MISSOULA — The job market has suffered greatly due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but that’s not to say there's no one hiring right now.
We talked with the Missoula Job Service to find out the first steps you can take if you’re searching for a new job.
So, you’re back on the job hunt, and it’s daunting, to say the least. If you don’t know where to begin, Job Service Missoula can help you break things down. Workforce specialist Toby Wilson has helped people with the job search long before the pandemic came along.
Wilson says step one when looking for a job is doing your research, "get online, start looking around, and start to see what’s out there."
His office uses free websites like careeronestop and Montana Works. Next, he says take inventory of all the work you’ve done in the past. Your experience and skills will probably surprise you.
“It’s just going back and thinking about the daily ins and outs of what you’ve done in the past, putting them on paper, and you’ll find out you have a lot of skills behind you.”
Wilson also says the job scene may not be as grim as you’d think. For example, looking on the US National Labor Exchange website he found a significant list of job postings ranging in levels of experience.
“I noticed there were close to 800 jobs posted within a 25 mile radius of the 59801 zip code.” And that was just from one website.
Whether it’s creating a resume, prepping for an interview, or the very basics of looking for a new job, Wilson says Job Service MIssoula can help you navigate.
“We have a lot of staff that have been on the phone for an hour to two hours, walking through the process, explaining each step, answering questions, and we’re here to do that because we want you to feel comfortable. There’s a lot of worry right now, and this is one way we can help minimize some of that worry.”
Job Service Missoula is open weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The building is closed to the public, but you can call (406) 721-7094 or send an email for information and help.
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