At the age of 18 I dropped out of Cegep and began working for minimum wage. Two years later I had a revelation. I realized I wanted more and had to return to school. The problem was that I was lost and had no idea where to begin. My mother suggested that I meet with someone at Ometz (then, Jewish Employment Montreal), who she said would be able to direct me. I met with Janet Perlis, a career counselor who took the time to get to know me. I was always aware of my interests but never knew how I could apply them towards a university degree or a future career. She gave me a questionnaire to fill out and patiently guided me through the process.

Based on the results, Janet suggested Marketing. The truth is I never pictured myself in business school, which I assumed was a stepping stone toward becoming the proverbial “Business Woman”. However, with Janet’s encouragement, I researched the field and discovered that there was plenty of room for creativity, while acquiring important skills and working toward a business degree. So I went for it…and LOVED it! After graduating from John Molson School of Business, I returned to Ometz for assistance with job search. Cathy Grundman, my employment counselor, helped me polish my CV and distributed it to various companies. I kept my options open, ready to interview anywhere that had “advertising” or “marketing” in the job description.

Within two weeks I had several interviews. One of them was for Blind Ferret Entertainment, a small but growing web-based comic and affiliate marketing company. I remember walking into the office for the first time. It was an odd place, to say the least. There were comic characters, sword collections, and Lego models everywhere. It certainly wasn’t the environment in which I saw myself. But, after meeting with the employers and staff, I starting thinking that this could actually be a really cool place to work.

At the same time I was interviewing at a large fashion company, the industry where I always assumed I would end up. When Blind Ferret offered me a position (and was not prepared to wait for an answer while I was testing waters elsewhere), I had an immediate choice to make. Choosing between the two options was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make. Cathy and her supervisor, Lois Liverman, helped me talk out my situation and envision my life at both companies. I will never forget the moment I heard, “I think you made up your own mind. It sounds like you really want Blind Ferret”. I knew they were right. I accepted the position.

Two and a half years later I am still with Blind Ferret and have been promoted twice. I am now the Director of Advertising Operations. I am working for good people and love coming to the office every day. In fact, I can picture myself here forever. Recently, I assisted in the recruitment of a new employee for my department. We hired Josh Salzberg, a recent graduate referred to us by Ometz. Once again, they found a great fit for Blind Ferret. I realize, as I am writing this, how I have come full circle; from a misguided 18 year old, to the director of my own department. And Ometz has been there for me every step of the way.