Mathieu had been unemployed since 2020 and had spent the last two years as a full-time parent. Before joining the Restart Scheme with our delivery partner, CMT Services back in January 2023, he had previously worked in management and administration roles but was happy to work in other sectors, primarily in an administration role.
Working with his Employment Adviser, Alison, they identified that Mathieu was almost work-ready but needed to boost his confidence and to believe that he is very employable and has many transferable skills! Mathieu did need help with improving the layout and content of his CV to make it more up to date, along with cover letter writing and building his confidence with interviews. Alison set training sessions with their Employability Trainer, Deb to support these learning needs.
‘Sheer determination’ shines through
Deb said, “What stood out about Mathieu was his sheer determination. He had been out of the job market for two years and his biggest barrier was his fear of not having up-to-date skills and not being employable because of his age and gap in employment. He attended every training session, and within a few weeks, he was set up with a new CV and a new outlook on his ability to gain employment.”
He secured his first interview very quickly and took part in a mock interview with the trainer to help him prepare. Although Mathieu was not successful, he said it was a good experience and it has allowed him to experience the interview process.
‘Keep going and keep pushing’
Altogether, Mathieu had applied for up to 100 jobs and secured 3 interviews. Mathieu said, “What I learnt was to not let it get to me, and to keep going and keep pushing!”
Through our employer engagement with a local company called Claims Consortium, Mathieu was offered an interview as Weekend Claims Handler. He attended a phone interview, then a face-to-face interview, and was then offered the job! We are so pleased to hear he has settled into the role and is really enjoying it.
The power of listening
Mathieu is still being supported to help him find more hours, but the change in him has been incredible and has given him more confidence and belief that he will find full-time work. He has even enrolled on a free online course through Gov UK. in Level 2 Business Admin, as he feels this will show employers that he is up to date with this type of role.
Mathieu has reflected on his journey so far and said, “I really appreciated the ability to be able to talk about how I was feeling, and that they listened! The whole team have been supportive and helped me learn, and I’ve become more confident over time. I learnt the importance of researching the company before interviews and how companies have different core values.
“I also had a very old CV which is now fully up to date! I now know what I need to do and with the continued support and the course I have enrolled on, I believe it will give me what I need to get full-time employment. I am feeling very positive about this now.”
CMT Services deliver the Restart Scheme on behalf of Seetec Pluss in Somerset.
The Restart Scheme is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.
