Hey, the job is yours

By Royston Ellis

I took it rather too seriously and began to look for another job. I worked in my spare time too, doing anything I could to earn experience, not money. I had already decided on a career as a writer, not as a milk bottle washer. Since I had no educational qualifications, life became my university.

Thus I was delighted to read in The Times of London a few days ago, an advertisement for what seems to be a wonderful job. It sought applications from: "candidates who should not have current or recent involvement with the legal profession, the Lord Chancellor's Department or the judiciary, nor should they have a track record of political activity." The salary offered was 70,500 pounds, the equivalent of over eight million rupees a year, for three days work a week.

Perfect! I would qualify on all accounts as I am ignorant of the law and politics. For that job, it seems, ignorance is well-rewarded bliss.

Isn't it inspiring that there are jobs available for people with no qualifications? Perhaps the importance attached to certificates that supposedly prove one's worth is not always well placed.

On a visit to England recently, I was told by a banker that he found it impossible to fill vacancies for simple office workers. The candidates had such splendid qualifications, they felt they should start working life in a more important position. Thus clerks begin work as executives, executives are called directors, and directors start as company vice-presidents.

One wonders if the educated world is producing too many diploma holders who stop looking for work as soon as they have a job. There is probably some treatise examining the ratio of certificates to productivity. It might suggest that the more certificates a person has, the less employable that person becomes.

Perhaps that is why The Times is advertising for a person who is ignorant of the law to be First Commissioner for Judicial Appointments. Could this be a trend? Will we see in Sri Lanka advertisements for, say, an architect who can't draw, a secretary who can't type, or even a chauffeur who can't drive. (There are plenty of those about.)

You can imagine the interview. "I've come about the vacancy for a cook."

"Do you have any experience?"

"No, but I like to eat good food."

"Just the person we want. The job's yours."

Actually it is already happening here in the hotel industry. The personnel manager (sorry, director) of one five-star hotel told me that he does not employ as trainees, people who have hotel experience. His reason is that those who have worked in other hotels will be harder to train in the special disciplines of his five-star property than young people who are novices.

I suppose a novice has a certain freshness which, if coupled with an eagerness to learn, could result in a better employee who learns through experience rather than theory.

The Ceylon tea industry was started by just such a person. James Taylor in 1867 planted tea seedlings at Loolecondera but was ignorant about making tea. He experimented. Instead of making the green tea produced in China, he came up with the black tea that has made Sri Lanka prosperous even today as the world's largest exporter of tea. Ignorance inspired him.

By the way, in case anyone is interested in applying for that part-time job, the deadline was last month!

A little tender loving care to treat your feet

By Ruhanie Perera 

Just who is Karen Mortier and what was she doing messing around with my feet, one may ask. Adept in the science of aromatherapy and reflexology and having opened her clinic 'A Soothing Touch' in September she was just illustrating the type of work she does.

Reflexology, which is becoming a popular form of relaxation offered to the public, is an ancient form of therapy originating from the Chinese. The therapy is performed at the bottom of the feet aiming to energize the nerve centres that are found there. "During the therapy if a client feels pain at a particular point, I can tell them exactly where the problem is," says Karen who will then continue to energize that point to relieve the pain. "If the pain still continues I suggest that they see a doctor." 

However, according to Karen, reflexology is not just about finding problem spots or looking for possible ailments. It's also a form of relaxation and is a very healthy one for it helps the blood circulation process. "It's an opportunity to be a little kinder to our feet, which most of us tend to abuse. And as a result to be kinder to ourselves," stresses Karen. She says many of us seem to take our feet for granted. 

"We don't realize just how important our feet are. We put so much of pressure on our feet, especially when we wear the wrong type of shoes, stand for an unduly long period of time or sit in the wrong position." So in just one session of therapy you get a chance to give those tired, overworked feet of yours a much-deserved treat. One that guarantees you total relaxation. "My clients are so relaxed that they fall asleep," laughs Karen who finds that during a session of reflexology which lasts half an hour (15 minutes on each foot), her clients are nodding within the first ten minutes.

Aromatherapy is also offered at Karen's clinic. "I combine aromatherapy with reflexology for the benefit of the client." Most of the time she uses relaxing oils. She also uses refreshing oils when some clients want to be pepped up. The oils she uses are concoctions of natural oils she gets down from England. "They are very pleasant and soothing," she says as she hands me some to smell. Just a whiff is enough to make me close my eyes, for they have quite a soothing effect. When I press for more information about the concoctions she just smiles and replies, "That's my secret." 

"Most of the problems we face in our day to day life can be soothed through aromatherapy," says Karen. At her clinic she uses aromatherapy for the treatment of stress, anger, anxiety, insomnia, emotional trauma, migraine, depression, sinusitis, grief, hypertension, indigestion, irritability and mental fatigue. She offers reflexology for those with acute health problems and also for the 'stressed-out' population looking for a way to reduce tension and promote well-being.

Before any session of therapy she conducts a consultation, which is free of charge. "Consultation is a must before therapy," she says, "mainly because I need to know the client's medical history, what their problems are and what they want out of the therapy. Depending on all that I decide what they need." The good news is that the treatment is affordable with the prices ranging from a very reasonable Rs. 250/= to the maximum of Rs. 1000/= depending on the individual need. 

Karen's list of clients is a long one. She finds that this sort of therapy is very popular, especially among fatigued CEOs, lawyers and most professionals. "It's amazing that there are so many tired people. We're a society full of some very stressed out people. Naturally they're looking for something that will soothe them." 

Karen understands this phenomenon so well, because she was once a very tired person herself. "In fact that is how I got involved in this field. There were some unfortunate circumstances in my life and I got away from it through this kind of treatment. Then I decided that it would be great if I could do the same for others. Since I was always interested in reflexology, studying the science was easy."

She offers a soothing touch and promises that you'll be in good hands. So drag your tired feet over to Karen Mortier's clinic at Kollupitiya and get some of that treatment which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

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