Social and human services assistant jobs

If you like to work with people and also want to help folks improve their quality of life then you might want to consider becoming a social and human services assistant. This type of work is valuable to society especially in bad economic times that we are seeing right now.


How do you become a social and human services assistant?

In many cases on the job training is all that you need although experience and a higher education is sometimes needed. Some community colleges offer associate degrees or certificates that will increase your chances of finding a job. You may find after entering the field that you want to become a social worker instead of just an assistant, you will have to have a degree then.



What does a social and human services assistant do?

There is a wide range of jobs and work duties that fall under this title. Your main duty is to assist social workers, healthcare professionals and healthcare workers. The type of people that you would help also varies greatly from the young to senior citizens. Communication skills are a very important part of this job as well as listening skills. Where you work at may also vary from people’s homes to hospitals.

The job outlook according to the Department of Labor is very good for this type of work in the upcoming years.

For more information go to http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos059.htm

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What is the GATE program?

The federal government, especially over the past 10, years have promoted small business development through the SBA and through projects such as project GATE, The Growing America Through Entrepreneurship, which promotes small business forming in urban and rural areas. Keep in mind that small business usually hires the greatest number of employees so it is vital to encourage and support their efforts especially in areas where that growth is lacking.



What is the GATE project trying to accomplish?

The GATE project will help train potential entrepreneurs on how to run a small business and how to apply for loans. They will also help evaluate whether your business is feasible. The program will be promoted through a community outreach group.



GATE will help with such things as logo design and marketing strategy and help with setting up a web site if necessary.



In order to participate in the GATE project you must register, contact your closest Career One stop location.



For more information go to the following government website

http://www.doleta.gov/projectgate/gate_faq.cfm

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Is going back to school right for the older unemployed?

You would think that going back to school is always the thing to do and most of time it is. Problems occur when folks, older folks especially, jump into going back to school without giving it any fore thought. Are you going back to get a degree in the hottest industry or maybe you are looking to see where it would take the least amount of time and money to get the skills you need. Both are bad reasons if they are the only reason that you arre going back to school. Remember that some of the hottest fields today might not be the best field in the future, and what if you don’t enjoy  that particular type of work. Take time to make your decisions, don’t jump into anything without a lot of research. 

Here are a few things to consider about returning to school...

• Depending on what field you are going in it may be possible to do your training online. It is a great time saver and some courses give you a lot of leeway on how you get your course completed. You may feel that online courses aren’t up to par with being physically in a class, but online courses are gaining popularity in colleges and universities everywhere. 
• Job certification programs are terrific in that they will be able to show you have completed a course and you are capable of doing the jobs. 
• This ties into job certification programs in that skilled labor is in high demand today if you like working with your hands then you might want to consider taking course in this area. 
• How will you pay for this? The government has quite a few loan program geared toward the unemployed

 

So should you go back to school, especially if you are older? Do your research and you will be able to make the right decision.




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Who is qualified for unemployment insurance?

You would think that there is a standard set of laws regarding unemployment insurance and in a way there is. The federal government sets a standard that the states have to follow but the individual states are the ones that draw the guidelines as to who gets unemployment insurance. Just being unemployed is not enough to draw a check from the state. You have to show that you are eligible under the state rules.




What are the requirements for receiving unemployment?

Of course you have to have lost your job through no fault of your own. It would certainly be harder to collect if you were fired for something that you did. It is difficult to collect if you quit your job. Refusing an offer of reasonable work will also disqualify you. If you are turned down you can appeal the ruling.



You have to have worked a certain amount of time also referred to as your base time. This differs from state to state.



Unemployment insurance is funded for the most part by employers.

You can apply online for unemployment for the particular state that you reside in. It usually takes a few weeks to receive your first check. While you are unemployed you must continue to file a claim every week or every 2 weeks depending on the state that you live in.

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How are others finding a job?

While it is hard to believe there are folks finding jobs. I’m sure that each one of them found the process difficult and nerve wracking. They probably spent months, a good many months, searching and networking and doing whatever it took to find a job. There are 2 things to take away from their success. One, there are jobs out there, and two; they did something extra to find that job. What was it? You need to find out how others are finding a job.




As usual the best place to find answers today is the internet. Probably the best place for job discussion is at job forums which there are quite a few. Many times you will find that regulars posters that eventually find a job will report back and tell everyone what helped the most in finding a job. If you don’t see anyone reporting back then just open a new thread and ask the question, someone will answer.



Many times it is doing something different then what you have been doing. Maybe its your resume or your cover letter or it could be that you aren’t doing enough networking. That is why it is always important to communicate with others who are in the same circumstance that you are, unemployed and you might also be able to help them out too.



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Fitness Worker careers

One thing that you probably have heard quite a few times is to get a job that you have a passion for, one that you would really love doing. Getting up the morning isn’t a gloomy event and you don’t spend the day praying that the clock would speed up so you can get out of there. Of course having a job that you love isn’t always possible but if you are really into staying fit and love to work with other people then you might want to consider becoming a Fitness Worker or personal trainer.

 

This type of job category can be broken down into more specific jobs, such as

 

• Personal Trainer – You would work one on one giving instructions on how to use gym machines or free weights. You would set up exercise schedules. You may also give advice on what type of diet would be beneficial for a healthy lifestyle. A personal trainer can be employed by a gym or you can work for your self and build up a clientele. 
• Fitness Director - You would run a gym or a health club. You may have to have managerial experience or have worked in this field for several years. 
• Class Instructor – Lead a large group of gym member through various types of exercise programs.  Class instructors can also be personal trainers and likewise personal trainers can be class instructors.

 

 

Usually personal trainers have some sort of certification that shows that they are capable of training gym members on exercise machinery and also capable of setting up a training program for them. While the income for fitness workers aren’t as great as other fields if you become a personal trainer your income will grow as you build your client list.

  

 

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the fitness worker field should grow faster than the average for all occupations.

 

 

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LinkedIn and job searching

You probably are tired of hearing about the internet and the World Wide Web and how everything in life seems to circle around it especially when it comes to looking for a job. But it is true you better become internet savvy if you are going to find a job today unless you know the president of the company you want to work for. Using social media sites gets your name out there and at the same time you can see how other folks are working the net to get a job. One of the most important sites that you have to be on is LinkedIn.

• Probably the most important reason to be on LinkedIn is having your name on a site that millions of people and potential employers will see. Facebook is good but for jobs LinkedIn is the best site. 
• You can find a list of people that work at the company that you are trying to get hired at. Great information to know before starting any interview 
• LinkedIn has a good search engine rating on Google 
• You can set up a connection with other people (networking) on LinkedIn.  
• You can research potential employers. 
• You can also get notifications about job openings. 
• There is also LinkedIn groups that you can follow.

  

So it is definitely worth your while to join LinkedIn, the professional social networking site.

  

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Seasonal work might lead to full time employment

There are been a lot of good news concerning companies hiring seasonal workers for the upcoming Christmas season. UPS always hires extra workers to handle the increased load of shipping that occurs during the holidays and this season is no different they are hiring 50,000 workers. Kohl, the department store, is also stepping up and hiring seasonal workers as well as Macy’s. The question is can a seasonal job lead to a permanent position after the holidays.




In the past, companies have hired seasonal workers as full time employees after the holidays were over. Of course with the economy the way it is there probably wouldn’t be as much hiring after Christmas. But being a temporary or seasonal employee gives you a great opportunity to showcase your abilities as an employee. By working harder and standing out you will be remembered in the future when there is an opening. Another plus for seasonal work is making contacts within the companies who can become part of your ever growing network.



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Job searching and time management

Time management is important in any aspect of life whether it is job hunting or just planning your to do list on the week end. As important as it is a good many folks waste time by not spending any time planning. When searching for a job it is vital is spread your time various aspects of the task at hand, finding employment. Doing too much of one thing and not enough of another can be counter productive.

 

Even though you are looking for a job you are still working at finding one. Like your old job you have to plan your day in a way that gets the most done. Make a schedule of what time you are going to start your day of job searching and what time you will be finishing. Make a list of the most important things that have to get done.

 

 

 

• Search the internet for possible jobs. Make a folder with all the most important sites that you usually look for jobs. This should be an ever expanding list. 
• Research articles on job hunting and career advice.  
• Brainstorm to come up with new ideas and ways to look for a job. 
• Utilize social media sites 
• Finish the day by writing a summary on what you have accomplished

 

 

 

Of course some days will be interrupted with job interviews and job fairs, (hopefully a lot of days!). But the most important thing to remember is to stay busy and stay productive.

 

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Using email to find a job

Since the advent of the World Wide Web and the internet traditional methods of finding employment have changed. Years ago you would scour the want ads circling the jobs that you might want to apply for. Of course if you look in the paper today the size of the want ads is greatly diminished. You now search the major job sites and use social media sites to obtain leads and information about job opening. Using RSS is a great way to keep up to date on job news and companies. Another web tool that you should consider using is your email provider.


Using email is part of the greater job searching technique called networking, which is invaluable to when looking for a job. If you have a name and an email address of someone who can eventually give you information and possibly lead you to another valuable contact then send an email. The important thing to remember is to keep the email short and on subject. Also remember to proof read and spell check the contents of your email; you don’t want to get off on a bad foot.

Keep a list of all the emails that you sent out and whether you got any responses, you don’t want to send the same person the same email twice. And if you are employed right now don’t use your company’s email address use your own private email.

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