Another Brain Fart (but not mine)

At the exam we were seated two to a table, and the woman at the other end of my table seemed like a smart person. She is currently doing the same job in NY that I do here.

So get this.

There was a long, but clear explanation at the beginning of each part of the test about how we were not to identify ourselves in any way on the test pages. If we identified ourselves in any way, this would result in immediate disqualification. We had been given booklets and were told to put our names and ID numbers on the cover page. But not to put our ID number on any of the test sheets. They told us that HR would take our booklets, and they would write our ID numbers on each page of our booklets and then remove the cover page, ensuring complete anonymity. This was explained at the start of part A of the test. Clear enough, right?

Apparently not.

It was then repeated at the start of part B. During the part B explanation, the woman at my table looked stunned and her hand shot up. The HR assistant came over, and I heard the applicant say that, in part A, she had written her initials on every page.

I tried not to look at her, but I thought: what the f***, lady? Are you nuts?

I believe that, in old psychology textbooks, this is known as self-sabotage. I mean, what the f*** was she thinking? Her initials? On every page?

The HR assistant said she believed this meant immediate disqualification, but the applicant asked if there could be an exception made. Why? You must be joking. The HR assistant looked skeptical, and asked the applicant if she still wanted to continue with parts B and C. The dimwit said yes. And I just kept thinking: what an effing maroon.

Well, that’s one member of the competition out of the way.