Supporting local women get interview ready this International Women's Day
Find out more about Smart Works Greater Manchester and how you can access interview support.
This year, we’re proud to have funded Smart Works Greater Manchester, through the One Manchester Community Fund, to support local women and our customers get ready for job interviews.
Smart Works help unemployed women to get the coaching, clothing and confidence they need to secure employment. The women they support are at high risk of economic hardship, and are often struggling with confidence and self-belief in the face of repeated rejection due to the harsh realities of the current job market.
Smart Works offer free career coaching, interview outfits and interview preparation support to local women who’re unemployed or on a zero-hour contract. Their work is all about helping women become more confident within themselves and enabling them to further their career. Our funding will enable more One Manchester customers to benefit from their fantastic service.
Visiting Smart Works
To celebrate International Women’s Day this week, we popped along to Smart Works HQ in Manchester to find out more about the support they provide and see their fantastic work in action.
Walking around the Smart Works GM HQ was like entering a walk-in wardrobe but better. It was incredible to see how much attention to detail had been placed when arranging the clothes, accessories, and general decoration. When we arrived we were greeted by the Smart Works Outreach Manager who kindly talked us through what a customer would experience at a ‘dressing and preparation service’ from start to finish. From the empowering words on ‘confidence cards’ (which are handed out to customers at the end of an appointment) to the neatly arranged clothes classified by garment, size, and style, it was a seamless experience. We were left feeling grateful for how hard these women work to empower other women and change the narrative.
Find out more about Smart Works Greater Manchester.
What our partnership means
The One Manchester Community Fund is all about supporting projects and initiatives that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our customers and help our communities to thrive. Smart Works provides a fantastic package of support to help local women and our customers gain skills and confidence to secure employment.
Smart Works helps women feel confident and look their best by providing the right clothing and interview preparation. This support has a lasting impact, empowering women to bridge the gender gap, chase their goals, and land their dream jobs.
Our CEO, Nic Kershaw said: “At One Manchester we’re really committed to supporting initiatives that make a positive difference in the community. Partnering with SmartWorks aligns perfectly with our values, as we believe in providing opportunities and resources to help women achieve their full potential. Celebrating International Women’s Day with this collaboration supports our dedication to helping create an inclusive and supportive environment for all.”
The impact of the work Smart Works does is evident in the happy faces we saw leaving their centre. Smart Works found that after leaving their centre 94% of customers feel more confident and a fantastic 63% of women get a job within a month of their visit.
What services you can access
Dressing and preparation service
- Interview preparation (dressing): You’ll receive an hour-long dressing consultation with two trained stylists. Your interview outfit will seek to boost your confidence – the clothes you pick will be yours to keep.
- Interview preparation (coaching): You’ll then have a one-to-one 60-minute coaching session with an expert interview coach. Your coach will help you unlock your potential and get interview ready. You’ll also receive a free interview guide to take home.
- Second dressing: Once you get a job, no matter how long after your appointment this is, you can return for a session with our stylists. You’ll receive a small ‘working wardrobe’ at this appointment to get you started at your new role.
Career coaching service
No interview? No problem. Smart Works also provide free appointment-based Career Coaching. At this 60-minute session you’ll chat to an expert coach who’ll advise you on how to secure an interview.
Once you’ve secured an interview, you can book a ‘Dressing and Preparation’ appointment.
How you can get started
To access either service you’ll need to be referred to Smart Works by our Employment and Skills team. To do this you can get in touch with our team to issue a self-referral by:
- Complete our Contact Us form and select the Employment and Skills option
- Attending an Employment and Skills drop-in session at our neighbourhood hubs.
Once your self-referral is with one of our team members, your details will be passed on to Smart Works who’ll be in touch to arrange an appointment.
