In the fall of 2005 Danielle was working at a call center as a trainer when her boss came to her and informed her that she would be demoted to working on the phones. This caused her to make the scariest decision of her life–to leave her job to find another. Her sons were 5 and 3 years old at the time, and as a single mom she was very hesitant to leave her job; but she knew that there was no future where she was and needed something that would support both her family and her professional growth.
After several months of unsuccessful job searching Danielle enrolled in a Career Planning Class offered by Women Work & Community. Through the class she learned that she had many transferrable skills from her previous jobs that also matched her interests. It was a matter of finding the right employer. “During the class, the instructor approached me with a classified ad in the local paper and asked me if I had considered applying. I told her I had not. I didn’t think that I had the required qualifications. She encouraged me to apply, and helped me tailor my resume and cover letter to that specific opportunity. The instructor was invaluable in helping me translate the skills I had to what they were looking for.”
Danielle applied for and got the job as Executive Assistant with Western Maine Community Action in May of 2006. “I know that I would not have even applied for that job without the assistance and support of Women Work & Community. I am still working for WMCA and have expanded my professional horizons there. I now work as the Data Specialist at WMCA. I have a stable job at an agency I am proud to work for, and have had the opportunity to further develop and learn new skills. Getting this job meant more than a steady paycheck – it was my opportunity to make my own future rather than have it dictated to me, and I owe it to Women Work & Community for helping me get there.”