Mary Beth Dunn has been searching for a job in trade support for nearly 18 months, spending much of her time on her computer combing through job postings.
That’s why the 54-year-old Tinley Park resident was taken aback by what she learned during a seminar on effective job search practices at the Tinley Park Library Wednesday.
“I was absolutely shocked that we should not use the internet to look for a job. It just totally amazed me,” Dunn said. “I have been spending hours and I won’t be doing that anymore. It’s a big eye-opener.”
Laura Vande Werken, director of Self-Help Jobs Program, a nonprofit employment support organization based in Tinley Park, told Dunn and 59 other job seekers at the program Wednesday they should spend less time on their computers and more time doing face-to-face networking.
“If you’re spending all your time behind your computer, wrong,” she said. “You are competing with so many people.”
Vande Werken tried to steer the crowd of job seekers in the right direction with her arsenal of job-search tips, focusing on the power of networking, confidence and understanding and explaining your skill set.
She started the session by asking everyone to introduce themselves to one other person, explain what job they are looking for and why they deserve it. After the exercise, she explained many people struggle with explaining why they are a right fit for the jobs they seek.
“We all have trouble with that because we’re not used to looking at ourselves with any kind of depth,” she said.
Vande Werken doesn’t find jobs for people, but instead she advises job seekers on how to find and claim them for themselves. She goes over resumes, recommends job-searching tools and helps research prospective employers. In addition to the basics, Vande Werken also uses her one-on-one meetings to help her clients better identify and understand their talents and how to present those to employers.
“It’s my job to help people to be able to express themselves,” she said.
Vande Werken said she currently has about 130 clients actively seeking employment. While she said she feels the jobs market is better now than it was last January, there is still a lot of competition out there for new jobs on the market.
“There are things that are loosening up. There are people finding jobs,” she said. “They are a little harder to get with a big pool of people, but there are people finding them.”
Self-Help Jobs Program is supported through a partnership of area Christian Reformed churches with office space located in the Faith Christian Reformed Church, 8383 171st St., Tinley Park. Vande Werken said she often discusses faith and prayer with her clients as part of the job-seeking process, but it isn’t required.
Her best advice for those looking for employment is to understand what you do well and how to present yourself to employers through networking. The most common mistake she sees among clients is not maintaining a positive attitude and not matching their skills with the right employers.
Library spokeswoman Bridget Bittman said she plans to create a jobs club program at the library based on Wednesday’s turnout and interest in additional job-seeking resources. She added that reference librarians are also available to help job seekers find and use job-seeking tools at the library.
For more information on Self-Help Jobs Program, email Vande Werken at selfhelpjobs@sbcglobal.net.
