Eric was made redundant after 25 years of service, he only ever worked for one company and was completely unaware of the jobs market and how to look for another job. He registered with Business 2 Business in January 2019 after attending one of our Jobs Fairs in the community. He was feeling depressed and demotivated as he wasn’t able to find suitable employment and was unsuccessful after applying for many vacancies. We were able to alleviate much of the pressure Eric felt with his job searching by giving him quality in depth Information, Advice and Guidance so that he was able to make an informed and realistic decisions about his career journey. We assisted Eric with Employability Skills and this consisted of information on the local labour market, job search techniques and application support. We also supported Eric with ideas on where to look for vacancies, how to write a CV, which job websites listed the type of work he was interested in, writing effective applications and exploring benefits of learning new skills.
After 3 months of intensive support, we helped Eric secure an interview with a local logistics firm. Eric was very nervous about his interview as he never really needed to attend one, even his first job didn’t require an interview. We helped him understand what would be involved during his interview, what he needed to wear, how he would travel to it, helped him do some research on the company’s history and under took 2 mock interviews. Although Eric felt he didn’t have skills that a modern day employer required, he had excellent work ethics and a great employment record and Eric successfully managed to get a permanent jo with them.
With the support he received from Business 2 Business and its’ ability to draw upon strong established local networks, he built his confidence and self-esteem, he felt like he has someone to turn to during these dark days. He feels that he has come a long way from when he was made redundant and feels like he has hope.
His long-term goal is to work within the logistics sector as a health and safety representative, a role that Eric has previously worked in. We will continue to support him through his current employment with a view to helping him find his dream role in the future. Already we are looking at courses he can complete in his own time (Health and Safety in the workplace Level 2) to increase his chances of being employed with updated qualifications. We have looked into and discussed doing some voluntary work as a health and safety representative in other sectors apart from logistics so that he can broaden his opportunities and although Eric is now in employment, we are still committed to helping Eric find his dream job.
“Business 2 Business has helped me with my first steps to my ideal job, I would never have thought that the jobs fair I attended would be been so helpful in my journey to seeking employment, thank you Steve”
