Well Prepared
by MacKenzie Leger
Charise’s wallet had been stolen and her gas tank was empty. There was no way she was going to make it to her last StepUp Durham Employment Readiness Workshop session. Fortunately, her employment counselor, Elizabeth, wasn’t going to let that happen.
Before she knew it, Charise was in an Uber changing into her Dress for Success interview outfit and preparing herself to walk right into a mock interview. She approached the mock interview as practice. StepUp had prepared her how to answer questions like, “Tell me about yourself”, as well as how to talk about the gaps in her employment. Even though she was caught off guard by some specific questions regarding her accounting background, she still saw the networking potential of this mock interview and confidently asked for the interviewer’s business card on the way out. When she placed a follow-up call to her mock interviewer shortly thereafter, Charise was thrilled to hear she got the job. She was now a proud employee with First Citizens Bank.
Charise’s StepUp journey began through an organization called Community Empowerment Fund. She was living in a shelter and needed support to obtain a mailing address and employment. “When I first came, I really was just trying to barely make it by.” It wasn’t until she started working with StepUp and got a job that she started to really allow herself to dream about what she wanted in life and to start setting goals for the future.
Her quick journey through Step1 and landing a job at First Citizens led her to Step2. “Step1 helped prepare me for a job and Step2 helped me take care of myself.” In Step2 Charise was able to focus on improving her skills and expanding her education. She enrolled in Accounting Software classes at Durham Tech and was not only excelling at her full-time job, but also obtaining higher education and working towards graduating from Step2. All her hard work paid off. Monday, April 5th, was her first anniversary at First Citizens and the day she finally moved into her own place!
Up next for Charise? Pursuing a Master’s degree while also navigating living independently. She is excited about all her upcoming life changes and the opportunity to, “get out there and make it on my own!”
We are so thankful to have StepUp participants like Charise. Her joy is contagious, her story is moving, and her dedication is unwavering! During her time in our program, she has built many strong relationships with our StepUp staff and volunteers - many of whom feel like they are partners in her growth. She is a shining example to other participants of how to be strong, believe in yourself, and make big changes. Charise is a dreamer who sets goals and then step by step, patiently and quietly, without complaining, walks through each goal and onto the next one.
We at StepUp know her journey is not yet over. We are so proud to have played a supportive role in her life and excited to see all the incredible things Charise will continue to accomplish.
