Akiko Finds Support and Confidence Through Grow

Akiko lives in Hillingdon and has a background in graphic design. She joined Grow after a friend recommended the programme. She was looking for work that fits around her childcare responsibilities and also wanted support to rebuild her confidence and improve her CV. Akiko has found Grow to be a supportive network and sisterhood where everyone works together to help one another.

Akiko said “I lost my job exactly a year ago. I was designing book covers for a publishing company, but they had a big restructuring and the department I belonged to completely disappeared. I’m still getting a little work from them, but very little. I started painting and I’m trying to set myself up as an artist, but at the same time I need to make a living. I started thinking what should I do to do both — making a living and doing my own activities as an artist. I was a but confused and needed some help.

I have a daughter, she’s 9 years old, so I still pick her up from school so I need a job that suits my routine with her. I thought maybe I could work for schools. I wanted to teach art, but I don’t have the certificate to teach.

A friend of mine — her daughter goes to the same school as my daughter — had already joined Grow and she recommended it to me. She said it’s good, you can share your concerns and they help you with anything for you to get a job. That’s how I was introduced to Saeema my Grow Adviser who has been so helpful.

At Grow my first impression was how good it was to meet different ladies from different backgrounds. Everyone tried to help each other and understand each other, even though we’re from different countries. It’s very supportive, approachable and very open to everyone. I really appreciated it because I was alone, working from home, and didn’t have anyone to talk to.

My English is not perfect and I always had this inferior feeling that I’m not good enough to reach an interview. I felt my CV was never good enough to be selected from thousands of applicants. I always felt negative about job hunting.

The best thing for me was the CV workshop with Karen. She was so sweet and patient. She really changed my attitude towards job hunting. I’m very confident in my CV now because she provided me with the right suggestions and everything was checked by her. She also recommended using ChatGPT to help me develop it. At first I was sceptical because I felt like it was cheating, but she said no, its fine but you do have to double check and fix what it says. In the end it’s still my own CV, just with help. That was very convincing and positive and having Karen there as the specialist to check it and make sure it was accurate, not misleading gave me that important reassurance.

I’ve started sending my CV out. I was looking for an Art Technician role in schools, which is difficult to find in my area. I found one and sent my CV — they offered me an interview. In the end I realised the school was too far, so I had to turn it down, but I got one interview with the revised CV so that is a great result!

I’ve been joining the Grow Coffee Morning every Friday whenever I can. They share important information, like schools starting free breakfast clubs, which makes it easier for parents to find jobs. Everyone is trying to find a job, so I learn from other people.

I also use the GRoW app. I’ve just come back from my Easter holiday so I will start using it again. It’s a good place to get ideas and information about sessions and jobs.

Grow is a really supportive network to be part of and I really appreciate the help they’ve given me.