Jobseeker success stories Duncan Maxwell, 49, was


Surrey


out of work for four years before finding employment as an assistant compliance manager at British Gas.


“I was referred to CDG’s Chertsey centre from Jobcentre Plus in January 2010. I didn’t have any barriers as such, but I could


 marketing myself as I could have done. But I was able to stick to a schedule while I was looking for a job, so my morale didn’t suffer too much.


“I found CDG very friendly and open, which contrasted with my expectations. Because of the messages coming out of the government I’d had the impression that they  but I felt they achieved the right balance. I actually quite looked forward to going every fortnight because I enjoyed chatting to staff and anticipating the new 


“I was assigned a personal advisor to work with but I also had training courses in jobsearching and other skills. I had already decided that I would be interested


Hampshire


Karly Mardlin was ‘out of my comfort zone’ at CDG at first, but put aside her frustration to find work in her chosen field.


“I had been unemployed for 17 months and didn’t look for  because I had little energy and was relying on my partner for everything. But then money started getting hard, which motivated me to start looking for work. I had never been unemployed before I was made redundant.


“When you have been to so many interviews and you know you have put 100 per cent into them, it does knock  because I had been signing on for so long I had to do a 13-week course at CDG. The thought of it was daunting, and I didn’t know what to expect.


 myself so frustrated and angry that I stormed out of the  sat me down and asked what the problem was. I told


her that I wasn’t happy and she spoke to Chris Quarrell  situation and mindset.


“Chris took my CV, which CDG had helped me with, and asked me what area of employment I was looking to go into. I said ‘telesales’, and the next Wednesday morning Chris called me bright and early to tell me he had just  who had asked if I could make an interview for 10am that day.


“I was scared knowing that I could have prepared all night and told Chris that I didn’t think I could do it, but  not had in a long time, which made me feel good about myself. I realised that I had nothing to lose so agreed, and rehearsed interview questions with Chris for a while.


“The group interview lasted almost three hours. It was one of the most nerve-wracking interviews I’d been to but I felt I had done the best I could. The following evening, I got a call back from TLC telling me I was successful in getting the job, and I couldn’t believe it. It really is true that you get back what you put in.”


CDG Annual Review 2010/11 20


in doing some unpaid work for the right opportunity, which I mentioned to CDG. Then, I almost got a job in Canary Wharf but it fell though at the last minute when the position suddenly became unavailable. Out of the blue, I received a phone call about the position with British Gas and I was keen on the job straight away. I had a telephone interview and was asked to complete a technical test, which both went well, and then I was offered the job.


“My new role at British Gas is primarily a data analyst’s position, working in the new energy section at head  I process data on spreadsheets and write reports using Microsoft Access and Excel. It’s good to have more experience on my CV, and the people I work with  other work in the future, but I’d like to progress in the company. It’s a good company to work for and it’s local to where I live.


“Going to CDG helped me in various ways. The courses kept my mind active and completing the weekly logs helped me to stay in a routine. I’d certainly recommend CDG to other jobseekers in my position. While I was at their centre, I noticed how many people had no IT skills, and that side of the service it provides is very advantageous. It’s just a shame that you have to wait a year before you can go there.”


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