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Testimonials |
Our
First American Job Hunt Eight years ago we came to this country with a couple of suitcases, a little money, loads of enthusiasm and big hopes for the future. We were very excited about being able to become part of this country of opportunities and new beginnings. We were determined to make it in America even though new beginnings are usually tough. Yes, we did realize that. What we didn't realize was that 'new' quite often means different. And different it was! Our first attempts of job hunting were, as we fully understand now, pitiful. Sure, my husband and I are college-educated professionals, but knowing how to search for (and obtain) a job seemed like a science in itself. Add to this that it was summer of 1991; recession in Connecticut was in full bloom. We felt lost and overwhelmed. Lucky for us Jewish Family Service of Greater Hartford, the non-profit organization that welcomed us to the area, had a resettlement program for new Americans, just like us. Vocational counseling was part of that program. That's how we met wonderful lady, Pam Garry, who became our guide in exploration of American life during those first months. During our weekly sessions with Pam we began learning skills of job hunting. Not only Pam taught us how to write a resume and basic interview's do-s and don't-s, she also went out of her way to set up appointments with people who gave us valuable professional advice. She even managed to set up some training interviews where we could 'test-drive' our newly acquired interview skills, and later discuss what went well and what didn't. Jewish Family Service gave us an opportunity to take computer software courses: CADKEY for my husband, Lotus 123 for me. It was free of charge for us. From time to time, Pam managed to get us real interviews, which seemed close to a miracle. It was not easy. Rejections kept piling up; at times it seemed hopeless. But Pam was always there for us with her friendly advice and her understanding and her patience. Somehow we could feel that she believed in us, and that helped us to keep on believing in ourselves. Eight years have passed, hard to believe. Now we are looking back on those shaky first steps of our new beginning with great deal of appreciation for what was done for us. We are thankful for the Resettlement Program at Jewish Family Service. What a noble idea to have an organization like this! We can't thank enough our counselor and very first American friend, Pam. Our new beginning off to a good start, we couldn't have done it without her! by
Svetlana and Leonid Burshteyn
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