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APRIL 1984 : PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA, IN MONTREAL AND THEIR MANAGER OF ENGINEERING RESOURCES, SIDNEY MONAGHAN

 

This brief story actually concerns the second of five abortive attempts to get work with this company between January 1983 and  February 1990, and was one of the worst.

 

All five experiences involved typical Canadian workplace attitudes towards people out of work  - quote - .lack of Canadian experience, do not (quite) meet the requirements of the position and so on.

 

The experience with Sidney Monaghan occurred in April 1984. I had been introduced to him by a personal acquaintance who worked there.

 

I sent him my resume in the usual way, with a covering letter outlining my areas of interest, and was able to schedule a meeting with him about a week later. I was 37 at the time.

 

The meeting was a total disaster. Apart from other things, Mr. Monaghan said two things which I found particularly offensive and inappropriate :-

 

1.     Quote : if you were 27, then I would say  - quote - look around the company. BUT IF YOU ARE 37….. (forget it, or some such)

2.     He knew I had already been out of work for nearly 2 years, so I did not need this : : quote -  the longer you leave it, the more difficult it will get  -unquote