Learning Reflection: Increasing Employment Outcomes with Your Toughest Job Seekers

Submitted on Tuesday, February 9, 2016


Full Name: Michelle Evitts
Email: mevitts@washcolibrary.org
Library System: Washington County Free Library

Event Title: Increasing Employment Outcomes with Your Toughest Job Seekers

Learning Event website: http://www.mdworks.com/

Top 3 things learned:
1. How to get patrons motivated to want to job search

2. How to assess individuals' strengths and weaknesses to help them overcome
potential barriers to employment

3. A better understanding of the job search process from the employer's point
of view

How to implement:
I have been implementing what I've learned in my job clinics by helping
patrons identify what motivates them and what their strengths and weaknesses
are. Then I help them craft a more tailored job search agenda that plays to
their interests and strengths while keeping in mind what problems they may
face. I've found that this approach has really taken my job clinics to a
whole new level of effectiveness - now it's not just about helping them fill
out applications, but about helping them find employment that they enjoy and
will be more likely to last for them.

I am also using what I've learned in my spring classes, Overcoming Employment
Barriers and Jobs Through the Side Door. In these classes I will cover how
to identify strengths and weaknesses and how to craft a job search plan based
on these. I will also cover networking, social media, and other forms of
"non-traditional" job search avenues so that job seekers don't feel stuck in
the rut of filling out applications and waiting for a phone call that may
never come.

Additional learning: I would like to delve into the topic of networking,
social media and other avenues further. I plan on doing this before the Jobs
Through the Side Door class in late May.