Success Stories
Our clients – both job seekers and employers – give us purpose and their successes are our successes. Every job seeker and employer has their own story – finding our services at different points in their search for help. Some need more guidance than others, some find us at the beginning of their search, and others, mid-stream. Many find mutual understanding and support from fellow job seekers as well as our staff. Every employer has different needs as well, whether they are start-ups looking to grow, or established companies looking to re-organize.
Here are a few stories from our job seekers and employers who have found success through the Tri-Valley Career Center (Note: The stories below are real, however stock images have been used to accompany them.)
Darin N.
Like many in the Bay Area, Darin’s job required a long commute- taking him an hour in the morning and close to two hours to return home each night. A quarter of his salary was spent on gas and he had no time for himself or his family. Then his car broke down and he had no way to get to work. Soon, Darin was laid off and though he was initially concerned, the break gave him a chance to consider different career options that might also improve his quality of life.
The team at TVCC assisted Darin with his Unemployment Insurance claim, his resume, and other aspects of his job search. Darin received WIOA-funded training to become a Class A truck driver in order to change careers and create more opportunities. He attended workshops, Job Club, and hiring events such as Coffee Break with Employers to practice talking with employers about himself and his skills and connect with other job seekers.
After completing his training, Darin found a better-paying job close to home, which not only added money to his bank account, but added quality hours to each day. Today, Darin reports having a more enjoyable career with better pay, better benefits, and in a much better work environment. Says Darin, “My outcome is brighter – and I now have a skill I can take with me anywhere.”
Elise L.
Elise was in the process of changing careers when she found TVCC. She perceived multiple challenges in her job search: her background did not match her new career goals; she had a sizable gap in her resume; and she was new to the U.S. and had to navigate the visa system before even starting to look. By the time she found the Career Center, Elise was frustrated, not knowing which way to turn or where to go.
Elise dove into her job search and was a regular at TVCC, using the available computers to revise her resume both for networking and online applications. She learned how to conduct herself in interviews and how to use social media to advance her search. The Career Center team also held mock interviews so Elise could practice and prepare her for upcoming interviews. In her own words, “The emotional support I received was so important – during Job Club every week and with counselors and other job seekers.”
Elise felt the Career Center staff prepared her to face the challenges of the job market with confidence and were really on her team. Ultimately, the TVCC Employer Liaison advocated on Elise’s behalf for an engineering job at a local winery. After a series of interviews, she was offered her dream job and has been there ever since. “I recommend TVCC to every job seeker I meet,” Elise wrote to us. “This place and the people who work there were crucial to my success.”
Chimene H.
Chimene needed a new career after sustaining an on-the-job injury and completing rehabilitation. She started her job search like many, in front of her home computer sending out five to ten applications a day without success.
After trying it alone, Chimene found TVCC and never looked back. She attended strategy workshops to improve her resume and cover letter writing skills, practiced interviewing and engaged in networking. She really enjoyed the “Beating the Online Application” workshop and and the connections she made at the Job Club.
Though she had been looking for work for some time, it only took 45 days for Chimene to find her new career once she started coming to the Career Center. She met her new employer at a local job fair, which she prepared for with the help of the Career Center staff. She is now a Customer Service Representative/Dispatcher and quite happy with her new employment.
Keith E.
Keith had been retired from a career in Human Resources for 18 months when he decided to return to the workforce and came to our office to explore options. Though he had 35 years of experience in this highly competitive field, he hadn’t actively looked for work or been through an interview in decades. “I was very rusty,” Keith said, “with the whole interview, resume and networking process.”
At TVCC, Keith took advantage of as many workshops as possible and regularly attended Job Club. The Center was a place for him to work on his resume, to network and spend time with other job seekers. “Looking for work can be a lonely task,” added Keith. “But the team at the Career Center provided me with a place to work, talk and seek help.”
After gaining his confidence back and igniting dormant skills, Keith networked his way into multiple interviews. He landed a job back in Human Resources as a Learning and Development Manager for a regional healthcare provider. He credits the Career Center team with giving him the skills and confidence to make it happen.
A service of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and a partner of EastBay Works
