Whatever Happened to Your Courtesy?

Babai always likes to mention this phrase ‘tau reti’. What he means is that one doesn’t have to be told to do something when one is expected to. In other words, having a Common Courtesy.

Last month, I had recommended one female engineer to work with my ex-company. My intention was good, I thought she needed more experience from a consultancy firm, and so happened my ex-company was looking for an engineer. I have always been grateful to be able to work with my ex-company as it was a very good training ground. Since she agreed, I thought I was glad to be able to help them. Boy I was wrong..

You see, I don’t like to recommend anybody who I don’t think I will pick to work with me. But I do sometimes get people (mostly director’s themselves) asking me to recommend someone to them. I took their interest in my words/recommendation as a compliment and big trust on my judgement. So, I was always careful on who I recommend. In fact, I hardly recommend anybody as I do not want people come back to me complaining.

Anyway, to get back to the story, I should have seen it coming. This girl, when I had given my ex-boss number to call to set an appointment, I thought she will follow up as she sounded very interested. But my ex-boss called me 2 weeks later, asking me whether the girl was still interested to come, as he had never received any calls from her. Sheepishly, I had to apologize to him and I immediately sms-ed her whether she was still interested to come for an interview.

The beauty of internet is that, you can just googled up somebody’s name, and viola! You will get their information and whereabout if so happen they do have a blog (like this one..ehemm). I have been secretly reading her blog, and I do know that she just came back from a holiday 1 week before I called her, meaning she was already in town by that time. But when I sms-ed her, she apologized to me and said she just got back from Kelantan that early morning. Oopss.. That's a BIG mistake with a capital babe!

However, since she said eagerly that she’s going to call my ex-boss the next morning, I did not say much, and wished her luck.

The following week, my ex-boss called me to inform that they have interviewed her and found her to be ok. He asked me how was her behaviour personally. Honestly, I only had the chance to work with her for 1 week before she resigned. I noticed that her assignment was sometimes not satisfactorily. Otherwise she was quite ok. She respected the meaning of deadlines and she always come forward if she have any queries. What can I say? Of course I try not to over or under-compliment her, but highlighted her good points. Half an hour later, she sms me to inform that she got the job thanks to me.

Ok. All was fine. She started worked last week’s Thursday. Monday this week, I received an sms from my ex-boss while in a meeting. It read;

“Nothing to do with you but just to inform you that your friend survive 2 days only in ****. Wish I know why.”

One thing immediately came to my not-so funny mind, and I replied him,
“Becos of no internet? Haha!”

He replied;
“You must be kidding me.”

The guilt started to elude me, and I immediately called him trying to find out what had happened. While laughing, he told me she looked fine on Thursday and Friday, looking very eager to learn. Asking for information, reference books, continued with the previous engineer works etc. But when he came back from meeting on Monday afternoon, he found the resignation letter on her table, I repeat, on her table. The good office also received the resignation letter copy through email. Meaning on Friday itself, she has already prepared the letter and put it there before leaving off for the weekend, without anybody realizing it.

She did not picked up their call, and my sms when unanswered.

I do not care what was her excuse for leaving, I don’t want to know why. But the very thing that upset me so much was that, she does not have a courtesy at all to hand up the letter herself, and at least have explained. From what school of manners does she came from? It wouldn’t have matter if she have lied on her real reason, but have some guts la weii..

Malaysia, or Peninsular Malaysia, or KL to be exact, is not that big. You are bound to meet the same people, especially when you stuck in the same industry. What was she thinking?!

This would be the last time I ever recommend a Mr/Ms M, if you can decipher what I mean.