Kathryn joined Cedar SkillSET, after a short period of unemployment and was looking for a change of career. An administrative position at Cedar’s Ravenhill site became available which sparked her interest. As Kathryn had been out of the job seeking market for a very long time she was feeling anxious about having her first interview in decades.

Working with her Employment Officer Claire, she was supported through the application process. Claire was able to help Kathryn prepare for interview using the experiences she already had in her previous roles and helping her to see the transferrable skills she had. Kathryn had a positive interview experience and found the panel friendly and encouraging, she was particularly put at ease by Karen from the User forum who sat on the panel providing a friendly face and giving service users a voice in who Cedar employ, which was a new and refreshing experience for Kathryn.

Reflecting on the experience, Kathryn shared:

"Claire’s interview preparation was invaluable. She helped me think through potential answers and see the skills I could bring to this new role. Her encouragement and emphasis on my resilience gave me confidence going into the interview."

From an employer perspective on the recruitment process Julie Magee, Line Manager said:

 "Working with Claire the employment officer to hire Kathryn has been a very smooth experience. We were extremely satisfied with the recruitment process for hiring Kathryn.  Kathryn demonstrates tremendous enthusiasm and has a warm, friendly demeanor towards both staff and visitors. Her administrative experience and skills are highly valuable to Cedar."

Kathryn’s story highlights how the right support and preparation can help turn a long break from interviewing into a confident step toward a new career.

What is SkillSET?

SkillSET is a new innovative programme of specialist employment preparation and training, for people with a disability / health condition who are economically inactive. Cedar is delivering the service across NI as part of a partnership of seven disability organisations. SkillSET Cedar aims to enhance the life chances of economically inactive disabled people by delivering specialised pre-employment training, on the job mentoring and the creation of sustainable employment opportunities. For more information on how Cedar SkillSET can support you or your business please get in touch. Contact details can be found on the dedicated page.

The SkillSET project is funded by UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.