Omar Pachas: 211/LIFE LINE Supervisor
Title and years with Goodwill/211
211 Life Line Supervisor. I’ve worked for a year as a temp (2010) then hired by the agency (2011) so a total of 12 years. Wow!
How did you become a part of 211/what drew you to the program?
I initially started as a temp in the 1st floor Call Center under a new pilot program called 1-800-Goodwill. After a year, the program was picked up and made a permanent contract and I was hired as a full employee. While I enjoyed working for 1-800-Goodwill and serving our caller’s needs, I began to crave more involvement in higher levels of service. I felt that I lacked a sense of fulfillment.
That’s when I saw an open position for a 211/LIFE LINE Telecounselor which involved information and referral for health and human services, as well as communicating and offering counseling to those in crisis situations or those that were experiencing thoughts of suicide. This new position provided me with the fulfillment that I was seeking and gave me the sense of making a tangible difference. Eventually, my drive for more got the better of me and I applied for the 211/LIFE LINE Supervisor and accepted the position. Six years after accepting, here I am, still loving what I do and trying to improve at least one person’s life every day.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I’ve always enjoyed interacting with our staff - joking around and creating long lasting bonds with everyone I work with. I have been handling the training of new recruits for the past few years, so being it’s been great meeting new people and helping them to succeed in this field. We really have a sense of family and support here. This is not just a job for me, it’s my career. I hope to continue building on my previous successes.
Do you have any hobbies?
Is sarcastic humor a hobby? I love to clown around and make folks laugh (maybe too much?). With the type of work we do I feel it’s imperative to have a light and comfortable atmosphere. You can catch me on Teams [the program we use to communicate with our co-workers] with a joke or two every now and then. I’m also a big gamer, so after work you’ll catch me at home with the ole’ Xbox. It’s a great way to decompress after a long day. Oh and movies, I love going to the movies to watch the latest blockbuster films. Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, etc. It’s all good.