I am afraid of the Central Business District. And excited by it all at the same time. Is this really the ‘concrete jungle where dreams are made of’? I guess the song (in case you are wondering is Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys) didn’t mention how so many dreams are dashed in the very same place.
This shoot is particularly emotional for me. I have never gotten over my last interview for a full-time position that happened here. Sometimes that interview haunted me, and every other day my mind would play the entire two rounds of interview like a silent movie. I thought I have secured my dream job, a job that would allows me to practice my French and Vietnamese and apply what I studied in university in the corporate environment, in one of the world’s best consultancy firm no less. I had passed both the 2 rounds of the interview with flying colours, with remarks by the regional director being ‘excellent presentation, well-structured’ and more. What went wrong after? Why was I rejected? Why praised me to the heavens and not give me job?
The interviewers might never knew it, but those accumulative 2 hours that I spent with them changed my life. It was in their office building that I turned my life around. I was wandering aimlessly in the minefield of jobs, and they had given me a guiding rope, to my way out of the jungle.
It was only during my preparation for the presentation round(I presented on my jewellery line) that I truly knew what I was meant to do all this time. I was never made out to work here, in the concrete jungle. It was the dream of so many, but it was never mine. I have always wanted to work in fashion, to design costume jewellery, to style clothes and make-up. I have never enjoyed being desk-bound. So why chase the dream of another when mine is so far from here?
This shoot is about standing out in the crowd by showing your true colours. I have mixed the classic office uniform of white shirt and black pants with a dash of my own personality, wearing the very skirt I wore to that presentation. When my true self has finally shone through the cold corporate exterior of this place, I am no longer afraid of it. I come back here with excitement of meeting new business contacts, partners, clients and like-minded individuals every single time.
After receiving my rejection email, I wrote an email to the director to thank him. Thank you for closing the door, because another bigger, grander one was open all this time, and only now I see the light.
Thank you for reading.
Christine x
Special thanks and credits to Tanlin Photography
The Local Touriste 
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