From a 2nd track Through volunteer work, a secondment agreement and a subsequent one-year contract, Claire has been back in the workforce for a long time: she now works as a customer service employee in Eindhoven where she has followed an internal training course and is now the calling card for the organization and the service they offer. Read here how Claire2nd track Accompaniment of Puls has experienced.

Meet Claire

Claire is now 53 years old, extremely sociable, loves to listen, is a real go-getter and enjoys learning every day. She has worked almost her entire career as a retail salesperson in a variety of stores. Her social skills come in handy when dealing with customers and giving appropriate clothing advice is right up her street.

Due to a sudden event, Claire drops out of her position as a sales associate. After treatments, she reintegrates with her own employer, but she drops out again. It then became clear that Claire could not return to her own work. Through her employer, she came into contact with Puls and started it 2nd track route. This helps her on her way to a new paid job. Various steps are being taken to achieve this.

Claire sees the future more positively: ''I'm still counting''

Claire recounts the course of her reintegration: ''I had no idea what to expect. I had been in rehab since August, which was tough, exhausting and painful. And then there was the second track. There was a lot going on which made it very hard for me, but the weekly visits in the second track gave me a bit of a more positive image for the future. I really had no idea which jobs would suit me and how to write a good CV and cover letter. Thanks to the coaching in the 2nd track I now know. That alone did me good." Claire went to work looking for a job that suited her to gain experience as well, "Searching online for volunteer work and creating accounts was also a bright spot for me. Especially after I applied for volunteer work and received invitations to interviews, I saw things more positively for the future. Only, unfortunately, the pain was and is no less. After I was hired as a volunteer and buddy for lonely elderly people it gave me a particularly good feeling. I still count, despite my symptoms.''

Disappointments during the application process

''Meanwhile, I was also applying for a paid job and then what was very disappointing is that you get no response to your application. No rejection, nothing at all. Or the job interview goes fine until the 2nd track, secondment agreement or illness comes up and then you are told you don't fit in with the team. That is very disappointing. But yes, that too is part of the process.''

Via secondment to paid employment

"In the end, I found a company that was open to it and wanted to give me a chance. They have experience with people who are in the 2nd track, enter into a secondment agreement with you and offer you a contract to work for them.  This has been made possible in part by the guidance of Puls. They have helped me to build a new future, which looks more positive for me. Thank you very much!''

In the meantime, Puls good contact with the new employer and a collaboration has arisen in the field of reintegrating employees into other suitable work.

Learn more

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*Claire is not her real name, it is known to the organization.