The February Unemployed in Des Moines meeting will be held on Thursday, February 21 at the Urbandale Public Library. Learn about transportation services offered to Central Iowa workers and those searching for work. The presentation will feature transportation authorities Jennifer Roberts, Mobility Manager for Polk County, and Jeremy Johnson-Miller, Rural Central Iowa Mobility Coordinator.
Jennifer’s role as Mobility Manager is to connect with individuals and area agencies to promote education about alternative public transportation. Her presentation will outline these services and programs available in Polk County for the community. This will include programs such as DART rideshare, unlimited access, and reduced fare programs.
Jeremy’s role at the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA) is community outreach to determine needs of customers for public transportation. Jeremy will discuss HIRTA and the services provided in the surrounding counties. He will explain who qualifies, how to arrange for a ride, and destinations where HIRTA travels within Iowa.
Time will be allowed at the end of the presentation for questions and a discussion of the transportation issues facing individuals searching for employment. Come for the program and stay to network. Bring your business cards, job search tips and stories. FREE.
Are you looking for a ‘job’? Maybe you should be thinking about the ‘connection economy’ instead. Seth Godin, marketing wizard, is featured in an Entrepreneur story about finding inspiration in today’s business environment. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225447
From: Marketing Wizard Seth Godin on Success and Inspiration
I’ve been following some discussions about what employers want in a job candidate. I’ve posted a link to Fox Small Business News that sheds some light on the topic. http://www.ittybittyurl.com/32h8
WORKBUZZ (www.theworkbuzz.com), a community for job seekers, provides advice for those searching for employment. Check out this article on applicant mistakes that hiring managers come across.
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard
By Chip Heath and Dan Heath
We all know that change can be difficult. Especially dealing with the change from being employed to the uncertainty and frustration of unemployment. How can we make the best of the situation and direct our own future?
The authors of Switch provide insight into how to overcome the obstacles of change in an interesting and thought-provoking format. Case studies present stories of ordinary people who discover simple solutions to seemingly overwhelming circumstances to bring about positive changes in their communities and their lives.
The book dramatizes the ongoing struggle between the rational mind and the emotional mind. The authors draw an analogy between a rider on an elephant. The rider represents our rational thought and the elephant is our emotions. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. The rider is the rational part that deliberates, analyzes and thinks long-term. He thinks he’s in control. The elephant represents the instinct, pain and pleasure. This is where our energy and drive comes from. When the elephant wants to go somewhere other than where the rider directs, there will be conflict. Both have to be working in unison to initiate change. However, it is only part of the equation. Once you get the rider and elephant going in one direction, you also have to “shape the path” with a specific strategy of how to get to where you want to go.
This book won’t provide steps on how to write a resume or ace an interview, but it will offer a different view on how we perceive our situation and understand ways to harness our thoughts and motivations. By directing the rider, motivating the elephant and shaping the path, positive change can happen.
Something you may encounter as you begin a new job is learning everything you will need to perform your duties. This can sometimes be challenging. You may be asked to not only learn the tasks of the job, but also the organization’s specific tools, software, platforms, policies, company jargon, acronyms, and procedures, as well as fitting into the corporate culture.
Some companies may have dedicated trainers, but most rely on co-workers or managers, who may be good at performing their job, but aren’t necessarily good at teaching it to others. Be prepared to understand your personal learning style to make the best use of your training time. This may save time and frustration for both you and your trainer.
Here’s a fun quiz to determine what type of learner you are.
In an effort to bring faster customer service, Iowa Workforce Development announced that all walk-in customers at 430 E. Grand in Des Moines will be redirected to use the telephone helpline or the online services for their unemployment needs. However, in a decision made on Monday, April 16, Iowans visiting the Des Moines unemployment office at 200 E. Grand Ave. will continue to receive in-person assistance with problematic unemployment claims.
Unemployment and re-employment services are also available online at hundreds of IowaWorks Access Points in Iowa. To find an Access Point location nearest you, visit www.iowaworkforce.org. To email questions or receive assistance with your claim, email uiclaimshelp@iwd.state.ia.us. You may also call 515-281-4199 for local area or toll free outside of Des Moines at 866-239-0843.
The best problem solvers see a complex problem through multiple lenses. Here’s how to become a better strategic thinker and leader yourself. This article by Inc. offers a good suggestion about rethinking your unemployment situation. Read the article.
One of my top frustrations with being unemployed is never knowing the reason I didn’t get hired for a job I thought fit me perfectly.
I am a fan of the TV series, “MadMen”, the story about the advertising business in the 1960s. I was especially interested in the storyline of Peggy, former secretary promoted to the role of head copywriter, being in charge of hiring another copywriter. Peggy “reviews” applicants by the size of their portfolios, tossing the ones too fat or too thin, or a woman (no chance). Roger Sterling, a managing partner, insists on hiring a male applicant who is “brilliant.” He confirms Peggy’s choice for an interview because he likes the idea that the man is a Jew – “it makes us look progressive.” The episode concludes with the young man getting hired, despite the fact that he shows up for the interview in a very loud plaid jacket and makes the rude assumption that Peggy is the secretary.
This episode made me think of the irony of the hiring process we as job seekers currently face. We all like to think that both hiring managers and job seekers are so much more enlightened today than this fictional account of the hiring process decades ago. We show up to the interview in our dark, tailored suits, smile and give a firm handshake to our interviewer. We research the company and display wisdom of our branding savvy. We are convinced we aced the interview but for some reason we don’t get the job. Most likely the reason will never be revealed to us. Perhaps it may just be because you are a woman with a fat portfolio.
Go to the job interview game and see if you have what it takes to get hired at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Advertising Agency
