"I regularly get offered an interview, but I'm never offered the job. With every job I get knocked back for, the more nervous I get at interviews. I know that it's the interview that is getting in my way, and it's starting to affect my confidence." (Foundation4Work participant)
We share how the programme helped Al to improve his confidence and his approach to job seeking, so that by the time he attended an interview, he felt prepared, determined and more relaxed, to show employers he is the candidate they're looking for.
Meet Al
Al is in his 30's and lives in Gateshead. He was unemployed and struggling to find work. He has a neurological disorder, and felt this was affecting his job interviews and confidence.
He wanted to put his skills and experiences to good use, and apply his university degree to a rewarding career, but his inability to succeed at interview stage was negatively affecting his mental health.
Seeking Help
Al was seeking help with his confidence and interview technique, and wanted to gain some hands on experience to add to his CV.
He found the Foundation4Work programme on Facebook and got in touch.
The Foundation4Work team invited Al to their charity on Askew Road West, Gateshead so that they could explain more about the programme, how it could help and to see if it was something that Al felt would benefit him.
Al chatted about his needs and together they discovered what aspects of the training and Foundation4Work experience may be most beneficial.
During this conversation, Al disclosed to the team how his neurological disorder had affected his life, and how he felt it affected his prospects for employment in particular. He told us how this, together with the condition itself, had caused him to suffer from depression.
Identifying a Barrier
It quickly became clear that one approach in particular that Al was taking when applying for roles, was holding him back when attending the many job interviews he had secured. Al chose not to inform employers about his condition. We suggested that disclosing his condition during the application stage might help Al to relax more during his interviews knowing that he could focus on answering questions rather than trying to control his symptoms, and so that adjustments could be put in place in advance by the employer.
A plan was made for Al to attend Foundations one to two days per week, for up to 12 weeks to work on his confidence, interview skills, approach to job seeking and to work alongside the charity's warehouse and driving team.
Building Confidence
Each week that Al attended, we sat down together to list his achievements during the day, which included practical and online tasks, online courses and development of new interview techniques. These regular conversations helped us get to know Al well, and for him to look at all of the skills, knowledge and experiences he had to offer an employer.
Growing in confidence for interviews was a key focus of Al’s time with the Foundation4Work programme. Together we did mock interviews, where we asked many of the questions that he would face in a real interview situations, especially those he felt most uncomfortable answering. The more sessions we did, the greater Al’s confidence became and the less his condition affected his ability to answer questions.
What changed for Al
Al gained confidence in every day life, not just in his approach to job seeking and interviews.
By coming along to Foundation4Work, he was part of a team and the frequent social aspect of being in a work setting was a positive experience.
Everyone at Foundations noticed the improvement in Al’s overall wellbeing and he told us how much better his mental health was as a result. He also told us how positive his home life had become too, due to his happier outlook. He started going out walking regularly, to improve his physical health and to continue his improvements to mental health.
“As much as anything, I really appreciate the social aspects of life with Foundations and felt a close connection to the team there.” Al
A Perfect Career
Al left the programme after using the full 12 weeks to his advantage.
He felt more confident in interviews, and how to direct his skills, experience and knowledge towards roles he felt he could excel in and he would find rewarding.
Soon after leaving he began a full-time role working for NHS after successfully securing and performing exceptionally well at his interview where he could demonstrate all of the skills, experience and knowledge he could bring to the role.
To find out more about volunteering and employment support in Gateshead, call the team on 0191 477 8337 or visit the Foundation4Work website. Each participant receives FREE work boots, PPE and a personalised employment readiness toolkit to keep as well as support with travel costs to and from our charity.
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