Support for Job Seekers
Looking for a job is never easy, and the transition back to work after a health interruption brings unique challenges. Connecting with others helps! The Cole Resource Center's Workforce Development Program offers coaching and community support to those living with mental health conditions as they find their next career steps and pursue their life goals.
Workforce Program
The Workforce Development Program addresses job hunting skills (networking, resume writing, today’s automated application processes, interviewing) with particular attention to the issues important to those in recovery. These include explaining gaps in work history, effective presentation of revised career goals, employee rights, and disclosure options. Staying motivated throughout the often-daunting process is an important topic. The program offers safe spaces for open and confidential conversation in which participants may share their concerns and celebrate their successes.
The program’s experienced job coach is Neil Wilson, Certified Peer Specialist, who has a professional background in career counseling. Neil offers individual coaching sessions for program participants and provides custom guidance for each person in their job-hunting journeys. Neil often helps with evaluating job opportunities, revising resumes, and preparing for interviews.
“I got the job!”
Job Club
The Job Club is an online drop-in group, now meeting weekly on Mondays at 1 pm via Zoom. Job Club meetings offer Workforce program participants both presentations of useful information and time for sharing and discussion. Presenters include Cole Resource Center (CRC) program staff, guest speakers, and Workforce program participants, including “alumni” of the program who are working. Examples of Job Club topics are writing forward-looking resumes, exploring MassHire, the manageable job search, Getting Unstuck, and Rocking your LinkedIn profile.
How can you join CRC’s Workforce Development Program? The first step is an introductory conversation with Neil Wilson, the Workforce Program Specialist. You will have a chance to learn more about the program and see if it fits your current needs. To schedule a meeting, please email workforce@ColeResourceCenter.org.
Please note that Cole Resource Center staff are not professional social workers, therapists, or other clinicians. We share our expertise and lived experience with others as a complement to clinical care. Thanks to philanthropic support, the Workforce Development Program is provided to CRC clients free of charge. We are grateful to the donors who make this possible.
Serving as part of the Workforce program team is a highlight of my engagement with CRC. To learn more about our work, please see ColeResourceCenter.org.
Submitted by Ellen Faran, Cole Resource Center, President