* Roberto Ciuffini
The meeting is at 9 am, in the headquarters of the bank. It's a beautiful building in central Rome, just steps from the Colosseum. Check well in advance, at 8 am there. Everything is still closed. They are among the first, although some was more early than me. Waiting for us open, I try to chat shyly with some other guy but not finding a great desire to speak. It will be the tension or sleep not yet disposed of. On the other hand are known to have dressed in an elegant way. The next day, after all, is the important ones is the last step, the final phase of a national competition. We started in 5000 and more than we were in 350. Yet, for the bank, we are still too many. The call is clear: there are only 70 seats.
They told us, perhaps to flatter, we have been very good to get here. In my opinion, however, we were just lucky. Basically be able to pass one of those logical-psychological test does not mean anything. And I always seemed presumptuous to want to quantify the intelligence of a person through a quiz. But so be it. I then wanted to do even this contest. But the fledgling journalism gives very little satisfaction (not just economic), and that's why I decided groped.
They told us, perhaps to flatter, we have been very good to get here. In my opinion, however, we were just lucky. Basically be able to pass one of those logical-psychological test does not mean anything. And I always seemed presumptuous to want to quantify the intelligence of a person through a quiz. But so be it. I then wanted to do even this contest. But the fledgling journalism gives very little satisfaction (not just economic), and that's why I decided groped.
After all, if passed, I could always work in the office until 4 pm and devote myself to my articles in their free time. Are you sure? Do not you remember that story read some time ago? He spoke of a boy with literary ambitions who, driven by necessity, choose to enter the bank in the hope of reconciling the daily work with his secret aspirations but in the end has to give and to accept the condition employed only horizon of his life. What was his name? Do not recollect the title but only a single name, a Pontiggia
... Oh well. Here we are, I said, we survived the first "skimming", ready to face the ultimate test, known as the assessment group. Those of the union held a preparatory course and even there they explained to us what it is: it is a selection that is to offer the candidates a case, specially developed, to manage and resolve group. Those of the union also gave us a few practical tips: do not say that you are only there because you need a job, because otherwise penseranno che siete dei disperati e per voi un posto vale l’altro, mentre qui siete in lizza per un posto in banca, che diamine. Ma non dite nemmeno che avete sempre sognato di diventare dei bancari, perché tanto non ci crede nessuno. Ci hanno spiegato che ad essere giudicata non sarà la nostra preparazione teorica o la nostra abilità nel trovare una soluzione a dei problemi bensì le “strategie di pensiero e di azione” che utilizzeremo e che sarà valutata soprattutto la nostra capacità di “rispettare e valorizzare gli apporti di tutti i membri del gruppo al fine di connetterli”.
Dopo aver espletato tutte le formalità possiamo iniziare. Siamo una quindicina e altrettanti sono gli esaminatori. Siamo disposti circulating and watching us rivers of taking notes, never stop writing. Soppesino guess our every word, every ballot our behavior, to assess every detail, even the inflections of the voice. The discussion is surreal and inconclusive: everyone tries to show off as he can, pretending to listen to others.
When everything is over no one has any idea how it went. Personally, I do not know which variables are considered to be meaningful for the position should theoretically cover. Actually I also wonder how one can understand, based only on observation of a group discussion rather abstract, which are the critical points and strengths of each without they are also in-depth individual interviews.
Which, I know it or not, of course, it makes no difference. Alienation, in spite of Marx's thought dead and buried, began even before the live work is already incorporated in the selection of personnel. Do not tell you what you're gonna do or what criteria you will be deemed suitable, simply to test your compatibility with the new way of working, in which the informal knowledge are worth as much as the formal ones (if not more) and which have become central factors such as imagination, ethical inclinations, the mentality, the "language games". The theorists of postmodernity have defined linguistic and communicative dimension of work. And 'work as an interaction, post-Fordist work, work on which you can not build any more true identity, why so much that if one builds it elsewhere, how and where he wants him: on the internet, for example, or in other (non) places less virtual. It was not what you do. Not anymore. But then what is left?
... Oh well. Here we are, I said, we survived the first "skimming", ready to face the ultimate test, known as the assessment group. Those of the union held a preparatory course and even there they explained to us what it is: it is a selection that is to offer the candidates a case, specially developed, to manage and resolve group. Those of the union also gave us a few practical tips: do not say that you are only there because you need a job, because otherwise penseranno che siete dei disperati e per voi un posto vale l’altro, mentre qui siete in lizza per un posto in banca, che diamine. Ma non dite nemmeno che avete sempre sognato di diventare dei bancari, perché tanto non ci crede nessuno. Ci hanno spiegato che ad essere giudicata non sarà la nostra preparazione teorica o la nostra abilità nel trovare una soluzione a dei problemi bensì le “strategie di pensiero e di azione” che utilizzeremo e che sarà valutata soprattutto la nostra capacità di “rispettare e valorizzare gli apporti di tutti i membri del gruppo al fine di connetterli”.
Dopo aver espletato tutte le formalità possiamo iniziare. Siamo una quindicina e altrettanti sono gli esaminatori. Siamo disposti circulating and watching us rivers of taking notes, never stop writing. Soppesino guess our every word, every ballot our behavior, to assess every detail, even the inflections of the voice. The discussion is surreal and inconclusive: everyone tries to show off as he can, pretending to listen to others.
When everything is over no one has any idea how it went. Personally, I do not know which variables are considered to be meaningful for the position should theoretically cover. Actually I also wonder how one can understand, based only on observation of a group discussion rather abstract, which are the critical points and strengths of each without they are also in-depth individual interviews.
Which, I know it or not, of course, it makes no difference. Alienation, in spite of Marx's thought dead and buried, began even before the live work is already incorporated in the selection of personnel. Do not tell you what you're gonna do or what criteria you will be deemed suitable, simply to test your compatibility with the new way of working, in which the informal knowledge are worth as much as the formal ones (if not more) and which have become central factors such as imagination, ethical inclinations, the mentality, the "language games". The theorists of postmodernity have defined linguistic and communicative dimension of work. And 'work as an interaction, post-Fordist work, work on which you can not build any more true identity, why so much that if one builds it elsewhere, how and where he wants him: on the internet, for example, or in other (non) places less virtual. It was not what you do. Not anymore. But then what is left?
Journalist * Precarious
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