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Being born in another country and having an accent, it was always hard for me to achieve what I wanted. The first 5-8 years of being in North America, I spent them staying home and raising my children. As they were growing up, I decided to go to school and got trained as a secretary. I started getting my working experience by temping. I had quite a few rejections. Managers didn't like my accent, and they thought that I wouldn't be able to do the job. But I didn't give up. A couple of years went by doing this, and finally someone gave me my first break. I had a full time job.

I worked for this company for two years. My boss appreciated my hard work and rewarded me every chance he got. I was sure I made it.

I moved to the US (from Canada) and after a couple of interviews I got a job. The job was for a large multi national corporation through a contract house and the position was indefinite. I worked for this company for 3 years and then I got laid off - fired more likely.

I worked hard, thinking that all this hard work will pay off. But it seemed that the harder I worked the more work I got. In the beginning I kept my mouth shut and stayed late to finish the projects that were given to me. I would ask my manager for direction and help, but I wouldn't get a straight answer. My husband kept telling me to stop working so many hours. The fact that I was finishing everything they were giving me showed them that I wasn't busy. I couldn't take his advice. So I kept on working harder. I would have days that I would take a deep breath and keep on working and days that I would tell them I cannot do all this work. My manager's comments were usually: "Do what you can but finish them". One day he actually said to me: "You are not doing anything else but complaining". I tried to explain to him that I repeatedly asked for help, but he insisted that it was just complains.

In the meantime, I could see other members of the department avoiding me. They wouldn't talk to me unless it was work related. I knew that something was wrong.

In one of our staff meetings, the whole department, including my manager, blamed me for being the bottleneck for certain procedures and holding things up. I was very upset.

The next day I was asked to have a meeting with my manager and my contract house rep. The meeting ended up being more "Reap on me" than listening to what I had to say, without any outcome.

A couple of months went by with no changes in anyone's behavior or my work load. I felt like an outsider who had to do everything while the rest of the department was outside smoking.

One day everyone from the whole department had disappeared. My contract house rep came to my desk and asked me to follow her in a conference room. I was told that there was conflict in the department, that there were mistakes in my work (which I was never told) and that it would be best if my contract was terminated. With tears in my eyes, I returned my badge, picked up my personal stuff, the little that I had, and went home. It was the lowest point in my life. But I knew deep down it wasn't my fault. I did the best I could. My only mistake was that I asked for help. I should have learned to be political and diplomatic. I should have shot the breeze with them, instead of saying: "got to go, have a lot of work to do". Maybe I'd still be there.

But as much as I felt bitter at the time, now at this point in my life, I am glad it happened. I landed on my feet, got a better job and moved up the corporate ladder to executive manager.

As someone once told me "Things always turn out for the best".

Learn more about this author, Mary Rose-Sellers.
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