Twenty rejections, then a yes
Richard wants to open his own clothing shop. After almost a year of door-to-door applications and twenty no's, his first yes came from a different industry, and he took it as a stepping stone.
Richard Cadet is 18, lives in East New York, and graduated from Brooklyn Theater Arts High School. When his Bridges Employment Specialist met him, he was working at a juice bar he'd been at for years, and ready for a more professional environment.
His dream is to open his own clothing shop. He started college classes in business and marketing in the fall. So the job-search plan was straightforward: apply to every clothing and sneaker store in central Brooklyn.
Richard followed up on every application, in person, every time. He was diligent. And, likely because of his age, he was met with rejection after rejection. After six months, he'd gotten no fewer than twenty no's.
He never took the rejections as a reflection of his value. He stayed positive. He stayed grateful. He kept thanking his ES for the time.
Almost a year in, Richard was hired as a cashier at Circle Line. It's not a clothing shop. He's clear-eyed about that. But it's a structured customer-service environment where he can learn, and that fits the long-term goal.
Stories like this happen because of partnership.
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