I feel fortunate to have met this young lady. Her name is Loren and she is 20 years old. Loren is much like any 20 year old girl. She likes clothes, shoes, Facebook, and of course, boys. She is sweet, caring, and fun to be around. When Loren expressed an interest in working, her case manager referred her to Job Squad Inc. (JSI). After getting to know Loren, and seeing her friendly and out-going personality, it was obvious that she would be a good match for a job in retail. Loren and her career counselors headed to the mall. She submitted five applications and had three interviews. Loren only worked with JSI for two months before getting her first job offer. She was hired by Kohl's and started work on the busiest day of the year - Black Friday. Her job duties included; wrapping fragile items in tissue paper, removing security tags, bagging all items, and interacting with the customers. I worked a few days with Loren at Kohl's and her skills improved each time. I observed her interacting with her coworkers and managers. She seemed to be very well liked by everyone. She always worked her scheduled shift, never leaving early and never late for work. Loren enjoyed her time at Kohl's. This was a seasonal position, but it provided her with valuable work experience and some new friends. Loren will find employment again. She may need a job coach now, but I believe she will continue improving her skills and become more competent. In the future she may need only minimal assistance that could be provided by coworkers and natural supports. Improving her skills will make her a good employee, but Loren has the makings of a great employee. She is dependable, takes pride in her work, and has a good attitude. Loren is a success story with continuing chapters.
By: Melissa Lewis, Career Counselor
Job Squad, Inc.
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