WorkSource is a joint venture between an army of Washington State agencies with the aim of helping unemployed Washington workers get back in to the workforce. This includes agencies and organizations in the Business, Labor, Employment Security and Workforce Development departments and councils. It also includes the support of community and technical colleges, the department of Social and Health Services, the Workforce Training and Education Council Board and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. All these organizations come together to provide workers with the information, technology and services they need to search for a job successfully.

This is a revolutionary concept in the public job search community. The idea is to bring all the necessary tools and information in one place, so workers can access it quickly and effectively when and how they need it. You can visit WorkSource offices throughout the State of Washington. Click here for a list of offices and directions to help you find the closest office to you.

Services

The services provided to unemployed workers in Washington through WorkSource are varied. They include services not usually offered through a public employment agency. This article will give a brief overview of the services offered so you can make sure you are making the most out of this agency.

WorkSource provides workers with services in group programs and activities offered by workshops or on an one-to-one basis through consultations. These group of individual activities help provide workers with useful education and training. These services include the free use of computers with internet access, copiers, phones and other office resources, a job referral and placement directory and practical workshops and courses on how to write a resume, apply for a job and keep it once you are hired.

WorkSource also provides access to valuable information on the employment market, such as the sectors, industries and careers with the highest demand and best paying jobs. It also helps you fill in your unemployment insurance applications and provides you access to the employment programs you are eligible for. If language is an issue, WorkSource also offers translation services. Interested? Would you like to know more about the specific training programs and services offered by WorkSource in Washington? This series of articles on WorkSource will provide you with practical information, links and contact details for some of the most useful and popular programs available in Washington. As mentioned above, one of the strengths of WorkSource is that it unites into one place all the employment related programs so you don’t have to go to a dozen agencies and departments to get the help you need. We hope you continue learning about this useful tool and use it the full.

The key to finding a job is deceptively easy: to match the needs of employers with the skills offered by workers. The problem is getting both employers and workers to meet. To do so Work Source, the state of Washington’s premier job search resource offers databases and job posting sections. However, finding a job advert is only the beginning. Once you find the job opening you must apply for the job and convince the employer your are the best person available for the job. Unfortunately, in periods like now, with high levels of unemployment, even relatively low paying jobs have a lot of hopeful applicants. How can you set yourself aside from the competition. Well, if you are not a friend of the manager, your best tool is a well written resume. Never written a resume? Maybe you have but were not satisfied with the results? The truth is writing a resume is not an easy task. That is why Work Source, Washington’s premier job search and resource website, offers unemployed workers access to valuable assistance in the writing of effective resumes.

Writing A Resume

The hardest part of writing a resume is to get started. So let’s do just that. Get yourself a piece of paper or open a new window in your word processing software.

Step 1) Now start thinking about what experience and education you can include in the resume. You don’t need to include every job or skill you have, focus on those that are related to the job offer.

Are you already feeling overwhelmed? You have never written your own resume and this sounds way too complicated to try alone? Click here and learn about WorkSource’s resume workshops.

Step 2) Choose a format type for your resume. There are four main types included in WorkSource’s resume guide: chronological, functional, combination and curriculum vitae, or CV. The titles are rather self-explanatory but we will review them anyway. The chronological resume is good for workers who can show a smooth and constant history of education and work. If you have gaps in your work history where you had no work for a year or more and you cannot explain it adequately, as in “I had a baby” or “took care of my mother”, this may not be the best model for you. The functional resume focuses on the skills you can offer and organizes the report by the skills and experience you can bring to a job. This format is ideal for workers who have skills, knowledge and experience but lack formal training.

Step 3 is to choose the focus of your resume. You should adapt the style and content of your resume to the job you are applying for. Would you like to learn how to do that ? Click here for more information on resume building offered by the state of Washington for unemployed workers.

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