Building Momentum With JFCS

After months of job searching since being laid off last year, Colleen* finally received the right job offer, only to have it rescinded as the economic impacts of the novel coronavirus rippled through Louisville.

“Prior to the pandemic, she had respect in her own employability that was shattered when they took the job offer away,” said Andrea Brown, JFCS Career Counselor. “She was making progress in moving past her previous experience with being laid off. The loss of her latest job offer set her back again.”

Colleen first came to JFCS as an older adult looking for job counseling about five years ago when she was laid off from another position. With the help of JFCS staff, she was able to find a job that supported her as well as fulfilled her. After she was laid off from that position, she came back to JFCS last fall. She had tried job searching on her own and wasn’t quite getting the traction she wanted or needed.

“Working together, we went through her resume and talked through her accomplishments to remind her of how talented and skilled she really is,” Andrea said.

JFCS provides career services that are tailored to every individual — from resume reviews and updating LinkedIn profiles to assessments that help guide clients toward work environments or new careers that work best for them. And JFCS is now offering a weekly, online “Job Seekers Networking Group” moderated and guided by JFCS staff.

“Having faced previous layoffs, Colleen was already coming in with an element of grief,” Andrea said. “She was positive at first and didn’t feel alone in her experience since the virus was impacting so many people. But it began to wear on her emotionally.”

She ended up falling back a few steps, losing motivation to job search and feeling isolated like many older adults and high-risk groups during the pandemic. She was even hesitant to join JFCS online networking events until taking Andrea up on her offer to connect with JFCS mental health counseling.

“The initial step of reaching out for help was the hardest part,” Andrea said. “After Colleen started counseling, she was still struggling but there was a momentum building.”

During one career networking session, Colleen made connections within her industry and bounced new ideas off other professionals. Andrea encouraged her to channel that excitement into motivating herself in her job search.

As Colleen continues building momentum, JFCS will be there to support her every step of the way, no matter how big or small those steps may be.

* Name changed for privacy.