In August, there was a job advertised here in our little corner of Cyprus. The Significant Spender pointed it out and my initial reaction was "WhyTF do we want to do that"? After a few days consideration I had decided that, crucially, it was a bloody fine earner and might actually suit us.
So we applied.
I can't say what it is, what it involves or who it relates to, but it was money - plenty of of it - and when you are a lowly market-operative in a global recession, you have to consider alternatives.
The initial application included our resume and CV, along with a benefits and reasons statement. All went well and after the initial round of applications had been received we were told we were 'front-runners'. "Great", we thought, and stepped up the game. A few weeks later we were invited to an interview and went, well prepared, for a six hour hammering in front of a panel. The feedback later was that we were perfect, fitted all the criteria and that we were being offered to the committee as "the ideal option", but that a detailed tender would be required.
So we tendered.
We actually spent nearly 2 weeks, full -time on the tender. We had to ring suppliers for costings, calculate hours, make estimates etc. We even gave up market trading days in order to submit the tender on-time because of the limited 'submission period'.
After the tenders had been reviewed, we were again told that we were the lowest-cost option, the best positioned and the most talented. By this point we felt we 'had it in the bag', but there were a few extra committee members that wanted to fly to Cyprus to meet us.
So we went through a nine hour hammering in front of a panel.
Every one of them made the right noises, told us to our faces how qualified we were and how we'd be 'such an asset' and relieve them completely of the problems they were having. "Job done", we thought.
The AGM was on Saturday in the UK.
We never got it. Someone's mate had buttered a few palms and greased a few hands. The committee disowned us and recommended that the members stay with the same crap service (that they were looking to replace) at an inflated cost.
My gast is flabbered and I really do want to shout and scream.
I have no energy left to do so.
I feel utterly, utterly, low.
