Your Local Workforce Center
I know. It’s confusing. You go to your local workforce center and you look around. What do you see? First of all, you see an intimidating building filled with stressed government workers running about, frustrated job searchers staring at computer screens, and a whole list of events for you to choose from. Well never fear! I’m going to give you the skinny on how to navigate your workforce experience with a minimum amount of fuss.
Know What You’re Looking For. The first thing that is going to help you starts before you even leave the house! Know why you’re going there. Are you coming just to look for jobs that are being offered in the area? Are you trying to start a completely new career? Maybe you’re receiving services there? By knowing your reasons for being at the building, the staff will know how to help you. Did you get a letter to come in? Bring it with you! Knowing what you want makes it ten times easier to get what you need. Know your purpose for attending the center!
Be Prepared. You may need scratch sheets of paper. You may need to make copies. You 
never know what you’re going to find or find out while you’re there. You might hear about a job possibility from someone at the center. You may get referred to a job by someone on staff. Either way, having a writing tablet or pad to to write down needed information is invaluable. Come dressed as you would for an interview! Not only does this save gas, it makes you prepared to do spot interviews. You don’t have to run back to the house to get ready. This can earn you points or advantages because you come to the workforce center prepared to meet an employer!
Get a Map and a Schedule of Events. Most centers have a map or event calendar that they are only too happy to give you. It will help you find the departments you need and know when they are having job fairs or other events you might find interesting. If you read on the schedule that they are having a seminar on developing your own business and you know it’s in Room 318 at 10:00am, then, you are that much more prepared to get what you need from your trip there. Get that map or schedule and start circling what you want to attend!
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask. If you have questions about anything, then, don’t be afraid to ask someone. The staff is only too happy to help you get to where you need to go. Maybe you asked a recruiting department member about benefits you are receiving? They may not be able to answer your question, but they should be able to direct you to the appropriate person to get your answer. Do you want to know if there is anything going on in the building? Making friends with the receptionist is not the worst idea you could have! They are usually veritable fonts of knowledge that could get you that next job! Be nice to the receptionist!
Take Advantage. Workforce centers have tons of trainings, seminars and workshops that
you can attend throughout the year. Maybe there’s a course on Leadership. Do you need to update your resume? Maybe you just want a little help with interviewing? These classes not only deliver an inexpensive (read free) resource on upping your skills set, but they can also allow you to meet new people that may be in the field you’re seeking. Which brings us to…
Networking. Doesn’t everyone love networking? Well, you never know who you will meet on any given day. That goes doubly true for places such as your local workforce center. That man with the toupee could be an employer that just popped in to use the computer. The young woman beside you could have a cousin who is the CEO of a company that interests you. By going to your workforce center, it allows you to mingle with a lot of different types of people from all walks of life who could have valuable information that could have you gainfully employed in no time! Start networking!
Be Polite. There’s an old saying that says, “You can catch more flies with sugar then you can with vinegar.” Well, it’s true. In a workforce environment, there are a lot of emotions. 
Some people are frightened or stressful about how they are going to feed their families. They don’t know how to use the system, someone has asked them the same question 800 times, or someone could just be having a bad day. If there was ever a time to kill someone with kindness, now would be the time! By staying polite, you not only get more things handled quicker, but most people would be grateful for a moment of peace that you are providing. If they feel that you are harassing them, most people will shut down. Your mission, and you do want to accept it, is to get what you need with a smile and skip out the door with everything you came to get, and being polite is your golden ticket to the working person’s paradise!
Workforce centers don’t need to be scary. They are built to help you find work or change your career and your life. They are there to serve you and by utilizing these steps, you can get the most out of your workforce center experience! See you at the Workforce Center! △
cure! If you’re in an unfamiliar setting, take the time to look around and see where everything is located. Is the area well kept? Are there a lot of dark spaces or large objects? Is there a fire exit plan? Taking the time to peruse your area allows you to identify trouble spots or places that you could run to if you needed to get away in a hurry. Forcing yourself to be aware will not only keep you safe, it’ll make you more efficient. After all, who doesn’t need to know where the break room is?
3- day weekend. You hurdle over small children to get to the elevator. Those two old ladies you pushed over on your way down the stairs are now glaring up at you from the third step where you left them. You go through all of this trouble just to sit in your car and check out your phone. Checking your email, applying makeup, checking items off your PDA are all things that take your attention off your surroundings and leave you vulnerable to attacks. Three out of every ten carjackings happen while the driver in question is sitting in their car distracted. Just be aware!
in the car on the seat now suddenly spread out over the back? Is there a suspicious shadow near the front of the car? Is there a suspicious van parked on the passenger side of your vehicle? These are all red alerts that something about the situation is off. If it’s late, do you have Security walk you to your vehicle? Never feel that you are bothering someone by asking them to walk you to your car. Think about how they would feel if you didn’t ask for help and something happened to you. Be accepting of help!
place is located in an area that has had some trouble, then, stopping to give the little overall-clad street urchin $5 because he lost his dog can be a recipe for problems. You could get mugged. Does everyone have to know that every Thursday you are at Pattie’s Nail Heaven getting a manicure done at 3:00 o’clock? You and your new nails could be snatched up. Is someone asking you, “What time is it?” If you are confident that the person asking is genuine, then, there is no harm in helping, but if you have to go into your purse or pocket to dig for your phone, then just say no. It’s a distraction you might not walk away from unscathed. Just be careful!
you’re Austin Powers. By taking a defense course, it will make you aware that you are not helpless if a situation arises. They will tell you what’s safe for you to legally carry. They explain ways of getting out of an attacker’s grip to get somewhere to call the police. They take you through steps to keep from panicking. Remember the best defense is a good offense. By going through the steps, it puts it in your muscle memory and your body will take over in a crisis helping to get you out of a bad situation, again emphasis on getting you out of a situation and calling for the police.
work. But with just a little awareness, you can keep yourself safe, and keep your family from being hurt if something happens. Criminals are not going to take on someone they feel will be a problem. If you don’t make yourself a mark you are less likely to become one! And if you don’t make it easy for a criminal by being compliant and doing everything they ask, they won’t take the time to carry out their dirty deeds. Beware! △
cumbersome, but they can also be challenging. Put your best foot forward and let’s start this journey with some of the most important things you need to do to create a better life for you and your family.
whatever is in your mind. Fill your mind with thoughts that are positive, confident, fulfilling and absolutely winning. The mind can do some pretty miraculous things. It can take you to new heights that you may not have thought possible. Believe in yourself and others will do the same.
Don’t give up if you don’t find what you are looking for right away. Be prepared to give yourself a little time. Be prepared to stair-step your way to that ideal job. Know that you have the stamina to keep going and keep looking and keep asking. This is the time to turn to everyone you know and ask them if they know of any employment that is suited for you.
