Eat THAT!!

A few weeks ago, I went for an interview at this publishing house located in the middle of nowhere. Needless to day, there were no public transports available, no restaurants or cafes or even mamaks nearby to eat in, nothing. Just a factory building in the middle of a factory-filled area.

Most of my interviews thus far has been pleasant, and I've met with many really nice, comforting people who's purpose is just to draw out your talents and skills, and not to intimidate you into anything. So I walked into this interview feeling confident and just slightly jittery.

I walked out feeling like a worthless piece of shit.

I should have known something was up when an hour before the interview was supposed to commence, my car would NOT start. I panicked and started crying, and got into a little tiff with my hardworking husband, and finally, decided to call dad, who, like a superhero, zoomed me off to the place within minutes, making me right on time.
My interview was supposed to be at 10. Granted, I had to sit for a 45 minute test which I finished in about half the time, but she came waltzing in at about 11.30, which meant I waited for about an hour for her.

Everything's fine and dandy at first, I asked about my test results and she said I did alright (I thought I did better than alright, but what the heck. She's the boss right?) So anyway, we started talking and with each question, my heart sank.

This was a job which I wanted to do, which I thought I would love to be doing. All the things she described the job to be were the things I've always envisioned myself doing, and I loved the thought of it.

And then she started downplaying my worth. She rudely asked me why I was married at such a young age, which this utterly disapproving look on my face. She criticised some of my life choices, asked me personal questions she had no right to ask, leaving me feeling mentally bruised and violated. Obviously, I kept my cool and answered each as professionally as I could, telling her some things were personal when she got too probing for my tastes. Crediting my being jobless to a sense of integrity and morality that must have been a verbal slap to the face for her, considering her face changed from being all high-and-mighty to slightly ashamed.

She told me my expectations were too high. She said I only deserve a pittance of a salary, at most. She offered me a ridiculously low sum for the amount of work I was expected to do. She told me that she recently interviewed a lecturer who only earned about RM1300, so in a look, basically showed me I had absolutely no right to ask for what I was asking. When I told her I did not get a job at this one magazine, she said my expectations were probably too high, when I knew for a fact that the people hired for that magazine got way more than what I was asking.

In a nutshell, she was a bit of a bitch. Which was why I walked out feeling worthless and idiotic for even THINKING of asking for that kind of salary.

Later that day though, I was interviewed by a really nice CEO who restored my faith in my abilities.

I have since gone for more interviews and have finally landed myself a job at a small company located here in hartamas itself. Suffice to say, I will be saving on petrol as well as parking, since walking to work is not a problem. I signed the offer letter a few days ago, and I am earning more than I earned at my last job, with the promise of an increment upon confirmation.

Yesterday, I received a little surprise. Who should call but the little lady from the middle-of-nowhere publishing company, asking me to work for her. Obviously, I turned her down. Very politely, mind you. I'm a professional. :)

Anyway, I put down the phone and she actually called back, trying to ask me what kind of salary the company was offering, probably in a weird attempt at countering the offer or something. I told her I was getting more than my last job and she finally backed off, apologising for getting back to me so late.

So yeah. I am smiling fom ear to ear. ;p