Wednesday, March 6, 2002

It has now been two months since I was officially notified that my department was being abolished. I don't really feel unemployed yet, whatever that means. I haven't actually packed up my office even. "There's no hurry," they said, and I'm taking them at their word. I guess I have no particular sense of urgency, or at least, I don't on a consistent basis.

My severance package is still a safety cushion, meaning I don't feel the need to just take whatever is out there. The luxury of being able to pick and choose is something I hope sustains itself for a while yet. I haven't really seen anything out there that makes me feel that optimistic, to be honest.

I actually have been interviewing, but on a very occasional basis. I have had more interest in my résumé shown in Toronto than I have so far in Montreal. While this does not make me panicky, exactly, it is starting to occur to me that I might actually have to move. I'm not foolish: I know that eventually my severance and my savings will run out and I will have to be more serious about my so-called career strategy. But the job market here is not exactly encouraging. Unless you call lots of jobs in telemarketing and not much else "encouraging".

I have decided that losing a job is a lot like breaking up. All the same feelings of rejection, the "why me" syndrome, the briefly held belief that maybe we can come to an agreement, the desire to stay friends even if you're not sure it would work. But most of all, it's those constant reminders of your current status that are just like having broken up.

When you end a romantic relationship, every song on the radio is about lost love, losing love, wanting to be with someone you love. When you lose your job, every newspaper article mentions the unprecedented unemployment rate, every radio host talks about how hard it is to find a job, and every TV newscasts points out the sluggishness of the economy with appallingly effective graphic effects. Everywhere I turn, people are reminding me how hopeless it is to look for work at this particular period in history.

Or perhaps it's just me.

Thursday, March 7, 2002

I get an email from someone I know from my PR teaching experience. It is efficiently concise - she mentioned a company and stated simply, "Would you work for them?" Is this rhetorical? The firm she mentions is well-respected worldwide but has a fairly small division for public relations they are looking to expand. It sounds like the best of both worlds, the intimacy and camaraderie of a start-up but the prestige and stability of a larger company. I send my latest résumé, the one with my PR experience conveniently placed on top, to the contact name.

Later I get a call from the V.P. in charge of the PR division. Would I be free on Monday? I check my surprisingly busy calendar (surprising for an unemployed person), knowing that almost anyone or anything is subject to being bumped, er, rescheduled. "Monday is fine," I say and already start mentally figuring out what is the best interview outfit.

See, another similarity to relationships! The way I feel about picking out this outfit is a lot like I would feel choosing what to wear on a first date. I will likewise have to be on my best behaviour, try to make a good impression and position myself to be as "desirable" as possible. The only difference is, if I am successful in this instance, I hope to get paid for my performance, so to speak.

Monday, March 11, 2002

The meeting with the vice-president went extraordinarily well, I think. All the signs were there: for example, our appointment lasted for an hour and forty five minutes (I willed myself to imagine the absence of a parking ticket on my windshield next to the expired meter - my mental powers succeed, happily).

We talked lengthily on both business and personal levels. We ended up spending a lot of our time talking about her background and professional interests, which I found very interesting and revealing. I later heard this is considered a good strategy in a job interview, having the interviewer to talk about him or herself as much as possible, but in my case, it just happened naturally.

The interview with the VP ends with a tour of the office, which I am hard pressed to see as anything other than very positive. Oh, I hope I am not misreading this, since I really like the atmosphere here. This is, in fact, the first position I have been truly interested in since I started looking.

Wednesday, March 13, 2002

Still no word. The vice-president told me she'd try to set up an interview for me with the president as soon as possible. Maybe he's busy. Or maybe they've met someone else. (Argh, another relationship parallel!)

Thursday, March 14, 2002

The president's secretary calls - he'd like to meet me tomorrow, am I free? I am not, but I immediately change plans on the spot. Of course, I'll be there at 2:30. I suppress my glee, and start thinking about a second interview outfit. A friend tells me to wear blue or grey, they are the "most trusted" colours. I was planning on wearing a green suit - what does green inspire? Calm? Envy? Agricultural intentions?

Friday, March 15, 2002

That was probably one of the best meetings I've ever had. I felt relaxed but attentive. The president and I chatted both about the job and about life in general. He reviewed some projects I'd worked on and seemed to be reasonably impressed that I knew what I was talking about. At the end, he complimented me so effusively that I was almost uncomfortable. I think he liked me, he really liked me! He tells me they need to "discuss my candidacy" but that I should expect a call next week. This would be amazing, if it were actually this easy to get such a great job.

Tuesday, March 19, 2002

No call yet, maybe they need more to time to consider my salary requests. I wasn't that out of line, was I?

Thursday, March 21, 2002

Everyone is calling EXCEPT the company - every time the phone rings, I jump. You know, in some ways dating probably is actually easier.

P.S: On March 24, Leslie was finally offered the job of senior communications consultant. She happily said "I do" and started work in mid-April.