Knowing what employers want – Adrian’s story

With the Restart Scheme’s support, Adrian started working after several years of unemployment. Here’s Adrian’s account of his experience on the Restart Scheme.

“When I joined the Restart Scheme, I met with Employment Adviser, Jamie, who discussed with me the areas I needed help with, prior to my job search journey. I was enrolled onto a few courses with their Skills Trainer and completed a Skills Academy induction, and I felt this gave me a clear direction on the types of jobs that I wanted and a career path to follow.

“I took part in interview skills sessions, which gave me a better idea of what employers want and would ask of me, as I had been unemployed for several years.

“I then worked with Jamie on my CV and made it more specific to admin roles, as it’s what I am most experienced in. We sent out my CV to potential employers and I received three replies with some good feedback which boosted my confidence and allowed me to make changes to adapt my approach going forward.

“My journey continued with the Restart Scheme, and I was enrolled onto a course called Grow, which covered all area of employability skills, including sector taster days and interview skills. What I liked about it was I had a mock interview at the end which meant I had to put what I had leant into practise.

“Jamie suggested an employability programme based in a local college; this was a two-week course with a guaranteed interview at the end. After completing the course, I received a job offer for a local contact centre, where I was interviewed and taken on full time.

“I would like to thank the Restart Scheme for all the help and support that I received in my journey into work, and I would highly recommend the programme to anyone that’s unemployed.”