Typecasting

Reevaluating a lost skill

- Smt. Sujatha Rao

Believing in the saying that no learning goes waste, way back in the mideighties, I went to an institute to learn typing. If you are wondering whether there are such institutes, I would like to assure you that there were such institutes before the advent of dictaphones and mobile phones, which made certain professions almost obsolete.

Though I scored high in terms of accuracy and speed of typing by topping the town to the great delight of the people running the institute, I didn't think it was an achievement worthy of wearing on my sleeves. In fact, when my first appointment letter arrived with the designation having the word "Typist" despite me having a post-graduate degree to boast of, I placed the entire blame of my landing such a job on that very certificate of my typing skill. I thought somehow that particular certificate sabotaged my chances by placing itself in the forefront, sidelining my other pedigreed certificates and achievements.

So I resented myself for having gone in for those classes and earning that certificate. All learning is useful, except this one, I would often tell myself.