The 'Strong at Work' training opened up a whole new world for me.

After five years without work, Chantal Koning (49) is eager to get back to work. During the training ''Working hard' van Werkse! She learned to recognize her qualities and believe in herself. Now she's ready to confidently apply for jobs again. "Just the push I needed."

Chantal explains: "Five years ago, I had several surgeries that took some time to recover from. At the time, I was self-employed as a pedicurist. My job involved going to people's homes on my bicycle with a trailer attached, caring for their feet. During the coronavirus pandemic, I was unable to work for a while. When I was allowed to return, I discovered I had serious wrist problems. I had no strength left in my wrists, was in a lot of pain, and ultimately required surgery. The downside was that, as a self-employed person, I didn't receive any benefits."

Nice conversations
After a tip from an acquaintance, Chantal contacted Werkse!"I didn't have many expectations, but I immediately had good conversations with consultant Chelle. She was positive and saw opportunities for me." Although Chantal didn't receive benefits, she was allowed to participate in the training.Strong at Work' "And I can recommend this training to everyone! The guidance you receive is fantastic."

Strengthening yourself 
During the training, Chantal learned about her strengths and weaknesses. "I really grew from it," she says. "One of the components is learning to speak positively to yourself. That's how you strengthen yourself. And so the entire training is focused on developing your career prospects. The trainers look at how you present yourself, including in your cover letter and resume. I've used those tips to make my resume more appealing." Thanks to the training, Chantal also has a better understanding of what kind of work suits her. "I found it helpful that I could join the Job Caravan. It gives you a behind-the-scenes look at different companies. What does this company do and what kind of work is available?"

Shine through feedback 
With each session of the training you learn more and more about yourself, says Chantal. “During one of the sessions we did a escape roomWe went to a classroom to solve puzzles as a group. The goal was to work well together. The trainers observed, and afterward, the positive aspects were pointed out. For example, I learned that I communicate well and take charge at the right times. It's wonderful to hear those positive things. I simply beamed. Of course, there's also attention to pitfalls. For example, I can sometimes be chaotic or too flexible, but you learn to deal with that.

Self confidence 
At the end of the training, Chantal gave a pitch to the account managers of Werkse!She explains, "With a pitch, you present yourself in a short story. That went really well. The account managers all saw job opportunities for me!" She says, "The idea that there's interesting work out there for me is good for my self-confidence."

Get started applying! 
Thanks to everything Chantal learned during the training, she's confidently approaching job applications. "I have to find work myself, but I needed a helping hand," she says. She now has a better understanding of her strengths and what she's looking for. "I have a wide range of interests, and I value social interaction in my work." She's a good organizer and might want to help the elderly. She's eager to start applying for jobs.

Photo: Alyssa van Heyst