Free Webinar on Helping Job Seekers

A timely topic, this webinar is free of charge and open to all! For information on the content and how to attend, visit http://bit.ly/VueHx. This is another great offering from InfoPeople!

Coupon Cart

Some posts back I mentioned having a coupon exchange for patrons. A couple of days ago I saw one in action! LeClaire Community Library has a small cart with about 10 of those inexpensive, pencil length, narrow plastic bins for coupons by category. They report that patrons are using the service and even helping them weed out the expired coupons. Give it a try!

Interview Apparel on a Budget

So your patron has landed an interview! The job market is extremely competitive, and it seems unfair, but many times a hiring decision will be influenced by the applicant's personal appearance at the interview. Putting together appropriate interview attire can be quite expensive, but there are ways to look good on a budget.

First, make sure you actually need that suit. Many times a suit is just the ticket, but there are situations where it isn't appropriate. For guidelines on choosing the level of formality the interview requires, visit http://bit.ly/evMNR. For tips for the informal interview, try http://bit.ly/2YIif.

Many times that closet is full of ill-fitting, out-dated or worn interview clothing. For some ideas on how to refresh interview attire options, visit http://bit.ly/1muDC, http://bit.ly/1vYBPb, http://bit.ly/IXLyp. For simple ways to alter clothing, try http://bit.ly/3Hz8Kq.

Thrift stores, Goodwill and consignment shops can be good choices as well. The same rules apply: buy quality, look for an excellent fit, conservative colors and clothing that is in good repair and doesn't look worn. Online sources could include Overstock.com and ebay, as well as the clearance sections of department stores.

Support for the Unemployed

There's plenty of talk on how to manage the job market, interviewing skills, creating a killer resume, and starting a new business, but the reality is that one of the greatest negative stress inducers is unemployment. There are some great online resources out there to help folks support themselves and others during this period. Many of these lead to local in person resources. Think about hosting a coffee or other get together so that unemployed patrons can gather, talk and share their successes and stresses. Provide them with these resources, or use them yourself to make a list of local agencies and strategies that can provide counseling or other kinds of support.

http://bit.ly/YRcJ4 - The National Employment Law Project created this website to provides a timely resource to learn more about the key programs available to workers and communities hard hit by the economy, to share experiences and concerns, and to participate in the national debate to stimulate the economy and make sure families get the aid they need to find good-paying jobs.

http://bit.ly/xaMwX - Partner with a local church already providing support to the unemployed? Perhaps sharing educational opportunities, or providing resources to the church's programs from the library?

http://bit.ly/2b5kr - A blog post on recognizing and dealing with depression for the unemployed. It also has a link to find a therapist.

http://bit.ly/v7qG7 - Marie Claire, of all places, has a good article listing some online support group resources.

http://bit.ly/KWhgF - Another article with support group resources.

If you find others, let us know!

Job Hunting for 50+

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the June unemployment rate for those 55 and older hit 7%–the highest on record. That's a significant number of patrons looking for work that my have special needs both in the library and in the job market. Many of these patrons will be seeking assistance using computers, and many of them have held the same job for many years and may be rusty on their job hunting skills. Even those who are tech savvy may need advice on how to put that knowledge to work for them in the job market.

A good article on the issue can be found at msnbc.com's website.


Some online resources specifically for over 50 job seekers include:

http://www.aarp.org/money/work/ - Postings with tips on job hunting

www.workforce50.com - Employers posting with us are committed to hiring baby boomers and older workers. Job seeking services are free, employers pay a small fee to post jobs. This is the '"new and improved" version of seniorjobbank.org, although that web site still exists.

www.jobsover50.com - a free web-based employment service for Baby Boomers & Retirees. We understand the employment needs of 50+ job seekers and have built this unique powerful service to support them.

How Libraries are Helping

I've been gathering some real life examples of how libraries are helping their patrons. Many of these you've probably heard of, or have implemented yourself, but hopefully you'll find something new on the list!

Resume and cover letter workshops
Computer reserved for job applications - both online and creating resumes
Staff assigned to help specifically with job related computer questions
Entrepreneurial workshops
Coupon exchanges
Data on local, state, metro and regional unemployment and fiscal situation
Coffee or other social settings for job seekers
Job fairs
Online pathfinders for job seekers
Assistance from staff for applying for unemployment
Home for support groups
Increasing free programs on a variety of topics - not all job related
Websites, brochures, blogs and Twitter feeds on unemployment, budgeting, etc.

What are you doing? Share with us here or on the Twitter feed.

New Business Resources

An Albert Lea Tribune article got me thinking about all the potential partners and resources for patrons hoping to start a new business. The article gives hope that this might be the ideal time to start a new business. Not all of the partners will have local or even regional offices, but many are available online with toolkits for patrons. If you're looking for partners and information, try:

U.S. Small Business Administration - They have all kinds of pathinders, web chats, an online library, and a list of the services they offer.

SCORE - They also have a good number of pathfinders and online information, but they also offer free online workshops on 26 topics.

Office of Women's Business Ownership - The Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO) exists to establish and oversee a network of Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) throughout the United States and its territories. Through the management and technical assistance provided by the WBCs, entrepreneurs, especially women who are economically or socially disadvantaged, are offered comprehensive training and counseling on a vast array of topics in many languages to help them start and grow their own businesses. This is a specific SBA service and they have regional offices.

Iowa's Business Planning Assistance - Most states offer a similar web page, and some cities do as well.

Department of Labor Compliance Assistance - For new or small businesses, a guide to compliance with federal labor laws. States also have similar sites for their particular labor laws.

DBTAC - a national network of assistance center, located regionally, to assist with ADA compliance.

IRS's Starting a Business Site - everything you need to know about federal taxes.

Also, try your State's employment agency. In Iowa, that's the Iowa Workforce Development and their portal for business development.

Follow a Job Hunter

Rodney's Job Quest at http://rodneysjobquest.wordpress.com/ follows a recently unemployed professional as he searches for work. He outlines the strategies he's tried, provides tips on the best ways to get leads, and will continue posting through his experience. Virtual moral support!

Family Budget Resources

With belts tightening, more families than ever are concerned about their budget. There are many resources available for working out a livable budget. Some are completely online, while others offer guidelines on developing a budget. If your patrons are looking for ways to track their income and expenses, here are a few resources you can direct them to:

The U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission offer a wealth of resources, from tips to save money, repairing credit, dealing with job loss and more. The section is near the bottom of the page at http://www.mymoney.gov/budget.shtml.

http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/family-budget-planner.html is a free Excel spreadsheet for budgeting.

http://www.investopedia.com/university/budgeting/ has a free online step by step tutorial on creating a budget.

Making ends meet, originally by University of Wisconsin Extension and adapted by Beverly R. Howell, Ph.D. in Mississippi at http://www.learnthat.com/finance/learn-164-family_budget.htm.

Saving money on groceries http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-save-money-on-groceries.

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/householdsavings/tp/Household_Save.htm shares a lot of ideas on living frugally.

Unintentional Entrepreneurs

Unintentional entrepreneurs are the folks who end up starting their own business due to unemployment. Often they are starting a business for the first time, and aren't aware of the steps necessary for success in a new business. Fortunately there's a new website full of great free tools and advice for newbies to entrepreneurship. They will be providing networking events in major US cities such as L.A., Atlanta, New York City and Washington D.C.

www.unintentionalentrepreneur.com

Another free tool allows for online bookkeeping at http://outright.com/.

Give Patrons Weekly Money Saving Tips

The Seattle Examiner's online edition has a blogger called the "Frugal Family Examiner". Libraries can get updates on deals and posts in their email account and display ideas on how patrons can pinch their pennies, and invite them to share their own ideas with the community. Or, how about a coupon exchange? Just put coupons out in a bin and let patrons take and drop off coupons. Do both and create a really useful display. Along with those, put out any budgeting, frugal cooking or other money saving themed books.

The Frugal Family Examiner had a posting yesterday about tax free weekends by state. Find the list at: http://bit.ly/3EXRvx.

A list of her recent frugal minded blogs can be found at http://bit.ly/z0QL4.

Help for Job Seekers at Goodwill

I'm learning many things from my Google Alert for "job seekers." For example, I didn't know that Goodwill offers assistance to job seekers, with: Job training, Job Placement, Support Services ("Local Goodwills can help connect job seekers with services that help them hang onto their jobs, such as childcare, transportation, financial literacy and counseling. "), and Online Learning.

You can find out more at the Job Seekers page on the Goodwill Industries website, which also includes a Goodwill Locator tool.

Coupon Craze

With budgets shrinking and costs expanding, one way to save money is by using coupons. There are pitfalls, though. Sometimes you end up spending more than you save. A careful clipper can save thousands a year. To help your patrons use coupons wisely, try these sites for helpful tips and hints.

Tips on using coupons from the Queen of Coupons and abc: http://bit.ly/L7ddj

Reader's Digest coupon information: http://bit.ly/1iEMjB

Online coupons:
http://www.retailmenot.com/
http://www.couponcabin.com/
http://www.couponmom.com/
http://www.dealcatcher.com/
(coupons and deals on electronics, clothing and more. Today's deals include suits from Jos. Banks - great for job hunters))

Partnerships in Tough Times

As libraries look for ways to help their patrons in these tough times, it's an opportunity to explore partnerships with other community agencies and organizations, such as the local Workforce Development office. We'd like to share your ideas and experiences on the Help in Tough Times website, so please comment on this post, with your ideas about partners and projects.

Welcome to "Help in Tough Times"

Libraries in Iowa are helping their patrons who are experiencing unemployment, tight home and personal budgets, and resources stretched to the limit. The Library Service Areas will be indentifying resources and ideas to assist patrons during these tough times, and will share them in this blog. Please also see the website: http://www.ilsa.lib.ia.us/helpintoughtimes and follow the Twitter account: helpintoughtime