Donna left her comfort zone and ended up cow cuddling for a living

The best piece of advice I can offer to job seekers, especially those with mental health barriers, is to not be afraid to try something new. It may change your life for the better.

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone

In late 2021, Worklink client Donna was presented with an interesting employment opportunity, with just one catch: it was a million miles away from anything she had ever done before.

During her job search Donna had limited herself to roles that she was familiar with and as a result she was struggling to get a foot in the door in a tight recruitment market. Then her Disability Employment Services recruitment partner suggested a farm hand job.

The plot twist? This was not a regular farm hand position, instead it involved working with beautiful, gentle cattle – for therapy. Donna went for the interview and spent more time talking to these amazing cows than she did with her soon-to-be employer.
Which is no doubt why she got the job, and now describes it as the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

Donna’s job search tips

The one piece of advice Donna would like to share with job seekers, especially those like her with barriers to finding work that include mental health barriers, is to strive to be less afraid when trying new experiences, as they might just change your life for the better.

As someone with C-PTSD, BPD, depression and anxiety Donna remains genuinely amazed at how positive her work life is, sharing that “working with our herd really does help lower stress levels and increase all those good happy chemicals.”

She’s regained confidence in her abilities at work, guiding clients through her solo sessions – and that’s just start. By opening up about her own experiences when asked by clients, she’s also opening the door to a world of opportunities with her new found skills for interacting with and supporting others.

The power of working with a Recruitment Partner

The prospect of going back to work in a completely foreign environment was particularly daunting for Donna who had not worked for over 14 years, but, thanks to assistance from Worklink, she says

the transition was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

Worklink made this opportunity possible for Donna through mentoring, which boosted her confidence in the lead up to attending the interview, and by helping her to easily access to work clothes, boots, her first aid certificate and, most importantly (in her words) by giving her ongoing coaching and support which renewed her belief in herself and in her abilities.

Thank you to Worklink Group Ltd. & Cow Cuddling Co. for striving to provide opportunities for those in similar situations to myself.

Register here if you’d like one of our team to give you a call to talk through the support provided by the Disability Employment Services (DES) program.