Learning the gig

Getting back into the workforce can be an education, says job counsellor

Name: Rosemary Nolan

Age: “Close to retirement age”

Occupation: Teacher/job counsellor

Bio: This genuinely pleasant, instinctively nurturing NDG babe has been working the teaching beat since 1970, first in elementary schools but as of the mid-80s more on the adult-ed scene, instruct­ing folk of all ages and educational backgrounds the fine art of getting up off the couch and landing their lame asses some decent employment. For over two decades now, Rosemary has been a key player in the Sociovocational Integration Service program (“in everyday language, we just call it the job training/reintegration program”) at Verdun’s Champlain Centre, teaching a six-month course designed to help people first figure out what the hell they’re going to do for a career, and then, through a series of training programs, exercises, internships and the like, actively doing everything they can so students actually do find themselves work in their chosen fields within those six months. But be warned: Rosemary says the Centre’s success rate with students is excellent, so should you choose to enrol in the program yourself, there’s a high probability you’ll emerge with a new job—and then, gulp, have to go to work every day.

Can people just take the actual courses they feel they need, or are they obliged to do the entire six-month shebang? “It really depends on how far along you are and if you already know what kind of job/career you’re seeking. It takes most student three to six months to find a job, but I’ve had students who’ve found work after three weeks. By the fourth week here students are already meeting employers. You see, our clientele is quite diverse. We’ve people with master’s degrees, others without high school, people who’ve been downsized, others who were at home raising children for a while and now want to return to their old careers or find a new one. Even retired people come here seeking new careers. So it depends, but some people definitely move through the pro­gram faster than others.”

Something that freaks a lot of people out: Going to job interviews. “Most students are understandably nervous about job interviews, so we practice role-playing and other exercises to better help them prepare.”

Is it wiser to swallow a handful of tranquilizers to deal with job interview anxiety or might shooting cocaine be the better route to providing that extra little something required to impress the human resources crowd? Neither, apparently. “Deep breathing exercises would be more helpful.”

When an interviewer asks “What’s your worst quality?” is it better to be honest and tell them you tend towards violence when conflicted or…how the hell does one answer that ques­tion anyway? And why do they ask it? “They ask that to see if you’ll actually say something terrible about yourself—but you can always change that question to a positive. You could answer, per­haps, with ‘I tend to work longer hours to come up with new ideas.’ Something like that.”

Has she found that physically attractive students tend to have better success in the job market than the dog ugly? “Absolutely not.”

The cost of tuition: Zero. If you qualify, Emploi Québec will actually pay you to go. Call (514) 765-8444 and/or visit lifeisgoodfromhere.ca. Classes are in English or French.

Last book read: The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.

Musical preferences: Oscar Peterson, BB King, Dinah Washington.

Words of wisdom: “Just keep actively looking, don’t give up on yourself, a job will come.” ■

COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS? DIMWIT@OPENFACE.CA

 

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