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Keep your opinions to yourself
By Chima Nwankwo
I have one job like that I applied for and was shortlisted. I was invited and the interview panel was solid. They had like 3 or 4 guys all working with multinational media giants. They had gone through my CV and were impressed.
By Chima Nwankwo
I have one job like that I applied for and was shortlisted. I was invited and the interview panel was solid. They had like 3 or 4 guys all working with multinational media giants. They had gone through my CV and were impressed.
They told me I was very qualified for the position.
They went to journalism ethics and asked me what I would do if there was an oil spill that was big, breaking news and the only way to get to the Delta where it had occurred was to hitch a ride in a helicopter that belonged
They went to journalism ethics and asked me what I would do if there was an oil spill that was big, breaking news and the only way to get to the Delta where it had occurred was to hitch a ride in a helicopter that belonged
to the same oil company that was suspected to have cause the spill in the first place.
They asked me to think deeply before I answered.
Full of confidence and without thinking, I said that of course I would take the ride because the story was big.
They asked me to think deeply before I answered.
Full of confidence and without thinking, I said that of course I would take the ride because the story was big.
Ladies and gentlemen.
Nobody needed to tell me. That was where the interview ended.
They were visibly upset. They said they were disappointed in me for even considering such an option. They lectured me that following my line of thinking would compromise my journalistic ethics.
Nobody needed to tell me. That was where the interview ended.
They were visibly upset. They said they were disappointed in me for even considering such an option. They lectured me that following my line of thinking would compromise my journalistic ethics.
They said it was wrong for a journalist to even accept a glass of water from a person they had just interviewed. I asked why and they said the water could prejudice the writing of the journalist.
Looking back now, maybe if I had backed down, had small sense and changed my answer smartly, maybe I would have gotten the job.
But no. Not me and my coconut sized ego. I now went academic on them and began to debate my point of view.
But no. Not me and my coconut sized ego. I now went academic on them and began to debate my point of view.
And you know how emotional journalists can get when they are arguing their position? They too obliged me and dove into the pointless argument. I kid you not. Do you know that for next hour, we forgot about the job I was there for, and were arguing journalistic ethics?
At a point, I knew I definitely wasn't getting the job anymore. This was when I intensified my arguments. Looking back, I laugh. I was young and very foolish.
If this happened now, I would be the one to remind them that we were moving off topic and guide them back to job negotiations. I would have read their body language and told them what they wanted to hear.
Anyway sha, like I find myself saying more and more these days, this life no balance.
Till today, I can't believe that I did not get that job.
It was mine for the taking...
Until my ego showed up.
#TheEnd
#TellYourOwnStory
Copyright Chima Nwankwo
2020
Till today, I can't believe that I did not get that job.
It was mine for the taking...
Until my ego showed up.
#TheEnd
#TellYourOwnStory
Copyright Chima Nwankwo
2020
