Summer Jobs = Work Experience

Good news, job seekers! With summer just around the corner you’ll start to see employers advertising summer employment. Why would you want a job that’s just temporary? Well,

because summer jobs can oftentimes lead to full-time employment or, at the very least, can add more work experience to your resume for future employment opportunities.

 

So where should you look for these summer jobs? Major retailers, restaurants, and customer service employers are just a few of the areas to check out.

Summer Employment Outlook
Snagajob produces an annual Summer Employment Outlook that lists results gathered from surveying employers across the nation. Here are some of the findings from this year’s Snagajob Summer Employment Outlook:

• On average, employers expect to hire 25 summer workers, of which 78 percent will be new workers that are not returning from a prior season
•  Seventy-four percent of employers who plan to hire summer workers expect to have those positions filled by the end of May; seven percent have already filled summer positions
•  Employers in the hospitality industry will pay highest average wage for summer employees: $10.89; food-service: $10.43; and retail: $10.07

Virtual Job Fair
Young adults, ages 14-24, also have the chance to apply for summer, temporary, part-time, and full-time jobs through our Virtual Job Fair. This is a FREE virtual event.

Between May 11th - 17th, job seekers can apply to jobs that local employers have uploaded. These jobs are located throughout the Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota-Manatee Counties. For more information and to register, please visit www.vjf.careersourcepinellas.com. 

TampaBayIntern.com
Internships are another great way to gain applicable, hands-on experience. CareerSource Tampa Bay and CareerSource Pinellas recently launched a new website with the expressed intent to connect those looking for an internship to local employers looking for interns.

These internships may be paid or unpaid, but all offer the chance to gain work experience for your resume, which can lead to better post-internship career opportunities. It's FREE to register and internship-seekers can browse and apply to intern listings at their leisure.

To register, visit www.tampabayintern.com.

Other Resources
There are plenty of job opportunities on EmployFlorida.com and new jobs added daily. Search through the jobs and even tailor your search via the “Advanced Job Search” tab to find jobs that are the best fit for your skill sets.

Additionally, be on the lookout for the “NOW HIRING” signs that many employers will begin to or have already begun posting in their store fronts. Like the report says: many employers plan to hire their summer workers by the end of May.

For other job opportunities, remember to check our Hot Jobs page on the website. New jobs are added every week.

Happy hunting!

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New Program for the Long-Term Unemployed

Job searching can be a difficult task for anyone; however, many times it is even more difficult for those who have been unemployed for long periods of time.

CareerSource Tampa Bay and The Workplace have teamed up to offer Hillsborough County residents (age 50 years and older who have exhausted their unemployment benefits) an opportunity to receive job search assistance through workshops and personal counseling.

This training is provided through the Platform to Employment (P2E) program. Participants will meet four days a week for five weeks. Once the five-week training period is completed, participants are eligible to take advantage of a wage subsidy incentive in a work experience. These work experience positions are with employers that have current hiring needs.

This program has had great success in Connecticut with over 80% of participants entering the work experience portion of the program and 95% of those who completed their work experience were hired by the employers. It was even featured on an episode of 60 Minutes.

If you meet the eligibility criteria, please fill out an application by visiting www.platformtoemployment.com. Deadline to apply is March 28, 2014.


Until we meet again,

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How to Dress for an Interview

Dressing for an interview can be an overwhelmingly stressful ordeal. Do you wear a full suit or slacks and a nice shirt? Tie, no tie? So many questions and stress when you're probably feeling stressed enough about the actual interview. 

Here are some tips and interview outfit choices that are no-brainers in most circumstances:

1. Pay attention to the company culture/feel 
If you're going to interview for a Fortune 500 company then it might be best to pull out the suit; however, if you're interviewing for a job at a restaurant or retail store, a pair of nice slacks and a polo or nice blouse would do just fine.

2. What time of the year is it?
Believe it or not, especially down here in Florida, keeping a close eye on the weather is crucial. We don't have much of a Spring, Fall or Winter, but we do have a lot of hot weather. The last thing you want is to be sweating profusely when you meet a potential employer.

If it's going to be hot, make sure you keep hydrated, pump up the A/C on the way to your interview, and keep in mind the kind of clothing you're wearing. Thick fabrics probably aren't the best choice when it's a whopping 98 degrees outside. Think light, airy, and breathable fabrics.

3. Conservative is always safer
Ladies: I know you may love that silk blouse or that cute skirt but if there's ever a question of 'is it too low' or 'is it too short' then the answer is always put it back and go for a button-up blouse, slacks and possibly even a jack or vest. Never wear something that might show you in anything other than your most professional self.

Gentlemen: While I'm all for patriotism and showing your sport loyalties, unless you're going to an interview with a government agency or a professional mixer that benefits a local sports team, don't wear those flashy ties! Go with something simple like a striped or solid color tie. Paired with slacks, a white button-up, and jacket...you can't go wrong.

Still need some more help? Here are some ideas of possible outfits:

1. Collarless Ponte Blazer - $12.24 from Target

2. Women's Full Length Pant - $29.99 from Target

3. Women's Sleeveless Blouse - $11.98 from Target

4. Mossimo® Pamela Pointed Toe Pump - $29.99 from Target

5. Multi Strand Adjustable Necklace - Gold - $5.94 from Target

1.  Women's Classic Career Pencil Skirt - $12.00 from Walmart

2. Women's Classic Career Blazer - $20.00 from Walmart

3. Career Essentials Button-Front 3/4 Sleeve Shirt - $14.97 from Walmart

4. Women's Sliver Wedge Shoe - $14.00 from Walmart

1. Men's Suit Pants - $19.98 from Walmart

2.  Men's Suit Jacket - $45.00 from Walmart

3. Men's Long-Sleeve Oxford Shirt - $12.98 from Walmart

4. Men's Faraday Oxford Dress Shoe - $25.00 from Walmart

5. Men's Solid Black Diagonal Necktie - $10.00 from Walmart

1. Men's Tailored Fit Dress Pants - $13.98 from Target

2. Men's Tailored Fit Stretch Dress Shirt - $24.99 from Target

3. Black/Grey Stripe Tie - $19.99 from Target

4. Men's Merona® Archer Leather Dress Shoe - $27.48 from Target

Also, we encourage you to check out Dress for Success as they offer many great interview and work appropriate attire at a very discounted rate! To find out more, visit their website at: http://www.dressforsuccess.org/tampabay. 

Until next time,

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Welcome!

Come one, come all, to our new blog!

As you've probably noticed by now...we have a new name: CareerSource Tampa Bay. This name change is part of a state-wide rebranding that all 24 regional workforce boards have gone through. The new state-wide system is now known as CareerSource Florida. Now, it will be much easier to find your nearest workforce center as we're all known under the CareerSource name.

Besides our name change, we've also made plans to create new and exciting ways to get news and updates out to you faster. These plans include this blog, an email newsletter that customers and employers can opt-in to, and a very nifty virtual greeter on our new website.

Are you seeing a theme? New, new, new! Hopefully these are exciting new changes as they're meant to be of greater assistance to you in your job search or hiring needs.


If you have any questions or concern, please don't hesitate to contact us at: blog@careersourcetampabay.com.


Thanks,

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