Farm Volunteer Day 4.30

We are pleased to announce that there will be a farm day at Livingstone Community Farms on Saturday, April 30th!  This is a great opportunity to volunteer for the community, enjoy locally produced food, and hang out with great people.  If you are interested in volunteering (open to community members also) please give Amanda Harvanek a call at 734.327.9717 x377.

Hitting the Pavement: The Job Leads List

 Monday is a great time to reevaluate your priorities and your job search. For instance, have you checked out our jobs leads page updated by Emily?

If not, now is a good time to see if there is anything new that could aid you in your search.  If you are struggling with a particular job category, like manufacturing or construction,  maybe now is a good time to broaden your search.  Are there any other skills that you have that can be used in another career like retail or the restaurant industry?  I have included a link to a previous Harvard Business School link about broadening your focus.

If you think that you are interested in translating your current work skills into something new, you should contact the Workforce Development team at 734.327.9717 x685.  (In housing? Please contact Rebecca Rowland 734.327.9717 x695).

Employment Book Review

The weekend is finally here, which means that is good time to get in some good reading.  A book that I would recommend to get started is Knock Em Dead:  The Ultimate Job Search Guide by Yate Martin.  I have included a link to amazon in case you would like to take a peak inside and look at some customer reviews.

I understand that when you are looking for jobs, spending money on books about job searching may not be within your budget.  Thankfully, most communities have a local library that allows people within the library district to rent books free of charge.  If you live in the area Ypsilanti please click here for the Ypsilanti library card application, if you live in the Ann Arbor school district please click here for the Ann Arbor library card application.  Don't forget to provide proof of residence when you turn in your application (a lease, a dte bill, etc.)!

Tip:  I just checked at both libraries and the Knock 'em Dead series are available.

Job Club Thursday: Mock Interview

This evening we will be working on our mock interviewing skills!  Please come prepared to put your best foot forward as we will have guests from the community, as well as staff, helping you get adjusted to the interview process.  This is a great chance to beef up your professional skills so that when you finally do get that "real-life" interview opportunity you are ready to go.

There is no need to RSVP to this event.  Housing clients are required to come.  Community members are welcome.

Working Your Way To the Top

I hope everyone had an eventful Tuesday!  Yesterday, was our push to get people applying for and interviewing at McDonald's for their National Hiring Day.  I read an interesting article this morning about the National Hiring Day on Yahoo News.

The article brought up some interesting points about being willing to "work your way to the top," from a job that may not be your ideal, dream job.  I think that this is an important topic given the competition that surrounds the job market today.  When you have been out of work for a while, just getting your foot in the door could be a great place to jump start a career.  On May 5th, at Job Club, I will be discussing strategies for getting ready to make that next step.

In the meantime, I hope that if you interviewed during McDonald's National Hiring Day you will make sure to follow-up in a week or two to see where your application is in the hiring process.  Following up with the places you have applied to is one of the most important steps you can take to make sure that you are job searching with a competitive edge.

Hitting the Pavement: The Job Leads List

We've posted the jobs leads list!  Also, don't forget to fill out your online McDonald's application for tomorrow.  You can read about it here.

Seizing Opportunities

 As the warmer weather keeps rolling in, the student's at local college campuses will soon be rolling out.  This means that a lot of local business will be looking to slow the leak of turnover.  Use this to your advantage.  Check out these places*:


State Street

Ann Arbor Downtown:

Kerrytown:

Things To Remember: 
1) Dress for success
2) Have a copy of your resume, a pen, and a pad handy (you never know if they need someone right away or if they want you to fill out an application in store)
3) Know the busy times of certain industries (i.e. restaurants, shops, etc.)
4) Be friendly and wear a smile
5) Get a manager's name, and ask when you can check back about your application


*If you have location restrictions make sure you are approved to work/be at the above listed sites first.