The art of reinventing yourself
Anna Rotondi
Onpartu Cohort: 2017
Mentor: Anna Dubert
Education: Bachelors in Fine Arts
Before Onpartu...
Before Onpartu, Italian-born Anna could not find permanent full-time work and as such, was left juggling multiple jobs. The work she did ranged from being a teaching assistant to doing impromptu jobs for agencies in the catering, events and retail sectors. Anna had to work incredibly hard to make a decent wage and was plagued by the uncertainty and insecurity that comes with ad hoc employment. Despite dedicating much of her spare time to amending her CV and completing job applications, Anna experienced multiple rejections. As time went by, London began to seem like a nightmare: too much competition for jobs, too much stress, too much work, too much uncertainty. Then, one day, a friend recommended that Anna get in touch with Onpartu and from that day onwards, things started to look up.
Since Onpartu...
During her participation in the programme, Anna says that the workshops and sessions helped to restore focus and discipline to her job search. Through the programme, Anna realised that she needed to critically re-examine her CV and cover letter and she learnt how to effectively adapt and customise her applications. Above all else, Anna’s mentor helped her to realise that focusing on her failures and regrets was holding her back. Little by little, Anna grew in confidence and began to focus on her positive attributes and achievements. During the programme, Anna also became less intimidated by application processes and was persistent in going to interviews and maintaining a positive outlook. This renewed focus and optimism lead to a great reward when Anna was offered a job at her dream institution, the Tate Gallery.
Onpartu lessons
Anna had never really considered the importance of having a network before Onpartu. However, through the programme, she learnt the value of having people around you who help you understand that you are not alone in your journey and that there is always someone to turn to for support and advice.
