Julia's Success

Julia's Success Story

Julia’s part-time job was no longer meeting the needs of her growing family. Something had to change. One day, her friend told her about the free career services that are available at Goodwill. The very next day, Julia reached out to Taryn, a Goodwill Opportunity Center Manager.

“I had earned an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree, and I had experience as a grant writer, a marketing manager, and a fitness instructor,” said Julia. “I had all of this education and experience, but I couldn’t figure out how to best portray my varied work experience to employers.”

Taryn listened closely to Julia’s story, helped her organize her education and work history, and created a personalized plan. She provided a professional resume template, coached Julia on how to tailor her applications, and helped her identify transferable skills that she hadn’t yet considered.

“It made a huge difference having Taryn on my side during my job search,” said Julia. “Navigating this process on my own had been discouraging. She encouraged me to apply for jobs I hadn’t discovered and even coached me on interviewing skills.”

Julia’s job search was finally complete when she accepted a job as a Healthy Living and Wellness Public Health Educator at the Hamilton County Health Department. She is now using her education and diverse experience to make a meaningful impact on our community.

“If you are struggling in your job search process, seek help from Goodwill,” said Julia. “They will support your search.”

To take advantage of Goodwill’s free career services, fill out the form at www.goodwillchatt.org/missionservices, visit https://www.goodwillchatt.org/OC to find an Opportunity Center, or call us at (423) 629-2501 ext. 7601.

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By Lora B • November 24, 2025

Burlington's Success Burlington recently collaborated with Goodwill Opportunity Centers in Chattanooga and Dalton to host a series of hiring events aimed at staffing Burlington store locations, including their new Fort Oglethorpe and Dalton stores. Burlington store managers Forrest Thomasson, Desmond Hubbard, and Carol Kambhampati shared that hosting hiring events with Goodwill proved to be significantly more desirable than holding hiring events at their own stores. “It was such a smooth process. Goodwill Opportunity Center staff members greeted applicants and made them feel welcome, which allowed us to focus on conducting interviews,” said Carol. Attendees were also invited to sign up for Goodwill’s free My Career Advisor online platform, which supports job seekers through every step of their career journey. The platform offers tools and resources for career exploration, resume building, training and education, and access to community resources. The collaboration between Burlington and Goodwill resulted in 132 job placements in our region. “Goodwill Opportunity Centers are a gold mine of a resource,” said Forrest. Desmond added, “I would definitely recommend that other employers reach out to Goodwill for hiring support.” Whether you're a job seeker or an employer in Southeast Tennessee or Northwest Georgia, Goodwill is here to help. Call (423) 629-2501 or visit www.goodwillchatt.org/missionservices.