I am angry tonight, because once again I have been fooled into thinking that honesty is the best policy. I'm not saying that lying is the way to go, but leaving out key pieces of information is definitely the winning combination. For the second time in my adult life, the Australian government has screwed me over with respect to important things in my life because I give away too much.
The first instance, I had better not discuss here in too much detail - but lets just say I learnt from the mistake of honesty. The net effect? I am saving myself $500+ per year and the past half dozen years or so have proven that no one is worse off as a result.
A day or two after being offered my job in Denmark, I got contacted regarding the possibility of working in Antarctica with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). It was something I had applied for many months earlier after meeting some people who had worked down there, and discovering that there really was a possibility I could work there too. The place had always fascinated me, but I had put it together with becoming an astronaut - something I was unlikely to do unless I was one of those rich tourists. But these people made me realise it was possible. But after not hearing back from my application, I had given up. When this possibility reappeared, I got super-excited, but after much deliberation, I decided that a bird in the hand was better than two in the bush - so I stuck with Denmark.
Fast forward 16 months and another application with the AAD for their annual intake, and I receive an email notifying me I have been shortlisted and invited to attend a selection centre. Great! I was even going to be in Australia round about that time, so figured I'd be able to coordinate something to make it. In the midst of emailing back and forth with HR, I suddenly receive an email stating that I "do not meet the necessary medical checklist requirements". What?!? Although I truly believe 'tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. In this case, I had been handed a winning lotto ticket only to be told the next day that the jackpot was $0 due to a technical glitch! And what is this "medical" condition I have? Asthma. Yes, the 'condition' suffered by around 1 in 15 people. And when I say 'suffer', I mean, a couple of times a year I take the odd puff on the Ventolin - because I know how to look after myself. But no, this is enough, I'm told, to immediately rule me out of ever working for the Australian government in Antarctica (the Yanks would take me, I'm told...). And why? Because it's just too risky.Argh!
So the lesson here? Don't disclose something you don't have to. If you think you know better, you probably do. If you are confident that hiding something won't do any damage, but will get you what you want, then hide it. I am yet to determine whether this adage applies in general, or only with the Australian government. They're up to 2 strikes - one more, and they're out!
