As a pizza server, Jeffery “JT” Tiner didn’t know he had a passion for the financial sector—that is until his strong work ethic and professional spirit prompted a Huntington Bank employee to encourage him to take a job working at the bank.
“Huntington employees came in for lunch often,” says Tiner. “They mentioned that I was professional and had good people skills and offered me a position.”
That offer led him to his current job. After working a temp job through Huntington Bank for a year, Tiner interviewed for a job at ELGA Credit Union, where he now works in the call center.
“I love this job because it allows me to help people,” says Tiner. “I work with our members and help them with account issues and problems.”
Below, find out how TeenQuest helped this Flint Northern High School graduate on his journey and what he plans to do next.
What are your plans for the future?
I love working at the credit union. It’s a place where I can learn and grow. ELGA offers classes that I can take to enhance my learning. I plan to go through the training and hopefully become a loan specialist one day.
How did the lessons learned in TeenQuest help you on your path to this position?
TeenQuest helped me become very confident. The program taught us how to give a firm handshake and make eye contact. I didn’t think that was a big deal back then, but as time went on, I can see how those lessons impacted my life.
What skills did you use from TeenQuest when interviewing for your current job?
In TeenQuest, they say the first seven seconds is important when meeting someone new. So, I made sure I gave a good handshake and made eye contact to make an impression.
What advice would you offer current TeenQuest students?
Just listen. Listening to the facilitators helped me a lot in the long run.
What has been your proudest moment since graduating from TeenQuest?
I come from a single-parent family. Being able to help my mother was a significant moment for me. Not that she asked for help, but I wanted to help her. TeenQuest helped me get a summer job that let me do that.
TeenQuest and Summer Youth Initiative are made possible through the generous support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.