David was introduced to me by his work coach at Cambridge Job Centre in 2022. A mature male, David is dyslexic and by his own admission, didn’t have any digital skills beyond making phone calls and sending text messages on a mobile phone. At our first meeting, David explained that in his early career he had been a coach driver throughout England and Europe. He had enjoyed the driving and travelling, but especially enjoyed the customer service aspects of the role, as he is, as he put it “a real people person”.
Over time, his circumstances changed, and he shifted careers to become a support worker. Another role which played to his strengths as a good communicator and dedicated to improving the lives of others. Having to leave this role at short notice, his confidence and self-esteem were low, and he was very worried that he wouldn’t be able to get another job because of his age. He worried that he didn’t have a CV and wouldn’t be able to create one because of his dyslexia and lack of IT skills.
During our first meeting, we reviewed his skills, strengths, and experience, and identified some part-time job roles he would like to apply for, based on his great communication and driving skills, and his delight in helping others. In a second appointment by phone, we created a CV using his own words and phrases, which captured the skills and experience he had as a driver and the “people skills” he had developed throughout his working life. David’s family helped him to apply for a delivery driver job. He was offered the job within 3 days.
I followed up with David and his family a few months later and David was still really enjoying his delivery job. A family member said,
“I am happier. Also, I have my old brother back”.
They have seen his confidence and sense of purpose return, and with it his great sense of humour and overall happiness.
