The Interview

Ana was an engineer for fifteen years. She built bridges. Big bridges, over rivers, in two countries.

In Vancouver, she sent out thirty-two applications in four months. She changed her résumé five times. She took a course at the library called Finding Work in Canada. She learned that a résumé here is short, with no photo and no date of birth. She learned about something called "Canadian experience", which everybody wanted and nobody could explain how to get.

Most companies never answered. Two sent an email that said: Thank you for your interest.

Then, on a Tuesday in January, her phone rang.

"Hello, this is Karen from Coastline Engineering. We received your application. Are you available for an interview next Monday at ten a.m.?"

Ana said yes so fast that Karen laughed.

When she told the family at dinner, Joe stood up and cheered. Mia did not really understand, but she cheered too. Leo put down his fork.

"You need to practise," he said seriously. "We did job interviews in Careers class. I know all the questions."

"You're twelve," said Ana.

"I got an A," said Leo.

So, every evening that week, after dinner, the kitchen became an office.