“Project Displaced is a game changer in the marketplace”

In December 2019, Antonio Monteiro resigned from his then employer, to take on the full-time care of his then 7-month old daughter. This meant that his partner could resume her career and he could spend valuable time with his child, while thinking about his next career move. And then, Covid-19 hit, impacting the job market and with it came a high degree of uncertainty.

You made a decision for the right reasons...but thanks to Covid-19, life took a different direction. This must have been challenging!

Leaving my job was a tough decision. I had been working in an organisation surrounded by a great bunch of individuals for 12 years. I was at a crossroad in my life back then and I thought it was a good opportunity to put a pause on my career and spend quality time with my daughter. I saw the New Year (2020) as an opportunity to learn and further develop my career. The time I spent with my daughter was amazing and allowed me to refocus my energies on family, especially supporting my partner with resuming her career.

However, Covid-19 threw a spanner in the works – for everyone. When I commenced with job search, I found it a struggle to find relevant roles, apart from the fact that there were limited roles advertised. A lot of my efforts revolved around trying to network and meet with people who could help me understand what I was doing wrong.

You found Project Displaced and was connected with David Vincent, an HR and recruitment specialist. How did that go?

Prior to meeting David, my confidence in trying to get a role in 2020 was very low given the impact Covid-19 had on the job market. So I did not have high expectations when I joined the session. How wrong I was.

Our first session involved discussing the content and structure of my CV and LinkedIn presence – advertising my brand. The session ended up being very useful for me because I was talking to someone who had great HR industry experience and you could tell that helping job seekers was more than a job for David. He gave me so much of his time and effort, and provided me with a realistic view of the job market. Tips were provided about CV restructuring and David offered a perspective of how to approach the job search.

Because the first session was so valuable, I decided to do get assistance around better understanding my skillset.

How did the second session help you?

The session provided clarity around my transferrable and hidden skills. David is a fantastic coach, and as all great coaches, they guide you to your solution.

Then you found a job?

Yes, I secured a short term contract with one of Australia’s largest not-for-profits. The role is very fulfilling and it offers me the opportunity to work amongst the best in the industry, which is invaluable to my career development.

David’s guidance and support helped me align my thoughts and remain positive in a very challenging period.

Did you find that path forward you were looking for?

Yes! I have moved into a more strategic role and allows me to play to my strengths.

What advice would you give to people who were in the same position as you, trying to find work?

A positive mindset is absolutely important and surrounding yourself with individuals who can offer you whatever support you need is critical. Especially more so during a global pandemic!

The fact is, Project Displaced is free and genuine in its service to help people looking for their next career move or even if anyone wants some career coaching. The genuineness is important especially during times when people are struggling with calls to interviews or are just struggling mentally. They need to know that someone’s got their back and the advice they are given is constructive.

Project Displaced has an extensive network of experienced industry professionals, why wouldn’t you take the opportunity to have a chat? It’s a game changer in the marketplace and the name is so apt.

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