Rebecca came across Young Women’s Trust when she started researching support to find a job and discovered the Work It Out scheme. She felt lost in her career and in life in general and really needed some guidance.
Rebecca said: “When I applied for Work it Out, I really didn’t know what to expect. I had 6 sessions with my coach and the timing of each session was really flexible, which is what I needed as a lot changed for me in the six months that followed. At the time, I really needed some support and guidance and that’s exactly what I got.”
Career support from a coach
Since starting her working life, Rebecca had always struggled to keep jobs. She had undiagnosed ADHD and it meant that despite getting jobs really quickly and performing really well in interviews, she quickly lost focus and, sadly, was fired from multiple companies. Rebecca continued: “I thought I was lazy and I was really hard on myself. I’d go from doing really well in the first six months and then I’d start making mistakes and I’d basically crash and burn and then get fired. It was a never-ending cycle and I felt so much shame.”
Finding the Work it Out scheme was truly life changing for me. I had so much support from my coach and she really helped me to think about the type of employer I want to work for.
Soon after, Rebecca also joined the YWT advisory panel and attended a residential with other young women. She said: “It was amazing to meet lots of other young women and feel like I could be completely myself. I shared my experiences, about my journey to reaching my ADHD diagnosis, and I was finally able to relax… for the first time in a very long time.”
Overcoming discrimination
Rebecca has also experienced discrimination in the workplace. “Being a woman in a senior role comes with lots of discrimination. I’ve had people apologising to me for swearing in meetings but not to my male peers, and clients think that I’m the more junior member of staff just because of my gender. In previous roles, I’ve also been told I need to be more aggressive and bolshy but I’m proving that being gentle in my approach does not mean you cannot have success – quite the opposite actually as people like to work with me because I’m more approachable.”
Rebecca is now managing her ADHD well and has an incredible job where she is at the top of her game. Her company know about her diagnosis and she gets all the support she needs.
Speaking of Work It Out and what she’d say to other young women who are thinking about signing up, she says: “Go for it! It’s free. It was a lifechanger for me.”
Our Work It Out service offers free coaching and personalised CV feedback from HR professionals for women aged 18 to 30 living in England and Wales.
If you have been affected by discrimination in the workplace, there are organisations that offer support and advice.
