Christa Shane: All the things we learn are valuable

by | Nov 25, 2024

I homeschooled my two children through high school. When they were college-ready—and world-ready—it was time for me to get back into the workforce. I went to Central Maine Community College to study human services and graduated with an associate degree in a year and a half.

I had gone through a major life transition and loss of income in my household and I wanted to find work in the mental health field. Through the Resume Strategies class and working individually with my NVME coach, I learned how to analyze job posts in order to customize my resume and then created resumes that employers would notice.

My coach supported me as I wrote resumes and cover letters specific to job opportunities and helped me feel confident and ready to apply. She helped me understand my value in the workplace because of my skills and education. She helped me see that all the things we learn throughout life are valuable (sometimes more valuable than we think!).

I now work full time as a behavioral health home coordinator at Sweetser. It’s been difficult making the transition into a new field, but I keep moving forward. I’m building my caseload and gaining independence.

My greatest joy throughout the process of job hunting was submitting quality resumes and cover letters that employers would consider.

If I was to give advice to others, I would say reach out to NVME to schedule an individual coaching session and/or take classes simultaneously to get support while you make your way back into the workforce. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you think you could benefit from it.
I’m really thankful for the support I received that helped propel me forward towards my goals.

More Stories
Sally Lehtinen: Dreams Do Come True

My treasured vision was to see the Swiss Alps, which had been on my bucket list since I saw “The Sound of Music” when I was six years old. I vowed that I would go there one day. Miraculously, my dream came true! I traveled to Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Prague in May of 2023. My goal was to have $2,000 in spending money to go on my trip and I had over $3,000 in the bank.

read more