Congratulations! They’ve landed!

HomeCongratulations! They’ve landed!

Congratulations! They’ve landed!

We love to celebrate our clients who’ve landed!

Here’s a sampling of those who returned to full employment in the past couple of months:

Jennifer Barnes ended 17 months of unemployment when she landed a position as an intermodal coordinator at Kuehne + Nagel, an international logistics and supply chain company.

She came to Charlotte Works on January 16 and took advantage of workshops, Novant Healthcare’s health screenings and the Resource Center. Most helpful, though, was CPCC’s Interview Boot Camp.

“I hadn’t been on an interview in almost 15 years. Boot Camp showed me the ‘new school’ way of getting in the door and performing in an interview,” says Barnes. “I learned so much that I realized how much I didn’t know, or rather how much times have changed!

“I handled interviews differently. I was prepared with my elevator speech and how to handle the questions I feared the most. Although most interviews were casual, I was ready,” she continues. “The best tip was the crib sheet. I actually had one interviewer who said I was the first person he had seen with one.”

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Patrick Dorismond learned about Charlotte Works at a seminar on project management at Central Piedmont Community College.

He used the Resource Center and attended multiple workshops to “improve and reinforce my networking, resume and interviewing skills.” He also worked with Volunteer Veressa Hendrix to update his resume and develop 30-, 60- and 90-day action plans.

Dorismond says Charlotte Works “[is] a place [to] reassess your professional experience, education, skills and goals and develop an effective way to communicate, network and job-search in a competitive and social media-driven environment.”

He capped three months of unemployment by landing a position as an airline ground support equipment department manager at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, N.Y. in late July.

Wyona Mayes Eaton started as a customer care representative at Lending Tree, LLC on July 2. Wyona Eaton - Article

She came to Charlotte Works in February after her sister heard about the organization on the radio. She was laid off by Lending Tree in October 2011.

“I had absolutely no idea how, in less than five months, my perspective for the unemployment market would change so drastically,” Eaton says. “Charlotte Works gave me hope and encouragement and helped me feel confident in seeking a job. I learned a great amount about the renewed job market and used my networking skills to land my old job back.”

She had actually begun a temporary position with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) when the call came from Lending Tree. She thinks it’s “crazy” that she had no luck finding a job for over a year, and after only five months, had “to turn down jobs.”

In addition to attending workshops and joining a job-search team, Eaton worked with Career Coach Daena Spencer. “Daena helped me gain the confidence in my job skills and experience along with knowledge of how to ace an interview,” she says. “I was so prepared and confident in my interview with MDA, even I was astounded at myself. I was the only one on-point with my professional business attire, including a brand new business portfolio, and I felt comfortable with my answers to what the panel threw at me.”

Sandra Long - ArticleSandra Long came to Charlotte Works in February “after many months of searching on my own,” she says. “I thought I knew the ins and outs of job-seeking today. Well, reality set in.”

Long attended 27 workshops, explored On-The-Job Training (OJT) opportunities with OJT Specialist Jim Korth and volunteered as a resource assistant.

“I knew right away, from orientation, that Charlotte Works was exactly what I needed to rejuvenate and motivate me. The moment I walked into the office I said, ‘Wow, this place is beautiful, very professional, modern and very welcoming,’” she says. “I signed up to volunteer within a couple of days. There’s so much positive energy in a ‘can-do’ environment and many smiling faces, too!”

Following 14 months of unemployment, Long landed a position as a tax specialist with MPAY in early May after only 10 weeks at Charlotte Works.

Charlene N’Diaye came to Charlotte Works in August 2011 after being a stay-at-home mother for nine years. She took advantage of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) classroom funds to pursue a nursing career, working with Training Coordinator Jeanease Lucas. Charlene N - Article

She landed a position as a registered nurse in the progressive care unit at Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill, S.C., on August 5.

“The Charlotte Works program is a wonderful resource to help those who are not able to do so by their own means achieve their dreams. A large part of my education and materials were provided for through the program, and without it, I would not have been able to successfully complete my goals,” N’Diaye says. “The program carried me from the beginning of a career change to a meaningful career as an RN. The Charlotte Works program really cares about helping people succeed and is committed to those they serve.”

Gail Summerskill - ArticleGail Summerskill was laid off from Strayer University in October 2012. She found the job search challenging. “I had worked my way up the corporate ladder at Stayer and was working for the president. I began searching for executive positions, even though my experience at that rank was short and my over-55 age did not aid a job hunt in Charlotte’s tight market,” she says.

She came to Charlotte Works in January 2013 after learning about the services from a friend. “I was beginning to feel the stress and anxiety of three months of unsuccessful job-hunting. Orientation, working in the inviting Charlotte Works space, resume help and Interview Boot Camp renewed my energy and gave me hope,” notes Summerskill. “I received straightforward, clear advice and counsel from the staff and realistically narrowed my search to find clarity and direction.”

That clarity and direction led to a return to teaching, a past career. She landed a position with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as an eighth-grade language arts teacher at Bruns Academy on July 17.



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