Category: The Goodwill Blog

In the minds of many, Goodwill® is the place to drop off donations and shop at cheaper prices. The nonprofit organization brings a lot more to the table, though. Goodwill’s overarching mission is to help community members find jobs. Goodwill Southeast Georgia serves 29 counties in Georgia and four counties in South Carolina. That area coverage includes 17 retail stores and four career centers. The Job Connection Center, located directly beside the Goodwill store in Brunswick, located at 249 Village at Glynn Place, offers workshops, professional development, GED courses and computer access. The center’s staff provides résumé and interviewing skills training and teach courses in hospitality training, soft skills development and computer skills.

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We’ve all heard it’s important to do your homework on a company prior to your interview. But what does that really mean? Today I’ll explore some tips for planning for your interview.

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Nothing says Thanksgiving like a table full of-- Sharpies. No? Well, maybe I can convince you that it’s worth setting one out for each of your guests with the same care you place your grandmother’s finest silver.

READ MORE from How To Create a Unique Thanksgiving Craft For Your Table Setting Found At Goodwill®

“I am a VOTER.”  These were the words on my shirt when I wrote this blog. While I originally wore the shirt on Halloween, I plan to wear it again on Tuesday, November 6th when I go to the voting booth with a potentially historic number of my fellow Americans to vote in the mid-term election.  In fact,

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Six months after launching Goodwill’s Digital Career AcceleratorSM program with founding partner Google, Goodwill®Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. has blown past all training and placement benchmarks. The program is part of a three-year$300,000 Google.org grant to provide technical training and employment services for individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Through this grant, Goodwill NYNJ provided information, assessment and digital training to 6,773 people (225% of the six-month goal set by Google) and placed 803 individuals in jobs using the digital skills they gained.

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It’s almost that time of year again. Stores have all sorts of decorations and gift ideas on display. We’re entering the holiday season. But wait! What does this mean for your job search? In short, it means you need to continue. Don’t let up. Today I’ll explain what happens from an employer perspective and both why you should press on and tips for doing so.

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It's the most wonderful time of the year. I'm not talking about the holidays, well, not yet anyway. I'm talking about fall. It's the perfect time to showcase your individual sense of fashion, embrace layers and textures and create outfits that are both fashionable and functional for the weather.

READ MORE from 3 Fall Footwear Trends You Can Find at Goodwill®

We recently asked for you, our public advocates, to weigh in via a survey as the Goodwill Industries International (GII) Government Relations team crafts GII’s public policy agenda for the next Congress. The people have spoken. When asked to identify the top three policy issues of importance, labor issues (wages, paid sick leave, paid family leave, etc.) received the most number of responses. These issues impact local Goodwill organizations as both an employer where increases in operational expenses may impact the ability to provide mission services, but also as a provider of job-training and job placement services.

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At age 52, Timothy Zarzecki has found a place — and a purpose — through his job in food services at a military base in Virginia Beach, VA. Born with a physical disability and diagnosed with depression, he was out of work when he connected with Goodwill® at a career fair. The Goodwill team helped place him in a position he loves, and since his first day, he has demonstrated a positive attitude, a willingness to tackle any task and natural leadership ability. For those reasons, Goodwill Industries International honored Zarzecki as its 2018 Achiever of the Year.

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All too often, many people face challenges when trying to find employment. One of these is having access to necessary skills training. To address the issue head-on, Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake has collaborated with CVS Health and Baltimore City Community College to open a “CVS Mock Pharmacy” to provide an innovative classroom experience for aspiring pharmacy technicians and retail associates.

READ MORE from Goodwill® and CVS Health Offer Workforce Training at CVS Mock Pharmacy in Baltimore

Often times the first step in an interview process involves the telephone. Additionally, companies elect to conduct video interviews before they’ll agree to meet in person. Are you as prepared as possible? In this week’s blog I’ll share some tips for putting your best foot forward.

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Halloween is like Christmas for thrift store lovers like me. It’s the one time of year we all get permission to get be as creative, bold, and funny as we can be-- and the abundant candy this time of year is just an added sugar-high bonus. When I was a kid digging through my pillowcase full of hard-earned sweets on the living room floor, I would already be imagining the possibilities for my costume for the next year’s festivities.

READ MORE from Easy Halloween Costumes for Procrastinators