Deb
Deb came to Better Jobs, Better Futures after being made redundant from the company where she had worked for the last 13 years and having spent a number of months searching for new employment. Deb was proactive and quickly started to apply for new roles but felt daunted at the prospect of completing some of the more detailed and complex application forms. Facing the uncertainty and insecurity of unemployment Deb quickly lost confidence; having not secured any interviews over the period of a few months, Deb was struggling to understand where she was going wrong and what steps she needed to take in order to make progress.
“My daughter had received help from the Better Jobs, Better Futures programme through Gower College Swansea and they had supported her to secure a brilliant accounting apprenticeship. I decided to follow in her footsteps, make an appointment and see if they could help me” – Deb
Deb came to Better Jobs, Better Futures and met with Emma who talked through the best methods to complete application forms and the type of skills and qualities that employers were looking for. Deb and Emma practiced effective application responses and focused particularly on person specifications: Emma guided Deb to individually consider each specification and specifically detail how she fulfilled that criteria. By meticulously going through the requirements, Deb made quick progress and began to provide all the necessary information required to be successful in the application process.
“It has been a pleasure working with Deb. She has always taken on board all the advice and guidance I have given her and always wanted to learn more. It was never that Deb’s applications weren’t good enough, she just needed to follow a more robust process on how to structure her responses in order to have maximum impact on the employer. Deb had all the potential, she just needed some support in order to fulfil it” – Emma, Workforce Adviser
Once happy with her CV, cover letters and applications, Deb began to apply for suitable job roles. With newfound confidence and self-belief, Deb’s applications were recognised to be of a very high standard, and invitations to interview quickly came through.
“Before every interview I made appointments with Emma to practice my techniques and build my confidence. Going through the process in a relaxed environment with a familiar face really helped me prepare and I felt ready for all the interview challenges I was about to face” – Deb
Following highly successful interviews, Deb was offered not one but two great positions at fantastic organisations. Deb’s hard work and determination had paid off and as a result she was afforded the luxury of choosing between two brilliant opportunities.
“I was over the moon for Deb when she informed me about her job offers and I was thrilled that the employers had recognised her experience and abilities. Deb is a smart and capable lady and I have loved supporting her to achieve her goals. Deb is a credit to herself and her family and a role model to others facing the difficulties of redundancy. Having been scared and nervous about her future, Deb can now feel motivated and excited and that is truly amazing to be part of!” – Emma
Deb eagerly accepted the position most suitable to her circumstances and is now looking forward to a fresh start in a new finance role with huge potential for development.
“I believe that my success was down to the help that Emma gave me and am really grateful to her and the Better Jobs, Better Futures programme for everything they have done for me and my family” – Deb
