By Checking vacancies every day in newspapers; Mohan had developed a habit of applying whatever position suits his academic qualification. Like the turning of an age a new beginning was touching him. This was the third place where he was applying within a period of one month.
“Character is an outfit,” was written in the poster hung on the organization where Mohan was applying for the job. Somewhere in the organizational structure a future of character was taking shape for Mohan. This was like an anticipated journey.
Mohan noticed that people were accustomed to believe in a condition that reading is just another condition. Even someone who reads a hoarding board is considered too rigid. Why read everything so much is the question deep rooted in every house.
Mohan was a media reader, he used to read latest updates and he cherished books as well. He knew that books have pages that do not talk unless a will is casted to turn the pages. Mohan was interested in non-fiction these days, it somehow made him calm and non-fiction did not sound that personal.
“Isn’t the ultimate purpose to write is to find hope?” Mohan silently made a belief and turned the page of the book that he was reading.
An interview was awaiting Mohan. It was getting closer each day. It was waiting to showcase the certificates; a treasure to be revealed. With a high focus on microscopic vision wider skills get developed. The not so academic world can teach an academic from day to day events. Marx had asked: Who will educate the educators?—the answer is society although; it might be too apparent. Mohan was also in a country that had thousands of lessons to teach and multitudes who dare to learn those lessons and that gradually moved the society. There was a heritage city that worshipped living goddess. The goddess was named ‘Kumari’ – a child. Mohan remembered that lots of seats in the airport lobby were occupied by tourists in his country. There was no gunpowder in the air, instead peace wafted like air.
To put every effort and sit in a chair facing the questions hurled at him made Mohan thoughtful. His heart knew the nervousness. He was inside a business organization that was looking for a communication officer. Mohan had a degree in mass communication. A masked clerk guided Mohan to the interview room. The sanitizer at the entrance of the interview was also saying something about the era of the interview. There were masked and unmasked interviewers. Looking at them anybody would say that there is a difference in unmasking and masking; the psychology that accepts or negates such things.
Mohan read about a forest fire that burned animals and herbs in the forest. To read about the fire felt time consuming and time did no justice to those burnt things. Furthermore, police brutality, natural calamities and terrorists capturing and ruling a country—such was the feeling of a masked world. That world cannot be free even without the mask that shields the virus. Who gets called for interview in that world is itself a question climbing the peak of time.
“Necessity kills passion” an art corner of a national daily made headline. While preparing for the interview Mohan read it with a doubt. He was nervous when words from that headline traveled inside his mind to the interview hall. Mohan felt that to live without analyzing is to forsake the meaning and no absurdity is brilliance. Mohan decided to speak without hesitation in the interview; whatever he felt important to share.
Earning to live came like a necessity to Mohan. Having a talent and to sale it obviously felt different than window shopping. There are individual passions which can be like a wisdom stone, but it comes with a responsibility to sustain and make it workable for life. This is a chapter of reality from the book of life. Yet a verse has to be contributed; a verse that alleviates and adds to the beauty of life.
That interview room had a globe and a map of the world in the wall. To be in that room was to share the world. To convince and influence the interviewers with answers was like adding a flower to the world.
“Give a short introduction about yourself,” the first interviewer asked Mohan. The interviewers were spread in a circle on the luxury sofa in that room.
The question seemed to be the hardest to answer. Can qualifications introduce a man? This question immediately knocked his heart although he answered that question briefly including the qualifications. The answer was accepted.
“Do you have work experiences with any media?” the next interviewer posed the question about the experience.
Mohan conveyed that he had worked for a media company as a communication officer.
“Why did you leave your previous job?” another question came from one of the interviewers.
“I had to leave the city where I was working due to the pandemic. I have come here to stay with my family,” Mohan answered.
We see that you have mediocre qualifications although, you meet our requirements. Can you show us something extra?” This question came from another interviewer who was watching Mohan from the corner of the room.
Mohan showed his certificates about the workshop that he had attended outside the country. The workshops were of international standards and also relevant to the organization.
“We will get back to you soon,” said the last interviewer.
The interview was short, but Mohan left with what he could recollect. He later realized that he had forgotten to remove a mask of corona from his face that day. The interviewers were not able to see his face, but he had eye contact and he answered every interviewer sitting in that room.
Mohan came back to his home. The realization about the masked interview was brewing in his mind when he took a shower. That memory was being washed by water. He had read about Spanish Flu and the devastation in the history of mankind. Mohan felt light after he had spoken for the interview. This time his qualification and skills matched with what the organization was looking for. He was ready to travel for the work of communication officer and that was also a plus point for the organization. He turned his television on and the news about the pandemic was streaming on the screen. Mohan did not feel like applying for another job although he saw some relevant vacancies in newspapers. Mohan decided to wait for the call from the organization. The pandemic age was dropping its tears but there were smiles on the faces of candidates who were called for the interview that day and hope was beaming everywhere.
–Written by Sushant Thapa
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