Career Coaching
Meet with a career coach for one-on-one career advancement
Our career coaches are ready to provide one-on-one job search and resume assistance to job seekers. We continue to hear from employers who are hiring - let our coaches provide guidance during this process.
Our services include:
Writing and printing a resume
Locating online job applications
Contacting employers
Mock interviews
Career fairs
Client Testimonials
Came for a Resume, Left with a Job
After Years of Searching for her Dream Job, Matariah found Success Through Our Doors
Written by: Lauren Low
Matariah Jecolia’s success story is a testament to the Career and Employability services offered at the Evelyn K Davis Center (EKDC). Matariah grew up in South Carolina and graduated from a southern university with her master’s in nutritional sciences. However, she was unable to get a job despite her higher education.
Matariah contacted the EKDC in hopes of boosting her resume and cover letter. This was when Matariah met Michele Brown – our Employability Services Specialist.
“You don’t usually find people like Michele - that really take that interest in a person, and really want to help that person,” Matariah said. “She went beyond.”
With Michele’s help, Matariah was soon hired for a position as a Standardized Patient for Des Moines University. She will use her degree to simulate patient qualities to assist Des Moines University’s educational programs.
“I told Michele when I came in: ‘I want a fun job. I want something that is fun because the thing is, when you don’t like your job and you're stressed on your job you cannot do a good job’,” Matariah said.
The opportunity appeared when she was receiving assistance with her resume at the
EKDC. The job listing for Des Moines University came across Michele Brown’s desk.
When she heard about the Standardized Patient opening, Matariah knew she had found
the ‘fun job’ she was longing for.
Matariah would recommend the EKDC to anyone finding themselves in a similar situation
to her experience. Matariah was frustrated that she had spent 2 years in pursuit of
a master's degree – dedicating hours to write dissertations and study materials -
only to find frustration after graduation.
Matariah explained that many colleges place the emphasis on enrolling students in their programs.
“But their real success is when that student - when they graduate - and they’re able to get a job,” Matariah said.
Matariah is looking ahead with anticipation to starting her new position in January 2023. After living in Iowa for 18 years, she is excited for this new chapter and grateful for the support and assistance from the EKDC.
Any Circumstance; Any Dream
Mia Williams’ Story Demonstrates that No Dream is Overlooked when the EKDC Works with Clients
Written by: Lauren Low
Mia Williams and her son, who has autism, have both visited the Evelyn K Davis Center (EKDC) to use the Career & Employability program.
Mia was the first to try out the EKDC after working at the Department of Corrections for nearly 30 years. With the EKDC’s help, Mia secured her dream job as the Activities Specialist at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women (ICIW) in October 2022.
Mia had been ready for a job change and wanted help with her resume and applications. However, hiring a career counselor seemed too expensive.
“Usually, I would go pay someone quite a bit of money to help me with my resumes,” Mia said.
A recommendation from a friend brought Mia to the steps of the EKDC. Mia met several times with Michele – an employability service specialist - to review Mia’s resume, cover letter, and application.
“[Michele] did better than the people I pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars for. And when I have questions or needed to reach back out to her, she was available,” Mia said.
Mia graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a BA in General Studies, hoping to become a gym teacher. Today, she coordinates physical activities for women at the ICIW, fulfilling that long-time dream. Her experience sparked the EKDC’s impact on countless other lives, including her son and women at the ICIW.
“No matter what level of professionalism [the job is, the EKDC has] the qualifications to help,” Mia said.
Mia's clients at the correctional facility utilize the EKDC as they integrate back into society.
“If I know that [the EKDC] is good enough to help me, then I know they’re going to do a great job with [my] clients,” Mia said.
The Career & Employability program at the EKDC provided tips for navigating the digital system for employment. Mia explained that online applications look for keywords and skills that she didn’t know about.
“Back when you had to write an application, people had to go through it and read it. Now when it goes through the system, if you don’t have certain words or certain things then you could be totally qualified but you still don’t get chosen,” Mia said.
In addition to working in her ideal position, Mia is pursuing her master’s in sports psychology. With the EKDC’s help, Mia continuously accomplishes new feats.
“When you get to a certain level in a job or career, you almost start feeling like you need to go somewhere. Don’t ever feel like EKDC can’t help [you],” Mia said.
The EKDC assists people with a wide range of circumstances, abilities, and aspirations, and it is happy to have played a role in impacting Mia’s life – as well as the people surrounding her.
