HIRED! Shelley: A WOW In-Sync Career Profile

WOW In-Sync has always been an organization focused on outcomes: with a particular emphasis on working towards and sustaining positive employment outcomes. Our Simply Biz program is, of course, built to utilize concepts of discovery, exposure, communication, training, and work pressure to prepare young adults for the careers of their choosing. The first in our inaugural class of participants to successfully find and maintain employment was Shelley.

Shelley came to Simply Biz with a very difficult home situation making it quite hard for her to focus on her work goals. Still, she demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit well before we met her, selling candy in her neighborhood. She had an interest in working in the cleaning industry, but had not yet had the opportunity to train since she aged out of high school.

From her first day at Simply Biz, Shelley displayed both impressive motivation and exceptional kindness to her peers. She was eager to work and learn from our staff, and quickly began to participate and train in various work environments. After several months of training, she was hired for a paid internship at WOW to maintain and clean corporate offices. During her internship, staff worked with Shelley to build effective and transferable work routines and habits. As these skills became second nature, Shelley began looking for work out in the community.

After a brief search, Shelley and her Simply Biz mentors connected with the Buckhead Embassy Suites and an interview was secured. After impressing her future supervisors with her dedication and spirit, Shelley was hired. Thankfully, the story does not end here. Shelley trained quickly and within a couple of weeks was working a full schedule. She was hired to bus tables in the restaurant/cafeteria and to keep the dining area clean. However, her responsibilities quickly expanded as she demonstrated her abilities and the desire to take on more. Her supervisors added food running, refilling drinks, and other customer service duties to her initial assignments. In fact, sometimes, her supervisors had to insist that she used her scheduled breaks to make sure she didn’t just keep on working.

Since her hire this summer, management has already recognized Shelley with an award for her exceptional performance. Her supervisor, Don, said of Shelley, “Shelley is always willing to help out and learn anything that comes her way.” A recent staff meeting ended with another award for Shelley, an embassy suites lunch bag. When asked about her new career, Shelley said, “I feel more independent.” Her Simply Biz mentors have noticed that since Shelley has had to interact more directly with customers at her job, she has really come out of her shell. Shelley added, “I love getting tips.”

With fall in full gear, Shelley looks forward to continuing her employment success. She has just been notified of yet another recognition, which she will receive on November 15th. As she continues to grow, her Simply Biz mentors and her wonderful supervisors at Embassy Suites continue to offer guidance and support. We couldn’t be prouder of Shelley and we’re thrilled and excited to watch her career and the rest of her journey unfold from here.

Stay tuned to WOW’s blog for more on Shelley’s career success and upcoming recognition and awards!

WOW is Tucker-based a provider of community and employment services for adults with developmental and learning disabilities

Related article on Tucker Patch