The job fair

Set on the shore of Lake of 2 Mountians in the Chateau Vaudreuil, the setting was breath taking! Needless to say I was quite excited/nervous and didn't sleep much the night before....I had double checked everything: wardrobe (super professional),hair (perfect), resumes (I had 10 copies), business cards-checked! Free bus rides were provided. In the bus I had a moment of grace, I felt loved and protected by God. It calmed me right down!

The day was super cold and they made us wait for what seems forever outside...Then they corraled us inside like livestock to wait....and wait....and wait, I so had to go to the bathroom!
Nobody was talking, we were just staring in front (like cattle). I noticed a lot of scary looking security guards all dressed in black with earpieces- Very Soprano like! Legend has it that this hotel is actually owned by Mafia (cheese mafia*), which certainly might explain all that muscle!

They informed us that we would have a short survey to fill, then we would be able to consult billboards filled with job opportunities! Cool!

Those billboards were really scary! Imagine 50 starved people fighting for 20 soda crackers....I had trouble seeing the offers, I was being shoved and pushed and was able to jot down only a couple of offers...I saw a job offer for an executive secretary paying 10$ an hour....can you imagine that? I could be making that at McDonald's. It was quite depressing. Another offer was a 12 month customer service job and the employer was right here at the fair!

I met said employer and I'm being really positive and I tell her I'm interested in the customer service job...and she tells me it was filled 2 weeks ago! WHAT? I beg your pardon? Pardonnez-moi? So they better remove it from the billboard! I was getting hungry and I figured such a nice hotel could provide us with a cup o joe and maybe a cookie....But no we had to pay for it! A buck 50 for a bag of chips! Thank God I had some carrot sticks and sunflower seeds!

Most of the employers were in manufacturing and the job offers were like Foam injecting technician 3 years of experience needed. A famous artisan bakery chain was looking for bakers (I'm not getting up at 2 in the morning and besides I have no experience). Basically they didn't really have jobs to offer, they all wanted us to take their business cards and check out their websites....I gave my resume to only one company- a bank. I don't really get depressed so I saw this as a life experience!

And by the way I was the only one that was well dressed! I saw a lot of leggings and dirty hair and unmatched socks and ill fitting underwear, yes I noticed that!

I was real glad to take the bus back and go thirfting in my beloved church basement!

I walked home after. It is a 20 min walk, which is perfectly enjoyable in running shoes....But I had heels...and I limped the last block....I think I pulled a muscle! LOL

*What is cheese Mafia? It's a Mafia family that owns a big cheese company. Legend has it that they would force shops and restaurant owners in and around Montreal to buy their cheese or there would be problems....We'll make you an offer you can't refuse. But it is part of the legend...