The interview was too short. The other candidates had lasted much longer.
I was getting nervous as I waited for my turn. I was going to be the last candidate to be interviewed. It did not help much that I was the last in the queue. The waiting heightened my anxiety and nearly caused a mental breakdown. I was perplexed, just by waiting.
That day I learnt that there is a certain kind of waiting that can be heartbreaking.
The vacancy, which was on offer was a make or break deal. A blue chip company, with offshore assets was recruiting for a security manager. This was a life changing opportunity with vast financial rewards and jaw breaking perks.
This was only the first round of interviews. I was determined to pass the first hurdle. That is why I had taken a leave of absence at my current work so I could adequately prepare for the interview.
Over the past few days, after Mai VaMaidei had left for the market and the children had gone to school, I remained behind and practiced my act.
I read books on how to succeed in an interview. Body language was a critical area that I had to master. The whole idea was to exude confidence and maintain eye contact all the time and make appropriate body gestures when necessary.
Even my confident entrance to the interview room had to be extraordinary and catch the attention of the interviewers way before I took my seat. I also practiced my voice projection.
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- A glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel
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My black suit, white shirt and black and gold tie were all tidy. I brushed and shined daily my cheap black shoes that had a fun eastern label until they sparkled.
The last thing I did was a haircut prior to the day of the interview. I was so fuss with the haircut that the barber almost lost his patience.
There was nothing much I could do to my teeth, which were no longer white, but had become creamish in colour over the years. Nevertheless, I brushed the teeth meticulously. I was so particular even to the smallest detail like the colour of the socks.
For the past few days I had avoided Zororo Bar like the plague. I didn’t want my friends, Baba VaTata, Fatso and Rasta to get wind of this potential opening for me. There was no particular reason for hiding this, but I just felt I need not confide to anyone yet.
On the morning of the interview, together with Mai VaMaidei we knelt on the floor and prayed. It was a prayer to break barriers and for God to unleash a breakthrough in my life. I did not even finish my porridge, which Mai VaMaidei had prepared. This morning the porridge was tasteless like pieces of guava paper.
By the time I arrived at the company offices and waited with the other interviewees in the waiting room, I was a bundle of nerves. I kept telling myself to calm down and follow the script which I had practiced over the last few days.
As I have said before, the interview was brief, too brief to my liking. I was startled when the lady who seemed to be the HR manager suddenly said, “We’ll be in touch soon, thank you for your time.” Her placid smile did nothing to reassure me. And I was led out of the interview room, my tail tugged between my legs.
The interview was over, just like that!
Even as I made my way out, I could not help thinking that this was all staged. The interview was just a formality, maybe someone was already earmarked for the post. There was too much nepotism and cronyism in the country. What happens next?
When you want something, really want something and things turn out like this, you just feel washed out and depressed.
After the interview, I did not go straight away home. Instead I went to Zororo Bar to drown my sorrows. I cut a lone figure as it was still too early. Most people were still at work.
It was while I was at the bar that the call came through. I was being invited for the next round of interviews in the following week. I jumped to my feet with joy and almost hit the roof of the bar with my head.
There is always a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
*Onie Ndoro
X@Onie90396982
