Show Your Value as an Experienced Worker Age discrimination is something many people will deal with at some point while looking for employment. Age discrimination affects both the young and old, but one age bracket is being hit the hardest now — the experienced worker (40+ years old). “Job search ...
Discover the Leader in You! Leadership ability is one of the top soft skills that employers want in their staff (soft skills are non-technical skills that allow you to succeed in the workplace). Even if you aren’t applying for a management level position, a proven ability to lead is appealing to hiring managers. To build your leadership skills, you must ...
A good conversation requires active and engaged participants. When an interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions?” be ready with a list of thoughtful questions. This will show your interest in the position. Why Interview Questions Are Important The interview process allows an employer to evaluate your abilities and what ...
When You're Ready, We're Here for You! In the past year, the employment outlook in West Michigan and across the nation has drastically changed. Many individuals are out of work and facing additional challenges like lack of childcare, virtual learning and staying safe during a pandemic. For some, now is not the best time to look for work. Whether you’re ready to reenter ...
Boost Your Resume to Get Noticed A resume is much more than just another hoop to jump through when trying to get hired. It is an important tool that can set you apart from other applicants. Take the time and care to create a resume that stands out to hiring managers. Hiring managers aren’t your only ...
Our Virtual Services Can Help! West Michigan Works! staff is eager to help West Michigan job seekers map out their careers and get back to work. We have quickly adjusted during COVID-19 pandemic to offer virtual services to give job seekers individualized attention and assistance. A Variety of Virtual Services Services available virtually include resume ...
Mock Interviews for Job Seekers Even before social distancing, research suggests more than 60% of hiring managers used video job interviews to streamline their hiring process and engage with candidates faster. The video interview is even more common now and job seekers should expect to use technology when searching for a job. Online mock-interviews can help you ...
The impact of COVID-19 has left many job seekers looking for work or making career changes. If you’re looking for work, now’s the time to take advantage of virtual job search resources, workshops and events. This virtual guide can help you prepare, apply and interview for jobs and improve soft skills that are needed in the workplace. We sat ...
For several years we have been hearing “what you put on the internet lasts forever!” That is true now more than ever—especially when it comes to getting hired. A 2017 CareerBuilder study indicates that 70% of employers “use social media to screen candidates before hiring.” The same study showed that over half of employers have not hired a candidate ...
The Do's and Don'ts of Resume Writing Your resume is a summary of your work background and qualifications. It’s your introduction to a potential employer and a chance to make a good first impression. According to research, employers spend on average six seconds looking at a resume before deciding if ...
What are the Right Words to Use When Writing a Resume? Writing a resume can be challenging. It’s hard to sum up years of accomplishments with a few words. Are the words you choose the best words to describe your skills and expertise? Choosing the right words to describe your ...
West Michigan Works! hosts free workshops for job seekers looking to polish their skills and techniques, including a cover letter writing workshop for job seekers discover their professional voice. According to a survey, 86% of hiring managers found cover letters to be valuable when reviewing candidates’ job applications. A cover ...
Are you using the right words on your resume? Writing a resume can be challenging. It’s hard to sum up years of accomplishments with a few words. Are the words you choose the best words to describe your skills and expertise? Choosing the right words to describe your work experience ...
This is the fifth of a five part series. West Michigan Works! now offers workshops designed to help you bring important employability skills to your job search or current workplace—skills that West Michigan employers have identified as the ones they look for in an ideal candidate or employee. WorkReady workshops ...
This is the fourth of a five part series. West Michigan Works! now offers workshops designed to help you bring important employability skills to your job search or current workplace—skills that West Michigan employers have identified as the ones they look for in an ideal candidate or employee. WorkReady workshops ...
This is the third of a five part series. West Michigan Works! now offers workshops designed to help you bring important employability skills to your job search or current workplace—skills that West Michigan employers have identified as the ones they look for in an ideal candidate or employee. WorkReady workshops ...
This is the second of a five part series. West Michigan Works! now offers workshops designed to help you bring important employability skills to your job search or current workplace—skills that West Michigan employers have identified as the ones they look for in an ideal candidate or employee. WorkReady workshops ...
This is the first of a five part series. West Michigan Works is offering workshops designed to help you bring important employable skills to your job search or current workplace — skills West Michigan employers have identified as the ones they look for in an ideal candidate or employee. WorkReady ...
We recently asked Beth, one of our talent development instructors, for some insider information on our free workshops. Beth has been teaching workshops for seven years and one of her favorite workshops to teach is Cover Letter Writing. This is what she told us about the workshop: What is Cover ...
Are you unemployed? Do you want to break into a new field? Where do you start your job search? A successful job search starts with a strategy; a plan with defined tasks that will help you achieve your goal. Your first step: Take time to look at what motivates and ...
There are many moving parts to a job search: research, networking, writing, applying, following up. The list goes on and on. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Here are five easy, yet important tasks that are easily forgotten: Consider job search your job. Set a daily schedule. Wake up at the ...
We recently sat down with Linden, a talent development instructor at West Michigan Works!, to talk about workshops for job seekers. Linden has been teaching workshops for five years and his favorite workshop to teach is Job Search Techniques. Here’s what we learned about what makes this workshop his favorite. ...
It’s really easy to get discouraged or depressed during your job search. Here are five ways to keep your job search upbeat and successful. Connect with past co-workers. Let them know you are on the hunt. You’ll be surprised how many are willing to help. Volunteer. Use your free time ...