Aged 56, Lynette was keen to work but felt her age was a barrier. “After two years seeking employment, which involved hundreds of applications, and even walking the streets of my local towns walking in every shop asking for work, I started to wonder if I would ever be able to work again.”
But she never gave up, “partly due to my connection with Fitted for Work and their excellent programs assisting women to believe in themselves, their worth and value to themselves and the wider community.”
Lynette signed up for the Mentoring Program because she believed it would be helpful to have an objective view of her plan to gain employment from an experienced person who really cared about her and her goals and the outcomes.
She was assigned to Leigh. “One of the biggest surprises was that we were from entirely different worlds, since he was from the finance industry and I was from the educational field. Also, I was surprised but delighted to have a male mentor because I come from a large family with 5 brothers and easily relate to men. So, it was very easy to work with him.”
For Leigh, it is Lynette’s “brilliant and positive attitude” which makes mentoring her worthwhile. He lists as important mentor qualities: “Authenticity. Being completely present in the conversation. Being able to share your story too given your mentee is sharing their very personal situation with you.”
Lynette found what she was looking for from Fitted for Work. “I benefited the most from the connection with one person who was simply there for me to ride the storms and sail the smooth seas of success. Knowing that I was not alone and that a caring and competent person was there to be honest with me and give me sound advice for me to consider and allowed me to be in control.”
Lynette made a major change in career direction from primary school teacher to golf coach and is “loving every minute of it”.
