If you are in the job market, there is plenty of hiring to talk about. Thousands of new jobs are opening up in a variety of industries to accommodate the changes in the economy and consumer behavior.
Check out this list for some of the types of employers hiring workers now, and the kinds of positions they are seeking to fill. To find job openings in your local area, visit CareerOneStop’s Job Finder.
Online shopping retailers: order fulfillment, warehouse,
package handlers, and delivery workers
General package delivery services: package handlers and drivers
Grocery stores and convenience stores: shelf stockers, cleaners, order
fulfillment shoppers, cashiers, warehouse
Hardware stores: retail associates
Moving services: movers and drivers
Pharmacies: cashiers,
pharmacy technicians, and distribution center associates
Pizzerias: pizza
makers, delivery drivers, and truck drivers
Grocery shopping services: order fulfillment shoppers,
delivery drivers
Restaurant delivery services: pick up and deliver drivers
Big box retailers, construction and
supply stores: seasonal cashiers, store team leaders,
merchandisers, security and distribution center positions.
Manufacturers of food and hand
sanitizer: factory workers, distribution workers, and corporate
administration positions
Tutoring services: instructors
Auto parts: retail sales,
warehouse, delivery drivers, store managers
Heard of virtual job fairs? They can be a great way for job seekers to generate job prospects, and for employers to identify potential candidates.
What is a virtual job fair?
A job fair is a recruiting
event for employers to meet with potential candidates, and for job seekers to
meet with employers’ representatives to learn about current and future job
opportunities, and get a sense of different organizations as a potential
workplace. While job fairs vary in size and scope, they are a great opportunity
to connect with multiple employers at one time.
A virtual job fair provides these same opportunities online rather than in person. Online – or virtual – job fairs have existed for a number of years, but with social distancing, they have risen to a more important means for job seekers and employers to connect.
What can you expect to happen at a virtual job fair?
In most virtual job fairs, you can expect to interact with a
variety of employers in some kind of chat feature, have the opportunity to ask
them questions and present your resume, and learn about their mission, goals, current
job openings, and how to apply. Depending on how many participate, you may have
1:1 time with an employer representative, or share a group conversation.
At the beginning, the virtual job fair staff will greet you and
make sure you have necessary information, then they will likely assign you to
different chat sessions with specific employers. You may complete a
conversation with one employer, then request to meet with another. Typically,
there is a staff contact to reach out to if you have questions or concerns.
Some fairs will also hold some kind of educational event, such as
a workshop on a related topic.
Who participates in virtual job fairs?
Job fairs may target job seekers interested in a particular
industry or include a variety of industries. Many are open to the general
public, some target current college students and recent graduates, and others
serve veterans and transitioning military service members or other niche groups
such as entry level workers, older workers, etc.
How can you prepare for a virtual job fair?
Most of the steps to prepare for a virtual job fair are identical to those for an in-person event. This is your opportunity to make an impression, so keep your focus clearly on moving forward and embracing the opportunities.
Follow these steps to gain the most from the experience:
Most virtual job fairs require registration in advance. Some charge a fee, most do not charge participants.
Update your resume if needed, and write up your “elevator speech” or professional introduction. Practice it to feel confident in how you describe yourself and what you are looking for.
Research the participating employers, and explore which are likely to hire people with your skills and background.
Develop a “plan of attack” for your time at the virtual job fair; choose your top priority 5-10 employers to meet with, and focus your time on connecting with them.
Make a list of questions for employers. Ask about how they recruit and hire people with your skill set.
Dress professionally down to your shoes. Although you are online, doing a thorough job dressing professionally will affect your mindset and how you present yourself, and prevents any unanticipated wardrobe mishaps.
In conversations, be sure to get contact information to follow up. After your conversation, make note of details discussed and any contacts mentioned.
After the job fair, send a thank-you e-mail to contacts you met with. Mention a detail to remind them who you are and any points you discussed. Thank them for their time and ask about next steps.
Where can you find a virtual job fair to attend?
A variety of companies organize virtual job fairs. You can do a
search online for “Virtual job fairs” in your local area, with local employers.
Many colleges and universities are setting up virtual job fairs
now; contact your college career center to find out their plans.
Jobfairsin.com coordinates job fairs in local areas
around the country at virtual job fairs. Many target specific industry areas, and some are
specifically for veterans.
An updated Advanced Manufacturing Model is now live on the Competency Model Clearinghouse. For the first time, the rapidly growing electronics design and manufacturing industry is represented in the model. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) worked with SEMI, the industry association representing the end-to-end electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, and other industry partners to refresh the model. The updated model represents a unification of competencies across a wider range of Advanced Manufacturing sectors and identifies the skill sets required to strengthen connections among industry, workers, and education and training providers.
The refreshed model features new industry-wide technical competencies including:
Manufacturing Process Design and Development;
Operations Management;
Maintenance, Installation, and Repair;
Supply Chain Production and Logistics;
Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement;
and Equipment, Practices, and Procedures to promote a healthy and safe work environment.
Competency models are great tools for conversations between workforce, businesses, and education providers looking to identify skills gaps, design curriculum and career pathways, and develop apprenticeships. Access the newly updated Advanced Manufacturing Competency Model and other industry models on the Competency Model Clearinghouse.
Are you one of the many parents with school-aged children at home with a lot of time on their hands? Maybe you’re waiting for online classes or school-sponsored home-based activities to ramp up, and could use some fun educational activities to keep them busy.
If you are looking for meaningful, engaging exercises for children elementary age through high school, check out these fun, free, practical ways they can learn about different careers on CareerOneStop. This U.S. Department of Labor sponsored website offers kids a variety of ways to explore their work ideas and think about their future education.
Students can take a career assessment, read about exciting career options, or watch videos to learn about hundreds of different types of occupations, including their typical work tasks, education needed, average salaries, and more. Using these links, students can:
Explore the GetMyFuture website for youth and young adults, where they’ll find a User Guide to walk them through steps to identify a career choice, make a training plan, apply for a job, or download worksheets
Learn about how their interests relate to career choices and take an interest assessment
Read up on the careers that grab their attention, learning what people do on the job, how much they earn, and what levels of education or training are needed to work in the career, from Career Profiles
Are you new to working working remotely, or trying to create a better work from home plan? Observing some simple guidelines can help you stay on track with your work, and feel more confident about your work life balance, even with your office at home.
Set up a dedicated workplace. Try to find a separated physical space with a desk and other equipment you need. If you don’t have a separate room, at least try to reserve a set workspace that’s only for work.
Check your connections. You’ve likely received specific instructions and/or software from your employer. Take the time to review these thoroughly, double-check your WiFi or network connection, and update your software. And ask ahead of time who you should contact in the event of a problem.
Stick to a schedule. It goes without saying that you will be putting in the same number of hours at home as you would in an office, but it also helps to take your schedule one step further. Do you usually spend the first hour or last hour of each day catching up on email? Does your team have a standing meeting each day or week? Sticking to those routines can help everyone stay focused.
Dress for success. It can be tempting to forego the shower and stay in comfy sleeping gear all day, but research shows you’ll be more efficient if you feel more professional. This doesn’t mean you need to wear a suit, but feeling somewhat pulled together will make you feel—and be—more competent.
Practice self care. Being at home can make it easier to give up your usual self-care routines. Remember to get some movement or exercise each day, try to eat healthy meals at mealtimes rather than snacking all day, and get outside for fresh air at least once a day.
If your idea of a great job
includes using tools, or working with animals, plants or materials like wood
and machinery, you have a world of excellent career options to consider.
Hands on careers often emphasize physical activity and time outdoors, and tend to de-emphasize paperwork and interaction with people. Many of the people who are drawn to hands on careers are independent, systematic thinkers, who prefer straightforward communication and practical tasks. Their interests might include repairing items, athletics, gardening, camping, or other outdoor pursuits.
Additional characteristics:
Solving concrete
problems rather than abstract issues.
Often
good in emergencies because of awareness of physical world and comfort with
materials.
Often
physically strong, able to use their physical strength to handle situations and
solve problems, for example firefighters, tailors, sports instructors, farmers,
taxi drivers, or carpenters.
May be
intrigued by systems such as plumbing, electrical, and mechanical.
Curiosity
about the built environment is common.
If this sounds like you, one way to
get a clearer idea of your career options is to take an interest assessment and
explore the careers listed in your results. You can take a career interest assessment on CareerOneStop to identify your
strongest career interests and then view a list of related occupations.
Interest assessment results that
show a high interest in practical, hands-on work, are categorized as “Realistic”,
defined this way:
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Check out career profiles and watch videos about these bright outlook careers with Realistic interests:
Finding a job can be challenging, but when you have autism, the process can feel overwhelming. It can help to break it down into simple steps.
One great resource for job seekers with autism spectrum disorders, and their parents or other caregivers, is Hire Autism, a project led and run by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR).
As the experts on Hire Autism recommend, one of the first steps that anybody with autism needs to do is to understand the different kinds of employment for persons with disabilities. Hire Autism break them down into the following job types:
1. Competitive Employment – A full or part time job with market wages and responsibilities.
2. Supported Employment – Individuals with a disability work in Competitive Employment jobs alongside coworkers, but receive ongoing support services while on the job.
3. Customized Employment – Creating a job or work for an individual with a disability either by modifying an existing job.
4. Secured/Segregated Employment – Individuals with disabilities work in a self-contained unit and are not integrated with workers without disabilities.
5. Self-Employment – Starting and running your own company so that you work for yourself.
Once you’ve evaluated these options, you can determine the next steps for your job search. If Supported, Customized, Secured, or Self Employment seem to be the best fit, you may want to talk to your care team about next steps.
If Competitive Employment is right for you, then you’ll follow a standard process to plan your job search. But you’ll find plenty of targeted advice about how people with autism can succeed each step of the way on the Hire Autism Blog. Also see their page on Job Seeker Resources for people with autism.
CareerOneStop recently searched a sample of 897,000 job postings nationwide for the most in-demand certifications. While the sample reflected all industries, results showed that the top 5 certifications in demand are all related to healthcare careers. In fact, the most-requested certification is listed in 3% of all job postings, or about 31,000 postings!
CPR training class
In the sample, we searched for
any mention of certifications in the 897,000 job postings. The certification
could be required for the job, preferred, or just mentioned as relevant to the
employer for that particular job. The two top certifications were mentioned nearly
three times more often than the next in line, indicating that they are far and
above the most in-demand.
Here are the top 5
certifications, and their total mentions across the large sample of job
postings taken in early February, 2020.
Basic Life Support – noted in 31,072 job postings
CPR – noted in 28,796 job postings
Advanced Cardiac Life Support – noted in 10,510 job postings
Certified Nurse Assistant – noted in 6,821 job postings
Pediatric Advanced Life Support – noted in 5,034 job postings
The top two certifications,
Basic Life Support and CPR, represent essential knowledge and skill for many healthcare
workers at virtually every level. In addition, they may be important for a
broad variety of occupations outside healthcare, such as teachers, recreation
workers, social workers, and others in service to the public.
The remaining three certifications of the top five are more specifically healthcare industry-related; Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support are essential for nursing and related staff, while the Certified Nurse Assistant certification relates to a very large occupation with high turnover, generating a lot of openings. These top five certifications are all sponsored by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
It’s worth mentioning that, if
we continue down our most in demand certifications list, the 9th
most requested certification is Certified Medical Assistant, 11th is
Medical Assistant, and in 12th place is First Aid certification.
To learn more about these and other
professional certifications, check out CareerOneStop’s Certification
Finder. If you’re exploring the idea of a healthcare career, take a look at
the detailed Career
Profiles to learn about the education needed, typical salaries, work tasks
and more for a variety of healthcare and other occupations.
Details on each of the top 5 healthcare
certifications:
1 Basic Life Support (BLS)
Description: The American Heart
Association’s BLS course trains participants to promptly recognize several
life-threatening emergencies, give high-quality chest compressions, deliver
appropriate ventilations and provide early use of an AED. Their finder tool lets you search for classes
in your area and online and notes that you can take a full classroom course or a blended learning course with
some online work and a hands-on skills session training or purchase additional
course materials
Who should take this course? The AHA’s BLS Course is designed for healthcare professionals and other personnel who need to know how to perform CPR and other basic cardiovascular life support skills in a wide variety of in-facility and prehospital settings.
Sample job posting titles: This credential is requested or noted in job postings for a
variety of occupations, including: respiratory therapist, sleep lab technician, MRI
technologist, RN, paramedic, LPN, teacher, security officer, learning
specialist.
Description: Designed, and taught by experts, Red Cross CPR certification
courses are OSHA compliant, affordable and available in a range of settings.
With in-person, online, and our best-in-class blended Simulation Learning, you
can get CPR certified, learn life-saving skills, and train in the way that
suits you best. They also
provide recertification for current certificate holders, and continuing
education credits for nurses, first responders, social workers, teachers and
more.
Who should take this course? The course is required or
recommended for a wide variety of occupations that have responsibility for
public welfare, including healthcare professionals, social workers, teachers, recreation
workers, and others.
Description: The AHA’s ACLS course builds on
the foundation of lifesaving BLS skills, emphasizing the importance of
continuous, high-quality CPR. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency
Cardiovascular Care (ECC). Requires about 8-16 hours of coursework for
eligible applicants. There are also several options for learning: blended with
some online instruction, followed by hands-on skills session, or instructor-led
all hands-on class format.
Who should take this course? For healthcare
professionals who either direct or participate in the management of
cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies and for personnel in
emergency response.
Sample job titles: RN in a wide variety of
specializations: medical/surgical, oncology, urology, vascular access, ER; technical
training instructor, quality engineer – medical equipment.
Description: Red Cross has
trained women and men as nurse assistants for almost 30 years. The nurse
assistant training program prepares individuals to become a Nurse Assistant providing
quality care for elderly or sick individuals in nursing homes, home health,
hospice care, hospitals, and other health care settings. There is a class
finder on the website to find training in your area.
Who should take this training
and certification? Individuals starting a
career in healthcare, to enter an in-demand entry-level career.
Sample job titles: certified nursing assistant, LPN,
resident assistant, caregiver for medical challenges, stress test technician.
Description: PALS is geared towards
healthcare providers who respond to emergencies in infants and children and for
personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and
critical care units. Upon successful completion of the course, students receive
a course completion card, valid for two years. PALS is available in two
different training methods – blended learning and classroom training. All PALS
course options teach the same AHA science-based skills and result in the same
AHA PALS Course Completion Card.
Who should take this course? The AHA’s PEARS Course is designed for healthcare providers and
others who might encounter pediatric emergency situations during their work,
including Physicians and nurses not specializing in pediatrics, Nurse
practitioners, Physician assistants EMTs, Respiratory therapists, Prehospital
and in-facility healthcare providers (outside of critical-care areas), Outpatient
clinic staff, School-based providers.
Sample job titles: Staff nurse, nurse anesthetist,
RN, Clinical Learning and Development specialist, respiratory care, ER
supervisor, Pre-op manager.
So you polished your resume, crafted a standout cover letter, and landed an interview—great! Now’s your chance to shine. There are many ways to help get your shine on—you can brush up on how you’ll answer common interview questions, plan in advance for what you’ll wear, and figure out exactly how you’ll get to your interview.
Also, pay attention to the following list of items that hiring managers consistently say they wish more candidates would do:
1. Show up right on time—that is, early, but not TOO early.
One of the worst things to do at an interview is to show up late. But guess what some hiring managers says is a close second? Showing up too early can be frustrating for interviewers who aren’t ready to start the interview—or to entertain you while you wait. Hopefully you’ve mapped out exactly how long it should take you to arrive at your interview, and then you’ve added some time for emergencies. That’s great! But when you do arrive earlier than 15 minutes before the start of the interview, take a walk around the block or find a place to wait (a place that’s not the hiring manager’s office!)
2. Do your research.
Nothing says Not Interested—or worse, Lazy!—to a hiring manager than an interviewee who clearly hasn’t done their research. It’s your job to convince this person that you’d be a great fit for the position and for the company. There’s no way you can do that without researching the company.
The Internet is your friend here. You can start with the company’s website and also do an Internet search for articles and mentions of the company or the industry as a whole. You want to know specifics: what the company excels at, what challenges it faces, what the scope of its business is. What’s the history of the company, and how does it fit into its industry and local community? A helpful tip is to write at least one great sentence that captures something interesting about the company—and practice saying it over and over until you’re sure it will come out effortlessly during your interview.
3. Come prepared.
Remember to bring important items to the interview:
Notebook and pens
Extra copies of your resume and a list of references
Copies of letter(s) of recommendation, licenses, transcripts, etc.
Portfolio of work samples
4. Be ready with questions.
Another common complaint from hiring managers is when interviewees answer the question “Do you have any questions?” with “No, it all sounds good to me!” You may thing you’re being agreeable, but to the interviewer you might appear disinterested or unprepared.
What should you do? Make a list of questions to ask during the interview. Pick questions that will demonstrate your interest in the job and the company. This might include commenting on the news you learned from the company website, and then asking a question related to it. Also ask questions about the organization and the job you will be expected to perform, like:
What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
What are the biggest challenges you anticipate in this job?
How will my responsibilities and performance be measured? By whom?
Could you explain your organizational structure?
How would you describe the culture of the company?
What computer equipment and software do you use?
Are there opportunities for professional development?
What are the organization’s goals for the next two – five years?
What do you think are the best aspects of working for this organization?
Is there anything you’ve heard in the interview that concerns you, or that I could address before we wrap up?
Whether you are a student looking for a career path that doesn’t require a 4-year degree, or a school counselor helping students find one, you can use CareerOneStop to develop a plan for a future career. Explore how different careers might fit, learn about job outlook and what employers are looking for, and identify education and training options available in your local area.
1 Identify possible careers that fit your interests
Start with an interest assessment to get ideas for careers that fit your interests, or what you like to do. Your results will show you a list of careers; use the “Experience or education needed” filter to see your best-fit occupations at the level of education you prefer.
Next you can select any job title in your results to see details on the career description and watch a video to learn more about life on the job.
2 Learn about the requirements and details of a career before you invest money or time into your education.
Once you’ve selected some careers to research further, you can compare some of the important details about them. Use the Occupation Profile to research answers to the following key questions and eliminate careers that don’t fit your goals:
• What’s the job outlook for the career that your training will lead to? • What type of education does this occupation typically require? • How many new jobs are expected in coming years? • What’s the usual salary? • What skills, knowledge, and abilities are used in the career?
3 Explore education and training options.
To further refine your career ideas, learn about the different types of education and training that are available, so you can make an informed decision for your future. Here are the major options to consider.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeships are full-time jobs with built-in training that prepare workers to enter in-demand careers. They can provide an affordable way to build a high-paying career without the student debt that can add up for college students.
Apprenticeships are sponsored by employers, unions, and professional associations in fields such as information technology, finance and business, healthcare, hospitality, transportation, and manufacturing.
Visit the Apprenticeship Finder on Apprenticeship.gov to see opportunities that have been advertised in your area.
Associate’s degree
The associate’s degree typically takes two years of full time college to complete and can prepare you to enter a career, or apply toward an eventual 4-year degree. Explore associate’s degree programs in your area using the Local Training Finder.
• Enter your occupation of interest and your location • Filter results by using the filter, Program Length, to select the options “At least two but less than four years” and “2 years” • Find school and program names, along with information about program length and number of graduates. School names link directly to school websites.
Certifications
Students can get launched in a number of entry-level fields by studying for and earning certifications.
A certification is a credential that you earn by achieving specific skills or knowledge. Some jobs or employers require workers to have certain certifications, especially in health care, IT, or financial fields. Even if not required, certifications show an employer you have learned and achieved in your field, which makes you a more attractive job candidate in general.
Certifications relate to a type of job, a specific technology such as software or hardware, or to a broader industry. They are sponsored by a professional organization or company, and to earn one typically requires that you pass a knowledge or skill test. You may be able to prepare for certification exams at a community college, through the sponsoring organization, or study on your own, for example, by reading a software manual.
Use the Certification Finder to find out about certifications in the fields that interest you.
Certificate programs
Many community or technical college programs can lead to a certificate award in less than two years. Having a certificate in your field can help you qualify for a job, get a promotion, or earn more money. Look for short-term training programs near you at Local Training Finder. Get started with these simple steps:
• Enter a keyword for the type of job or training you’re looking for. • Enter your location to view a list of programs near you. • Use the “Program Length” filter on the left-hand side of your results to limit your results by how long it typically takes to complete the program.
Internships
An internship is a short-term job, often unpaid, that gives students hands-on work experience. Internships are available in a wide variety of fields in government, private business and non-profit organizations. In general, an internship:
• Is an agreement between a student (high school, college, or graduate) or adult and an organization or business. • Allows a student or emerging professional to gain skills and experience in a short-term, real-world work environment. • Can be paid or unpaid. • Has to follow certain regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. You can search for an internship on usajobs.gov.
Job Corps
Students between 16 and 24 years old, might qualify for Job Corps, a free residential education and training program to prepare for careers.
If you’re a school counselor attending the American School Counselor Association conference next week, stop by the CareerOneStop table for brochures, posters, and more.
Finding a job can be challenging, but when you have autism, the process can feel overwhelming. It can help to break it down into simple steps.
