Saphira Green enters the office building near Central Park, 30 minutes before the scheduled time. The receptionist gives her a visitor's card and directs her to the elevator that will take her to the top floor of the building, where the CEO's office is located.
When she exits the elevator, a secretary takes her to a waiting room where several people are waiting their turn to be interviewed.
She really needed that job. She had moved from a small town in Texas to the big city of New York. She was stuck in a crappy motel until she got a job and money to rent an apartment.
Her curriculum was quite reasonable. She had an undergraduation from MIT in the area of business and financial analysis, had interned at a large company on Wall Street, and had worked for two years at one of the largest companies in Texas.
She left the job only because she could no longer fight against the constant harassment of her director.
She sits down in a free chair and places the folder she was carrying on her lap. Looking around, all the women were better dressed and painted than she was. It's not that they looked more professional, but they had that well-marked city look. She wore a simple dress which fitted her body very well, she didn't have much make-up, because her natural beauty didn't require it, and her beautiful blond hair, almost white, fell loose to her waist, making her beautiful gray-blue eyes even more beautiful.
Among those other women who looked at her with disdain, she was the one the men looked at.
She competed for the two vacancies that opened up. Private Assistant and Private Secretary, although she knew that probably one of the men present would fill the PA position, she was hopeful of getting the Private Secretary position. She didn't know what the others took for granted, but the need to get a job made her confident.
One by one, everyone present was being called and she sadly discovered that she was the last one in the room to be called. The CEO would certainly be tired and his decision made.
When she is called and enters the office, the CEO does not raise his eyes to look at her. He told her to sit down, and he continued to read her curriculum.
- I see here that you studied at MIT. How long did it take to finish the course?
- 4 years, sir.
- It has an excellent final grade and your underdegree is very interesting. Why didn't you get a degree?
- My parents died when I was 20. I didn't have financial support to get a degree.
- Hmmmm!
The CEO continues to read.
- I see you applied for both vacancies. You are the only candidate who did that. Do you know that?
- No sir. I did not know it.
- Do you think you are qualified for any of the positions?
- I do, sir.
The CEO finally looks up, expecting to see another bimbo who seems to relay more in physical assessment than CV, and when he faces Saphira, his pupils dilate. He ducks his head back into the papers to regain his composure, and when he looks back at Saphira, he is stoic.
- What do you think a PA does?
- She or he manages the agendas and schedules meetings; controls the flow of information accurately and in a timely manner, acts as a point of contact between executives, employees, customers and other external partners…
- Its enough. – Interrupts the CEO – Do you know that a PA has to be at my disposal 24 hours a day? Obviously, that doesn't mean a PA has to be working outside office hours, but he has to be on duty whenever I need it, including traveling with me. That's why the salary is high.
- Yes, sir. My availability is total for work.
- A woman is sometimes uncomfortable traveling with her boss. She fears gossip and her companions do not appreciate it.
- Sir, if it's a work trip, I don't see any inconvenience. If I have to spend the night away, I imagine the company will pay for my room, without obliging me to share it. As for my private life, other than it being private, I have no problem saying that I am single and without any relationships or plans to have them in the future. I want a career. I don't want a family.
- Perfect. And a private secretary?
- Ends up doing things similar to the PA, when he's not there. She answers the phones, takes care of the files, she is the one who goes to get the necessary folders...
- Stop. - he interrupts again. - I expect my secretary to also lead and guide the work of the board secretaries.
- I have no problems with this issue sir. If you look at my curriculum, you will see that I have always demonstrated leadership skills. Guiding the work of the secretariat is not complicated.
He looks at that woman. She looked so fragile and shy, but when it came to work, she was confident and determined.
He looks back at the resume.
- Why did you leave your previous job?
- I could say that it was because of moving to another city, but that would not be true. I moved to another city after quitting my previous job, because I worked as secretary to the financial director and he harassed me for 2 years.
The CEO looks at her.
- Harassment's a crime. Why didn't you report it?
- Sir, I'm only 25 years old. Even if I did, it wouldn't contribute anything to my career. I opted for the simplest solution. I always wanted to work in New York.
- What is your future goal?
- My plan is to be a woman who is essentially focused on her career. I have no plans for children or marriage in the future. I hope to one day be able to head a department, even get a CEO position.
- hmm! Well, I will evaluate all the CV and you will be contacted, regardless of the decision.
- Thanks for the opportunity.
Saphira bows slightly and leaves.
When she finally reaches the street, she takes a breath. She had tried. Now it was wait and see.
On the way, she buys a newspaper. She had to keep looking for a job.