Ok...so good news first. I've got two interviews this week. Well one was today actually. The other one's on Thursday. When things sound too good to be true, they usually are right? Also, when you've spent the past few weeks, months, or possibly your whole life living in outright suckiness (it's not a word, I know...) you tend to question good stuff when they come along and I would be the last to tell you you're wrong to do that.
So, last Saturday I again checked the paper. Well, it's like this, during Saturdays the Singapore Straits Times, our newspaper of choice, prints a complete segment full of classifieds and job postings. It's called CATS recruits and possibly the only reason I read the news except of course when the orangutan Ah Meng died. I set-up an interview with this company near where I live. It's for an IE position which is cools because that's exactly what I wanted.
Fast forward to earlier today...wait, it's yesterday already. I got a call at around 1PM from another company I applied to. This one's a sales job. I initially thought it's going to be something in the lines of research, like what a financial/business analyst does. How wrong I was! Well, I guess I did well with the phone interview because the girl I was talking to (who turned out to be the manager of the whole friggin sales department) asked me if I was willing to drop by the office at around 5PM for a face to face interview. So you could just imagine the panic that ensued after I hung up. It was an all out scramble to put together a decent interview outfit. Then a quick visit to Google Maps to plot my route and to find out which train to take.
Okay, so I ended up taking a cab to the place. So sue me. Funny thing, during the cab ride there, when I told the driver the address, I think he concluded that I was into business or some other shit. A very acceptable mistake since I gave him directions to the Bank of China building at the heart of Singapore's central business district. He began his tirade with an in depth discussion of the upcoming Beijing Olympics and how much money China could earn. Then we got into a discussion about the whole US mortgage crisis thing. He then continued to ask for my opinions about the dropping price of the dollar and if it would be wise to start buying US dollars and wait for the US economy to improve. I just played along and gave my honest opinions although I left out the part about me not having good financial acumen at all.
So I got off at the address. Then went straight up to the designated floor. I was welcomed by a pleasant front desk girl. She rang me in and told me to wait a while. I told her it was fine since I did arrive about 30 minutes ahead of the 5PM schedule.
Onto the interview itself. Usually, I have these red flags I watch out for during an interview and I'm sure interviewers have their own set of red flags to look out for. I found it unnerving that the interviewer kept on asking me if I am sure this is the job I want, throughout the interview. She also kept on discussing the grounds for termination every moment she got. She also kept on pestering me about my degree and why I would decide to "waste" my degree pursuing a career tha thad nothing to do with. Well, hearing all of this, you would think that I didn't get the job, right? Wrong! I was invited to the final interview stage tomorrow...wait, that'd be today at 2PM. She also told me that if everything goes well during the final interview, she actually wants me to start training on Wednesday! I asked her if I could possibly start next week, but she told me it was either Wednesday or kaputz.
So okay, a qucik rundown before I go ranting. I found out that the job designation used in the add was totally bogus and you couldn't imagine what the actual job scope/description is just by knowing the designation. I also found out that the job generally sucked but you could actually make tons of cash if you got the chops for it.
That lands us in dilemma-land now. I got home (I tokk the cab again...) and rested a bit. When my older brother got home, he immediately asked we how it went. So I told hime it went fine and if things continue the way they're going that I'd have a job by tomorrow and that I'll probably start working on Wednesday. Man, let me tell you, he actually smiled. I kinda get that because he is feeding me afterall and I'm not paying didly squat for anyhting in the meantime. Plus, he has a kid on the way. So we went into the particulars and I guess it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out I didn't want the job. Then he spoke the thing I feared most hearing: "At least it's a job..." Kaboom! Guilt trip around the universe! I tried to reason out that if I went through with the job, I wouldn't even be able to shop up for my Thursday interview. Remember? The job I ACTUALLY like?
Things got messier when his wife got home. I described the job scope and she honestly told me it sounded hard...and IT IS! We covered the basics while they ate dinner. If I get the job, I'll start earning money soon but I will, in turn, kill off any possibility of a better job. Since I won't have the time to go to interviews, Thursday interview, included. Also, if I started working, the company would get me an Employment Pass thereby rendering my one-year extended Social Visit Pass null and void. It also pretty much ends the useful life of my Employment Pss Eligibility Certificate since I no longer had to be eligible for something I would already be getting. How does this translate to my life? It means that I cannot quit the job because if I do, I wont have the legal right to stay in the country since I am neither a permanent resident or a citizen. The best I could do would be to quit, leave the country and re-enter giving me 30 dyas maximum to secure a new job. Or as my brother put it, I can't quit unless I already have another job lined up. Which is close to impossible since I won't have the time to pursue other employment options!
Things got a lot worse when my brother texted me a few hours ago (yeah, we're only a room apart, but he texted me anyway). He told me that if I really didn't want the job, that I shouldn't commit to it just yet and to "keep my options open". It was a nice sentiment and all, but it sounded like he didn't understand a word I said! If I get the job tomorrow, there are NO options left to keep open!!! Since I would be starting immediately. I also can't "not commit" because I already asked if I could possibly start next week and that request was met by a firm negative. I also got the distinct feeling that he only texted me after his wife told him how I felt. So it's like he was coerced into feeling sorry for me.
So I'm torn between seeking a job that would give me both personal and professional fullfillment and getting any job that would free me from being the financial leech (burden) that I am right now. Contrary to popular belief, I'm actually a pretty sensitive person and I understand how badly my brother wants me to start working. It's not just because he cares for me, it's also because it's expensive keeping me around!
Man...life DOES suck. I've been wishing for interview requests to pour in and when they finally do, they screw me up big time. Geesh! Whoever runs this universe has got a sick sense of humor!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment