Strengthening Skills, Starting a Career. Saed’s Story.

Do you remember the first career goal that you set for yourself? Across the country, CEO participants are setting goals and achieving employment milestones every day. This year CEO will serve 8,000 individuals leaving incarceration, supporting their transition home.

Meet twenty-five year old Saed Dixon. Saed entered CEO’s Albany New York program in August of this year unsure of what to expect. While completing CEO’s one-week orientation, for the very first time in his life, he began exploring his career interests and goals. An immediate goal for him was to secure a job that would provide “steady work and decent pay”. To build confidence and skills, he attended CEO’s OSHA 10 training and earned a credential that increased his marketability to employers.

Saed worked closely with Molly, his CEO Job Coach, who conducted mock interviews and helped him craft a compelling resume. At first, Saed had difficulty displaying confidence and responding to questions in these sessions. His Job Coach encouraged him to reveal his outgoing nature and sense of humor. With practice, his comfort level grew and he was soon successfully completing interviews with potential employers. Through CEO’s program, Saed was able to secure a full-time job at a local supermarket, a role that provides the stability he was seeking. Now that he has achieved this milestone, Saed has his sights set on pursuing his longer-term career goal of becoming an entrepreneur and graphic designer.