Not Sure Which Way To Go?

Posted by:  Darlene Duncan CWDP, JSS, CCC, JCTC, JCDC
                  Training Coordinator

At this moment for the purposes of this article, why you’re unemployed or underemployed doesn’t matter. What does matter is you deciding where you want to go from here.

Do you want to go back to the kind of work you were doing? Are you bored with that and ready for something new but have no idea what you might do next? Or maybe your old job no longer exists and you have to find something different. Regardless, of the reason you’re looking for a new job, keep in mind that on average we spend more time at work than we spend with our families. So it makes sense that we enjoy our work.

With that in mind I encourage you to explore your work related interests by using the link below. The link will take you to the O’Net Online where you can explore six categories of interest. These six interest categories are about ‘Preferences for work environments and outcomes’.

Explore and learn about yourself. It could make your job search easier and more effective.

 
Click here to explore your work related interests.

Temporary versus Permanent

Posted by: Darlene Duncan. CWDP. JSS, CCC, JCTC, JCDC
Training Coordinator

Believe it or not, the holiday shopping season is just around the corner. This means that retailers will soon be hiring seasonal help. They probably won’t run a help wanted ad in the paper. They’ll most likely put a sign in the window or post a job order in Employ Florida.

Those of you reading this are probably thinking, “I don’t care about seasonal jobs. I want a permanent full time position with benefits.”

That’s understandable. Let’s go over the pros and cons of temporary or seasonal work.

PROS
Getting a paycheck
Something to add to your résumé
Being out in the world where you can meet people
Valuable work experience
Keeping your skills sharp or learning new skills
Chance to gain a good reference

CONS
Minimum wage (still beats the daylights out of $0)
No benefits
It’s not a permanent position (ah yes, but it could turn into one)

From my perspective temporary or seasonal work has a great many benefits. One, it shows potential employers that you’re not just sitting at home waiting on something to fall into your lap. You’re out there doing what you can to make positive things happen in your job search.

Two, you have an opportunity to meet people and I don’t mean just the customers that come into the store at which you work. I also mean the people for whom you’re working. Although you never know who the customer is or what they do for a living. They may own a company and be looking for someone just like you.

Three, you’re keeping your skills sharp and probably acquiring some new skills at the temporary jobs you pick up.

The list could go on for more than three, but I think you get the idea.
I know from personal experience that a temporary job can become a regular position. More than once a temporary job I’ve had has become a permanent position, including the job I have now.

Detective Work

Posted by: Darlene Duncan, CWDP, JSS, CCC, JCTC, JCDC
Training Coordinator

In the workshops at the One-Stop where I work, we often tell job seekers that they need to research the company for which they want to work. Some people look at us as if we have suddenly grown a second head. Sometimes I feel like I should find a mirror to see if maybe I’ve sprouted another noggin.

Perhaps the word ‘research’ is the problem, or at least part of it. Don’t let the word put you off. All it means is to gather information. In this case, gather information about a company or organization. Make it into a game, where you’re a detective and you need to know as much about this company as you can discover.

In regards to your résumé, the information you collect about the company helps you aim your résumé at the company’s interests and needs. The same applies to the interview. The greater your knowledge of the organization the better your answers will be to interview questions.

Collecting information (aka research) is a skill that everyone should learn. It’s a great tool for job hunting and you never know when it might just be a skill you need on the job. To help you get started I’ve provided a link to an article about researching for job seekers. In the article are many links to different sites to assist with your information gathering.

Research Companies