At age 57, Diana Monaco’s quality assurance position of nearly a decade was eliminated during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was her plan to stay there until retirement, so she felt depleted as she grappled with what to do next.
“It was very scary. During Covid, no one was hiring. With my health and medical issues, I can’t be on my feet all day, so I needed to find the right opportunity for me,” Diana remembered.
Diana hadn’t participated in an interview in over nine years, and the entire process of applying for jobs was intimidating to her. After job hunting for almost 12 months, she came across Pennsylvania Women Work scrolling on Facebook in February 2021 and decided to sign up for New Choices.
During the five-day virtual workshop, Diana fine-tuned her resume, learned skills for submitting job applications, and connected with other job-seekers in the community. However, she was most grateful for the job interviewing tips and practice.
“It really helped me with interviewing and put me into the mode to answer questions easier. During some mock interviews, they asked the tough questions, and it really helped me prepare,” Diana said.
Just after taking New Choices, Diana participated in what would be the final interview of her job search. Using the new skills she gained with PA Women Work, Diana landed a job in Quality Assurance with Summerville High Position Tubing.
“This was an absolutely wonderful experience. By the end of the week, you could see the improvements and change in all of us. During the pandemic, I felt so out of touch, and this really helped me interact with people and get back out there,” Diana said.