Tacoma Goodwill Employee Testifies Before Congressional Subcommittee

Diverse group of six workers wearing safety vests posing in front of a loading dock.

This week I had the great pleasure of working with Sandra Collins, assistant store manager from Goodwill Olympics and Rainier Region (Tacoma, WA), as she testified before a House Ways and Means subcommittee during a hearing titled Subsidized Job Programs and Their Effectiveness in Helping Families Go to Work and Escape Poverty.

Don't Just Find a Hot Job—Find the Right Hot Job

Tami from Long Beach, CA, asks, “I’m going to be a senior in high school and am feeling a lot of pressure to decide what I want to do with my life. I don’t want to waste my time by picking a career field that has no jobs. How can I make a good decision?”

Don’t Just Find a Hot Job—Find the Right Hot Job

Diverse group of six workers wearing safety vests posing in front of a loading dock.

Tami from Long Beach, CA, asks, “I’m going to be a senior in high school and am feeling a lot of pressure to decide what I want to do with my life. I don’t want to waste my time by picking a career field that has no jobs. How can I make a good decision?”

My Story—Ralph Lopez

Smiling young man in an orange shirt and glasses against a light gray wall.

During my sophomore year of high school, I sat down with my career counselor, and she asked me, “What do you want to do?” I told her, “I don’t know.” She asked me, “What do you like to do?” I said, ever since I was little, I liked to put things together and take things apart. She said, “Well, that sounds an awful lot like a mechanic or an engineer.”

Unemployed? Five Tasks to Include in Your Daily Routine

Diverse group of six workers wearing safety vests posing in front of a loading dock.

Mark from Missoula, MT, asks, “I’ve been unemployed for two months — it’s getting harder and harder to get up each day and look for work. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to keep this up. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.”

My Story—Rawlicia Pryor

Smiling store associate in a blue polo in a kitchen appliance aisle with microwaves and blenders on shelves.

I was filling out five or six job applications every day. I tried to do fast food, but fast food wasn’t even calling me back! My social worker referred me to Goodwill, where I entered the Transition to Independence and Employment program. Now my job title is sales associate. It meant a lot to me to actually support my daughter now that I am employed. To give her the things she needs, that means more to me than anything in the world.

Make the Right Lasting Impression During Your Exit Interview

Diverse group of six workers wearing safety vests posing in front of a loading dock.

Shelley from Little Rock, AR, asks, “I found a new job and recently gave my two weeks’ notice. My current human resources department would like me to participate in an exit interview before I leave, but I’m nervous about what I should and shouldn’t say. Help!”

My Story: Ashley Cole

Teacher wearing glasses leans over a desk in a bright classroom.

After I graduated high school in 2010, I was home for a year with nothing to do. Goodwill helped me fill out a job application for the daycare center that I’m at now. I want to keep working at this job as long as I can—keeping smiles on the kids’ faces, keeping them learning.

House Reauthorizes Workforce Programs in Historic Vote

Diverse group of six workers wearing safety vests posing in front of a loading dock.

Following the Senate’s overwhelming 95–3 vote in June, the House voted 415–6 on July 9 to approve H.R. 803, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The bill will now go to President Barack Obama for his signature.

Meeting Alternatives Make the Best Use of Everyone's Time

James from Seattle, WA, asks, “My team loves meetings … but we tend not to accomplish a whole lot and sometimes I hardly have time to do my regular job. How can I convince everyone that not every decision requires a meeting?”