The job market continues to change, as does the way we look for work. This course will examine the value of presenting yourself as a complete package by using a resume as an introduction to an employer, backed up by a portfolio presented at an interview. In order to make the most of this course, participants need to have recently completed the Getting Your Job Search Started workshop, or have identified target positions as well as completed a full skill assessment and goal setting exercise.

At the end of this workshop, participants should be familiar with:

• How to describe themselves in descriptive language
• What the essential elements of cover letters and resumes are
• All about the need for pre-employment testing, and what to expect in their target market
• How to design a personalized portfolio
• How to develop a plan that moves them to a new job within 60 days

Course Outline:

Introduction and Course Overview

You will spend the first part of the day getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.

Who are You?

To begin the day, participants will review their strengths and skills and how to use language to sell themselves.

Writing the Resume

This session will give participants some guidelines to help them produce a brilliant resume.

Creating a Noticeable Package

Next, participants will look at different resume formats for different purposes. They will also look at how to make branding work for them.

Cover Letters

During this session, participants will learn how to create an attention-grabbing cover letter.

Getting into the Flow

To wrap up the morning, participants will have half an hour of writing time.

The Portfolio

This session will show participants how to present their skills in a portfolio format.

Dealing with Awkward Points

Next, participants will learn how to address absences from the workplace, including job hopping, parental leave, being fired, and incarceration.

Getting to a New Job in 60 Days

This session will give participants a 60-day plan to get them to a new job.

Giving References

During this session, participants will learn who they should ask to be a reference and how they should ask them.

Thank You

To conclude the day, participants will learn about an important but often overlooked aspect of the job search: the thank you note.

Workshop Wrap-Up

At the end of the day, participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and fill out feedback forms.