Interview Drama

[Listening to: Our Day Will Come - Jamie Cullum - Catching Tales (03:55)]

Two days ago, Singapore Institute of Commerce (SIC) called me up for an interview. It was for the post of Admin & HR Manager. It seemed i applied sometime back in October and they asked if i was keen to explore some opportunities.

So being the restless one, and bored at work because i currently have nothing much to do, i decided to go for the interview yesterday. I was mildly interested because it was a HR position...again...and frankly whenever i'm bored strange ideas come to my head. But what genuinely sparked my interest was...why would an organization with more than 100 staff, be interested to hire a young girl like me to be a manager? So i decided to find out.

Armed with a powerful resume, i had plans to take them by storm. My interview appointment was at 5.30pm. I arrived on time and filled out an application form.

Reason for leaving current employment : Bored
Reason for leaving previous employment : Overworked

I noticed hordes of people trudging in an out of the main entrance, and i felt a little conscious of the numerous stares i got. I pretended to be invisible and continued people-watching. Minutes ticked by and I got restless. Minutes ticked s l o w l y.

T i c k. T o ck. T i c k. T o c k. And i was already starting to feel the beginnings of agitation....

Time check : 6:15pm. 45 minutes wait. What is wrong with these people, i thought.

Then a lady came to me and told me she had been there for more than an hour. I gulped. The thought of having to wait longer certainly did not appeal to me. Then i quietly asked if she was there for the same position. Apparently she was, which was totally fine by me, but not the next thing she said. "My appointment is at 5.30pm". Also. I wasn't at all pleased. And thats when i felt my blood rush to my temples, and i got up - marched directly to where the receptionist was sitting to give her a piece of my not so nice mind.

"Let the VP know thats its been an hour, and its ridiculous to keep someone waiting if she cannot make it" I said.

Shifty eyes. Nervous smiles. More waiting. Many more minutes later the VP's secretary came out and she passed me thrice, each time saying Sorry 5 minutes. I also found out the VP's name was Cenobia. And from that instance onwards, her name hung in the air, mouthed by many people buzzing in and out of that office. She seemed important and very impressive from the way her name rolled out from everyone's tongue.

But I was not impressed, certainly not. Because Cenobia-whatever-her-last-name-was did not have the courtesy to cancel the interview when she could not make it. She made everyone wait for her at the expense of their time.

The secretary came finally, with news that really surprised me. "The VP has attended another meeting, and she'll be available only at 7.00pm." I raised my eyebrows and said "I have an appointment at 7pm and i cannot wait any longer. If she cannot meet me now, I would like to leave please".

"Hold on, i'll check with her again" she said.

She came back 5 minutes later, and before she said anything i stood up. I somehow knew what she was going to say before i heard it.

"Can we call you back another day? If its ok with you," she said.

"No. You fixed an appointment at 5.30pm. And after making me wait for over an hour, you decide that it is convenient to ask me to come back another day. It simply shows poor time management on your VP's part and the lack of respect she has for other people's time. I don't think i would want to work for such a company". I said.

"Sorry, sorry" she said, stunned, and that was all i heard because I had turned and walked. And i was not planning to turn back. Not even once.

As i walked, i thought. Cenobia had turned me away, without even seeing my face. I doubt she even knew my name. But i'll remember hers. Yesterday i came in as a candidate for a job interview. Tomorrow...i may be a potential client investing tens of thousands in their degree programmes. But i may not now, because that is the kind of experience she has left me with...and i doubt anything can change that.