Chapter 8: Know someone from the higher up

Being given a chance is one of the greatest blessing that one can get from life. Not everyone is given a second chance. The god of opportunity doesn't come back once it has decided that you are not worthy of the chance given to you. So this golden opportunity should be treated with care, I thought to myself. I took a deep breath and started to think of all possible questions that might be thrown at a person during the final interview.

I have been to a lot of hiring process. It is so easy for me to find a job but quite hard for me to keep it. I have always thought of myself unlucky when it happened. But this time I was determined to really keep this job. I have always wanted to become a translator. It was no easy road that led to my current status.

I was once known as an achiever during my student days. I may have been timid and shy but that did not hinder me from becoming one of the top 10 students among my batch. I don't do contest and competitions but I had a lot of extra curricular activities that does not need for me to be in the spot light. Quite the opposite of Ashton, if I may say so.

I was contented with being one of the people who is working behind the scene. It gives me a different kind of satisfaction knowing that a certain project worked well with because of those behind the scene. Talk about being a true introvert.

I took a glance at the different people waiting with me. All of us are hoping for a chance. A chance to prove ourselves. Our capabilities and our possible potential.

"I heard that someone was given a chance because they know someone from the inside." A woman in one of those breezy summer dresses commented. After saying this, most of the applicants looked at my way.

I know that it was quite obvious that they were talking about me. Everyone was present and was waiting for the assessment when Ms Jessica introduced me as one of the applicants. I know would the implication of that was. Being able to get into the hiring process despite being late no matter what circumstances that may have been would actually mean that I know someone who is in the higher up.

I know I did not pull some strings but it still made me uncomfortable knowing that they all thought that of me. I just sighed and said nothing. If I will be given an opportunity to work here then I will just use that to prove that I was worth the chance because of my ability and not because I know someone from the higher up. Though I don't know anyone except Ashton Kempt.

Wait! Could he possibly be the owner of this company? No I don't thinks so. If I am not mistaken most of the Kempt's business revolve around property development. I once worked as a property consultant from one of their affiliates.

Yeah, I don't think this is his company. He may have just known Ms Jessica. He might just have followed me into the company because he thought I needed some help with Sheila the receptionist. That's it! He was just being a Mr Good Samaritan earlier.

He was always like that when we were in high school. He just can't turn his back on people he thinks need help. I once recalled an incident when I had to deal with some problems for the props for our high school play. I was the production head and one of my responsibility is making sure that the props would work when we need them to work. We were working on a modern adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. Where the Beast was actually not an actual beast but a person with a beastly character.

He saw me looking at the chandelier that we made out of Styrofoam. None of the chandelier's arms are stiff enough to hold the lights that we have installed. I was contemplating on what I need to do when I heard him say, "Do you need any help?"

Come to think of it. It was not the first time that he asked me that question, I laughed at myself. Did I look like a damsel in distress during those times that he asked me that? Hmmmph. I definitely do not need his assistance. Maybe in just those few instances that I did need his help. Like during the Beauty and the Beast play and dealing with Sheila the receptionist.

I was broken off of my reverie when I heard the door leading towards the conference room open and Ms Jessica stepped out.

"Everyone, may I have your attention please. I will not call out the names of the five persons who passed the initial interview and assessment. For those who are not called, you may consider reapplying for the company after six months. John Hale, Ericka Roberts, Jefferson Park, Edison Hunt and Helena Smith. The five of you please come with me." Ms Jessica said.

"Lucky for those who know someone from the higher up." I heard the one of the rejected applicants muttered.

"Yeah, I think so too. How can she just get into the middle of the hiring process and make it to the remaining five. I thought this company had a fair hiring process. I guess its not true." another applicant said.

"We do have a fair hiring process in this company. But the reason why Ms Smith was late was because of one of our colleagues and because of that we need to take responsibility for her actions by allowing Ms Smith to join the hiring process. It has nothing to do with Ms Smith knowing someone in this company. Since I can see that you are unsatisfied with the way we ran things here, then I think I won't being seeing any of you after six months. I wish all of you well. You may leave." Ms Jessica said in a haughty manner.

This made the other applicants feel like trash. With disgruntled look in their faces, they started leaving the building.