Preparing for interview success with the National Grid
On Thursday 15th March we had a fantastic morning hosting a visit from a group of 15 National Grid Senior Managers. The great team of managers spent the morning interview coaching and dressing a group of unemployed clients ready for up and coming job interviews.
The morning was organised by Business in the Community (BITC) West Midlands as part of a three-day National Grid conference in Birmingham. Over 150 senior managers attending the conference were split into smaller groups on the final day of the conference to visit a number of great charities in Birmingham including Sifa Fireside, Changes UK, Birmingham Central Foodbank, Narthex and Jericho Foundation. The aim of the visits was to inspire the National Grid leaders to explore ideas of how their business can have a greater social impact.
Our group of referred clients came from a variety of backgrounds, skills, ages and lengths of unemployment including experienced, managers, trainers, a youth worker, business analyst and retail sector jobs. All had a desire to get back into employment and saw the morning as great opportunity to get interview preparation help and support from the National Grid senior management team.
Same day interviews
Mahazir was one of the clients who has been struggling to secure employment for some time: “I come from an IT background with almost 20 years’ experience in the field. Since being made redundant I have struggled to secure permanent work but have done a number of short term contracts. I've had an unbelievable number of interviews but have failed to secure anything. The interview coaching today with the managers has been absolutely amazing, I will definitely be taking their advice on-board to hopefully ace my next interview".
Clients Mohammed and Dean both had interviews on the day and used the opportunity to get some last-minute interview coaching. Dean brought along a prepared presentation that he would be using in his interview later in afternoon and had the opportunity to present it to two of the managers who gave him some last-minute tips and advice.
"I got the job"
Dean left Suited for Success interview prepped also dressed and styled going straight to his interview . We were over the moon to receive a phone later in the day informing us that his interview was successful and he had secured a £30k a year job with a company car:
“Due to some personal challenges my life has been in self-destruct mode for several years and my head wasn’t in the right place to go back to my profession as a health and safety manager. After the amazing interview coaching I received and being dressed in a great suit, I left Suited for Success feeling amazing and I smashed the job interview. I was in tears when I got the phone call just 20 mins after leaving the interview. I feel like my life will start going in the right direction again now.”
Every single client felt the day was really valuable and appreciated the opportunity. We’re looking forward to receiving more success stories. Thank you National Grid. Take a look at more pictures from the day...
