Marcella

For seven long months since she was laid off in June 2023, Marcella* applied to nearly 100 jobs, had four interviews, and was still unemployed.  

The constant rejection left her feeling in a funk. Her confidence was low, she faced depression, and wondered if her long-term dreams like owning a ranch where all her beloved dogs could run free, would ever be accomplished.  

“I didn’t want to go back into the industry that I was in. I felt lost because I have a degree in Business Administration (from Arizona State University), but I didn’t know what to do with it. My mom mentioned the Women in Finance program and I thought, ‘This would tie in really well with my degree,” she said. 

Marcella previously worked in supply chain management and supply logistics, and even though she really enjoyed her previous jobs, there weren’t many growth opportunities.  

After researching the Women in Finance program, Marcella was especially intrigued by the course length of only six weeks. She didn’t have the desire to go back to school and wanted to start earning an income as soon as possible, so the quick timeline worked perfectly for her.  

At the start of the Women in Finance cohort, Marcella was unsure if she would find a true passion within the finance industry, but she knew that the interview, resume, and cover letter topics addressed during the cohort would be worth it on her job pursuit.  

“I was not good at interviewing before. That was my issue. I had interviews but I felt like I never did well, so even if I went to get more interviews I wasn’t going to do well in them.”  

Marcella also admitted that the task of curating a cover letter for each job application was debilitating for her, so much so that it prevented her from applying to new opportunities. 

“I’m not going to lie; I used to not apply for jobs that required a cover letter. I did not want to put in the effort or the work, I thought it was redundant. But being in this course and learning the importance of the cover letter made me realize that not submitting it limited opportunities for me.” 

During the week that the Women in Finance cohort covered interviewing, cover letters, and resumes, Marcella absorbed tons of new information. With help from the Fresh Start instructors, she targeted areas within her interview style that needed polishing.  

“The program really helped me with my interviewing skills, like how to answer questions and how quickly to answer them. I used to get asked a question and freeze, I didn’t know how to answer, and I wasn’t prepared at all. I didn’t know what to expect and it made me look like I didn’t know what I was doing.”. 

She also learned which financial verbiage to include, and where, in her resume, for the best presentation possible for hiring managers.  

“I didn’t realize how writing my elevator pitch made it easier to do my cover letter. Now I have a template and I can add the Women in Finance to it and then I can add why I want to work at specific companies and why I’m a good fit for them. So, I broke it all down very simply and then I realized I was really stressed for no reason.” 

Marcella wanted to test her new resume and started applying to financial positions on her own. Before the career fair at the end of the cohort, she already had interviews scheduled with Chase and Arizona Bank and Trust.  

“All these interviews, when I was unemployed for seven months, I probably had the same or less interviews than I’ve had in this past week. It’s crazy. I had eight interviews this week,” she laughed.  

The career fair showed Marcella that she had reasons to be proud of her employment history, even though she hadn’t had a job in finance before. 

“One of interviewers said, ‘I really see the progression in your resume.’ And I hadn’t even realized it, but she was right. It goes from working in a restaurant to an associate logistics job, then assistant logistics then it goes from assistant to manager. I didn’t even think of that.” 

While Marcella gained the foundational information to start a career in finance through the cohort, she also discovered a new sense of confidence.  

“I’m proud to get that confidence back. I was really low and uncomfortable. I didn’t even know what I wanted so I didn’t know how to convince somebody to hire me,” she recalled.  

“It’s different because I have a path now. Before I didn’t really know what my path was… Now I have a clear direction and stable path where I can learn a lot.”  

Without Fresh Start, Marcella concedes that she’d probably still be unemployed or working a job that she hated.  

“This cohort was the discipline that I needed. I needed some direction because when you’re in a funk for so long, no matter how mentally strong you are, you get into that funk, and it can be so rough and depressing.” 

Soon she hopes to see her dogs run in a big yard instead of her condo’s small outside area. Now, her dreams are closer to becoming reality thanks to Fresh Start’s guidance and mentorship. 

“I feel way more motivated, more confident, the support is super helpful. Before this program I was just over it. But now I’m excited to start in the industry and learn a lot and discover where I want to go. It’s helped me figure myself out, and it’s really a sense of accomplishment to learn more about yourself and what you’re good at and what you enjoy.”  

After learning more about herself through the Women in Finance cohort, Marcella hopes that other women who are unemployed or looking for a career change find Fresh Start too.  

“You don’t have to stay in the place you’re at if you’re not happy. It’s never too late. If you’re miserable in something, you can find the resources to find your new path. I didn’t think I was going to like finance and banking as much as I did. I learned a lot and I’m much more interested in it now. I got so much out of it!”  

She’s Hired! 

After receiving several offers, Marcella accepted an offer from Wells Fargo and is currently enjoying her new career in Banking and Financial Services as a Customer Service Representative.