Flirting with HR...might not help !!

‘Where do you see yourself 5 years from now down the line?’ HR asked me while I was busy preparing myself from asking him for an onsite. This was a routine which is followed with all the employees whom they think is a critical resource. I meant not human but resource that too in critical situation and might need an immediate hospitalization.  She was still staring at my face, waiting for an answer; I have seen her many times in campus, I must say she was pretty, might have just joined. ‘What is your plan for future?’ she repeated the same question with different words. I started,

‘Future…what are doing after office? Can I ask you for a coffee in the nearest cafe of your choice?’

‘What? Are you sure you want to take me out, I am your HR…’ she said with surprise which was more like shock.

‘Quite sure…if you don’t mind’ I said smiling sheepishly.

I almost jumped from my chair as if she had agreed to marry me. Now I knew my future, coffee, dinner, breakfast and lunch, all with her. Wooing an HR can work wonders, each salary hike I will get a gift for her, diamond ring, gold bangles and what not.

‘Ok…now I want you to concentrate here. So can you share your past experience with us’ she said trying to avoid eye contact.

‘I have seen you many time in our cafeteria in the past’ I said as soon as I thought about the past.

‘We are talking in terms of career growth and job satisfaction’ she unsuccessfully tried to stop smiling.

‘I am coming on that point, see once I saw you with my manager and was unable to work the whole day, if this continues the same way it will affect my career.’

She started laughing. I knew I was effective; after all I was an admirer of her.

‘It seems you are in no mood to talk about anything else. So instead of going in a formal and defined way I will directly come to the point’ she took a pause to look at my u shaped lips and continued, ‘See as you are well aware of the market situations, we are in no position to give any hike at your level. So we decided to have a one to one meeting with you and discuss about this personally to know other areas in which we can proceed to compensate’.

Every U in the universe went upside down. I am not getting even a hike forget about onsite. I stood up slowly and turned towards the glass door, I saw few more poor people standing outside waiting for their turn. I wanted to shout loud, ‘I am not getting a hike’ but controlled myself.

‘Are you still on for the coffee?’ she asked from back.

I will have one in the pantry…Thank You!!