With the economy in decline, finding a job is a more daunting task than usual – especially for older residents who have been in the same job for years and don’t know how to search for employment via computer.
The North Bergen Municipal Library is now offering monthly résumé and computer workshops for North Bergen and Guttenberg residents who need help.
Lisa De Palo, the head of the library’s reference department, said many people in their 40s and 50s, most of whom were about to plan their retirement, have come to her to get used to on-line job searching and to get help with other tasks.
“It’s a broad range of people who were getting set to be planning their retirement, and all of a sudden they’re in their mid 50s and the rug gets pulled out from under them, so that they have a lot of experience and a lot to offer to an organization, but they haven’t done a job search in a long time,” De Palo said. “So it’s, ‘How do I do an online application, how do I do my e-mail attachments, how do I format it so it’ll get through these key word search mechanisms so it doesn’t get kicked out right away. It can be daunting.”
She said now more than ever, people need help updating their résumés, or just having someone to share ideas with.
“I guess it can be very comforting to know that there’s a place around the corner [to go to, and] you don’t necessarily have to go through the rigmarole to find a workforce center through the Department of Labor,” said De Palo.
The first workshop on Feb. 28 will focus on business resources and income tax forms, while the subsequent program on March 28 is an introduction to Microsoft Word and will feature résumé help. The classes are only open to North Bergen and Guttenberg residents.
Pre-registration is required. To sign up, call De Palo at (201) 869-4715.
Library Director Sai Rao also explained that the library is looking to bolster its selection on job-related books and has already added a few to its collection.
Preparing for tax season
The first workshop will be an hour and a half long and will focus on financial resources and information.
“There certainly is a need, and it’s all for free.” – Sai Rao
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Rao said the classes take place on Saturday mornings, so residents with children or jobs can attend.
“We would like more people to take advantage of the programs,” said Rao. “There certainly is a need, and it’s all for free.”
Helping residents find jobs
For the upcoming March class, De Palo will instruct residents for 45 minutes on Microsoft Word, résumés, and job searching strategies. The subsequent 45 minutes will be spent giving individualized help.
De Palo said that they like to give the class size small so that everyone can ask their own questions.
She said one of her resources in the class, the Occupation Outlook Handbook, is helpful because it helps people link to professional associations. Networking is key, said De Palo.
She said that websites like Workforce New Jersey at www.wnjpin.state.nj.us, are also invaluable to the job search.
Always available to help
Rao added that she hopes residents will be able to help themselves too, with the aide of the library’s resources. De Palo said the library’s books outline career moves, résumé s, salaries and other job-related topics.
De Palo and Rao explained that sometimes just having a person to talk out a “game plan” can help.
De Palo said that she often offers one-on-one help to those who approach the reference desk in need of assistance.
“We have a few grateful patrons,” said Rao. “They’ve written us. They’ve thanked us. We don’t know if they’ve gotten jobs, but the first hurdle [is having] their résumé done.”