Career guidance is something many of us receive when we’re still at school. Often, we don’t pay particular attention to it because we’re young. We have other things on our minds, like the latest television show or the latest 30-second clip on Tiktok. But it’s an important thing to start thinking about when we’re planning our studies.
The idea behind National Careers Week is to offer resources and guidance in education. There’s a lot of resources available from their website that we suggest you have a look at.
As a charity, we offer a range of careers that can change your life. Sam is someone who has been part of our family for a while. We asked her to give us some insight into how she came to have a career with us. Thanks Sam!
Sam’s story
I started work when I was 18, fresh out of college with 3 A-Levels in Law, History and English Language. I’ve always had a passion for helping people. So, it was important to find a career where I could feel like I was having a positive impact on people’s lives.
I started my career working for Adults Health & Care with Hampshire County Council. After working as a case worker for 3 years, I wanted to further my qualifications. So, I started an apprenticeship in business administration.
When I finished my 2-year apprenticeship I found myself looking for work in the middle of COVID. It changed some of my priorities, but my desire to work somewhere that positively impacts the lives of others remained fierce.
I was fortunate enough to land a temporary position with the Admin Team for YOU’s Head Office (Central Services). After a couple of days working there, I felt like I had found my ‘home’.
The team was so welcoming. And I could immediately see how the work we did tied in with my desire to help people.
After a few months of working, my skills and passion were recognised and I was given more responsibilities and offered a permanent contract. YOU has a knack for supporting staff to meet their full potential and I felt very ‘seen’ by the management.
Bright future
Less than a year after starting I was given the opportunity to progress my career and join the HR team. Initially, I joined the team in another admin position but within a month I had been given the opportunity to apply for a Business Partner role. I was thoroughly supported by all my managers. They were really looking out for my best interests and the best interests of the clients we support. I then successfully interviewed for the Business Partner position in the Talent and Reward team.
Working in the Talent and Reward team gives me an excellent insight into how the whole organisation works. The values and skills we look for in our colleagues and how the entire organisation is structured. I didn’t expect to have such support from the high-level managers from the outset and was so pleasantly surprised by the encouragement I received to help me progress in my career.
If you are interested in joining our team, visit our recruitment page. There could be a career just waiting for you!
