints ?
Open Field to make your own masterpiece and succeed toward your dream : AIESEC ☺
What do you think about Lamiya's story?