When Sean connected with The Fortune Society last year, he had no idea how profoundly the organization would impact his life and career path.    

While incarcerated, Sean took advantage of opportunities for professional development. He led group discussions and worked at the prison library. Confident in his administrative skills, he expected to find a job fairly quickly upon his release. However, he soon discovered that finding a job was far more challenging than he had anticipated.    

Sean applied for dozens of jobs in different industries. After each interview, he received similar rejections, all referencing his criminal legal system involvement or lack of experience. He worked as a delivery driver but remained determined to find a job that utilized his administrative experience.     

One day, he arrived at The Fortune Society to drop off a delivery order. He met some staff members who encouraged him to explore the Employment Services (ES) program, specifically the Career Readiness workshop.     

“I looked up, and I thought to myself, ‘This is God’s doing,’” Sean said. “I ended up going in for intake and signing up for the three-week Career Readiness workshop. I just hoped it would amount to something, and all I heard from everybody was, ‘Trust the process.’ So, that’s what I did.”  

Photos: Employment Services regularly hosts mock interviews to help participants hone their interviewing skills. 

The Career Readiness workshop helps participants hone their interview and professional skills, including creating a resume and discussing its content, developing problem-solving and time management skills, and practicing answers to difficult interview questions.  

Soon after completing the workshop, Sean transitioned to working as an intern at Fortune with ES. There, he further cultivated the skills he acquired in the career readiness workshop and adjusted to the routine of having a full-time job. He familiarized himself with Microsoft Office, practiced business etiquette, and established positive professional relationships with ES staff and participants. Sean excelled during his internship, and other staff members encouraged him to apply for Fortune’s Bloomberg Fellowship.   

Although he wanted to focus on finding a permanent job after completing his internship, Sean decided to continue his professional development. He was chosen to join the select group of Bloomberg Fellows, and he worked for four months on an administrative project at the Bloomberg office in Manhattan.   

Working as an intern with ES and as a Bloomberg Fellow equipped Sean with professional skills and experience that he knew would help him thrive. Not long after graduating from his fellowship program, Sean received a call about an open position for a Peer Specialist at Fortune.   

Now, Sean supports Fortune participants in recovery. He conducts anger management sessions, leads in-person groups such as Pathways to Peace, and provides ongoing support to participants.  

“They told me about how I would be speaking with people about my lived experience, helping people based on what I had been through. It felt natural, and I’ve been here ever since.”   

Sean emphasized that much of his professional success comes from the opportunities made available to him because of Fortune. Since attending the Career Readiness Workshop for the first time last year, Sean has obtained certifications in social work, harm reduction, business, and finance. Although he is a staff member here now, he continues to build upon the foundations he established with ES.