Ever since I came back from America, I am working in PA as a constituency management executive.
Initially I thought, PA is an organization under the govt sector whose mission was to bridge people together and most of the times, how I've imagined it to be helping those in need. So throughout my gap year I thought it would be good for me to try out this job (I've been wanting to save the world since idk when so since I can't save the world I can at least do my part to contribute back to the society).
And after a good 6 months, I felt like this everything that they have portrayed out to the outsiders are not what we really do. What people could see is like the tip of the ice berg but all of our working hours are spent on dealing with the ice berg that are not surfaced on top. Every staff would be assigned to a committee and just my luck, I got the sports club that was actually parked under another CC. After the GE the divisions got shuffled around and this club was transferred over to our side and acc to my colleagues they said that its a chillax club cause they're not that enthu. Then alright, yes at first it was like this and slowly my dear chairman got so enthusiastic either to perform (to the advisor or whoever I can't be bothered with) and things got screwed up quite badly. For me any leaders are my bosses. I may not be their puppet and do whatever they say, but ensuring that I still help them when I can and its legit only the staff could have access, that's my job. But as we deal with many, countless people in the nature of the job, I really lost faith in humanity.
Its not hard to make me slog for you, as long as you treat me right. Even if I don't know myself well, from my internship I have learnt that if the environment is acceptable, I am definitely a very hardworking person who would have put in 101% of effort to ensure that things are done. But when we come back to this organization, where...I have to deal with all men that are aged 50 and above, things get tweaked a little. The number one mystery that I have to deal with: they can be working at a management position at their own job, but when it comes to this committee, suddenly they just..become a technology idiot. Like legit even by inputting data into an excel file has to be done over the phone. You may not think that it's a waste of your time cause what you want, will be completed but it's a waste of MY time. Just email me what you want to see in that file and then I'll do it for you in notime cause I belong to the generation where technology is my best friend. Is it that difficult?
One big generation gap definitely lies in the fact that youngsters prefer people to text them so they can at least refer back if they get really busy and things still get done. But oldies don't do that. They will just ring you up, and NAG, I emphasize, its NAGGING for like a good 30-50 minutes of your time. Then the things that all the other members have 'asked' you to do just keep rolling.
As I will always admit that I am a extremely tone-sensitive person, speak to me nicely instead of demanding me to do it will always work. I'm the classic 吃软不吃硬 person. So these stubborn loves to accuse me whenever they don't get what they asked for, regardless of how retarded and unnecessary that is. And one last thing that totally shoved him out of my list: pointing fingers at me.
So the story goes like this: you're expecting around 90 participants and as we key in their names into the system I could have generated their attendance list and you will know how many people are going. But this oldie insisted that I key in the names one by one according to their ticket stub(which is not reflected in the attendance list cause the system doesn't bother what ticket stub you're holding on, just like me). In his brain, he thinks he will need to call the fella who didn't appear up to confirm if he is coming or not. I do agree with that (when you can just tell by the number of empty seats on the bus). But if in the morning when you're dealing with the crowd and busy pleasing them, you don't even tally whether the ticket holder is here or not, didn't you just waste my time doing what you've requested for. Not even a thanks. And that is fine cause what should I even be expecting from men.
I have a committee to serve, and the committee only has that one staff in charge. And when every single convener or whichever tom dick or harry has something that they can't be bothered to deal with themselves, they come knocking on my door. Smart enough, they don't do it in the big group chat (maybe because they don't want to let others see that they can't even handle simple things on their own) and they do it privately, and everyone else does that so who knows how many members are knocking on your door.
So my dear chairman who decided to side his members, than to side the one and only staff in charge he has, even when I broke the news that I'll be leaving him for a better future, I didn't believe in his sadness. All he is, and can think right now is that he wants to perform. As a younger generation, I always find our own events unattractive and boring because the things are always done in the old classic way. I totally understand that it is extremely difficult to step out of their comfort zone especially when he has been in this field for longer than I have lived in this world. But, you can't be always sticking in your own comfort zone cause that's not going to bring you far especially when you know that your committee will never fall. But I wish to tell you that, you're sacrificing the reputation and impression that residents uphold (especially when you are new to this estate), you just need one event to totally bore people and throw your own face (which I can see you're totally putting great efforts to right now).
The real happenings that suddenly someone just threw away all senses just to 出风头, and refuses to listen to any other advices just because I do not boot lick, or sugar coat my words, I am looking forward to what's ahead of this committee. He may have all the respect from the committee, but how long would that last and will the respect still be there if they decided that something else is more worth of their time? I have always wondered what are the reasons behind all these people who signed themselves up for the community and have they ever asked themselves: have they helped anyone in the end? Or have they lost themselves in this world of attention seeking.
On top of this one committee that I'm busy entertaining, that does not include the other committees that I help out in terms of admin works, especially courses (shall skip the details caused its just fucked up admin work when the trainer has all the stunts in the world to pua). And most importantly, as a CME my duty includes counter. Thankfully, we have a temp staff doing the counter for us most of the times. That was the best thing that happened in these 6 months before I got so much of shit coming in my way.
Knowing that I'll be losing my income when my university starts, and I'll just be in debt all the way, the only motivation for me to stay on to this job its only pay day. I remember vividly that the first three months of this job, a pay day was only a bonus thing on top of my fun with the colleagues and the then nice chairman that I had. Can't believe how fast things evolved and here I am taking leaves (I have to clear it because I don't want to get a leave and then return back to the office), and airplane mode is a default whenever I am home so someone wouldn't be able to reach me via my phone.
I need to find my happiness back. I guess I will just go back to my tourism industry where generally people are happier (and I mean when I meet those tourists, not even expecting my colleagues or environment is going to be chirpy cause I know service staff are always cranky). I deserve a happier life.
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