MARIANA’S STORY: A JOURNEY TOWARDS CONFIDENCE, DETERMINATION AND SUCCESS
Meet Mariana Smith. She's a strong and confident woman who knows what she wants. But life threw her a curveball in March 2020 when she lost her job due to the pandemic.
After months of job searching, Mariana joined the Restart Scheme in September 2021. She was determined to find the perfect job that would fulfill her ambitions and pay her well. But finding the right fit wasn't easy.
"I cannot express how thankful I am to Jobs 22. Thank you for being so patient. I know I stopped myself from progressing quicker. I put up barriers, like not being able to drive or the role was not right for me, or the money and hours were not specifically what I wanted. I was not an easy person to please."
Working with Skills Trainer Donna Spreag, helped Mariana to assess her skills and prioritise her specific set of requirements for her ideal role. There was a risk that Mariana would miss out on opportunities that didn't meet her exact criteria. Not finding something perfect had also led to a period of uncertainty and self-doubt.
Mariana continued, "Attending the workshops and sessions with Donna and speaking to my Employment Coach Ella Campbell, meant I was then ready to recognise what I could actually do and opened myself up to different roles. You have helped me in every way possible and have motivated me when I needed it.”
Mariana attended a three-day workshop for Customer Service and then met employers, who talked about the job roles on offer. She also attended a Warehousing Workshop, where she engaged really well in the session and with our guest speakers, who were all local employers.
With further skills support from Donna, Mariana also learnt how to answer interview questions in a professional way, how to ask questions in an interview and how to prepare herself so that she would become more confident and successful in interviews.
Donna Spreag, Northampton based Skills Trainer said, "Mariana has been on a great journey and this reflects exactly what we do at Jobs 22. We supported her every step of the way. We worked to boost her confidence by reminding her of her experience and skill set, and put her through confidence-building sessions to help her overcome her doubts.
It has been a pleasure to support her and see how employment has made her so happy."
Donna continued, "What a difference a year makes, Mariana was in a very different place this time last year, but is now the happiest that we have ever seen her. She is literally beaming!”
Mariana's journey was not without sacrifices. She sold some of her possessions, including her dining table and chairs, to stay afloat while she searched for her dream job.
Mariana said “ I feel less stressed now, no worry for paying the bills, I love working, I love being with people and seeing that I can progress in my role, I would love to become a supervisor in the next six months. All of this is possible, thank you to Jobs 22 for providing me with all of the support, and for supplying safety shoes, a new bike so that I have my own transport, my SIA license and all of the other sessions. I feel full of life!!”
Mariana's story is a reminder that finding the perfect job isn't always easy, but with perseverance and the right support, it's possible to achieve your dreams.