"The summer of 2012 was a tough time for me. It marked my
three-and-a-half year anniversary since moving to Vancouver, the same amount of
time that I had been highly under-employed or not employed at all. Vancouver
has been a challenging city in which to find work.
In May of that year, after a vigorous series of interviews,
I finally landed a job that I thought would be my long-term resting place with
a company I was really keen to join. Sadly, I quickly learned that the job and
the company were not for me, and by August, just a few short months later, I
was laid off.
It was back to the job-hunting board for me; a nightmare of
a full-time job that I was not eager to return to. And then I had a chat with
my lovely neighbor Trude, who upon hearing about my situation, asked had I ever
heard of Dress For Success? I answered that I didn’t think I had and she excitedly
described who they are, what they do and then passed along a referral and I was
in!
From the moment I walked in the door, I was made to feel
comfortable. Two lovely volunteers raced me around the clothing and accessories
to find the perfect ‘interview’ outfit. When I mentioned some of my limitations
and preferences on clothing, they were so kind to make me feel at ease and work
within those parameters – I swear they had so much fun trying to dress me.
Once I had the outfit, the next step was career guidance for
which I was paired with two career HR women in related fields to mine. They
were extremely helpful to talk to, providing me with information about various
opportunities across sectors and within my field. They also looked over my
resume and offered pointers for improvement, as well as ideas on other
positions I could apply for.
I left Dress For Success that day with so much more than I
thought I would. The supportive and knowledgeable staff was exactly what I
needed to help boost my spirit and get me moving in the right direction. And
with a new outfit fit for an interview, I was armed with the right tools and
resources to get me back on the right track. A few weeks later I managed to
find a job that, although below my qualifications and desired salary, turned
out to be a wonderful opportunity that has grown into so much more.
I’m so thankful to my Trude for introducing me to Dress For
Success, and equally as thankful that programs like this, and with such a
fabulous group of people running it, exist. Whenever I talk to women I know
that are unemployed or underemployed, I can’t help but pass along the same
excited description about Dress For Success that my neighbor had given to me. Thank you"
Jacqueline M.
Dress For Success Vancouver Client
