JobShop, Inc.
Resources for Workforce Development

Federal law established local One-Stop Career Centers in 1998. One-Stop Career Centers are designed to provide a full range of job search assistance. Centers often offer special classes and programs for young adults, such as summer jobs programs. This Module provides information on how you can access the various programs and services offered by your local One-Stop Career Center.

The job application is one of the most important components of your job search. The job application is a written, structured form of communication from the job applicant to the employer. The completed application will often make the difference in whether or not an applicant is seriously considered for an interview and for employment by the employer. This Module provides step-by-step instructions on how to complete the application.

Now that you have graduated from high school, technical/community college or college, you are ready to apply the knowledge that you gained to the world of work. This Module assists you in your transition from school to full-time work.

Many employers ask all job candidates to submit a résumé. What is a résumé? A résumé is a one- or two-page written summary of your unique combination of skills, experience and abilities. It has been described as an advertisement of the job seeker. This Module guides you through the process of writing your résumé.

Even though you have graduated, or are getting ready to graduate from high school, you probably know that many occupational fields require training beyond high school. Some require a four-year college degree; others require training at a local community or technical college, a private training school or on the job. This Module provides information on how you can access training after high school.

There are two basic types of résumé: Chronological and Skills. This Module explains the difference between the two types and offers assistance in the writing of each type.

A job is considered to be an entry level job if it is the first job a person takes when entering an occupational field. Nearly every occupational field has one or more jobs that are considered entry level. Most summer jobs are considered entry level jobs. This Module provides information on how you can obtain an entry level or summer job.

Because employers often receive over a hundred résumés for any given position, it is critical that your résumé stand out from the résumés of other applicants. This Module provides hints and suggestions as to how you can make your résumé stand out.

An informational interview is a meeting between you and someone whose career field or occupation interests you. Talking to people in order to gain information can be one of the most effective ways to learn what you need to know about an occupation or career field. This Module helps you understand the difference between a job interview and an informational interview and helps you prepare for this important part of your job search process.

Many employers are requiring applicants to submit an electronic résumé instead of a traditional paper résumé Since a résumé that is posted to the Internet is different in many significant ways from the traditional paper résumé it is important for job seekers to understand how to use this resource. This Module provides information on how to create and post your résumé to the Internet.

Although the Internet has changed how employers advertise job openings, some employers continue to use newspaper ads. Knowing which ads to answer and how to respond to the ad can help in your search for employment. This Module explains how to respond to ads to make the employer interested enough in you to call you for an interview.

The cover letter is one of the most important elements in your job search. It is the letter that serves as an introduction to a potential employer. Like a résumé, the cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell the employer why the employer should hire you. This Module guides you through the process of writing an effective cover letter.

Networking is the process of contacting people who might give you information about a job opening. Since networking is how a majority of people identify job openings, it is critical that you know how the process works. This Module helps you identify those people you can add to your job search network and how that network can help in your job search.

Employers value employees who can do the job well, who are committed to the work and the mission of the organization and who have a positive attitude toward the job, toward their co-workers and to the company. This Module explains what employers expect of you.

In the past ten years, the Internet has changed the way people search for jobs. Not only can this valuable resource provide the job seeker with information about companies, careers and job openings, it is a way to instantaneously contact potential employers. This Module gives you the knowledge you need to use the internet as a tool in your job search.

There are very few perfect candidates for any job. You may have challenges to deal with in your job search or for a particular job you desire. Some challenges may come from prior behaviors or from the fact that you are an inexperienced worker. This Module discusses some of the more common challenges that may impact your job search and how to overcome them.

As many as 80% of all job openings are never advertised. As a job seeker you are challenged with trying to locate these "hidden" job openings. One of the most effective methods of identifying "hidden" job openings is "cold calling." This Module provides information on how to make effective cold calls.

Every job seeker asks the following two questions, "Where can I locate a job opening? Who is hiring?" This Module offers suggestions as to where and how the job seeker can identify job openings.

Looking for work can be overwhelming. It helps to approach the task with a purpose and a plan. Successful job seekers schedule their time, have the right marketing tools, stay organized and have an effective tracking system. This Module provides suggestions on how you can be well prepared and organized. Your goal is to stay focused, which will help you to find your new job quickly.

Even though this may not be your first job interview, it is important that you prepare. Being well prepared for a job interview will increase your chances of receiving a job offer. This Module assists you with specific tools for preparing for a job interview.

Career counselors know that job satisfaction is highest when a person is employed in an occupation that matches the person's values, talents and interests. Identifying which occupations will be satisfying to you requires that you have a clear understanding of yourself and the employment world. This Module provides suggestions on how to identify the occupations that may be satisfying to you.

Everything that you do in your job search is designed to get you an interview with a potential employer. You may be naturally anxious and unsure of what to expect at the interview. This Module helps you understand the natural flow of most interviews, thereby helping you prepare for this important part of the job search process.

Employers want to know if you have the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform the tasks required on the job. Therefore, It is very important to be able to identify and list the knowledge, skills and abilities that you have before you begin looking for a job. This list will not only assist you in selecting the type of jobs that match you, it will help you communicate to the potential employer what you can do. This Module helps you identify your skills and abilities.

Understanding what the interviewer is seeking from you can help you convince the interviewer that you are the right candidate for the job. The interviewer has just a few minutes to decide if you are the right person for the job. This Module addresses what the interviewer is looking for so that you can shine in this very important part of the job search process.

A skill is simply something that you can do. All jobs require workers to have one or more skills in order for them to successfully perform the tasks required for the job. The U.S. Department of Labor surveyed thousands of organizations to determine the most important skills employers desired in employees. This Module reviews the top job skills that have been identified.

You cannot get any job without going through an interview. Whether the interview is a lengthy process or short and informal, employers need an opportunity to find out who you are, what you want to do and what your skills are. They do this by asking you a series of questions. This Module provides a sampling of common interview questions to help you be prepared for the interview.

Where are the jobs? The most successful companies and the U.S. government have made a list of the top 15 fields or industries that will need educated, trained and experienced employees for many years. This Module examines the top fields to help you make a good choice.

Employers use telephone interviews and job fairs as cost saving alternatives to having every candidate interviewed at the employer's place of business. The interviews that are conducted either over the telephone or at a job fair differ from the job interviews that are conducted at the employer's place of business. These interviews are usually very short and structured. This Module addresses telephone and job fair interviews to help you prepare for the types of questions that may be asked.

Congratulations! Your hard work has paid off and you have succeeded in getting a job. Now your focus must switch from looking for a job to becoming an effective employee. The first week in your new job will set the stage for how you will function in your new position. This Module provides suggestions on how to approach your new job.

Studies have shown that a person usually forms an initial impression of a stranger in the first 30 seconds of the encounter. These first impressions are based almost exclusively on the appearance and behavior of the stranger. Since you will be meeting strangers, first in the job interview and then on your first day on the job, it is important that you learn how to make a positive first impression. This Module looks at ways that you can make a positive impression during the interview and on the new job.

Before you can officially start employment, your new employer will ask you to complete a number of forms that are required by the federal, state and local governments. You may also be asked to complete a number of forms related to how you want to be paid and what company benefits you elect. This Module helps with how to complete the forms and why you have to fill out these forms.

The thank you note is to be written to the employer immediately following an interview. A courteous and enthusiastic note leaves a lasting positive impression with the employer. This Module guides you through the process of writing an effective thank you note.

Getting your first paycheck can be very exciting, but understanding all of the numbers can be difficult. Your paycheck will include a stub which has the information about how many hours you have worked, how much you have earned and what deductions have been taken, including what taxes have been taken out. This Module explains your paycheck deductions.

Many employers require all job applicants to take pre-employment tests. These tests are used to identify unsuitable applicants and to validate the information provided by the applicant on an employment application or résumé. These tests may include aptitude and personality tests, drug screening, honesty tests and medical examinations. This Module examines and explains all of the different types of pre-employment tests you may encounter.

Now that you have secured a job, it is important that you do the things that will insure that you keep the job. This Module gives you suggestions on how to keep your job.

It is exciting when an employer offers you a job. This means that you impressed the company enough for them to want you as an employee. A job offer, however, is more than just an organization inviting you to come work for them. It means that if you accept the company's invitation, you are agreeing to be part of the company's culture, to do what your boss wants done and that you accept the company's employment policies. This Module looks at the various obligations associated with your accepting or rejecting an offer of employment.

People leave jobs every day. There is a right way to quit a job which will work to your advantage, and a wrong way which can cause future problems. This Module addresses the proper way to leave your job.

Employee benefits are sometimes called fringe benefits because they are compensation that is provided by the employer that is in addition to your salary. Benefit packages vary from employer to employer and can be as much as 35% of the employee's wages. This Module looks at the various benefits that employers may offer.