Good News for Greenwich Job-Hunters

Any job-hunter can tell you that neither “help wanted” ads nor resumés involve much paper these days. Even the expression “pounding the pavement” has become obsolete.

According to Michele Martin, assistant technology librarian at Greenwich Library, “Craigslist replaced the classifieds. Even if you want to stock shelves at CVS you can’t go in and fill out a piece of paper. You have to go online.”

Plus, said Martin, “You have to have an online presence. You have to have a photo. This is what human resources look for first.  You need to have your own website, blog, Facebook page, or LinkedIn profile.”

To that end, the Technology Training Center, located in the lower level of Greenwich Library, has a free 90-minute workshop to help you create a LinkedIn account and edit your online profile (Oct. 25th, 4 PM).

There is also a free two-hour Word 2007 workshop (Thursday, Oct. 6th at 1 PM) to teach patrons to set up resumés that can be submitted to a prospective employer’s website without losing formatting.

With its 18 computer stations, the Training Center even has a drop-in lab on Thursdays from 3 - 4PM where you can get help with e-mail, the Internet, accessing online job websites, and more.

A schedule of workshops is available under “Fall Program Brochure” at: http://www.greenwichlibrary.org/TechnologyTrainingCenter.aspx

To see all the Technology Training Center programs, go to http://www.greenwichlibrary.org/ and click on “more in Training.” For more information, call (203) 625-6508.

Utilize Senior Energy (USE)
Forget any connotations you may have of the word “senior.” If you’ve hit 50, congratulations, you’re qualified to visit USE in the lower level of the Senior/Arts Center building at 299 Greenwich Ave., and take advantage of their free employment matchmaking service.

USE, staffed by volunteers, does not negotiate hours, wages, or check references. Rather, they help establish a connection. Typically, a job is called in and volunteers will, in turn, contact you, the registered job seeker, to see if you’re interested. The potential employer’s phone number is then relayed, and you’re on your way.

Many of the jobs called in to the USE service come from seniors and include bookkeeper, cook, word processor, house sitter, companion, and driver.

“Life is what you make of it. If you keep busy, you’re alright. That’s the philosophy of our organization,” said Joan Caldwell, head of the USE board. She added that she’d like to add a couple members aged 50 or 60 to round out the USE board. Caldwell can be reached at (203) 869-2553.

USE is staffed with volunteers Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-12:30PM. Tel. (203) 629-8031.

Student Employment Services (SES) at Greenwich High School        
SES is a free service at GHS offering young people a “virtual job center.” With more than 3,000 active students, 2,000 active employers, and about 1,500 openings posted annually, SES runs with the help of about 25 PTA volunteers who man the office in three-hour shifts, four volunteers at a time.

The service, which has surged in popularity since going electronic in 2006, recently moved from the downstairs Student Activities office to space upstairs in the Career and Guidance office.

Young job seekers will be glad to know SES is not limited to GHS students. In fact, any student who is at least 14 and has Greenwich residency can set up an account. Once an account is established, students can log into their accounts around-the-clock, from just about anywhere with Internet access.

SES jobs range from one-time gigs to regular part-time positions. While tutoring, babysitting and retail jobs are popular, listings fall in all categories, including corporate and finance. It’s not uncommon for students to be hired by their employers full-time after graduation.

Best news of all: Greenwich students can hold onto their accounts until they are 24-years-old. This means a college student can peruse summer jobs before coming home, so it’s no surprise that a third of SES’s registered students are in college.

SES was run for years with a system of index-cards and boxes until 2006, when GHS parents, Jim and Kate Hohorst, created the software and built the system used by SES.

Through an agreement with the Hohorsts’ company, “Student Employment Software,” GHS PTA oversees the popular SES office. In fact, in 2010 “Student Employment Software” won the U.S. Dept. of Education Small Business Innovation Research Award. Grant money received was put toward automating the GHS Senior Internship program.

SES’s “virtual job center” can be seen from a student perspective at http://vzaar.com/videos/785186 The SES website is http://www.ghs-ses.org/ Tel (203) 625-8008 Email office@ghs-ses.org

Greenwich SeniorNet
Located down the hall from USE in the Senior/Arts Center building, SeniorNet offers modestly-priced computer courses (four-class session is $40) staffed by experts who are willing take novices through the basics, including how to use a mouse, set up email, and surf the Internet.

According to Sig Ahl, who handles SeniorNet’s enrollment, “We were originally designed for seniors 50 and older, but we take all ages now.” And these days, instructors teach way more than the basics.

Instructor Charlie Stone said the late afternoon courses are popular with local entrepreneurs. “I have people who own antique stores and realtors who want to learn how to take digital photos and upload them to the Internet,” said Stone, whose classes also cover cropping and editing photos as well as making photo collages and slide shows.

SeniorNet courses have an added plus, which is that you specify your platform when you enroll: Windows 7, Windows XP or Apple OS. Another bonus is that all 10 Apple Macs in the classroom have large 20-inch color monitors.

Telephone for SeniorNet (203) 862-6734 website: http://greenwichseniornet.community.officelive.com/default.aspx

So, instead of pounding the pavement, try surfing the net. Establish an Internet presence and sharpen your computer skills. Greenwich is rich in resources, volunteers, and opportunities to assist you with your search.