I know I wouldn't be able to hold this in silence any longer. It is remarkable I let all the agitations subside over the night and write about these matters in a calm manner. I am becoming more mature,
yay.
The lengthy yet constructive msn convo with my sister last night revealed to me just how I use the word '
hypocrites' excessively of late. Then again, there ARE just a tad too many hypocrites in my life recently.
A friend of mine has taken the trouble to help me revert my RA application to her boss, which I have nothing but ultimate gratitude towards the favour. But last night she got back to me with bad news. Okay, these things happen all the time, really. It's either they want you or they don't want. So to me at that moment, it was alright - maybe I'm just not good enough.
But upon deliberation over the issue, it is not just
FINE to me anymore. According to my friend, the reason her boss gave her for rejecting me is, "
what I wrote in my application is NOTHING SPECIAL". Please note that in the following I am not talking about my friend, but rather, her boss.
How has a Resident
Assistant application got to be SPECIAL, when the questions asked were so standard and we were to write within word limits? Really, if it is SPECIAL ideas or scripts you are looking for, why don't you just look for "Creative Director" instead? Then it is fully justified and you'll get all the SPECIAL applications from SPECIAL applicants to read to your liking.
And of course, to dismiss my application form on the basis that it is NOT SPECIAL, you are but revealing the flaw in your selection system. How do you define an application form as SPECIAL? Flattering compliments, over-the-top flowery language, or out-of-the-world bizarre ideas? Then should you not look for an "Editor" instead? Sure, if those are the basis for your judging then yes, my application is so NOT SPECIAL.
By shortlisting candidates based on how SPECIAL their applications are, you have already assumed that ALL good and befitting candidates are ALL good writers. *Sarcasm ON*Oh-my-god, even a 12-year-old would laugh at how unlinked and stupid this assumption is. I didn't say you are stupid, I just said a 12-year-old would think you are stupid. Don't assume.*Sarcasm OFF*
Flattering compliments? I had none. All I had was the flaws in the management of this place and a list of how this place can be further improved for the benefit of future residents and believe me, it is a longg list and there is a vast room for improvement.
Over-the-top flowery language? I had none. All I had was a sincere, down-to-earth, matter-of-fact tone to bring forth my points, and to illustrate what I really think. I know exactly when I am really serious about something and writing my application was one of the things I did with utmost respect for.
Out-of-the-world bizarre ideas (for the event to propose)? I had none. I did not see the point in proposing something that is impractical, or stick to the safe ways of "yea another potluck or a trip to sentosa blablabla" because YOU know and I know, they are so stale. You can ask me personally what I wrote inside and honestly, I do not and did not find the idea boring at all.
Look, if you want to save the hassle from conducting another interview so you just want to reject me, you can just say the RA candidate is already chosen and you respect that decision the panel made. People will definitely understand and maybe they'll try again next time to prove their worth. But if you just come up with some dumb and lame excuse like "your application is NOT SPECIAL enough", honestly how much do you expect me to buy your story? It just makes you a total hypocrite, really.
By telling me what I wrote was not SPECIAL, it really intrigued me exactly what the other applicants wrote that were SO SPECIAL that warranted them their interviews and some even the appointment. I even told my friend she can pass the word to her boss, that I suggested they publish and make it public everything the RAs wrote in their application, especially the ones that just got appointed this round. Then it can serve as a justification of their selection system and also for the reference of future applicants.
I am not sarcastic at all. I mean, following your trail of argument that those who get the interview must have written something very SPECIAL during their application, surely those who get appointed must have written even MORE SPECIAL things. Surely, it's not something like another potluck or Sentosa trip and even more surely, it's way better than what I proposed.
So since the selection criteria are so stringent why don't you just make it public and show the future interested applicants
hey we take pride in our selection system and only the MOST SPECIAL gets the job! So you don't anyhow apply because it will just waste your time!My friend told me to try again, don't give up. On normal days I would. But her boss just completely killed any remaining sincerity I still had. Try again, you said? What I'll be writing in my next application would be the same as what I have written, because that's truly my opinion and that's what I believed in. I am not the hypocrite that sway and change what I believe in to suit market demands and get me up the management ladder. Even if I'm writing my application form for the hundredth time, it will still be the same as my first, which was completely regarded as NOT SPECIAL. So, try next time? What's the point when the same people are assessing my application using the same set of criteria - heart not important, abiilty to write takes priority?
When I told others about this mess, all of them said, unanimously, 不希罕. Well, yea, at least I know it's a lame excuse and never would I work for a hypocrite anyway.
