My New Job Allows Me to Learn and Grow – and Works with My School Schedule

By TERRA Staffing Group

Posted on July 2, 2019

Matthew Manlapaz spent five years working as the assistant manager of a tutoring company.

Did he love his job? Not really. But the swing shift hours allowed him to take classes in the morning for his degree in Information Technology.

“It was an all right job,” Matthew said. “But it was very demanding and they weren’t the best about giving us many breaks.”

Overall, the job provided reliable income and a steady schedule, and he really enjoyed the customer service side of it.

But, eventually, Matthew’s school schedule no longer worked with the required hours for the job, and he had to start looking for something new.

Looking for employment was a bit of a new experience for him.

“I realized I’d never had a true job interview,” Matthew shared. “I’d only ever had one job and my friends helped me get it, so I didn’t know what to expect.”

He eagerly started searching for jobs and sending applications out.

Matthew said, “I knew my experience was a little limited, and I really needed something so I could pay for school. I was open for anything, and really looking for something where I could learn new things and grow my skills.”

His online job search led him to find TERRA Staffing Group’s Tacoma office. He went in ready to find an opportunity – and ready for his first real job interview!

He nailed it.

The recruiter interviewing Matthew thought he was great. So great, in fact, that she quickly introduced him to Recruiter Betty Dawson, to discuss a specific opportunity.

Betty said, “Right away I noticed he had a great presence about him, and his customer service background and management skills fit perfectly for one of my positions.”

She told Matthew about an estimator position at an auto collision center. The role had exactly what he was looking for: customer service and learning opportunities. And, most importantly, it fit with his school schedule.

He jumped at the chance, eager to set up an interview and rejoin the workforce.

“I honestly thought it was more of a financial type of role when I was first told about it,” he confessed. “But as Betty helped me prepare for the interview, I got a better idea what the job really was.”

He interviewed with the hiring manager, and left quite the impression. Betty said, “They really liked his demeanor and how eager he was to learn and grow.”

It’s no surprise that Matthew was offered the position!

He said, “I was so excited! The managers were very nice and I felt so comfortable during the whole interview process. I was really excited about the learning opportunity this job would give me.”

Matthew’s been in the position for about five months now, and is still loving it.

“I’m learning so much from all of the different types of customer interactions. Working with people after an auto collision can be difficult at times, but interacting with customers is my favorite part. I love learning how to handle each individual situation so I’m prepared next time,” Matthew said.

We asked him if he’d recommend utilizing TERRA Staffing Group:

“They saw the skills I had from a job in an unrelated industry, and gave me the chance to grow in a new field, based off of my potential. If they can help me find a job, with me having so few credentials, they can help anyone. ”

He also has some advice to others on the job hunt: “Don’t be afraid to take a risk. If you’re willing to learn – you’ll grow.”

Thank you for taking a risk and trusting us to help you start a new career where you can learn and grow!

How TERRA Can Help You

If you are looking for a new opportunity, or are trying to find employment that works with your school schedule, consider partnering with TERRA.

We can connect you to many employers currently hiring in your area.

We have offices in many locations and would love to speak with you!

Categories: Success Stories

Tags: jobs in Tacoma, jobs that fit school schedule, tacoma

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