At Major we work as hard as we possibly can to offer an unbeatable service to every candidate and client. Many times, a client or a candidate will come back to us with a review of the service, and this really makes it all worth it. However, this time the testimonial was so good it had us close to tears – in a good way! We received a letter from a candidate’s mother/carer on the service we had provided. The letter we received was so honest, well-written and heartfelt, that it was impossible for us not to share it. So, here is the full letter from Mrs Hardman – have a tissue at the ready if you’re a little emotional!
I Just wanted to say how grateful I am to Major Recruitment for their help and skill finding my son a job.
You see, my son is severely autistic, he has zero confidence, and his social skills are nil to very limited. We met Major Recruitment at the jobs fair at the Oldham Library in May 2023. He was desperate to work, but his social skills meant he came across quite badly at interviews. It didn’t matter how hard I tried to coach him beforehand, he failed again and again at the face-to-face interview. By the time Major Recruitment got involved, he’d already secured ten interviews on the back of his CV. But getting him over the final line and into gainful employment was always just out of reach. I can only describe it as on par with climbing Mount Everest in flipflops! There were days when I could have openly wept for my son. As I alone knew the effort it took for him to walk into those interviews, how frightened he was. How he’d walk round all night worrying what he would say, and what they would say back to him.
Many prospective employers didn’t even let him know whether he’d been successful after the interview, they just dismissed him outright as a nonentity, even though he had made the colossal effort. Yet, after every disappointment he never said anything (just grateful these Companies had given up their time to see him), but I knew eventually the continued knockbacks would take their toll. Plus, you, as carer to an autistic person, are in a race against time before the window of opportunity slams shut, and they lock themselves away in their ‘safe space’. You see, Autistics won’t sell themselves in an interview, they won’t say something that’s not true, they won’t over-sell their skills, they won’t try to exaggerate a favourable personal attribute to curry favour with a prospective employer. They won’t even laugh at your jokes! They, just present themselves, plus their CV, and hope you like them enough to take them on. Unfortunately, in today’s very visual and creative ‘sell yourself’ world, that just isn’t enough, and many autistic people get left behind.
When we approached the two ladies at the Oldham job fair, it was in sheer desperation. I remember blurting out what was happening, and they both sat and listened to me, never interrupting, just listening to what I said, intently. I think I started crying at one point, because these two young girls seemed, to my relief, to grasp very quickly what I was saying, but more, what he was up against. Whilst everyone else just didn’t understand. My son wanted to work; he didn’t want to be a burden on society. But, because he didn’t know how to smile at the right time, and because he didn’t understand the ‘in’ jokes, and because he couldn’t look you in the eye, society continually viewed him as a social outcast. He just wanted someone to give him a chance. Just one break, the opportunity to prove himself.
Major Recruitment did just that. Within a week of signing with them he had a job. The break he’d (we’d) hoped for. To this day I don’t know how they did it, I don’t know how they sold him to the employer, I don’t know how they got him over the finishing line, but somehow, they did. He loves his job. It’s almost as if it has his name stamped in BIG letters on it. And Me, well, I will be forever grateful, and always in their debt……………………………………………
If you want a job doing, seriously, leave it to the pro’s, they really DO know what they are doing.
Lorraine Hardman – Mother and Carer to our candidate
Pretty moving stuff hey, we told you it was too good not to share! So, what did we do for Lorraine’s son that we don’t do for all of our candidates – absolutely nothing. Each and every candidate that registers with us gets the same personal treatment. We firstly establish a relationship to understand skills, strengths, weaknesses, what they want, how they work best, etc. Then when trying to place them, we know where they will fit and if they will want the roles available.
In regard to this situation, as we had discussed the problems the candidate had been having previously with him and his mother. We had a role available with one of our clients that the candidate was absolutely perfect for. So, after a conversation with both client and candidate we arranged an informal meeting instead of an more intimidating interview – which worked perfectly. The candidate started work there the following Monday! Since then both the client and candidate are elated with the appointment.
If you’re looking for a new career move, or need help getting on the ladder, contact your local Major Recruitment today and we’ll get the wheels in motion.