My first priority was to get a job.  I could not afford to be too exigent for I did not possess skills that were in high demand.  Contrast that with Robert and two of his friends:  Robert and one of his friend were specialist in the electrical components and instrumentation of airplanes; the other friend was an aircraft mechanic.  Not surprisingly, therefore, they secured good jobs a week after their arrival.  As we shall see, I had to settle for second best.

How do you find a job in Montreal?  An immigration officer has been assigned to help me out with any problems I had including securing employment; friends of Victor kept their ear to the ground for any suitable job; I registered with the Montreal Jewish Community which among other things helped you find work; and I applied to employment agencies which provided you with permanent or temporary positions.

According to my cousins, all of the above efforts were fine, but ultimately of limited usefulness!  I was taking passive action; how then could I be proactive?

The Montreal Star (the daily English newspaper) published every day classified ads, one section related to employment offers; I was to peruse that section, circle job offers that I felt were adequate, and call the number given.  The sixties were a time when it was relatively easy to find work if you had what it took.  Thus, the first time I went through that exercise, I found many positions for which I was qualified.  I was ready to make my calls, but Adrienne stopped me dead in my tracks; planning and advice was needed before I approached prospective employers.

First I needed to prepare a resume.  A resume?  What on earth was that? The concept of a resume was explained to me; I was then provided with sample resumes; finally, I was asked to prepare my own resume.  I labored over it for hours only to have it criticized and asked to rewrite the whole thing.  Eventually a proper resume saw the light of day; typed; and numerous copies (using the primitive means available at the time) made.   Was I finished?  Not by a long shot.

Next Victor looked at the ads I had circled; there was a questioning look on his face throughout that process.  Eventually, for each position, he asked me why I thought I was qualified.  As it turned out, I was unqualified for most of them!  I previously mentioned that Egyptians suffer from overconfidence; I was no exception.  What I don’t know, I can learn I figured.  But as Victor explained to me, in Canada, employers expect you to deliver after a short period of training; you either really possess a particular skill or you don’t.

So here again my wings were clipped.  What now?

On any given day, there were at least two or three ads for a job I could handle; and, at any rate, there was only enough time to visit two places; Montreal is a large city, and travelling took time.  Thus, I did not need to apply anywhere if I did not fit the bill.

The next sessions were devoted to how I talk on the phone; how to conduct myself in an interview; how to address the problem of my limited English; and how to dress properly.

I had brought some clothing from Israel including a nice suit, but they were hopelessly out of fashion in Canada.  I didn’t have enough money to go on a shopping expedition, but it was not a hopeless situation.  I approached the immigration department for a loan; no loan was needed; they set a limit and handed me the money; I was to furnish them with the proper receipts, and, of course, return any unused funds.

A week went by before I was allowed to make calls, and go to interviews.  Even then, as I was leaving for my first interview, Adrienne stopped me and this short exchange took place:

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“To my job interview, of course.”

“In these clothes!”

I had put on the out of fashion clothing I had brought from Israel, and ignored the new clothes I had just purchased.  Why, I don’t know.  At any rate, I was asked to dress properly if I really wanted to make a good impression.  The lesson was learned, and thereafter I paid close attention to my appearance.

Throughout this job hunting period, two factors played in my favor.  First my cousins were not shy; they spoke their mind; they would have done me a disservice had they acted otherwise; what they did, they did it because they really cared.

The government was helpful; the ‘60s were prosperous times in Canada; and as yet, words like deficit and national debt were not part of our vocabulary.  If I approached immigration with a reasonable request, it was granted.  The example I had provided was not the only instance where they helped me financially or otherwise.

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