Thursday Challenge - BLUE

When the thursday challenge is blue, how can I miss that?   

So, it's blue as in house, water, vehicle, flower etc.  I looked through my archives and found a lot of pictures that matched this theme.  I've conciliated them to the final top 3.  

All these pictures were taken during the blue hour!  When I say blue, I couldn't resist talking about the blue Parisian beauty which I posted here...

Finally, I got it!

It's a D-Day today! You know why?  I got the results of my work assessments, and I have my job secured! Sounds crazy huh!  Yeah, due to massive change and restructuring, everyone in my company had to go through assessment.  Those who clear this test, can continue on their job.  Rest have to leave the business irrespective of their tenure at the company, or their past good performances!


This is something new to me, I have never heard about this in India, or experienced it - yeah, I am talking about redundancy. To me, redundancy in India happens to someone who is aged, who is incapable, or who is a low performer.  Here it applies for everyone.


And the whole process of restructuring,adapting and accepting this change took 6 months roughly.  Which is..6 months of stress, uncertainty and work pressure!


Everyone in my company took the assessment 3 weeks back. It's not an ordinary assessment.  There's this 45 minute of in-depth competency based interview and 45 minutes of role-play and case-study!  Never prepared for any interviews to this extent! 


And the worst thing was, I applied for like 20 other jobs, and none of them had the courtesy to respond back to me!  So is the job market here!


In India, I remembered when I was looking for job change, all I have to do is just one thing - update my CV and post it in Naukri. I used to get 5 calls a day from someone or the other.  Tell you guys, Indian companies have done really well even during the economic crisis.  Here, even in the non-economic crisis there are no jobs!


Well, finally, D day arrived today.  It has been this uneasy atmosphere at office everyday after our assessment - people having so many questions, keeping long dull faces, forming groups and gossiping about this change, few lucky ones getting new job and leaving the company! Not good at all!


I had this strong gut feeling that I will not be selected,although i did the assessment well.  All others have been here for long time, and knew everything about the business and job market here than what I did.  And in all ways, they were better for this job than me, for this is their country. So I had no confidence in me or my skills, or blah!  I was all concerned about how will I deal with this stupid redundancy and find another job?  How am I going to spend my time? Again going into farmville isn't any good for me! I with-held all my plans of shopping and vacation for this for good long time!


I even prepared how to react if I were told that I have to leave the job.  I made and prepared my exit speech and practised them a couple of times over the last couple of days - I was all set to face the fact that I am losing my job!


And finally,yesterday they announced that the results will be shared tomorrow, which is today.  I was all tensed. A few of them had known their results by 8.50am this morning. I never got my chance for sometime and thought the cream of business will be dealt first, and the filthy wastes are dealt later. And when this thought was running in my mind, my colleague told that it's my turn. Phew! The day I was waiting for is here! I was sweating, panicking, and ran through all my preparations of how to react.


Opened the manager's door, and in no second, my business manager got a call in her mobile and she went out of the room.  She asked my manager to handle it.  My manager stood up, looked at me and said "Well" she looked into the piece of paper she carried in and said "I am afraid how you will be taking this, but" and she paused. 


"Oh shit, that's it,  I have really lost my job" - was running in my mind.


"You are selected, and you got the role that you applied for..ha ha..congratulations" said my manager.  For a moment, everything got blurred.  I was gasping and searching for words! Oh dear Lord, you saved me! I owe you a coconut! 


I am so so happy, elated, feel really relieved!  I've never been happier like this before - not even when I had my first job! 


Now I can happily proceed with my shopping, ad hoc purchases and book my flight tickets to India!!  Wish me guys!!