In our struggle to cope with life we earn credits by choosing well. We choose a well tailored dress to wear, a fast car to drive,a big house to live, a tasty food to eat and so on and so forth. To ensure a good life we tend to go for better investments like higher earnings, more opportunities , easier market and the like. Even with our surrounding environment - we tend to pick the right friend and a safe neighborhood ... but how good is good?
For us who tried to seek greener pasture in foreign lands, we come to realize that where the field can be abundant it can also be strenuous and hard. Mothers leaving the kids are haunted by concerns relating to the children's welfare and security. In such a scenario we see the benefit being neutralized by the corresponding disadvantage whether real or imagined.
One time, I was confronted by two job opportunities. The first offer I got was for a permanent, part time one. By then I thought, it should be alright while I am looking for better opportunities. The good thing with the offer was, a friend was willing to give me all his part time shifts. With that I was assured of two days work. Another advantage was a staff was going on leave for the next two and a half months which I was expected to fill. In the workplace were old acquaintances who can show me the way around. I felt so comfortable with the place and the rapport between us was so that even before my orientation I was rostered to work for forty hours the following week.
Anyway, before I could start with the job, I got another offer. The second job had a higher pay rate and was a permanent full time one. The management had me rostered for orientation on the same week that I was to do the first job offer. My orientation was to be for two weeks on a weekday. It was then that I had to choose. For once I thought it should not be difficult to decide. Between full-time and part-time it should be wise to pick the former.
Considering the rate surely again it is wise to pick the higher pay rate. Somehow it was not long that the adage "not all that glitter is gold" made sense to me.
On the first day of my orientation, I realized how dodgy the system was. Apparently, I was expected to do as shown. No one was keen to question and things are done seemingly to cope with time constraints. The sighs from those that came before me seem to measure the weight of unspoken frustrations nursed inside. The phrase - " you will find out in time " sounded like a sinister warning. Yet I told myself, if it be for better outcomes I should manifest the desire for support.
I tried to offer some help which was met with resistance. More the effort attracted a vindictive reaction of concerted politics . Then comes fault-finding to demoralize the spirit and intimidate. I started to think - "is it worth the time and the effort ?'. As old workers that left started to share the woes they have had I started thinking back to the way I did my choice.
Permanent - Full Time - Highest Rate per Hour; seemingly a better choice but not all that glitter is gold.
No comments:
Post a Comment