When I found the courage to ask my employer for a raise.

Brittany graduated from Climb’s Office Careers program in Laramie three years ago and has drawn on Climb’s support many times since, especially in the past year. “Once you’re a Climb mom,” she says, “you’re always a Climb mom.”

She adds, “Climb has been critical to me staying on the right track to provide for my daughter and raise her the best way I can.” 

Before Climb, Brittany worked as a bartender and waitress. Her Climb job placement launched her into a new career at the Laramie Vision Clinic, where she started working at the front desk. She’s now the Laramie clinic’s coordinator and also works as an optometric technician.

“Climb constantly makes me feel like I’m in a career that I deserve.”

-Brittany, Climb Wyoming Graduate

Though she recognizes how far she’s come, there was a moment recently when Brittany wasn’t sure how to move forward.

 “I really wanted to ask for a raise,” she recalls. “But I was shaking in my boots. I seriously felt sick just at the thought of it.”

Brittany reached out to Climb and, within hours, was sitting across from Laramie’s program director. “We sat down and wrote a list of my accomplishments and created a draft of my request,” she recalls. “The exercise really helped calm my nerves. More than anything, it reminded me to advocate for myself and ask for what I need.”

She asked for the raise and soon heard back that her request was approved. “I immediately texted Climb and said, ‘I GOT IT!’”

“Climb constantly makes me feel like I’m in a career that I deserve,” says Brittany. “Professional support is important so I can keep working in a job where I can be there for my daughter.”