Finding financial independence and a fulfilling career during COVID-19.
“I love to work. I want to engage myself; I like to learn and stay updated with new things in my field”.
After five years of successful roles in interior design, Meera migrated to Australia and soon found herself facing an unfamiliar and covid-19 impacted employment sector.
Meera had no network in Australia and her lack of local experience was a barrier in search for work in an already, “niche category with not many opportunities” she said.
This was challenging for Meera, as work not only provides economic security but also social connectedness and a sense of purpose in life. Meera highlights the power of employment saying, “You can’t survive without [having an] interest.”
Meera was proactive in upskilling to meet the expectations of the local job market. She learned how to work on a commonly used design software program and spoke to a friend about other support options. From this conversation she was referred to Fitted for Work.
“As soon as I asked for help regarding my resume, mock interviews etc, Fitted for Work responded very quickly, with a lot of positive and informative feedback”, Meera says.
Some aspects of job applications in Australia were new concepts too, “initially I didn’t know how to write a cover letter, it isn’t something we do in India” she said. “Since I’m not a native speaker, my second language is English, I would make some mistakes in the paragraph style.”
Fitted for Work provided support with outfitting, virtual presentation and general job readiness support.
“Having the feedback means a lot and understanding a format to use with my resume is very helpful”. Meera was encouraged by her Fitted for Work Job Ready Specialist to call employers and find out to whom she should address her application. Meera now makes a habit of doing this and also calls seeking feedback that she can take into her next application.
“I have passion towards work and my design field. I’m a creative person and I love to do creative things. Women have to be encouraged if they’re really passionate about working.”
We are thrilled to share that Meera was recently offered an internship, which she sees as a valuable stepping stone to gain local experience and then further employment. Meera has also seen a rise in roles she is excited to apply for in early 2021. Her long-term goal is to own and manage a design firm.
