Polina's story

Working Wales supported Polina to find her way back to a fulfilling career after she faced unemployment and mental health challenges.

Polina, 37, originally from Bulgaria, faced a difficult period in her life after the company she worked for as a cabin crew member went out of business.

She had relocated to Cardiff when she was 30 years old to look for a secure job within the cabin crew profession.

She managed to get a temporary job in housekeeping, but she was made redundant again.

Following that, Polina suffered from depression and anxiety, which prevented her from feeling ready to re-enter the workforce for around two years.

CV and interview support

Polina came across a leaflet from her local job centre that mentioned Working Wales. She visited their office in the city centre to seek assistance with her CV.

Polina said: “At that time, I didn't have a laptop and I needed support with building my CV properly to ensure I would be invited for an interview.”

Linda Thomas, a careers adviser at Working Wales, helped Polina to update her CV and tailor it for cabin crew roles.

Polina sent out her CV, and soon she was offered an interview at Wizz Air. She reached out to Working Wales again and asked for a mock interview.

She shared: “Linda created the environment to make me feel like I was in the actual interview. Afterwards, I received an email detailing how I did and what I needed to work on.

"The support and the mock interview were the two main things that helped me build my confidence."

Achieving her goals

Polina secured a position as a cabin crew member for Wizz Air. She’s now settled happily into the role, even with a second relocation.

She said: “I’ve since had to relocate because the Cardiff base closed, but I continue to work as a cabin attendant. I followed my dream and didn’t give up, even during hard times. I am now where I always wanted to be.”

Reflecting on the journey

Looking back on the support she’d had, Polina said: “Linda was very supportive and caring. It felt like she was going through this situation together with me, so I didn’t feel alone.

“I would like to express my gratitude to Linda and her team for the support they have given me which has contributed to where I am at today.”

She added: “I hope my story helps at least one person. It’s not the best story to tell, but the end is good. I’m feeling much better now that I’ve got my dream job and I’m no longer struggling with unemployment.”

If you would like to explore your interests and opportunities with a careers adviser, please contact us today.

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