In a developing story out of a job interview in San Francisco, CA, 27-year-old Rachel Anthony explained that one of her strengths is being a hard worker – unless, of course, she’s tired, hungry, or simply not in the mood.
“I’m the hardest worker I know,” she said. “When I want to be. Which, truthfully, isn’t often. I’d say there’s a good one or two days every month when my mental, emotional, and physical states align in such a way that I am both willing and capable of doing my work. But during those days? Good lord, I’m on fire.”
The hiring manager interviewing Rachel named Lenore Downing told reporters that she wasn’t sure Rachel knew what being a “hard worker” really entails.
“She’s even starting to make me question if I know what ‘hard work’ actually means,” Lenore said while Rachel was taking a quick bathroom break. “Is it doing a bunch of work all at once? Consistently doing a normal amount of work? I’m not sure, but I am confident it would mean doing more than two days of work a month.”
When Rachel returned from the bathroom, she took a moment to clear up any confusion, stating that being a hard worker isn’t about consistency, it’s about how much work you’re able to get done before your tummy rumbles and you’re forced to take a three-hour break.
“Make sense?” Rachel said, adding that she once stayed up all night finishing a work project that she had been neglecting for the previous three weeks. “My capacity for hard work is incredible. My tolerance for actually doing that hard work? Super low.”
Again, the recruiter felt that this was less “working hard” and more “facing the consequences of your own actions.”
“I pride myself on being a hard worker,” Rachel said. “I also pride myself on getting 18 hours of sleep every day, having a near insatiable appetite, and listening when my body says it would rather lie on the couch than sit at the table on my work computer. One fact isn’t negated just because the others are true.”
As of press time, Rachel still hadn’t heard back regarding the job she interviewed for, but she wasn’t worried, saying, “It sometimes takes me two, three weeks to email somebody back. If she’s anything like me, she’ll get around to it in the glorious three minute window when she feels motivated to do so.”
