Last month I received 14 women at my office from a Montreal job reinsertion program called Concertation Femme. 14 women trying to find their place in Montreal’s working world. They enter timid, a little tired, expectations low and eyes glazed over by the monumental task at hand – finding a job.
My job is to give them a glimpse into small business Montreal style. Hiring practices, interview questions, a typical work day. Instead, I give them a lesson in ‘eating dessert first.’
I tell them they have the criteria fundamental to success. No, no, not a McGill MBA. They have mouths to feed. Women with children to care for just don’t give up. They also have the extraordinary asset of being immigrants. They stare blankly. (more…)
