Ruby and Gwen met during their first year at Salem State University in Salem, MA. They had classes together as social work majors, were suitemates during their second year of school, and served as mentors for students with disabilities. Gwen switched to an education major, focused on teaching English as a second language, and graduated college in only three years, but they remained close friends. Thanks to the power of connectivity, and a shared passion for helping others, both Ruby and Gwen successfully began their professional careers at Work Opportunities Unlimited (WOU)!
Ruby started at WOU first, in December of 2023, as a Career Resource Specialist on the North Shore team. She had been enjoying her part-time job at a local juice shop, but shares, “I really wanted to do something more meaningful. I was learning all these things in my social work classes, and getting more excited to be in the field. I had previously done a job coach position, and I really loved it, so I was looking for something similar but more hands-on with assisting people with getting a job.” That’s when WOU reached out to her, having seen her interest in the field from an online resume site. “It was exactly what I was looking for,” she says. In her role, Ruby helps break down the barriers to employment for people with disabilities. “I work with job seekers, and clients that just need support at work, or those that are looking for a second job,” she explains. “It’s been awesome. I feel so lucky that my first professional experience is with WOU, and I thought that Gwen could be a really good fit as well.”
Ruby saw Gwen’s applicable skills when the two served as mentors through Salem State’s Community of Inclusive Scholars Program. As Ruby explains, “It’s for students with disabilities to be able to get the college experience while taking classes that they can succeed in. We would both do fun things with the students, and I got to see Gwen use a lot of what she learned as a social work student. She’s really good at connecting people with resources, and retaining information about resources, and also being realistic about what people need.” Gwen mentored every year at college, and also completed an internship. She shares, “I had always had an interest in being a career counselor, which is why I wanted to do social work… Ruby knew this was the perfect field for me to get into, and that I hadn’t set up a permanent position before I graduated. She told me about what she was doing, and how much she loves WOU. It seemed really interesting to me, so she offered to help me apply.” Gwen joined Ruby and the North Shore team as a Career Resource Specialist in May of 2024.
Ruby was ready to support her friend in her new role, but knew Gwen was in good hands at WOU. “I love that when you’re onboarding at WOU, you have a mentor. Gwen learned a lot from her mentor, and then I was her added support. Also, everybody on the North Shore team is excited when there’s a new team member. Everyone is so welcoming and warm, and willing to help people to adjust.” Gwen was happy that she could ask Ruby questions, recalling, “Especially in the beginning, I was a little hesitant to go straight to my supervisor or to other team members, because in previous positions, asking too many questions was not great. But over time, I learned that there was no reason to be nervous to ask questions from anyone, because everyone that I’ve worked with has been absolutely amazing.”
Gwen really enjoys supporting her clients out in the community, helping job seekers apply and interview for new positions, and exploring career options with students. “I love spending time one-on-one with the clients in their space, getting to know them where they are comfortable,” she says. Ruby also values her time in the field, sharing, “One of my favorite parts is watching the growth of my clients, and how they build relationships in the workplace.” A notable example is one of her clients who had high anxiety and only spoke when she was at home. “One of her managers wrote her a birthday card and she went home and made a video verbally thanking her for the card. Nobody else had heard her voice before except for her parents, so it meant so much to her managers that she did that. It felt really special,” recalls Ruby. “Circumstances like that are really powerful, and I just love getting to watch those successes, those victories for the clients.”
Working together at WOU has deepened the bond that Gwen and Ruby share. Gwen says, “It’s been great to keep up my connection with Ruby, and also have a different type of relationship than it was before.” Ruby agrees, sharing, “It was really cool getting to recommend Gwen for this position. Not only did it build up our friendship, but I felt like – and I hope others agree – our being friends contributed to the closeness of the whole team.” As the two embarked on their “first true professional experience,” as Ruby says, “We needed to learn, for instance, how to dress professionally, how to set good boundaries with our clients, how to take care of ourselves so we have good work-life balance, how to take advantage of resources that the company offers. We navigated all those things together.” Gwen is grateful to Ruby for referring her to the welcoming environment of WOU, stating, “I couldn’t think of a better job to start off my career with after college. I never expected this much support from a company! It’s been wonderful.”
