What would a soul go for these days? The reason I ask is that I am contemplating selling mine. Well, not really but I am at least pretending to negotiate handing it over to Satan. Okay, maybe not Satan himself but at least a distant relative: I am applying for a job that would have me consulting for the pharmaceutical industry. I have just finished a second phone interview in the recruitment process and will hear soon whether or not I am through to the final assessment round.
Is it fair of me to liken the pharma industry to Satan? Probably not. Without the drugs this industry produces millions of people would live in misery or even die. I myself have given praise for the invention of paracetamol more than once. And it's only natural that these companies need to make money to pay for the very costly R&D process. I know all this and yet I am not comfortable with the idea of working for them. It does not sit right with me that the most profitable, preferably chronic, diseases get all the attention while millions of people are not getting the drugs they need simply because they don't have the money to pay for them. Nor do I agree with the agressive way some drugs are being pushed.
The problem of course is not just the pharmaceutical industry itself. It is our money-driven society where shareholder returns are deemed more important than caring for the needy. And yet, here I am interviewing for a company whose principal clients are these 'money grabbers'.
Before you all start to fret over the tragic loss of my mortal soul, let me reassure you. I have no intention of actually taking the job should they offer it to me. I am purely in this for the practice. I have never properly interviewed for a job before and I'd rather practise on a job I don't give a hoot about than on my dream job. Of course I am not telling this company that (and I sure hope they don't find this blog). I have already been forcing myself to say things like "I understand that the bottom-line is of utmost importance" and "yes, I am very excited about working for your company". Can you go to hell for lying to Satan?
4 comments:
How about working for Satan to try to make him less evil?
Pas maar op met dat "oefenen", Thyra! Voor je het weet ben je zomaar aangenomen!
I can see you will make a good lawyer Edith! You can be the devil's advocate. ;-) No, no chance of me accepting the job. I have other plans already. It's fun to play the game though.
Just a quick update for those still reading the comments: I just heard that I'm invited for the final round assessment centre. This is really beginning to be so wrong... I can't do this, can I?
Post a Comment