I was looking for a job after graduation for a long time. I didn’t want to work in my field and thought that management would suit me better. I looked for some suitable jobs on the internet, called the employers and made some appointments. I specifically grouped them by neighborhood and asked the ones that were close to me to schedule them on the same day.
After two interviews I was in a big hurry to get to the third one, the last one for that day. The first two jobs were not bad, at the third the salary was several times higher and I seemed to fit the requirements. In a good mood, anticipating a great conversation, I hopped on a streetcar. It was necessary to go literally three stops. There were plenty of empty seats, and I took one at the door. At the same stop an elderly grandmother came in with me. And she, too, apparently, really wanted to take that seat. While she was standing over me, I pretended not to notice her – that she would wait for three stops and then she would definitely sit down.
While I was driving, my phone rang – it was the HR manager to whom I was going for an interview. He wanted to clarify how far away I was, because the applicant in front of me was delayed and I could get on his time now. Just as I opened my mouth to cheerfully declare that I would be there in five minutes, my grandmother deliberately or accidentally stepped on my foot and I automatically reacted as anyone else in my position would. “What on earth is this! Don’t you have enough seats? The cabin is half-empty!”
When I came back to the conversation, the manager said there was no need to go anymore. When I asked why, he delicately explained that I had just had an interview and that the vacancy I was trying out involved working with people all the time, and with my attitude to people, I didn’t fit in.
Just like that: a few words rolled off my tongue, and a good job passed me by.
