Volunteering while Unemployed

Today the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published an article about the increasing number of people who are volunteering while they’re unemployed.  It’s a great way to feel good and help others, to keep your skills sharp, and to network if you’re unemployed or not getting as many hours as you’d like.  A few St. Louis residents who shared their volunteer stories were actually able to find work due to the connections they made while volunteering.

To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

The Urban League’s Spring Career Fair

On Thursday, April 23rd, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis will host its annual Spring Career Fair from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Harris-Stowe State University.  Over 15 employers will be there recruting for several types of jobs.  The fair is open to the public, but a resume is required.

To check out the flyer for the job fair, CLICK HERE.

Event address:
Harris-Stowe State University
Emerson Performance Center
3026 Laclede Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63103

My Career Search: Week 5

Hi everyone,

Here’s the video for Week 5 of my career search!  With graduation only about 4 weeks away, the days seem to be going faster and faster, but I’m still doing everything I can to secure a position following graduation.

A couple weeks ago I visited Staffing Solutions, Inc., a local placement firm in St. Louis, to interview them about the St. Louis job market.  It was a great opportunity because they had some fantastic suggestions for job seekers like me. 

To check out all the videos from our interview, CLICK HERE.

Job Hunting Tips

A couple weeks ago I visited Staffing Solutions, Inc., a St. Louis recruiting and placement agency. I had the opportunity to interview Bonny Filandrinos, Founder and President of the company, about the recession and its effects on job hunting.

In this clip Ms. Filandrinos gives some tips for people who are currently unemployed—she believes volunteering is a great way to keep your skills sharp and to network.

To view other clips from our interview, CLICK HERE.

My Career Search: Week 4

Hi everyone,

Week 4 of my career search is wrapping up, so it’s time for another video!

I’ve been checking out a lot of company websites, and more often than not there aren’t any openings. It’s tempting to get frustrated or discouraged, but instead I’m going to take this time to do my research and to make sure when the job market improves, I’m ready.

My Career Search: Lauren Schwarze, Week 3

Hi everybody,

It’s the end of Week 3 of my career search, so here’s another video!  I had a lot of schoolwork this week, so I didn’t get a chance to apply to as many companies as I wanted–my goal is 5 per week–but I did have the chance to do some research so I can send in more resumes this weekend.

I still haven’t heard back from the companies I’d applied to over spring break, but I’m staying optimistic–I need to apply to as many places as I can, and I can’t lose my focus.

My Career Search: Lauren Schwarze, Week 2

Hi everyone,

It’s week 2 of my career search, so here’s another video.  Last week was spring break, and I took the time off to apply to 15 jobs.  Unfortunately, the only response I got was to tell me that one of the companies I’d applied to wasn’t hiring. 

At first, I was pretty disappointed, but I’m not going to let it get me down.  I’m going to stay positive, and I’m going to keep trying and keep applying to jobs. 

My Career Search: Lauren Schwarze

Hi, my name is Lauren and I’m one of the interns for Facing the Financial Crisis. I’m a senior at Washington University, and working on this project has hit especially close to home for me. Though I won’t be graduating until May, I’ve begun my job search, and it’s definitely not what I thought it would be. For four years I’ve been preparing to enter the “real world,” to find my dream job, to move out on my own. But then the financial crisis hit. The unemployment rate is the highest it’s been in years, and more and more companies aren’t hiring.

I’ve sent out a lot of resumes and cover letters, and I’ve had a few good responses—by good, I mean the company liked my resume, but they’d just had to lay off some of their employees, so they’re not looking to hire. I’m determined to stay optimistic through all of this. It’s a tough job market for everyone, but we’ll get through this.

In times like these, it’s good to know you’re not alone. That’s why we’ll be starting a new series here where students share a little about their job searches in this tough economy. For the first video, I talk a little bit about my own search. Keep an eye out for new videos we’ll be posting in the coming weeks.