Interview confidence - Oliver’s story

When Oliver joined the Restart Scheme, he had been out of work for almost a year and although he was actively applying for jobs, he felt that he couldn’t get past interview stage.

Restart Scheme delivers tailored support towards employability, providing personalised guidance that helps individuals overcome barriers and move successfully into sustainable work.

Oliver met with his Employment Adviser, Naz during his initial appointment, and together they identified the areas where support was needed most. Oliver said: “I became very nervous during interviews, struggled to express myself clearly and felt I didn’t always say the right things.”

Naz worked with Oliver to create an action plan, setting realistic targets for him to achieve on his way to finding sustainable work. Naz told us: “Oliver required support with interview skills, CV writing and career guidance. Initially, he lacked clarity around his career path and needed structured support to build confidence and direction.”

Like Oliver, many of our participants benefit from Restart Scheme in‑house courses that support employability skills, build confidence, and provide a clear understanding of what employers are looking for, all within a supportive group environment.

“After completing several in-house courses, and updating his CV to a gold standard, he started to attend our jobs club. Despite continued practice, he still found interviews challenging and did not initially receive job offers. As a result, we focused further support entirely around interview preparation, mock interviews and practice questions”, said Naz.

It wasn’t long before Oliver was invited to an interview, where he was offered the job! The role involved working with customers, which aligned perfectly with his career goals.

This achievement demonstrates that with determination, the right mindset and appropriate support, goals can be achieved even when challenges feel overwhelming. Oliver is now back in work and feeling positive about the future.

“I celebrated the news with my friends. Securing employment has allowed me to regain financial independence and support my family”, said Oliver.