Dagenham McDonald’s reject delighted by City job success
The former Barking & Dagenham College student says she can't believe her luck after being turned down from McDonald's less than a year ago. Photo: Vikki Lince. - Credit: Archant
A teenager who was turned down for more than 150 jobs – including working in a fast food restaurant – has landed her dream role in the City.
The former Barking & Dagenham College student says she can't believe her luck after being turned down from McDonald's less than a year ago. Photo: Vikki Lince. - Credit: Archant
Sasha Poveda of Eliot Road, Dagenham, struggled with the tough workload at college and left after a few months in September last year.
Disheartened but determined to get her life back on track, the 17-year-old then tried a business administration course at Barking and Dagenham College but was unmotivated by the Rush Green campus course and dropped out in January.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do next,” admitted Sasha, who walked around the whole of Romford town centre with her CV but was rejected at every turn.
“To be honest I thought if I couldn’t even get a Saturday job at McDonald’s, what hope had I got?” she admitted.
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Sasha struggled without having a maths GCSE and was too young to get a cleaning job.
But her luck turned when she took advice from a friend to apply for apprentice jobs.
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Before long she was contacted by training experts MiddletonMurray and embarked on a six-week course in Romford on everything from CV-sharpening to interview practice – as well as gaining the equivalent maths GCSE.
“Most people don’t have a clue what they want to do when they leave school,” explained Sasha, who attended Eastbrook School in Dagenham Road.
“They helped me decide what I wanted to do. My dream had always been to work in the City and they thought my personality would make a good recruiter.”
Armed with skills and a lot more confidence, Sasha managed to snap up an apprenticeship with recruitment firm AdRoc Group in Aldgate in June.
“I didn’t know what recruitment was before but I now I know about the statistics,” enthused Sasha.
She has already been promoted from talent scout to resourcer, with a job in the pipeline.
“Six months ago I didn’t know where I was going, I couldn’t have imagined it at all,” Sasha said. “It’s made me more mature, it’s made me the person I am.”
