The harsh judgement of society

Landing a job with his newfound stigma was an uphill climb. His interviews would go swimmingly, only to be torpedoed when the hiring managers realised Jimmy had declared bankruptcy. The vibe became that of an interrogation, a toxic curiosity about what he did wrongly. “Each and every one of us makes mistakes. Why must we harp on the past? In fact, a bankrupt is likely more driven than ever to want to work hard and do better. A bankrupt is someone who has life experience recovering from a huge mistake, and such a character is not moulded in school or the workplace.”

Other times, Jimmy could not articulate well enough when asked silly boilerplate questions, such as “Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?” Because he only had secondary-two qualifications, he could not take up professional careers as an insurance or real estate agent. Once a successful businessman who wielded clout and garnered respect, now Jimmy could not even get a job. Through a friend, he was finally able to get a job at a convenience store. The experience was humbling. An ex-client of his once came into his store, and Jimmy caught his incredulous gasp. “He asked, ‘What are you doing here?’ and I said, ‘I work here’. He was in such disbelief that he looked for hidden cameras — he thought I was filming a show! I was so embarrassed and hurt.” That day onwards, Jimmy was ever on guard, wary that he would spot a familiar face.

I know now that there is nothing wrong when you have to downgrade your life. In life, we have nothing to prove, but everything to improve.

As he worked the graveyard shift, Jimmy’s mornings were free. Wanting to better himself, he would head to a bookstore in town, and bury himself in self-help books. Two months into his job, there came a ray of light. Jimmy’s ex-boss reappeared in his life, and offered him a job opportunity. “My ex-clients all spoke well of me, and would ask about me during their conversations with my ex-boss. Back then, I worked even on the weekends. Rain or shine, I’d always be the person on site, ensuring that everything went smoothly.” One’s reputation, like strong roots of a tree, can outlast any storm. His self-improvement efforts also paid off, as he was well prepared to tackle the interview questions, and he knocked it out of the park. He was offered a job.  Things were finally looking up, or so he thought.