Ever thought that things happen for a reason? Well I am a great believer in that and it’s that reason that I am in the job that I am in now.
Pathways to Work helped me to get my job
When I left school I had a temporary 7 week job in housekeeping at Crewe Hall covering for someone, and because my mum worked there when the post became available I applied and successfully got the job. After the 7 weeks I had the option of staying on but for some reason I didn’t feel that this was the job I wanted to spend the rest of my life in so I returned to looking for a career.
“Because I hadn’t had much experience and my exam results weren’t too good they just said unfortunately I hadn’t been picked for the job this time but they would keep my details in their files and contact me if anything else became available”
Applying for jobs
So I applied for loads of jobs everywhere and had a few interviews but because I hadn’t had much experience and my exam results weren’t too good they just said unfortunately I hadn’t been picked for the job this time but they would keep my details in their files and contact me if anything else became available. They never did though and I was starting to get really bored at home not doing anything so one day my on the spur of the moment I went again into Connexions to check their latest vacancies.
I was talking to an adviser there and she explained that because I had added Administration as an area of interest she wanted to let me know about a Business Administration course that they were actually interviewing for that same afternoon. The programme was called Pathways to Business Administration, so quickly she rang to check it was still ok to come over and it was just starting so I ran round the corner and just got there in time. When I arrived, the staff were really friendly and the nervousness in me seemed to have faded until they said we were going to have a mini interview to see if we were right for the course, that’s when my nerves re-surfaced! My feedback was that I looked and acted nervous but overall it went ok and they were glad to accept me onto the course. The staff went through the details and the more they said the more I couldn’t wait.
Starting the course
A few days later I received a letter which stated my start date and I started the course. Luckily there was someone I went to school with also on the course so it didn’t seem like I was going to be on my own not knowing anyone. As the course progressed everyone in the group became really good friends and really enjoyed the course. We then received an opportunity to go into a placement. I went for an interview at a local Nursing Home with the manager and the receptionist/administrator and they said they would be pleased to have me there. My confidence grew more and more with the compliments from the staff on how well I was doing as I started my NVQ Level 1 Business Administration. The NVQ trainers were really helpful and reassuring whenever I got worried about any work I had to do. The staff at the nursing home really made me feel comfortable and I made some good friends. Then after 8 months in placement it was time for me to leave even though I had so much fun, and gained that much experience, I didn’t want to go!
I was nervous for my interview but as my confidence had grew throughout my time on the course I was no where near as nervous as I was at the initial interview.
Shortly after I had finished my placement it was announced that I had passed my NVQ Level 1! I was so happy now knowing that, hopefully, because I had more experience I could get the job that I wanted. One day I was doing job search with my group when my trainer said that there was a job vacancy coming available at the centre that we were based at, actually within Total People.
Getting the job
I applied and was asked to attend an interview at 11.00am on Friday 4th September 2009. I was nervous for my interview but as my confidence had grew throughout my time on the course I was no where near as nervous as I was at the initial interview. My interview went very well and I was told that I would if I was successful I would be told sometime next week. Later that day at 12.00pm I had a phone call from the lady who interviewed me, offering me the job! I was so amazed that I actually let out an excited squeal! Everything moved really quickly as I started work the following Monday! I already knew most of the staff and my way around the building because of my time on the programme so I just couldn’t wait for Monday to hurry up and come. I had gone from earning £30 a a week EMA to a full time job in the space of 72 hours! I have been at Total People now for 9 months and all the staff in other centres are all so nice and friendly and I feel proud to work in a company that is so supportive.
So going back to the first line of this story, if it wasn’t for that random burst of job hunting over at Connexions and all the jobs that I didn’t get offered, I wouldn’t be here today in a job that I love with people that make my job so worth while.
