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Anglos helpanglos find workin MontrealBy Ryan Hicks

The McGill Daily

English-speaking, Montreal-lovingstudents should take heart: it is

possible for them to find a job inMontreal after graduation.

Photo: Jonathan Gerber forthe McGillDaily

This was the message promoted by the Youth Employment Service(YES),a non-profit community organization that provides English-language employment services to Quebeckers, at the organization'sopen house last Thursday. The event showcased more than a dozensuccessful anglophones, with careers and businesses in areas rangingfrom the arts to communications to health.

YES's Job Search program, designed for youth aged 18 to 35, provides.career counselling, job postings, workshops, business French courses,

resume and cover-letter translation, and a mentoring program.

YESExecutive Director Iris Unger said that she hears all the time fromemployers that language is not the number one aspect of a candidatethey look at.

"It really boils down to your attitude and if you have a positive attitudeabout being able to get a job, or start a small business and you haveperseverance and personality, that on a scale weighs more thananything else," says Unger.

http://www.mcgilldaily.com/view.php?aid=4330 10/26/2005

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The McGill Daily: Anglos help anglos find work in Montreal Page 2 of2

Like many of the open house attendees, Corina Boland, who now runsher own marketing company, believes that it is possible to make it inMontreal, and she pointed to herself as proof.

Hailing from Newfoundland, she says that YES is an important resourcefor the anglophone community in Montreal.

"If you want to make it, you have to see YES.It's specifically forEnglish-speaking Montrealers," explained Boland. "Being unilingualshouldn't be a reason to abandon a project or leave MontrealforToronto."

Anglophones should "stick around," explained singer Joanne Griffith.

A native Montrealer, Griffith received an Artists Grant from YESthathelped her produce her first CD. For anglophones, she feels it is about"state of mind."

"Myfeeling about Quebec is that it's an open province, and if you arewillingto make the effort to participate and show an interest in theculture, there's a lot of openness," she added.

Others who have benefited from YES'sservices said that the primaryadvantage they received was from having someone who would listen tothem and provide some guidance and advice.

For more information, visit the YES office at 630 Rene-Levesque Ouestsuite 185, Promenade Level, or check their web site,www.yesmontreal.com. or caI/878-9788.

E-mail the editors @The Daily Publication Society

http://www.mcgilldaily.com/view.php?aid=4330 10/26/2005