30 July 2008

I just got back from the job interview to be a personal assistant to a rich lady. I shall call her Ms. Happy.

I only applied for the position because I like to apply for three jobs each day, and I needed to make quota.

But, surprisingly, I got an interview.

I only went to the interview because I wanted a sticky-beak in her Park Avenue apartment.

And, unsurprisingly, it’s the most fantastical looking apartment in the world!

And now… I’ve got a serious case of hungry-eyes.

The apartment took up an entire penthouse floor in a very fancy building; one service elevator for the paid help, one main elevator for people making a grand entrance. The doorman directed me to the service elevator that I took to the top floor where I was greeted by Personal Assistant #3. I was then shown down a long white corridor and into a massive living room. I was told to wait in this room and Personal Assistant #2 would soon be with me. While I waited I got a good look at the room: all wood paneling on the walls, a super lofty ceiling, three large windows looking straight out across Central Park. The furnishings were also all gold and wood in a geometric Neoclassical style. Hell, I’m sure they were Neoclassical. The only colour in the room came from the soft tones of TWO DEGAS BALLERINA PAINTINGS and a MONET WATERLILLIES. LJGOWQRJFSDJFWIUPCN!!!!!

So I sat waiting, wearing my Miss Shop clothes, with my new homies Degas and Monet. And we got on great.

And then I met Personal Assistant #2 who explained that as it was Summer Ms. Happy "obviously wasn't in town." Of course, the Hamptons. Then Personal Assistant #2 she told me all about the position (lots of errands, lots of organising, lots of shopping) and I told her why I would be good at it (duh). I'm fairly confident I’ll get asked back for a second interview with Personal Assistant #1.

My problem is I can't decide if I want the job or not.

NO:

  • It's such simple non-challenging menial work; I'm applying for a job that will require me to pick-up dry cleaning and shop for contact lens solution.
  • It's not that closely related to my interest in visual art.
  • It's part-time so I wouldn't be earning that much money.


YES:

  • I reckon there would be lots of perks. (Personal Assistant #2 didn't say anything specific however she kept saying over and over, "Ms. Happy is a VERY generous employer... so GENEROUS.")
  • I would learn a lot about philanthropy and the etiquette and protocols of the 'super upper classes'.
  • I would probably get some gossip too.
  • The hours are so flexible that I could easily become involved with other projects.

I’m wrestling with my guilt and greed over this one. I feel guilty for not using my education and searching for a more challenging job i.e. start CAREER. However, I feel this disgusting greed that is pulling me towards wanting to work in the most beautiful apartment in the world and have a personal chef make me lunch each day. It’s sort of a ‘Devil Wears Prada’ dilemma. Girl works a menial job in decadent environment waltzing around with an attitude of intellectual superiority. However, after experiencing a few perks (in ‘Devil’ instance, wearing AMAZING clothes to work each day) becomes addicted to the lifestyle (that she is only living vicariously).

In the end? BURN OUT.

Still, can’t I just do it for six months?

_________________________

Update: I didn't get the job. I didn't even get a second interview! I didn't mentioned above that I actually got lost trying to find apartment building and was 10 minutes late to interview. I did phone ahead to let them know I was delayed as I went to Fifth Avenue by mistake, however I suppose getting lost didn't reflect too well on my 'errand running' abilities. Damn, I can run errands with the best of them!

3 comments:

Angelina said...

A shame you didn't get a call back. I would have loved to do that job, even for only 6 months or so. I would have been thinking of all the great contacts I could have made to help me out later. Hehehe.

audrey said...

Ooh, unfair. I was totally preparing to leave a comment commanding you to take the job. At the very least, publishers LOVE 'fictional' expose about the upper classes. You could have made a mint...

How do people get to be that rich? At least her employees described her as generous. It would be terrible to be that wealthy and be evil.

Dot said...

Angelina, I know. It just seemed like the 'making friends in the right places' kind of gig.

Audrey, in this case people get to be that rich by being born into an oil family, investing well and going to Yale with George Bush Dumb-butt.

And it is too bad about the book deal. I'll have to write my vampire romance after all.