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Each temporary work assignment has made her grow as a person, Dina Ishimoto says. And each
experience has also left in its wake a group of impressed and grateful people.
Sculptor and Job Seeker
With Art degree in hand, Dina returned to her hometown of Fresno as a sculptor and job seeker --
and as an admittedly shy young woman. Almost four years later, a series of temporary positions
and post-graduate studies culminated in the dream inspired by her path: a career as an elementary
school counselor.
“Working in those positions helped me to become a more complete and compassionate person,”
Dina says. “I was so shy. I’ve really come out of my shell.”
Of course, temp work also offered flexibility in her quest of coursework toward a master’s degree
in educational counseling and an internship to complete her credential in pupil personnel services.
Whether full time or part time, she was able to balance short-term work with longer-term goals.
Mutual Admiration
When Dina first started, she simply wanted to enter the world of work. “I knew I didn’t want to be
a struggling artist,” she says of the daunting post-baccalaureate job hunt.
She remembered a friend of the family from her high school years who found success with
BennettFrost. Dina tested the waters and found herself immediately comfortable. “It was nice
because I didn’t feel alone in the process. I had support from the staff. It was easy going to
assignments, because I had a whole team behind me.”
Of course, that confidence works both ways. Those for whom she worked found her reliable and
responsible, as well as thoughtful and conscientious.
Dina began her temp work with a local retailer. A couple months later, she began a series of
positions with a local hospital that – because admiration was mutual – would span two-and-a-half
years and three departments.
Big Results and Lasting Impressions
These positions were more than just a paycheck. Dina tackled her assignments with dedication and
professionalism. She was affectionately known as the ‘silent giant’ because she worked quietly and
efficiently while creating big results and presenting creative ideas.
While some might think temp work doesn’t leave lasting impressions, Dina proves the notion
wrong. She successfully developed programs to streamline paperwork operations, and she earned a
reputation for being helpful beyond her own department.
The people with whom she came into contact at the hospital-- families, children, physicians and coworkers – made a lasting impression upon her as well. After all, they were the inspiration for her
ultimate career. “I saw these visitors with their children and thought it would be great to work in
an environment where I could counsel them,” Dina says. Thoughtful, observant and detail-oriented,
she processed events and information that she says have become a strong foundation for her future
counseling – knowledge that will help her guide her students to win-win solutions.
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