Michou's Secret Garden 

An unusual job interview!

 

My one and only interview for a job as a "woman":

The three of us are seated in a small circle, on uncomfortable chairs, in the middle of a showroom. The walls are covered with shelves on which are displayed products used by hairdressers. My two interviewers are men who are not even forty yet. One of them is very friendly while the younger, who is the boss, makes a sullen face which should make me feel uneasy. But, I am not, nonetheless.

Although I do not make any effort to present myself as a genuine woman, it does not mean that I do not pay attention to my voice and gestures so that my most masculine features do not show too much. But, in the mean time, I would bet that the friendly guy is so affable towards me that it makes me believe that he would hire me on the spot and might even go a little further ...

Today is one of the most beautiful day of October 2002. We are close to the end of the afternoon. The sun is shining and it is rather warm outside. I have been looking for a job since the last couple of months which is the period of time since I moved back to the suburb of Québec City.

In the beginning, I was very optimistic since as soon as I had a look at the local papers, I started to think that there were more jobs availables here than in Montréal, where I use to live before I moved. But, after two months of an intensive search, I must realize that my age and career history handicap me as much as it did in my former hometown.

One day, at the beginning of the month, while I was scrutinizing the papers for job ads, I found one which related to a job of secretary/accountant for a distributor of products used by hairdressers. In the past, I had already applied, without success, for numerous jobs of that type. So, it did not make me feel very optimistic about that one either.

But, thinking some more about it, it came to my mind that I had nothing to loose trying something different. So, came up the idea that this could be a fantastic opportunity for "Michou" to apply this time.

A few days later, a big surprise was awaiting for me when my cellphone rang and I heard a man's voice asking me to show up, a couple of days later, for a job interview related to that same job I had applied for.

You bet, I felt very excited about this unexpected turn of event in my life. For one, I did not have any call for a job intervew for weeks but it was also my very first opportunity to attend a job interview, in my whole life, as a "part time woman". So, you can imagine the high level of excitement I was feeling. But, soon, like most women I know, I became very preoccupied with the way I should dress for that occasion.

At this time of the year, it is much more challenging than for any other season. One day, the weather forecast is for a chilly rainy day but, eventually, the sun shines and the thermometer reaches 20o C. On another day. it is forecasted that it is going to be sunny but we actually have a cloudy and cold day. With such weather conditions, I have no other choice but to plan for many different dress kits. But, what a puzzle it is for me.

Today, the interview day, we have a beautiful weather and the thermometer reaches 25o C. It is rather unusual for this time of the year and I, nevertheless, dress very soberly. A dress kit, which I think, should fit for a woman of my age, for the type of activity I am engaged in (see the picture on the top left hand corner). But, due to the warm weather, I do not wear a coat and the sleeves of my blouse are open from cuff to shoulder. I did only make small concessions about the shoes I wear and my heels are 12 cm (4½") high nonetheless, but I do not think they look that high.

I know that I am overqualified for the job. And, hoping to be hired as a woman who could not "pass" under the scrutiny of almost everybody is a hopeless dream and have as much chance to happen as to win the lottery. But, I must admit that I find myself engaged in a very exciting experience.

Even the man with the sullen face treats me very well. And, I find very encouraging the super friendly attitude of the other. He even gives me the impression that, would he have the power to do so, he would hire me right on the spot.

For the whole hour during which they interviewed me, I never felt any reluctance from any of them. The more I have spent time with them, the more they seemed open minded. I must admit that during the first few minutes of the interview, a couple of questions were asked on the subject of the way I dress but they were asked just like small talks and, evidently, to satisfy their curiosity. Never, in the course of the interview, I felt animosity of any kind and everything has been going so much better than I could have anticipated. So I feel very good.

To sum it all, I must say that I enjoyed the whole experience so much that, would a similar opportunity arise again, in the future, I believe that I would not hesitate one minute to try it again. But, as you no doubt anticipated, I did not get the job and, to this day, I am still living as a retired woman who would gladly accept some work to do in order to acquire a few more dollars to pay for sweetnesses that life can provide, if I could.