After being told several times over by many different people that I should walk in to the Times of India office (which funnily is not too far off from where I live!), make a personal appearance and enquire about openings, I finally decided to do so.
My initial lethargy and hesitation in doing this came from the fact that it’s not something I’ve done ever before. Make a cold call, that is. But since so many reliable sources had told me it was the best thing to do, I thought perhaps that’s how it works in a town like Goa.
Yesterday while I was driving back home, I spontaneously walked into the TOI office. At the reception a pretty (seemingly Goan) girl paused her telephone call to hear me out, and proceeded to redirect me to the back of the building. She asked me to look for a security guard. I expected the security guard would then direct me to the right official. So off I went. Through a dingy back alley I went, to what looked like a garage shutter. A security guard stood at the base of a staircase that led up. I explained myself once more, and asked to meet the concerned person.
The security guard dials a number on the phone and explains, “Koi job dhundhne aya hai.”, while I think to myself, “Ummm not quite. I’m here to MEET THE RIGHT PERSON to talk to about a possible opening for a writer/editor.” Oh never mind.
When he hangs up the phone, he very triumphantly asks me to give him my resume, post which the person concerned will decide if he/she wants to get back to me.
A lot of attitude, I thought, for a publication that is apparently short staffed and always looking for writers! But then again everything in Goa has been a strangely new experience for me. Perhaps this is just another one for the record.
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