Thursday, September 15, 2005

I said "I do"

It happened today. I said "I do."

I am married now. Below is the story of how I fell.

I went to a job interview earlier today. It was my fifth and it has taken me nine months to reach this far.

“You are not interviewing for the CEO position are you?” My DG leader asked. I have been asking the DG to pray for my career for the last one year.

This is the strangest and the longest job process I have ever been through.

It was 7:30pm and 7:30am in NY. I was waiting for the interviewer in a conference with another staff accompanying me. He was in a meeting.

7:30am? The interviewer’s having a meeting?! Oh no??? I am going to have a tough time ahead if I am employed.

“So what time do you normally reach here?” I asked the guy who interviewed me in August.

7:30 in the morning,” He answered.

And I said, “…….”

I took my Soya bean and drank half of it.

“Oh, that is great!” I said. I looked away and looked everywhere else in the room.

Then I got bored.

“Is he going to ask me what are the five Fs of journalism?” I asked cheekily.

It was a joke, but he didn’t think it was.

“Yes. You must know the five Fs. You must tell him you have to be the first, fast….”

Walau. Relac lei. Joking only. I thought angmos very relac one.

“I’m joking,” I said to stop him. I didn’t want to listen to the five Fs of journalism. Yawn!

“You will be fine. You’ll do well. You have proceeded very quickly. You are already meeting XXXX since the last time I interviewed you.”

“Nine months? Fast?” I asked in disbelief. These people are mad.

Then finally, after half an hour of delay, the interviewer finally finished his interview and walked into the room. I couldn’t see him clearly on TV but he looked like he could strangle me with his bare hands. He is that big.

He sat down and quickly shot me his first question.

“Why should we hire you?”

Walau. You must ask me about the weather first. You know social protocols or not? Then you must ask me about my parents. Then you must ask me what music I listen to, what movies I like. What is this?

If someone ask you a question like that, what should you do? Tip: you brag!

So I bragged loudly and clearly. I stressed on some of the key words that highlighted how smart I am, how competent I am, how significant my achievements are. It was one of those few moments when you actually believed in what you bragged about. It was one of those few moments that it was alright to be vain and I didn't feel guilty. It would earn me my source of food.

I approached the rest of his questions the same way – just brag.

So I sailed through the interview just by bragging. How cool was that?!

Finally, he said.

“Just need to ask you a few housekeeping questions. I need to ask you this before we proceed to the last interview.”

I thought they would be questions like “when you can start work with us if we hire you?”

“You know that if he (the last interviewer) offers you a job and you said no, you will never ever able to work this company. I need you to understand this. I need to know you really want to work for us before we proceed. You know you are getting this package and this bonus. So if he offers you this job with this package (XXXX), would you say Yes?”

He looked up from his paper he was reading from and stared at me.

“Yes, I do.” I said and I went quiet. I fell.

I was under pressure. His stare was not exactly one that belonged to a care bear. I know now how people can be forced into marriage. Before, I thought it was an absurd idea.

I felt so abused. I felt so used.

Next time when I see Mr. GWMMHF, I would read from a piece of paper and stared at him through a TV. I think it must be the TV.

“I know you will say that. Good!”

My first “yes I do.” Now it is gone. Booohoooooooooooo!!!!!

I thought the only time I would say “Yes, I do” is at the altar to the priest who is marrying me to an unsuspecting male victim. I didn’t know I would be married to a company?!

Sigh. Life is a series of compromises.


Listening to Six by Mansun

And you see, I kind of shivered to conformity
Did you see the way I cowered to authority
You see, my life, it's a series of compromises anyway
It's a sham, and I'm conditioned to accept it all, you see
(More) than I had before
(More) than I've presently got
(More) than I'll ever use up
(More) than I really need
(More) than I had before
(More) than I could possibly spend
(More) than I'll ever use up
(More) than I really need
It's more than I can spare

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

wow Ms Kee, best of luck to ya! Does that mean u may be based in NY then?

well u are not officially married yet, after all he did not yet kiss the 'bride' :P

11:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yeah, best of luck too.

10:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Firstly, what are the Five F's please.

Secondly, That was an entertainining entry.

Thirdly, 7.30 sounds early siah.

Fourthly, If you get it, you'll be great at it.

2:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And Fifthly... NP.

2:26 PM  
Blogger eternal bough said...

five Fs: first, fast, final, factual, future

opps, gave away my trade secrets.

you must wake up and have prata with me before work, since we friend ok.

tommorrow is the last interview at 7pm again. see! all these new yorkers start work so early.

remember me in prayer.

D

11:26 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home