Wagga’s Dot Smith encourages job seekers to keep pushing

Dorothy Smith was nervous about transitioning to work full-time and she felt she didn’t have the the confidence she needed. 

“I was unemployed for two tears because I was a full-time carer for my brother and then I decided to get back into the workforce,” she said. 

“I was an Aboriginal health worker with the medical service here in Wagga.”

Ms Smith made the decision to sign up to an employment solutions group to give herself the best possible chance. 

“It was a quick transition for me getting a job, I had work a week after I joined up with The Personnel Group,” she said. 

”I am doing in home servicing and I am happy to be working, but it is challenging.” 

“Getting back into a work routine was pretty hard and to find the confidence to get out there was hard.”

Ms Smith said she was never burdened with the stereotypes many unemployed people are, for which she was grateful. 

“I have never come across anything too negative in regards to my employment,” she said. 

Her advice for people who come across that, ignore them and keep pushing.

“Keep pushing, keep plugging at it,” she said.  

“You can always change if you need to, don’t be scared of change.

“I spent 12 years in health and now I am looking at going into a different field all together.” 

Her message of encouragement follows data putting the Riverina’s unemployment rate at 5.1 per cent, the highest figure in more than three years.

Released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics earlier this year, the figures shows a steady increase in unemployment across the past two years.

Ilona Schirmer, a work place support consultant at The Personnel Group said often their clients just need an extra boost to their confidence to help them get a job. 

“Dorothy had great experience to back up herself up,” she said. 

“We ran practice interviews and sometimes go the extra step like getting their makeup done. 

“We have a partner Dressed For Success and they send out new or barely used outfits for interviews.”