Simon first connected with Status in December 2024 while navigating challenging personal circumstances, including caring for his ageing parents. Although he was often unable to attend appointments due to responsibilities at home, Simon was highly motivated to find work.
The Status team worked alongside Simon to help facilitate care for his parents, while also exploring job opportunities aligned with his interests and strengths. To begin, his Employment Consultants supported him to obtain photo ID and update his resume and cover letter to reflect his skills and previous experience.
With a focus on sales roles, the team then assisted Simon with job searching and applications.
During this time, Simon experienced additional responsibilities and a personal tragedy.
The team accommodated this through flexible servicing, including phone appointments, allowing Simon the space and time he needed before returning to face-to-face support. They also helped him put personal care arrangements in place for his loved ones, giving Simon the confidence and capacity to focus on his employment goals.
Simon’s Employment Consultant supported him to apply for a Casual Sales Assistant role at a soon to be opened Barbeques Galore store. From here the team worked with Simon on his interview skills and also referred him to Geared for Success for an interview styling session.
From all his hard work, Simon nailed the interview and got the role!
The position aligned perfectly with Simon’s sales experience and his passion for BBQing and smoking meat. He quickly became the lead for in-store cooking demonstrations and was promoted to Duty Manager, followed by Store Manager in under six months.
Simon describes himself as the happiest he has ever been and says he is living his dream job. He credits his success to the support he received from Status throughout his journey.
