New call centre job gets Mark’s life back on track
Finding a new job in a call centre last month was the opportunity Mark needed to kick-start his second career.
The Geelong job seeker left his 20-year profession in insurance to look for a fresh start, yet after 18 months, he found himself overlooked by employers who preferred to hire candidates currently in the workforce.
“I was sick to death of insurance, but then I couldn’t get a job,” Mark said.
“It was tough getting knock-backs, as I knew I was a hard worker and had lots of transferrable skills.”
The turning point
Finding MatchWorks proved to be a turning point for the mature-age job seeker. After helping Mark refresh his job-searching skills, employment consultant, Abbey Bernard encouraged him to join the Career Transition Assistance program in January this year. Once in the program, the commitment of both the facilitator and many of the participants inspired confidence in Mark.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect [with the program], as I already had good computer skills, but the exposure to new contacts was really good, and the facilitator Carolyne – I can’t speak highly enough of her,” he said.
The opportunity
With the onset of COVID-19, Mark was certain he would have to wait until restrictions were lifted to find work. Then Carolyne alerted him to several opportunities at Centrelink’s local call centre, and encouraged Mark to apply.
“I knew I was going to get a job – it was just a matter of when,” Mark said.
“I’m not fazed by the [call centre] training and I’m used to managing people’s expectations from my insurance work…I know this opportunity will help me get future roles and it’s great to be earning money again.”
Mark believes broadening his horizons was a key reason why he got to where he is today.
“To all those people looking for work, don’t give up or limit yourself. Jobs can change and it’s important to not let your identity be determined by your current job title.”
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