at one of my many galas this week i sort-of met this lady from another publishing house, and i was struck by how corporate-shark-ish she was.
expensive suit, perfectly styled hair (short, corporate looking bob, black, of course), one kind of thick (but perfect) makeup, branded bag and shoes and a string of very professional looking pearls around the neck.
sounds great, no? no.
she was talking to this fresh-out-of-school reporter who was working at a publication she "used to be the MD of", and letting the reporter know "exactly how to manipulate higher management" in order to "be like me" and "rise in the ranks of the publishing world".
"is she for real?" i whisper to the editor, also the nicest woman alive after my mother.
"that depends on which part of her you're referring to," she quipped.
all throughout dinner, i just could not tear my eyes away from Corporate Sharkette. she kept going on and on to the worked-for-less-than-one-month reporter, about how she managed to go from reporter to editor, to managing editor to MD and now CEO. all the while blinking her wide eyes in what i think is supposed to be i'm-being-so-humble-ness.
all the while i was watching to see if one of her fake lashes would come flying off and land in someone's soup.
no but seriously, it struck me - is that really what it takes to make it in this world? she mentioned that if you weren't "always perfect, never make any mistakes and treat people with only the utmost professionalism", you will never make it in this industry, "one dominated by men".
nevermind that there were other male reporters and editors sitting at the table. (so much for professionalism.)
some part of me thinks that yes, she may just be right. if you're young, or if you talk about "frivolous" things like bags, shoes and whether MOS beats Zouk, people don't take you seriously. unfortunately, people don't really take you seriously if you talk about Nietzche, Freud or the meaning of life either.
on the other hand, i don't think i really wish to turn into Corporate Sharkette. i don't think i've ever met anyone faker, more bitchy, or colder than her, for all her success.
i do, however, have a sneaking suspicion that she's sold her sold to the devil, especially when she said (discreetly, but i am master at eavesdropping): "if you don't stab people in the back first, they'll stab you". she may be right up there in her shark pool, but have her over for a christmas dinner, and the kiddies will run screaming for sure.
but who knows, eh? we've come so far from spending a lot of time in KAP, to the arts canteen to... now (harry's?). maybe she's only like that in the working world. maybe she's one of those women who can compartmentalise her life and is a wonderfully sweet woman when the makeup's off and she's with her friends knocking back a few.
who knows. right now i'm just glad i'm not working with her.