At Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, our mission is straightforward. We aim to empower individuals, strengthen families and build stronger communities. To do that, it’s critical that people in every walk of life have access to the tools and resources they need to find good jobs. Our Goodwill Career Center aims to make that possible. What is it and how can it jumpstart you into your next career? We’ll go into more detail below.
What Is Goodwill’s Career Center?
As a company that’s passionate about supporting people, the Career Center is designed as a way to support the unique needs of each person that comes in the door looking for an opportunity to get back to work and back to life. Regardless of where you stand right now, without a job, looking for a new career, or trying to step back into the workforce after a long break, the process can be tiring and overwhelming.
Our career services aim to make that possible. If you plan to jumpstart your next career, it’s important to take a closer look at what you need to attract the right positions and opportunities. What do you need to showcase what you can offer? Often, you’ll find that support with us.
How to Get Your New Career on the Way
When it comes to finding new jobs and opportunities, our Career Center can help you to do that through a range of tools and resources. Even if you turn to another provider, these are often the tools people need to find the jobs that fit their life and goals. So, what is it? Take a look at what you need.
Career Assessment Tools
Perhaps you are ready to embrace a new career, but you’re not sure where to go or what industry interests you. For some who have been out of work for a long time, going back to their old career doesn’t seem like a good fit. Others are looking to expand, grow, and flourish in a new position. That’s where career assessment tools come into play. They can help you with:
- Determining what skills you have that employers want
- What interests you have – a job that interests you is one you’re most likely to thrive at
- Which career paths may be new avenues for your success
- What skills you already have that may transfer into new positions
- What skills you may need to pursue the goals you plan to create
In short, career assessment tools can work as an arrow, pointing you towards opportunities that seem to fit your specific needs.
Computer and Soft Skills Training
Some people lack the most important skills necessary to thrive in a job – soft skills. These are skills like problem-solving and communicating effectively. Many people lack these skills because they haven’t had to use them or did not receive training prior. Yet, soft skills are some of the most important to have because they translate into skills most employers expect and need employees to possess. Some other examples of soft skills include:
- Critical thinking skills
- Teamwork skills
- Decision-making
- Time management
- Stress management
- Adaptability
- Work ethic
- Communication
- Creativity
Another component is computer skills. While you don’t need to be a programmer, you do need to know how to use a computer and the basics of some of the most commonly used software applications and cloud-based tools. Companies often don’t have the funds in their budget to train employees on these skills, but those who already have them are more likely to qualify for jobs in their field.
Computer skills can define success in many fields, not just those related to computer services. Many companies today use computers for all of their communications, software, financials, and much more. Knowing how to navigate them is critical.
At our Career Centers, we provide you with the computer training you need so you can perform your best on the job. You’ll have an assessment to determine what you need to learn. Then, training can provide you with the support necessary to gain these valuable skills.
Finding Job Leads
For some, the skills are already there. A lack of experience in a field or perhaps missed opportunities for succeeding in a previous job makes it hard to find a job lead. Knowing where to get help isn’t always easy.
When you work with our team, we can provide you with access to job leads. These are positions that may be available and leads that may not be easy to find through other methods. These are not positions that you have to pay for to get information or jobs that require you to buy into a business, but real companies in the community who are looking for the right people for their positions.
Because of our community resources, we can help to connect men and women with organizations that are ready to hire and provide opportunities. Along the way, you will also learn some job search strategies or steps you can take to find additional positions beyond what you may be finding available right now. There are many companies hiring today, but not all of them advertise their positions in the same manner, and some don’t advertise at all.
Interviewing Skills
You’ve found a few positions, but are you ready for the interview? For some people, this is the hardest part of all because it takes the most focus. It also takes the most confidence. Interview skills can be hard to obtain if you have not gone on many successful interviews. That’s why we provide you with the skills and help you to improve your ability to thrive.
Career Coaching Services and More
How else can we help you? There are plenty of tools available to you from our team that can make a big difference in your outcome. That includes:
- Job postings that become available in the community as new opportunities arise
- One-on-one coaching opportunities to help you find the right path to go from where you are right now to where you want to be in 5 or 10 years.
- On-site hiring events where employers who are looking for talented employees come together to find the talent they need.
- Labor market information to help you pick a career path that may be best suited for your needs but also has a strong, healthy future.
- Resume assistance to help ensure that all of your best skills stand out on your resume, so people are ready to hire you.
Our goal is to prepare you and guide you. There’s no reason to put off that career now. Instead, invest a few minutes in reaching out to our team to learn more about how you can jumpstart a new career today.
Ready to Learn More and Embrace the First Step in Achieving Your Goals?
Goodwill’s Career Center is available to you. There is no cost to using these services. Our team is happy to work with you and provide you with the support you need. You just need to give us a call and get the process started. That new job you’re thinking about is waiting for you.
