Today is the first day
of the rest of my life.
The future starts today.
Tomorrow, perhaps, a blur?
I just found out that I liked job interviews.
While the notion of being subject to the scrutinizing gaze and almost-too-personal interrogation might not be to a lot of people's liking, I happen to enjoy the attention. I find pleasure in those brief golden moments in time when what one says and how one says it really does matter.
I've been through three job interviews in my life. The first one was almost just a formality; my employers already knew me before I applied or, more correctly, was recruited for the job.
The second one was for an outsourcing company, which, interestingly enough, was one of the top 10% highest-paying IT companies in the country (If you have the same priorities as I do, you'd find those numbers quite interesting indeed). I believe the interview began with the interviewer asking me what she should call me.
"Mavi," I replied.
It was going fine until I, in my foolishness, blurted out, "I am a totally honest, God-fearing person entirely incapable of fabricating fictitious events in my personal history." Okay, so maybe it wasn't really that; it was more along the lines of, "I am a level 2 probationary acolyte of Northrend's Undead Cult. My personal goal in life is to be a level 10 dual-class necro-sorcerer," to which the interviewer replied, "Oookay... care to explain further?" Then it all went downhill.
The most recent one was for an offshore company. They are one of the top 25% highest-paying IT companies in the country (Again, another interestingly noteworthy piece of info). I was almost ready to give up as I spent forty minutes waiting at their reception area. Granted, I was ten minutes early but that still meant the interviewer was 30 minutes late.
What they lack in punctuality, I soon found out, they made up for in the liberties they gave their employees. It was a bittersweet company, a sharp contrast of nice and nasty. There are certain aspects I like a lot and there are others that make me think twice. Allow me to point out, though, that, for this one, I did not voluntarily divulge being an initiate to an unorthodox paranormal organization.
I digress, though. This third interview began with, "So... what should I call you?"
"Mavi," I replied.
It might sound strange that for two job interviews, I began with a name that, once upon a time, was not my own. Now, of course, my pen name is as integral a part of my identity as my eyeglasses. Still, I am quite touched that the next question of both interviewers is, "Mavi? Why Mavi?"
See, it may sound pathetic but I am really moved that they considered me as a person with a nickname totally different from his given name and not just another prospective employee. After all, they could have chosen not to take interest in my unorthodox nickname and proceed with, "So, Mr. Mavi, about your application..."
On the bus ride home, I suddenly remembered a scene between Agent Smith and Neo in the movie The Matrix. Agent Smith, of course, addressed Neo by his given name, Mr. Anderson.
Through gritted teeth: "My name is Neo."
It is with apprehension and a bit of fear that I wonder whether Mavi might, one day, take over my life and wrestle the reins from me.
3 comments:
funny how you're insisting on people to call you Mavi while i wanted my online nick to be separated from my real world identity. that's why i usually get insulted when this jerk-of-a-classmate always refer to me as "master b.". while i am not worried about people asking what the "b" means, i find it improper and very invasive of my personal space... after all, just like you, the nickname is also a part of me. it's just so annoying when people make use of it as something to call me in real life, and use it more than i do or rather use it casually more than i do, as if we're close enough that calling me that way is just OK.
oh, and did i mention this jerk-of-a-classmate uses my nick as if it was a joke or something. not to mention him introducing me to his friends that way. grrr... pisses me off.
Duly noted, master b.
Well, there is a "puzzle" once in my childhood days. What is it that you own yet other people use more than you do? Yah, your name. So yeah, don't you think it's perfectly natural that your jerk-of-a-classmate use your nick more than you do? ^_^
Oh, an another thing, don't you think it's an even greater invasion of your personal space if he called you something personal like Domsie, Cupcake, Cheese Curls or Pringles?
*shudder, shudder* I think I'll shut up now :P
But you know what they say: the more you hate, the more you love :D
Okay, shutting up. For real :P
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