With an eight-year tenure as a Chrysalis volunteer, Bob is an avid supporter of assisting clients throughout the job search. Although he had been volunteering in person at our Santa Monica center, he was quick to sign up to administer virtual services after we modified our in-person services in mid-March for the safety of clients, staff, and volunteers.
Bob became a Chrysalis volunteer while continuing his extensive career in urban development as a real estate advisor. After over three decades working with the consulting firm RCLCO Real Estate Advisors as Managing Director, he was ready to explore new opportunities to serve the community. This led him to the nonprofit sector, where he serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors of the Community Corporation of Santa Monica — fulfilling his passion for urban development, specifically in affordable rental housing.
In search of an opportunity to further utilize his professional background, Bob was pleased when he learned about volunteer opportunities at Chrysalis. Inspired by our mission, he signed up right away. “I knew that a match existed between my background and the responsibilities of a volunteer,” he shared. Because of his many years of reviewing resumes and conducting interviews at the consulting firm, Bob was a strong candidate to assist clients with those integral steps of the job search process. Over the course of his career, he had seen job applicants who would fail to move on in the interview process, and he works closely with each Chrysalis client to ensure they are prepared to avoid those pitfalls and successfully sell themselves to prospective employers.
Bob has felt an immense sense of fulfillment from his role as a Chrysalis volunteer. He enjoys being able to see the direct results that his actions have on a client’s ability to get a job, in particular when he works with clients to paint a picture showcasing the merits of their work experience on their resumes. “My role is to listen and learn how I can help ready the client to pursue a job,” he explains. “I want them to realize that job success is achievable – it’s about what the client can offer an employer as a productive employee and that the past need not define or limit that future performance.”
Though the way he offers assistance as a remote volunteer may look different during the pandemic, his dedication to changing lives through job-readiness preparation remains the same. Bob has come to learn that “everyone has a talent, despite the barriers that life has placed in their way.” He says further that “we are all better off when people feel productive and having a steady job plays a big role in achieving that goal.” We are grateful that he continues to play a vital part in many clients’ pathways to self-sufficiency, and we know his impact will loom large in the hearts of the many clients he has come to inspire during his years as a volunteer.
We are incredibly grateful for Bob and our many virtual volunteers who have dedicated their time to helping clients achieve their goals and navigate an uncertain job market. Though we look forward to the day when we can expand our team of volunteers, please note that we are currently accepting applications for the waitlist only. Click here to learn more.