Send us your story — in less than 800 words and in either Albanian, English or Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian — by April 17 to [email protected] and then we will let you know about the next steps.

What can you write?

Think. Start to remember. Turn back the clock. It’s your first day of work. A day that you were so excited about, or maybe one that you wish you could have delayed, so as not to be overburdened during school or university. New people, new responsibilities, a salary and new stories. 

Now your morning and evening routines run on a tight schedule. Along with this schedule, now you see money differently because you’re earning it with your own sweat. You start to plan, to think where your money is going, whether it will be enough to manage until the end of month, where you will be spending it this month, and a lot of other dilemmas and questions that never crossed your mind before. Now you even start to check the Labor Law. Are your rights being respected? Are you being paid enough? Are they giving you vacation?

The experience of your first job changes everything; it determines how you understand labor, time, salaries, power and life.

This is what we want to hear about from you

How was your first job? Did they give you a contract, or did they avoid talking about it? Did they pay your benefits and contributions? Was your salary good? Did you have vacation days?

After you started working, did you change as a person? Are there any funny stories you have? Or any bad experiences or instances of discrimination? Has anyone ever asked you odd questions during a job interview?

Everyone has experienced situations like this that are worth recalling or hard to forget. These experiences make us into the people we are today and that’s why we want to hear about them. Share your first work experience with K2.0’s readers.

Feature Image: Arrita Katona / K2.0