My PR's Experience

My PR’s Experience

Seven years ago, I was working as a Lecturer in a Degree College at Malakpet in Hyderabad. As I am talkative and convincing by nature, the management of the college understood my skills and considered me as a promising Lecturer. In no time, they promoted my designation and increased my Work Load. In addition to teaching, I was given multiple tasks to perform; I was made the in charge of the cultural progamammes and The Public Relations Officer.

 I felt happy for being elevated both in the field of teaching and in handling extra curricular activities. From then onwards if any executive from any company came to our college, He was asked to meet me to discuss various student related matters I conducted my first Campus Drive in the college by inspiring nearly two hundred students to take part in the first round of the interview within the college campus. Luckily from them more than half of them were short listed for the final round of the interview. The management felt happy and sent me with the students to face the last round of the interview at the company headquarters in the heart of Hyderabad city. Before going to the interview, I explained the students how to face the final round of the interview. My English speaking skills, my tips on communication and interview skills benefited the students a lot. Many students answered the questions boldly and brought good reputation to the college by securing good positions in the company.

In no time my name became popular in the college for making the students get jobs. From then onwards I began to boast a lot about my success as a Public Relations officer. In addition to that, I became more curious and began to equip myself more in the field of communication and interview skills by surfing on internet. Some times, when any fresher from any corporate company came to our college to discuss campus interview related topics I used to speak with them with great authority. Poor Freshers used to think me as a person with great knowledge
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On one such occasion, a fresh executive from a leading software company came to our college with an invitation stating that there would be a PR's meeting in their company with all the public Relations Officers of the leading colleges in Hyderabad and so he wanted me to visit their office to attend the meeting. I was elated to receive the information.

In fact, their company was one among the leading companies in the society, It is situated in one of the posh localities of Hyderabad. People in such kind of localities are more dignified and trimmer to look at in all the senses.. They are extra care full in their mannerism. So, I decided to imitate them. I decided to wear a formal dress with a pair of Wood Land shoes. I purchased them on my credit card in one posh outlet on discount. My pair of pure leather imported shoes was light brown in color. They were really very good to look at, whenever I wore them; I used to imagine myself like a soldier and used to put my feet on the ground with great force. Some times like a child I used to show them to my friends proudly.

So, I decided to be formal in my dressing sense with imported woodlands shoes adorned around my feet. In fact my actual intention was to ask many questions regarding the procedure of conducting interviews at their places. Of course, companies were never biased on any reasons. They encourage talent in all the spheres. So, on the fateful day, I wore a light coloured shirt on dark coloured trousers and felt proud to dispose my costly light brown colored wood land shoes.

I waited anxiously at Lakdi ka pool to board the bus which takes us to the company. One by one people like me gathered there to fool one another with the impression that they were the best among the others. I looked at them and understood their situation. I said to myself that I needed only some hours to prove my talent among the others. After sometime the vehicle came and took us to the company. I boarded the bus by planting my shoes heavily on the steps of the bus and went to a vacant seat to enjoy the trip to the company. On the way to the destination, I was dreaming of every body appreciating me for raising beneficial questions. After some time our journey stopped, one by one every body in the bus started getting down with pride in order to reach the conference hall.

As usually I got down by planting my shoes heavily on the ground. I looked at the posh construction of the buildings and started walking like a soldier. While walking in that manner I noticed some how there was some kind of imbalance in my walking style and so I looked at my feet to find out the reason for my imbalance walk. To the utter surprise of mine I observed that the sole of one shoe was gone some where at the entrance and the second was about to fall. I was shocked to find my self in such kind of humiliating situation. The other person who was walking with me forced me to walk faster, so I pretended as if nothing happened to the shoes and walked for a minute. Most probably because of the extra pressure on my legs the other sole also fell down. Then at that moment my feet was covered from the top with the pure leather where as under my feet there was no sole. Immediately I spoke with my fellow PR about my pathetic condition and took the left over shoes out in order to throw them in the grass near the way.

I went with the other PR into the conference hall and occupied the last table in order to cove my legs. Though one after the other many executives of the company came and started explaining about their company in a great manner.But, My dream of raising many questions to the members was getting depleted. I was concentrating on my legs. I was feeling nervous. I prayed the god for several times. After sometime,  Most probably the God answered my questions, One of executives said that they would meet once again in the same hall after twenty minutes as it was the time for a tea break.

I thought that that was the right time to escape from the magic casement. So I hurriedly went to the entrance and hired an auto to go to the nearest shoe store to buy one good pair of shoes. Fate did not co operate with me even at that moment also; we traveled nearly ten to fifteen kilometers to find a shoe mart. I barged into the shop and requested the sales man to give any shoe which fits my feet properly. Poor sales man might have understood my situation with the tense look of my face; he showed two to three varieties of shoes. After thorough checking of the variety of shoes I selected one pair. Paid the required amount to the owner on credit card and requested the same auto owner who was waiting for me outside the shop to drop me at the Corporate Company. He dropped me at the company in half an hour time.

I felt really very happy to reach the company. I felt re energized. I once again started sharpening my arrow sort of questions to shoot at the executives to prove myself as the best PR at least at the end of the session. But, unfortunately, by the time I reached the place all the PRs from various colleges from the twin cities were coming out of the hall by conveying thanks to the executives of the corporate company. The only known PR who knew the plight of my shoe related tragedy looked at me with the smile and said that the meeting was informative. He also told me that I missed a lot for not attending the function after the tea break. I just threw helpless smile at him, cursed my fate and the imported leather shoes which were purchased on discount. From then onwards my dear friends believe me or not, I strongly decided not to buy any product on discount specially an imported one.


N.John
Lecturer in English
Sree Vani Women's College
Malakpet, Hyderabad
johnsmpriya@gmail.com