Career...Undertaker...Scope

I have been unemployed for sometime now,by unemployed I do not mean unoccupied.

Occupied with real questions and surreal answers.

When I attended my first real interview,I thought I was being real smart when I answered the panels question on where I see myself in the next 5 years.

What a STUPID QUESTION???

I do not know where I would be this weekend, or if my dream job was to tell people that if they do not make that 834 rs payment immediately their account would go to the 2nd bucket after which the 3rd till the 7th. That I wished to join 1800 other people speaking in an accent that could put an three year old learning english to shame.

Every interview had a similar question..different styles of course.

1. What is your long term goal?

2. Why this opportunity?

3. Where do you see yourself in the next..?

4. our resume is quite interesting, but how do you see suiting this option?

5. People say that maverics are dangerous, but you seem to have a plan...can we know?

6. Career Goal?

7. Why poultry/Latex/billboard painting/cleaning elephant arse/testing dog food/ is my dream job.

Its crazy but we all repeat the questions that were asked to us once upon a time. I stopped myself from asking the same questions when I was at the otherside of the table. Instead I would focus on what they have done or not done in their past. But I realised that I was doing the same thing. Probe to get a desired answer, none of us really know how to understand a person.How can a 3 minute interview or an 3 hour examination tell us how good or bad or ideal a candidate is? Why I know of people who have known each other for months and married only to find themself trapped in a atypical situation.

I could walk into any company and tell them how perfect and ideal I am a candidate for the position mentioned and get away with it, why collecting offer letters was my hobby while i was still in college. Then What is the key?

KEY???

1. What job

2. Why?

3. how far is it from my dream job

4. what is my dream job?

5. Why?

I saw myself going in circles again. Do we really have a dream job? as in a career that totally is you? Ummm...I think not. we need to come in terms with the fact that it is still a job.

When we discuss our career and growth with friends I often hear these much abused terms- The profile is not so great, Job description is not so exciting, I dont see much of a growth there, I will be stagnated there.

I ponder again and thought of what all i wanted to be and where all I suceeded. I wanted to be a lawyer- that I did, I wanted to read news,be a reporter in dangerous places, be a CEO, theatre artist, IPR specialist, Professor, Director, writer, actor......

I also saw that I got most of what I wished for...I had a coupe of dreams, someway or the other I got myself where I wanted to get myself.

Difference was this, I did not have much of a career goal, I did not think of stagnation...Just did what I like, what made me happy. 

Then I further thought of alternative career options.

Options that do not necessarily need an MBA or a PG in horticulture. Option that people take owing to lack of better.

I thought of one undertaker who used to live by the sidewalk close to my school. 

I do not know if he has a family,if he has a career objective, goal, future plans, promotions, salary hike, performance appraisal......

Was this his dream job? I dont think so.

What else does he automatically qualify under skill sets?

work that none would like to do,clearing the sewage, assisting the police for investigation retrieveing dead bodies from lakes ponds and the sea.

What would be his day of celebration- A rich mans death?

When does he go on a stress buster vacation and where does he go to?

Does he prefer the pepper steak at TGIF or the lasagna at little italy? So does he wear friday casuals?

I wonder again..I think of the undertaker again, the man I never saw by the roadside as he was probable not so important for my time or vision. Where ever he is- I have learnt a lesson.

There is the Edward De Bonos workshops that we go for constant development, the communication workshops, the personality development classes, salsa, jive, art of living....and the undertaker.

There is him and there is me. I am unemployed and I am toying between where and why.

He has a job that feeds him. I am tryin to figure out why televisions focus on Raki Sawants Swayamvar is annoying me enough to watch it monday to friday.

I am confused now....what does he think? what could be his needs? he earns and drinks and sleeps to follow the cycle. Does he not ever complain about not having a companion to share or discuss workplace politics, or a someone who tells him not to smoke or drink.

Does he get a wedding invitation?

What will be in it if he ever had a resume?

I know you think I am crazy but I am taking a minute off at the end of this sentence to thank god for letting me ponder on this. I am wiser now!

Anuma