Job Search Stuff, Step One

Wednesday, December 5, 2012 Job Search Stuff, Step One Jul. 26th, 2012 at 11:05 PM Thursday, July 26, 2012 I use Iowa Works, or Iowa Workforce Development Online. They keep changing the name. The Iowa Employment Office? I'm Rambling. Anyway, they recently added a feature where users can create a resume using their website. I've had an online account with Workforce Development since I finished high school in 1998. Over the years, I have come to realize that Iowa Works is just about the most useless agency ever created. The staff is not helpful. The way jobs are listed on their website is a joke. And until recently, there was no help to create a resume except attending a class at 9 a.m. in the morning. I work nights. Today I logged into my Iowa Works account for the first time in about 3 months and when I went to update my information, there was an option to create a resume, so I went for it. It's an automated process using my Work History. Below I've copied and pasted the summary the website created to go along with the basic work history on my resume. --> I have 18 years of experience, including as an Inbound Customer Service Representative, as a Telemarketer and as a Housekeeping in industries including Business Services, Social Services and Eating and Drinking Places. Most recently, I have been working as an Inbound Customer Service Representative at Pinnacle Customer Solutions, Inc. from September 2008. My skills and experiences include: Desktop Publishing, Telemarketing, File Management. I hold a High School/GED degree in GENERAL from DENISON/SCHLESWIG COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL. <-- And after a bit of editing, this is what I came up with. --> I have 18 years of work experience as an Inbound Customer Service Representative, a Telemarketer, and a Housekeeper in a Motel and a Senior Citizens Home. I have been working as a Customer Service Representative at Pinnacle Customer Solutions, Inc., since September 2008. In addition to taking inbound calls and processing credit cards, I verify sales calls to ensure information is accurate and meets clients' specifications. I have excellent typing, editing, and copy writing skills. My skills and experiences include: Inbound Sales, Outbound Teleservices, Desktop Publishing (limited), Telemarketing, Answering Phones, Filing, Bindery, Editing, and Typing. I hold a high school diploma from Denison/Schleswig Community High School. <-- I know it's not the best summary of job skills ever, but it's a start. I've never actually made a resume before. I've never wanted to and I've been resisting the need to make a resume. My complaint about how Workforce Development lists jobs on the website has to do with not listing requirements accuratly on the little summaries that we have to click on to see the actual job descriptions. It used to say things like there was no degree needed in the little summary, but when I would click on it, the job required an Associates Degree or a Bachelor's Degree. Or it would say no experience needed, but the actual job description would say 5 years experience required. It was very frustrating. It does look like there have been some new updates and major changes to the website since the last time I used it. I am looking forward to seeing how it works now. But I am not optomistic. That's just me. I have completed all the steps to make my resume on the website. It looks okay ... kinda like the ones we made in one of my classes in high school, but which I never used, or cared about. Now I am ready to really start looking for a new job or a second job, which I have been doing half-heartedly since I started working at my current job. If I really admit it, I haven't been looking much at all, but now I am going to actually give it a try. Wish Me Good Luck. Tammy ThePeridotCricket