Yesterday, just before 5 P.M., I emailed a "letter of interest" to a property management firm about a rather vaguely described position that I became aware of while in Toronto early last week. No resume, just a letter.

Three hours later my phone rang with the long distance- signal. I answered fully expecting a telemarketer, it being almost 8 oclock on a Friday evening.

Instead, it was a woman calling about the letter I had e-mailed. She asked when I could see her. As in, "tomorrow" (that being today). This, knowing full well that I was more than 300 k. away. "Well, no, that won't work for me; how about next week ?". Response - "how about Sunday, as I'm only here till Monday and I'm seeing a lot of other people that day". So, I said I'd see what arrangements I could make, and would let her know. She gave her cell-phone number, saying I could call anytime, and identified herself as "Mrs. Brown(e)" (ph)

I did call today, saying that I could go on Sunday, but that given the not insignificant amount of time and money involved, I would first want to know a few more details. Well, I did get a "few" more details, but not a lot. "I need to meet with you in person to know how much you can do. I have a lot of real estate in Toronto. (she had earlier said that she was from Montreal, and I had noted a slight french accent; two details that make me a bit dubious about the name and the MRS. !)

I was able to determine that we were on roughly the same page as far as remuneration, etc. But she asked several personal questions that I thought a bit out of place in such a circumstance - age; family status, etc. I answered them all, honestly, but it seemed a bit odd. For all I know, that could be a "quebec" thing that I haven't encountered before.

So, it is left that I can let her know "anytime" whether I'm coming to see her tomorrow afternoon. And I am here wondering whether I ought to or not.

Perceptions ? Perspectives ?

She might have been checking to see if you weren't the "right age" for the job (can't comment about "family status, since I'm not sure what that means in context).

Here's a little something on age discrimination:

It is most certainly a "real-estate time-share" company.

Considering what you described,I would advise against it (if it is not too late, now). Some of these companies use very heavy tactics, pressure and psychological bullying. Some are outright scams.

They have positions for hosts, team leaders and managers. Commissions are the main salary, though they may be paid some hourly wages.

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Originally posted by lacabombi:
James, It is most certainly a "real-estate time-share" company.

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It is also understandable that she was not "generous" regarding details. If I had cases before a tribunal that seem at risk, I would not give any details either, especially when I identify some or all the properties.

A few years ago, I travelled 600 miles (to my current location) for an interview, with no clue about my chances, and here I am, hired and workeing ever since.

If this person indeed has a large number of rental units, it would be a problem they would be dealing with on a regular basis.

They may be able to get by with a notary public, but I doubt it.

By the way, while they may not be able to give details of any upcoming hearings, they could certainly say that was what the job was, without compromising any pending actions.

My experience in life is that if someone can't or won't clearly define what the job is, they do so for a reason.

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Originally posted by lacabombi:
Go for it, James. It may be a long and expensive trip, but sometimes we have to meet lady luck halfway.

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maestro: I would suggest (for what it's worth...)that anyone who had business before the 'Tribunal" would hire a lawyer. Or more likely a team of lawyers.

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Originally posted by Scott Piatkowski:

Lady luck lives in Kitchener?

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So come on, what happened?

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Becuase there remain a few details to iron out, I'm not anxious to say too much on a search-engine accessible forum. But I am starting, tentatively, tomorrow. I can say that this was one of those instances where the applicant defined the position, rather than the other way around. And Ms. Brown, who turns out to be V.P. Operations, based in Montreal and wishing she could spend much more of her time there rather than in TO, quite honestly didn't know what she was "going to do with me" until we had talked for about an hour, and until she had asked me to go have breakfast while she discussed it with the president. I think its fair to say that they modified the corporate plans and structure while I muched my bagel and java. Once I was there in person, she was very upfront, very direct. And the phone conversations were just what they were at face value. "really want to meet with you; really don't know what the position might entail until I do." I didn't know it at the time, but whatever the plans were when the ad was placed were put on the shelf when my letter came through.

And we hay-elped!

[ 25 January 2005: Message edited by: RealityBites ]