About three weeks ago I started working at a recruitment firm - I didn’t actually tell you about it because I’m not planning on staying long. I don’t much like it.
Anyway, I had an interview with a candidate for a receptionist role that was open. Everything was going fine till I suggested she make a couple changes to her resume when she totally lost it and started screaming at me about how immigrants come into this country and think they own it, how colored people think they’re better than the real Canadians – the white people who built Canada. She told me I should be ashamed to be taking a job away from a Canadian and taking home a paycheque that rightfully belongs to a real Canadian and that I should go back to my own country. I walked her out and told her we wouldn’t be able to represent her any longer. I locked the doors to the suite and called security while she stood outside in the hall pounding on the glass and screaming over and over that I should go back to my own country through the glass.
Which would be….America? “Home” has always been within the borders of North America. I’ve never experienced such racism before, I’ve never had anyone say such nasty things or display such prejudice.
Quite frankly, without immigration Canada would cease to exist as a functioning nation. Our population would steadily decline, the only thing maintaining our population is immigration.
11 responses so far ↓
Kyla Roma // June 8, 2009 at 5:27 pm |
…………………WHAT?!
That’s completely insane. At least you found out about it before she wigged in an potential employers office, but wow. It sounds like you used a LOT of restraint and poise here. Good job! I would not have been so strong!
Beth // June 8, 2009 at 10:01 pm |
Sounds like you handled it extremely well, so definitely kudos to you, but I’m sorry you had to go through it.
Hopefully, with a little help from our friend karma, the next time she does that the person on the receiving end will do what I’d have wanted to do – smack her right in her uneducated, racist little face.
Sarakastic // June 9, 2009 at 1:28 pm |
geekhiker // June 9, 2009 at 7:34 pm |
Stupid people. We see the same behavior down here, and whenever I see it, I always wish there was a full-blooded Gabrielino (natives of the LA region) standing there to say “Yeah, I was thinking the same damn thing.”
The fact is that the world as a whole is becoming more pluralistic. And there are those for whom it scares them shitless. Sad, really.
silverneurotic // June 9, 2009 at 9:39 pm |
Something similar happened to a friend of mine. He’s white, however, his adopted father just so happens to be Japanese American…and so my friend has a Japanese last name. One day while he was at his former job, one of his customers became irate for whatever reason and began insulting my friend because he was “Japanese”. HUH?
I really can’t stand people like that. It’s one thing to have your prejudices-it’s kind of human nature-but to flip out like that is totally uncalled for, unprofessional and just plain disgusting.
Something tells me that woman is going to be unemployed for a VERY VERY long time.
finn644 // June 10, 2009 at 7:08 pm |
well played, love (and sorry you had to go through that – inexcusable)
KennethSF // June 13, 2009 at 7:13 am |
That’s insane!
Perhaps you should be glad her true colors are revealed so you know the kind of person she is. In most cases, these folks are in search of a reason for their own failings and shortcomings. You just happen to be a convenient target.
Cheryl // June 15, 2009 at 2:47 am |
Gah, that’s terrible. I think you handled it well, but still. Terrible.
Maryam // June 15, 2009 at 2:32 pm |
Gosh! I don’t know how I would have behaved if I were you, Maybe I would have deleted her account permanently from the firm … !!!
Serves her right, doesnt it ?
Sarah // June 17, 2009 at 8:56 pm |
What a psycho!!! Her true colours came out… some people obviously can’t take any constructive criticism. Like esp at a time like this, she should’ve welcomed the criticism bc it was going to help her find a job! Good job with how u maintained your cool.
zendenizen // June 23, 2009 at 7:57 pm |
I can’t believe you had to go thru that. I’ve experienced what I thought were subtle forms of racism but nothing so direct.