(previously...)
After an intense weekend of knowledge assessments for a position in the Portuguese public sector, I found myself in need of a well-earned break. Where better to unwind than in a brewery?
But, as Monday arrived, I couldn't shake the thought of the paper problem waiting for me.
Before the assessment, I even considered not going, knowing I’d have to print a lot of material. I tried to print as little as possible by asking colleagues for their printed material and even borrowing this book from the library.
The whole process was traditional and paper-based — laws, regulations, and guidelines all printed out, waiting to be flipped through, page by page.
It felt (and still feels) a complete non-sense in today’s digital age. I’m so used to working on my computer, where everything is just a search away, that this paper-heavy approach was jarring.
I couldn’t help but think: why are we still doing this when I could just use "Ctrl+F" and prove my value like I do every day!? The time spent searching through paper, trying to locate relevant information in a stack of printed documents, felt inefficient, stressful and outdated. Sure, I get the necessity for physical documents in some cases, but surely there’s a more modern way to handle these tasks. I would have liked to share my thoughts with them, but, in the end, I realized I’m still in the position of trying to land this job — so complaining wasn’t an option. I didn’t voice my frustration, but my face clearly showed my displeasure :p
Back at home, the paper problem followed me. After a weekend spent navigating through physical documents, I was now faced with the aftermath. I had to deal with all that extra paper, sorting through piles of regulations and guidelines, and finding space to store them. Some cleaning and organizing were necessary to accommodate these new "colleagues" in paper form. I'm glad I managed to get rid of a large amount of paper, more than a full bag's worth!
As much as I understand the need for these assessments and the value of thoroughness, I can’t help but feel that my brain isn't quite adapted to paper-based processes. This is a reminder that, in many ways, there's still space for improvement in government methodologies.
For now, I’ll keep pushing through and try not to complain too much. This post may have served as my moment of complaint, but I won’t be offering more for now. After all, I’m still in the process of securing the job!