Blog Posts

Making big moves during a pandemic – Kristen’s story

1/20/2022

Originally from Pittsburgh, Kristen had worked at a job she loved in New York City for nearly seven years. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020, her company regretfully had to downsize, and Kristen’s job was eliminated. After a few months of freelance work, Kristen was struggling to make ends meet in New York, so she ultimately decided to move in with her parents just north of Pittsburgh to continue her job hunt.

“Not having a job and with such high rent, it really caused me to make some big decisions about my life with everything going on,” Kristen remembered. “I really wanted a change, but the cycle of jobs being posted during Covid made things difficult. Beginning in January 2021, I was ready to get focused.”

A family friend referred Kristen to PA Women Work where she signed up for New Choices. During the five-day virtual class, she connected with other people experiencing similar challenges, and she refocused her job search. She learned tactics to better organize herself and strengthen her resume.

“What was really great about New Choices was connecting with other people who were going through a similar situation – especially with Covid. We were all just figuring out what our next move was,” Kristen said. “This class got me more organized and goal oriented in my job search. It was a good centering force in my job search and was what I needed with what I was going through at the time.”

Following her participation in New Choices, Kristen found a new management position at a media and events company that aligned with her goals. She’s grateful for the connections she made and skills she learned thanks to PA Women Work.
“Having this class as a free resource, especially during the pandemic when so many people continue to be out of work, is something that is so rare to find,” she said.

To learn more about New Choices and sign up for an upcoming class,
visit https://www.pawomenwork.org/upcoming-classes.html.

Jen's Story

11/15/2021

Finding community in dark times

As the COVID-19 pandemic set in, Jen James experienced hardship after hardship. Their life began to spiral, and after getting laid off, they felt more alone than ever.

"I felt like this was only happening to me. It was very isolating," Jen remembered.

Jen was referred to Pennsylvania Women Work by a caring friend who thought the organization could help. Jen participated in New Choices and Customer Service First-Class where they gained valuable skills and, most importantly, discovered a community of other individuals experiencing some of the same obstacles and challenges as them.

PA Women Work helped Jen combine their passion for theater with their professional skillset, and they landed a job as the General Manager at the Dormont Hollywood Theater. I was able to discover myself. I feel a sense of empowerment. Definitely a sense of pride," she said.

when your mentor becomes your employer: Jenn's story

10/1/2021

As Jenn Kish approached graduation in May 2021, she was struggling to find a job opportunity that was right for her.

“Paralegal Studies is a broad degree. I was having trouble narrowing in on the right jobs to apply for,” Jenn explained. “On top of that, COVID made it challenging to network, and I was finding it hard to connect with the right people to help me. It was very discouraging.”

Just as her job search began to spiral, Jenn received an email about PA Women Work’s 3 Cups of Coffee GRAD program and decided to give it a try. She was connected with her mentor, Carrianne, who helped her get back on track. “She gave me advice on how I can get to where I want to go. She had the insider tips that I needed,” Jenn said. Additionally, Carrianne helped Jenn polish her resume, update her LinkedIn profile, and create a career plan.
Ultimately, Carrianne helped Jenn find a job as a legal assistant within her own company, Bowles Rice.

“Getting a job at Bowles Rice was not anything I dreamed would happen when I first connected with Carrianne,” Jenn shared.
“I am just so grateful I participated in this program. It put me on the path that I was trying to find.”
Click here to learn more about 3 Cups of Coffee GRAD.

Thank you to our 3 Cups of Coffee funders.
Arconic Foundation, United Way of Southwestern PA, FirstEnergy Foundation, Duquesne Light, J.Jill Compassion Fund, The Pittsburgh Foundation and the Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation.

<<Previous

Forward>>