pulling a fast one

“Cheater!”

My indignant colleague's voice - Gretch - got my attention. They were talking about the qualifying test the company gives to its new employees after training. Gretch clearly did not approve that David made a cheat sheet and used it. This had me asking if we could create cheat sheets since it wasn't stated by the trainer that we can't make notes for reference during the test. No one had the answer. And everyone wanted me to ask the trainer. Riiiiiiight! The 20th employee and the only neophyte and I will ask if we can make a cheat sheet. Why the hell do they want to know this now is something that will always be a mystery.

This got me thinking, why do people think that referencing cheat sheets during work tests is cheating while extending on breaks or surfing while working isn't? 

I looked up the word “cheat” in the dictionary and found out that to cheat is to act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, esp. in a game or examination. Hmmm, even a lexicon correlates it to exams but not time or money or effort. 

Given that most companies nowadays has a form of online knowledge base or manual for easy reference on the job, it is mundane to give a test to an employee and expect him to be able to memorize or learn everything in a week. I have worked for Apple and I did my time too - I went through training, took 3 exams and had to have an 80% score if not higher, and took a couple of calls (two, to be exact) despite the fact that I was to be one of their Area Managers. All the while I used cheat sheets and was encouraged to use it. I am not expected to know the answers, but I am expected to know where and how to find them.

In this new company, I'll call Bamm Bamm, employees, or at least the most influential one, frown at cheat sheets. Tsh! How can she call someone who is being resourceful a fraud? The bottom line is getting the job done and doing the job right.

This scenario brought me back in time to high school and my worst enemies - the honor students who knew it all and never opened notes during tests but would oh so casually try to look at my test paper for answers. Looking at Gretch's indignant face made me smirk. So this is how they look like 13 years after... still know it all and still casually checking out other peoples' stuff, only this time they prefer computer screens.

I find her twisted sense of integrity astounding. But as I try to think how will I be able to tolerate Gretch while working at Bamm Bamm, I realized maybe she finds my integrity astounding too and wondering how she can tolerate me. 

Each of us has our own form of cheating, each has their own barometer on cheating. And maybe most people won't define cheating the same as mine, but I realized I don't want to rip myself off the friendship and the experience other people may give me. I rest my case on her, but I'll still make my cheat sheet.