Ben recently had a chance to apply for a promotion at a fine dining restaurant in one of the company's hotels. His Chef de Cuisine (CDC) and Executive Sous Chefs at his current hotel were all very encouraging and said they supported him. The Big Guy (the one right at the top) also said he supported him 100% and would help him sign the necessary paperwork and vouch for him. After staying up till the wee hours of the morning to print out a super-swee-swee cover letter, CV n portfolio, he submitted it to HR thru The Big Guy.
Three days later, he finds out from the CDC that The Big Guy said Ben's not gonna get the job 'cos he'd rather have him work at the Asian restaurant, and that Ben's CV did not even reach the other hotel. Like kena sabo big time man. Firstly, the Asian restaurant was supposed to open last June. Then they said, August, then end 2006, then April 2007...mid 2007... still indefinite. More than half of the employees who were brought in for this restaurant more than a year ago have already resigned. Some were promised a higher position at the "new restaurant" to entice them to stay on... Empty promises... like what The Big Guy is trying to offer Ben now.
Ben doesn't NEED the promotion. He just wants to head a restaurant so that he can create his own special menu n not have others say they created it. There was one occasion when The Big Guy wanted a special menu, so Ben created one, and the CDC submitted it, saying Ben did it. The Big Guy rejected it without even looking at it, so the CDC said, "Actually, Ben n I worked on this together", and so the Big Guy accepted it!!
The blatant racial discrimination here is really getting more obvious by the day. Not just for Ben, but me. After trying for months and applying for more than 80 jobs, I received about 6 replies. And these 6 who called me in for an interview probably did so only for fun. Like "Hey! A Malaysian... Where is Malaysia? I wonder what a Malaysian looks like.... Hmm... Let's call her in for an interview and see if she swings from tree to tree".
At one interview, 30 over candidates were called in at the same time, and I had to wait about an hour till I was interviewed by some "big shot" for 5 minutes. At another interview, 5 people were called to attend it at the same time, and we waited 1 hour and 45 minutes to be interviewed by this cold and expressionless lady for 2 seconds. Another time, this Indian guy called me, asking me all about Singapore & Malaysia. "Oh, you're Catholic? There are Catholics in Singapore?" Then he praised my portfolio till high heaven n offered me the world - high pay, a driver to pick me up, send me to work n back, blah blah blah n then never called me back. Full of crap gurrganeh...
I have a European friend who earns AED10,000 (S$4,500) a month as a PA. When I found out, it motivated me to go out there n earn big bucks too. That moment of motivated thought and "counting chickens" lasted for about 2 minutes till I realised I wasn't white. So the feeling afterwards was one of frustration and utter de-motivation. Now I've made up my mind to stop applying for jobs 'cos I do not want to be de-valued and treated like cheap labour. At least, as a full-time "ministress of home affairs", I "work" for Ben n myself, and there's no corruption, politics or discrimination. The hours are long, but the reward is priceless :o)
Three days later, he finds out from the CDC that The Big Guy said Ben's not gonna get the job 'cos he'd rather have him work at the Asian restaurant, and that Ben's CV did not even reach the other hotel. Like kena sabo big time man. Firstly, the Asian restaurant was supposed to open last June. Then they said, August, then end 2006, then April 2007...mid 2007... still indefinite. More than half of the employees who were brought in for this restaurant more than a year ago have already resigned. Some were promised a higher position at the "new restaurant" to entice them to stay on... Empty promises... like what The Big Guy is trying to offer Ben now.
Ben doesn't NEED the promotion. He just wants to head a restaurant so that he can create his own special menu n not have others say they created it. There was one occasion when The Big Guy wanted a special menu, so Ben created one, and the CDC submitted it, saying Ben did it. The Big Guy rejected it without even looking at it, so the CDC said, "Actually, Ben n I worked on this together", and so the Big Guy accepted it!!
The blatant racial discrimination here is really getting more obvious by the day. Not just for Ben, but me. After trying for months and applying for more than 80 jobs, I received about 6 replies. And these 6 who called me in for an interview probably did so only for fun. Like "Hey! A Malaysian... Where is Malaysia? I wonder what a Malaysian looks like.... Hmm... Let's call her in for an interview and see if she swings from tree to tree".
At one interview, 30 over candidates were called in at the same time, and I had to wait about an hour till I was interviewed by some "big shot" for 5 minutes. At another interview, 5 people were called to attend it at the same time, and we waited 1 hour and 45 minutes to be interviewed by this cold and expressionless lady for 2 seconds. Another time, this Indian guy called me, asking me all about Singapore & Malaysia. "Oh, you're Catholic? There are Catholics in Singapore?" Then he praised my portfolio till high heaven n offered me the world - high pay, a driver to pick me up, send me to work n back, blah blah blah n then never called me back. Full of crap gurrganeh...
I have a European friend who earns AED10,000 (S$4,500) a month as a PA. When I found out, it motivated me to go out there n earn big bucks too. That moment of motivated thought and "counting chickens" lasted for about 2 minutes till I realised I wasn't white. So the feeling afterwards was one of frustration and utter de-motivation. Now I've made up my mind to stop applying for jobs 'cos I do not want to be de-valued and treated like cheap labour. At least, as a full-time "ministress of home affairs", I "work" for Ben n myself, and there's no corruption, politics or discrimination. The hours are long, but the reward is priceless :o)
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