Category: Jobs and Careers

If you love working with children or families, consider making your passion work for you by pursuing a career in the education and social services field. By working in this field, you’ll help people learn and find resources to improve their lives, and be a motivating force to help their students or clients become well-rounded, happy and independent. The fields of education and social service are diverse, and there are many types of jobs to consider. While employment in these areas can be rewarding, it is important to understand that the work can be very demanding and emotionally challenging.

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It’s no secret that the current economy has made it hard for people to find jobs. You may possess the work experience and skill set required for the jobs you’re applying for, and you may have been told by an expert that your résumé looks great. But have you checked to make sure that your online identity represents you as well as your experience and résumé do? Your online behavior can affect you just as much as the first impression you make in an interview with a potential employer. This includes activity on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, on job boards, and any other websites where you can publicly post a comment or question attached to your name. And don’t forget the dating sites!

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Want to work in an industry where a smile, bubbly personality and patience can be worth more than a college degree? Consider career options in the hospitality and food services industry, where being a people person and being able to make others feel welcome are as much of a requirement as prior experience in the field. A career in the hospitality and food services industries can take many shapes, including employment as a hotel and motel clerk, waitress and waiter, housekeeping personnel, reservations personnel, and restaurant and cafeteria staff member. Job opportunities exist in many locations, ranging from a roadside motel, hotel, restaurant or amusement park to a world-class, exclusive, luxury resort with fine dining.

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In May 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the national unemployment rate was still hovering 9%. While approximately 54,000 were added in May, 63% of new job openings in the U.S. require post-high school training or a degree, with nearly 50% requiring an associate degree or better.

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At a time when over 12 million Americans are unemployed, the number of people applying for jobs is greater than the amount of jobs available. There are three steps to getting a job: submitting a résumé, submitting a cover letter and going to an interview. An often overlooked, but very important part of this process is the cover letter. Learning how to write a compelling cover letter will make you stand out in the crowd.

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Starting over in a new career field can be scary, and the prospect of returning to school to learn something new can seem overwhelming. Rest assured, even though you may not have previous experience in the career field you're looking to enter, you likely have skills that can help you be successful in your future job. The health care industry will be adding a lot of new jobs, making it a popular choice for individuals entering the workforce for the first time as well as workers looking to make a career change.

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For many, Memorial Day marks the start of summer, and is a day for barbeques, trips to the beach, and time with family and friends. However, the true meaning of Memorial Day (once known as Decoration Day) is to remember the soldiers who have died in service to our country. But soldiers are not the only ones who make a sacrifice -- their families often have to make sacrifices as well. Organizations around the country are banding together to help our troops and their families gain the resources to meet their needs. If you're a military member, military spouse or veteran, the Goodwill in your community can work with you to create an individualized plan to help you identify and set realistic and achievable goals.

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May is Older Americans Month when Americans take time to show their appreciation and support for older individuals who enrich and strengthen local communities across the country. While many of us recognize the enormous contributions of older Americans, “companies are also increasingly focusing on this segment of the American workforce and are offering older workers more flexible work options and helping them better balance work and family issues," says Deborah Russell, Director of Workforce Issues for the AARP, a nonprofit organization for people over 50. Read on to learn about Goodwill's tips to help older workers find employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency.

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April 27 is Administrative Professionals Day where offices across the country take a day to recognize the secretaries and assistants who help their organizations run efficiently. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , secretaries and administrative assistants hold about 4.3 million jobs in today’s economy, making administrative professionals the largest segment of the office workforce.

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Companies today are thinking more seriously about their impact on the planet, making new environmental commitments that will require new workers. Proctor & Gamble made a commitment to power all of their factories with renewable energy within the next ten years, and Walmart pledged to sell $1 billion of fresh produce sourced from 1,000 small- and medium-sized farmers, just to name a few. As the economy becomes greener, you can position yourself to make your career greener, too.

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According to professional job hunters, only 10-20 percent of jobs get published on job boards or in classified ads. The remaining 80 percent remain unpublished — making these job opportunities accessible only through networking. People in your network can give you job leads, offer advice about a particular career path, and introduce you to others who can help you in your job search. To help the people we serve achieve their potential and find new jobs and careers, Goodwill® offers “do’s” and “don’ts” of networking to help you make new connections and advance your career.

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Balancing a career, family and finances is one of the biggest challenges facing single mothers today. According to the Women's Economic Security Campaign, the unemployment rate for women who maintain families was 11.3 percent in 2010—the highest rate in the past 25 years. As single mothers look to find jobs and support their families, Goodwill can offer a range of services to help families achieve economic self-sufficiency.

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