WEBVTT - Objective Unlocked!

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to On the Job. Can you believe we're

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<v Speaker 1>at episode seven already? Where does the time go? Well,

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<v Speaker 1>after all these wonderful profiles of people in the midst

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<v Speaker 1>of their careers, we thought we'd switch things up just

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<v Speaker 1>a bit for this episode and take a look at

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<v Speaker 1>the challenges that many of us face went looking for

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<v Speaker 1>a job. So today we're going to hear about one

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<v Speaker 1>man's search for work and how that path to employment

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<v Speaker 1>helped him to discover a whole new approach to life.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's face it, looking for a job sucks. It does.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a painful experience in so many ways. It's a

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<v Speaker 2>moment of humility, of anxiety, and depending on how much

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<v Speaker 2>money you have saved from the last time you worked,

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<v Speaker 2>oftentimes it's a moment of sheer desperation. Whether you're searching

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<v Speaker 2>online or in the newspaper, or driving around town looking

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<v Speaker 2>for now hiring signs and handing out resumes. Searching for

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<v Speaker 2>a job literally begins to feel like a job itself.

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<v Speaker 2>And one man who knows exactly how that goes is

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<v Speaker 2>Leon Albritton.

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<v Speaker 3>There's a job, looking for a job.

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<v Speaker 2>And if you're like Leon, who doesn't live in a

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<v Speaker 2>big city, your options are that much harder because you

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<v Speaker 2>have to.

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<v Speaker 3>Go real far to get something, you know, the half

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<v Speaker 3>way gainst it.

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<v Speaker 2>And then even if you get lucky and find a

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<v Speaker 2>gig that sounds of interest, you've got to go through

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<v Speaker 2>the whole application process, which means updating your resume, writing

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<v Speaker 2>a cover letter, reaching out to the hiring person, and

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<v Speaker 2>half the time, maybe way more than half the time,

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<v Speaker 2>after all that work, nothing and you can't help but

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<v Speaker 2>think that maybe that application you've just spent all that

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<v Speaker 2>time working on wasn't even rent. But fortunately there are

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<v Speaker 2>places like Express and people like Olivia Merhrifeld.

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<v Speaker 4>And I am the operations manager for the About Indiana

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<v Speaker 4>and Shareble Indiana Express offices, and.

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<v Speaker 2>Olivia totally knows how hard it is to get a

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<v Speaker 2>job because prior to working at Express, she was in

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<v Speaker 2>the exact same position that Leon was in.

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<v Speaker 4>And you get so caught up in applying for jobs

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<v Speaker 4>online or using those different avenues, you so many times

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<v Speaker 4>don't ever get to speak to a real person. You're

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<v Speaker 4>submitting resume after resume after resume.

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<v Speaker 2>But fortunately for both Leon and Olivia, they called their

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<v Speaker 2>local Express office.

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<v Speaker 4>I came into Express, had my interview, They ended up

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<v Speaker 4>placing me at a property management company where I was

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<v Speaker 4>the leasing agent, and I was there about five years.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, Olivia got lucky with that first job. Leon was

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<v Speaker 2>having a harder go of it. How many different jobs

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<v Speaker 2>did they try to get you in? Over a dozen? Right?

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<v Speaker 3>What am I?

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<v Speaker 4>Did?

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<v Speaker 2>You ever get discouraged going after all these different jobs

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<v Speaker 2>and them not working out?

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<v Speaker 4>Man?

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<v Speaker 3>I was feeling just like you said too. It was

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<v Speaker 3>faultlessly ill stressful. Man.

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<v Speaker 2>At Express, well, it's their goal to place job seekers

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<v Speaker 2>in long term positions. They're also realists. I know that

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<v Speaker 2>sometimes it takes a few tries until you find that

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<v Speaker 2>perfect match.

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<v Speaker 4>As much as it's about a client interviewing a candidate,

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<v Speaker 4>it's also a candidate interviewing the client, interviewing them to

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<v Speaker 4>make sure it's something that they're good at and want

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<v Speaker 4>to do. I tell people daily that not every job

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<v Speaker 4>is the right fit for every person. Just because something

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<v Speaker 4>doesn't work out that time around doesn't mean it won't

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<v Speaker 4>the next.

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<v Speaker 2>You're playing the long game here with these people. It's

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<v Speaker 2>not just like, Okay, you fail that doing this job,

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<v Speaker 2>we're done with you. It's let's keep working until you

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<v Speaker 2>find the right fit.

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<v Speaker 4>Exactly and as long as someone is willing to go

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<v Speaker 4>to work, show up every day, do their best, that's

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<v Speaker 4>what matters to me. It's not a matter of odd

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<v Speaker 4>if the good at it or not good at it,

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<v Speaker 4>it's are they willing to try and put in the effort.

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<v Speaker 2>And Leon was definitely willing to put in the effort.

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<v Speaker 2>He went to job after job, showing up ready to work.

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<v Speaker 4>He has done everything from working in a facility that

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<v Speaker 4>did laundry for hotels, to dairy corporations to even a

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<v Speaker 4>packager at a candy factory.

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<v Speaker 2>It's quite the range there, it is.

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<v Speaker 4>But he was always willing to go and always willing

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<v Speaker 4>to try something new, even if he was going into

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<v Speaker 4>something that he had never done before, he was always

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<v Speaker 4>willing to give it a shot.

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<v Speaker 3>He wasn't easy going up job.

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<v Speaker 2>They too, Leon acknowledges that they were hard jobs. But

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<v Speaker 2>if we're being honest here, he puts the blame mostly

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<v Speaker 2>on himself because at that time in his life, with

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<v Speaker 2>the stress of trying to find work, piling bills, and

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<v Speaker 2>a feeling that he was letting people down, Leon turned

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<v Speaker 2>to alcohol. And anyone who has ever used drugs or

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<v Speaker 2>booze to cope with life's challenges nose things can spiral

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<v Speaker 2>out of control pretty quickly. Did you lose a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of jobs because of your drinking?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes? I did it, some good jobs too.

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<v Speaker 2>Then, in a moment of pure desperation, Leon decided to

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<v Speaker 2>leave his home in Indiana and moved to Seattle because I.

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<v Speaker 3>Gave up left my property here, I sold my car,

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<v Speaker 3>and I just left, thinking beings is going to be different.

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<v Speaker 2>There may have been a woman involved, but this is

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<v Speaker 2>a business podcast, people. So Leon found himself out there

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<v Speaker 2>in Seattle with no job, no car. And since I

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<v Speaker 2>know you're curious, that woman didn't work out either. And

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<v Speaker 2>while Seattle is a beautiful city, it doesn't exactly have

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<v Speaker 2>the kind of weather to break in your spirits. And

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<v Speaker 2>so Leon's desperation only grew. And what started out is

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<v Speaker 2>some drinking to cope became a full fledged addiction. When

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<v Speaker 2>we come back from the break, Leon hits rock bottom.

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<v Speaker 2>A strong work ethic, takes pride in a job well done.

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<v Speaker 4>This is the kind of person you need.

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<v Speaker 2>Express employment professionals can help because in good times or bad,

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<v Speaker 2>we understand how critical it is to manage your business

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<v Speaker 2>for today. With the right workforce, we offer hiring solutions

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<v Speaker 2>to fit changing demands. Express knows Jobs.

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<v Speaker 3>Get to know Express.

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<v Speaker 4>Go to expresspros dot com to find a location near you.

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<v Speaker 2>We're back with Leon Albrin, who at this point in

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<v Speaker 2>our story is out in Seattle, jobless and womanless, wondering

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<v Speaker 2>why he ever left Indiana.

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<v Speaker 3>And I left thinking is going to be different? He

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<v Speaker 3>got worship.

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<v Speaker 2>What started as a few drinks to combat life stresses

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<v Speaker 2>quickly turned into a full fledged dependency. Any money Leon

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<v Speaker 2>was making went straight to buying a bottle. But as

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<v Speaker 2>Leon's life was spiraling downward, he found out that at

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<v Speaker 2>that same time, his son's life was about to change

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<v Speaker 2>for the better in a very dramatic way.

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<v Speaker 3>Somebody showed me that my son was getting drafted in

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<v Speaker 3>the NBA. Really yeah, the brand and Dawson.

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<v Speaker 2>Leon felt an obvious sense of pride that his son,

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<v Speaker 2>Brandon's dreams of turning pro were about to come true,

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<v Speaker 2>but he also felt a deep shame for where he'd

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<v Speaker 2>let his life lead him. Leon had hit rock bottom,

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<v Speaker 2>or actually he didn't hit rock bottom. He tried to

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<v Speaker 2>walk into it and buy a drink.

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<v Speaker 3>The name of the bottle was rock Bottle. And then

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<v Speaker 3>I looked at the top of it his name rock

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<v Speaker 3>Bottle that said oh wow.

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<v Speaker 2>And somehow that was what did it. The realization that

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<v Speaker 2>just as his son was about to become a professional athlete,

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<v Speaker 2>Leon was about to walk into a bar named rock

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<v Speaker 2>Bottom to have a few drinks and feel sorry for himself.

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<v Speaker 2>That's when he accepted that he needed to turn his

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<v Speaker 2>life around, that he needed help.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, well we got we gotta be back in a

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<v Speaker 3>swinging things out there.

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<v Speaker 2>And after getting sober, Leon decided to go back home

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<v Speaker 2>to Indiana.

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<v Speaker 3>And he told me, they said, Leon, well, goob in Indiana,

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<v Speaker 3>surround himself around people as gilbers not take it.

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<v Speaker 2>And Leon did just that. He built up a positive community,

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<v Speaker 2>established a healthy routine, and rekindled his relationships with his family.

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<v Speaker 2>And then, of course he needed a job and Leon

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<v Speaker 2>knew just where to go. When he got there, though,

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<v Speaker 2>there was a new face in the office because in

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<v Speaker 2>the time that Leon had gone out to Seattle, Olivia

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<v Speaker 2>Marifeld went from being a job seeker at Express to

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<v Speaker 2>being a staff member there.

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<v Speaker 4>I had no idea that they were looking for someone

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<v Speaker 4>for the front office here. I ended up getting an

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<v Speaker 4>interview on the spot, meeting with the franchise and then

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<v Speaker 4>started the next day. Amazing rights, such a cool thing

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<v Speaker 4>to have been in the associates shoot in the past.

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<v Speaker 4>I know exactly what they're facing and what they're looking for.

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<v Speaker 2>And right off the bat, Olivia could see that this

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<v Speaker 2>was a new and improved Leon, Leon two point zero.

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<v Speaker 4>It's been such a cool opportunity to see him grow,

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<v Speaker 4>to see him change, to see the things that he's

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<v Speaker 4>overcome in his life.

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<v Speaker 2>Very quickly, Olivia had Leon back out in the workforce,

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<v Speaker 2>doing a few days here and there, but all the while,

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<v Speaker 2>her goal, as it is with all her associates, was

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<v Speaker 2>to eventually land Leon that keeper.

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<v Speaker 4>I think part of our goal in one thing our

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<v Speaker 4>staff really focuses on is the fact that we aren't

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<v Speaker 4>just like any o temporary agency Michal is to find

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<v Speaker 4>long term, permanent placement for these associates. So I want

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<v Speaker 4>to place them where their skill sets are going to

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<v Speaker 4>be valued and where they're going to do the best

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<v Speaker 4>long term. We want them to find a home and

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<v Speaker 4>find a career.

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<v Speaker 2>And with this new and improved Leon, a Leon that

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<v Speaker 2>is sober, clearheaded, motivated and always willing to do the work,

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<v Speaker 2>it didn't take long before Olivia made good on that.

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<v Speaker 3>She's kept the word. And that's how my mom ever

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<v Speaker 3>told me, wherever you go on life, if you don't

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<v Speaker 3>have nothing else, always keep your word.

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<v Speaker 2>Because after all the jobs that didn't work out, Leon

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<v Speaker 2>has finally found the job for him. Working in the

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<v Speaker 2>industrial industry for the last seven months has given Leon

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<v Speaker 2>not only an income, but a healthy routine and a

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<v Speaker 2>sense of purpose. Like all of us, he has his days,

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<v Speaker 2>has afternoons when the clock drags, and mornings when he

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<v Speaker 2>just doesn't want to get out of bed. But then

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<v Speaker 2>he reminds himself how far he's come and how hard

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<v Speaker 2>he and the folks that Express have worked to get

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<v Speaker 2>him where he is today.

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<v Speaker 3>Express Ball feed back and still a human again. That's

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<v Speaker 3>the way I'm gonna put it. They gave him my life.

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<v Speaker 2>Back for on the job. I'm Avery Thompson.