Job Promotion

Georgina worked as an employee for a courier company. She is tasked with so many things in the company. She answers the phones , does encoding, and attends to the regular visitors of the company.

Her duty was just supposed to be a receptionist yet she does customer service and office management jobs. Because of this, she is frequently stressed out which exasperates her smoking and drinking habits.

Her boss comes to her side, “Georgina, why are you not answering the phone?” “Because its already past office hours, everybody has gone home and I am going as well,” said Georgina.

“I think you better take that call,” said her boss, “it might be important. It could be an important customer.” “But our customers know that we close at five o’clock,” said Georgina, “even if we don’t answer their calls they’ll understand.”

Her boss frowned, “I’m not happy with your attitude Georgina. A few minutes more’s all that you need to do your job.” “But I’ll be late for my train,” said Georgina.

“Our employee evaluations are coming up soon, Georgina,” said her boss, “I’ll remember your attitude today. You can go now.” Georgina frowned as she left the office.

This was not the only time that her boss has asked her to do extra work for no compensation at all. She remembers staying to do overtime work, but her company did not honor its promise to pay her overtime.

“Ten years and nothing to show for it,” said Georgina in her mind, “stressful job, no promotion, meager salary increases. I’m going nowhere with my company.”

After she has reached the train station near the place where she lives which was near shops and a pub which she frequents, she decided to have a couple of drinks especially after she saw her friend having a few drinks herself.

Her friend smiled, “Did you have another lousy day in the office just like me?” Georgina laughed, “It’s a good thing I know that there’s someone else suffering besides me. At least I’ve got company.”

The two female friends have a toast with their alcohol drinking glasses and drank their alcohol in unison. As usual, the two friends shared their office situation stories with each other. Both eventually reached the conclusion that they needed new jobs.

Usually, they just shared their terrible office experiences. But this time it was different, Georgina was determined to get a new job. As soon as she went home, she created a new resume and started uploading it online to all available jobs she can find.

Within days, she was surprised that she was getting plenty of e-mail replies from plenty of recruiters. A few did eventually call her and she decided that she would pick one of the jobs offered to her if they offered better pay and work conditions.

But little did Georgina know the extent the recruiters will go just to get her hired by another company. Not only was she getting e-mails, but the recruiters were also sending text messages to her.

Georgina was at her desk in the office when her phone rang. It was one of the recruiters who wanted to hire her. She was nervous because she was in the office and her coworkers and even her boss might hear her.

She spoke in a low tone, “Why have you called in my office. I’m working and I said I wanted to be discreet with my job hunt.” The recruiter smiled, “I know you wanted to be discreet, but this is important, very important.”

Georgina was puzzled, “What do you mean important?” “One of your prospective employers have offered to increase your salary by 25% and this does not include benefits and perks,” said the recruiter.

Georgina was overjoyed, “Really? Your employer client is willing to give me that amount of money?” “Yes, but there’s a condition,” said the recruiter, “you have to meet them for an interview today. That is their condition.”

Georgina left her office a few hours early just to attend her interview with the prospective employer. She reasoned to her bosses that she needed to go early because she is supposed to meet a repairman who will fix her malfunctioning refrigerator.

She was nervous and at the same time overjoyed when she saw the beautiful building of her prospective employer. Her old office looked like a dump compared to the offices of her prospective employer

Her interview went well. Her prospective employer seemed to like her and she liked her prospective boss and employer. She was especially overjoyed when her prospective boss and employer told her face to face that he was willing to increase her salary by 25% plus benefits.

One thing that puzzled her was that her new employer kept asking about her company and how big it is. She was asked by her new employer more details about her company than her herself.

She was also asked since she said to her new employers that she answers the phone in her old company if she knows a lot of their customers. She told them that she knows many of them and even have a list of them.

When she asked her new employers why they were asking them plenty of questions about her old company and its customers, they told her that they only wanted to know if she had the right qualifications to work in a much bigger company.

Her new employers formally informed her that they were hiring her. Her new employers and her shook hands to seal their hiring deal. The next day she tendered her immediate resignation to her old company.

Her old bosses seemed to realize what they had done to her career wise. They tried to persuade her not to resign. They promised her that they would give her better working conditions from now on.

Georgina’s mind however was already made up. The promise of a very hefty salary increase plus the beautiful offices of her new employers convinced her that she was right in resigning from her old job and accepting her new job.

She was also happy just to have a change in her life. She has after all spent ten years of her working life working miserably in her old company. She anticipated many bright opportunities coming her way thru her new employers.

Everybody in the office was silent on her last day. She was saying her final goodbyes to all her former coworkers and bosses when they presented her a farewell cake. This was the first time her company has expressed their appreciation of her role in their office.

Her boss took her aside, “Georgina, if things don’t work out well for your new company, return to us and we might be able to still give you a job.” “Thank you boss. I’ll remember what you said,” said Georgina.

Her new company gave her a month to be familiar with her new job. Although she found it difficult at first, she gradually learned to enjoy her difficult but enjoyable job. Her coworkers and boss were all nice to her.

Then one day her new employer and boss took her aside for coffee, “Georgina, leave your work first. I need to talk to you about something. Come to the pantry with me.” “Sure boss,” said Georgina.

Her boss sipped his coffee and then put it down, “Remember when you said that you know a lot of your old company’s customer and that you even have a list of them?” Georgina became puzzled, “Sure, I still know a lot of our old customers.”

“Do you think you could call your old customers and talk to them about our company?”, said her boss. “But they are my old company’s customers. I don’t know if they would like to transfer to this company,” said Georgina.

Her boss smiled, “You’re working for a different company now. You should be more loyal to us.” Georgina turned pale, “I’ll try to see if I still have my list, sir.”

That night Georgina and her female friend were again at the pub drinking their regular mix of alcohols. Georgina’s friend noticed that she was drinking more than her usual share of alcohol.

“What’s wrong?”, asked her friend. Georgina was nearly in tears, “My new bosses are trying to force me to betray my old company.”

“What do you mean?”, asked her friend. “They’re asking for the list of my old company’s customers,” said Georgina, “they want me to steal my old company’s customers.”

Her friend was puzzled, “But your new company is bigger than your old company. Why would they need your old company’s customers?” “Because that’s how they grew big,” said Georgina, “they steal customers from other companies.”

Her friend sighed, “And they hired you just so they can get your old company’s customers? Am I right, Georgina?” Georgina nodded her head.

“What do you plan to do now? I guess what your new employers are asking you is somewhat normal,” said her friend. Georgina cried, “My conscience is bothering me, but I love my new job.”

Her friend smiled, “Do you still think you can enjoy your new job knowing that you have just betrayed your old company?” Georgina shook her head.

In the end, Georgina didn’t give her old company’s customer list to her new employers. She also didn’t make an effort to steal her old company’s customers. As a result, her new employers became very bitter about her.

They made her job more and more difficult that she has no other choice but to resign. In the end, she was happy. She now knows that the new company she once worked for is only interested in her old company’s client list.

Her female friend advised her to return to her old company to ask if maybe they still have a job available for her. But she didn’t go back to her old company. Her previous job recruiters have informed her that she is now more valuable than ever because of her new job experience.

She now looks forward to working for another company. One that would treat her with respect. She has known her lesson to not be blinded by fantastic salary offers and benefits unless she knows what the company truly is.