JobZone Webinar Christopher Myers New York State Department of Labor March 24, 2006

Job Search Effectiveness

Where Are The Jobs Found

Estimates of job search effectiveness indicate: 85% of jobs are found through word of mouth (networking) 15% through classified ads and placement professionals Consider further: Less than 5% of jobs are posted online AJB is a minor player in online posting Suggests that: We impact a very small percentage of the job seeking public The rest better be ready to find work on their own

The Problem Weve painted ourselves into a corner: We touch very few customers relative to the total job seeking population We rely on a job bank with limited market penetration to define the universe of available jobs

The Solution Increase the number of customers served by developing self-service tools Add a staff-assisted component to the self- service tools (e.g., review of resume) Coordinate self-service and office services (e.g., have staff refer customers to and/or review their JobZone activities during office visits) Shift focus from placement to teaching customers to manage their own careers

JobZone Plays a Role

Creating Information Career and Labor Market Data + Easily Understood Context = Career Information

Creating Knowledge Career Information + Constructed Meaning = Applicable Knowledge

Effective Career Decision Making Knowledge of Self + Knowledge of career and labor market = Effective Career Decisions Parsons (1909/1989)

Customers are required to create an account in order to use JobZone. This allows for greater statistics gathering and customization of the system, as well as letting the customer save information for future use. Accounts are free, private and secure.

The first section of JobZone is labeled Career Exploration. It provides a means to research occupations, ETP courses, and Colleges to help the customer make informed career decisions.

The second section of JobZone is labeled Self Exploration. It provides a means to assess customer career values, interests, and skills; and apply the results to the job search.

The Skills Survey allows customers to use the skills developed and duties performed on previous jobs to identify future employment options, and compare evaluate them to the requirements of other occupations.

Job search documents are Created, stored and edited in a modular format.

The information from the data collection modules can be formatted as a chronological resume. Additional formats are under development.

Variable radius job search available from the home page.

Job order details are provided by New Yorks Job Bank

Information compiled from multiple state and federal databases provides a wealth of information on each of the over 900 occupations in JobZone. Links to a PDF version, a quick reference save, and descriptive videos are also provided.

The green columns are customized to the users location and viewing patterns. Did You KnowLabor Market Information of local interest provided by DOL staff. Your Local One-StopFull contact info, hours and driving directions. Job Seeker ResourcesNot customized at this time. Valuable information found on other websites. Job SearchVariable radius keyword search. Whos Getting HiredMonthly list of occupations with the most expected hires. The occupations are automatically weighted to reflect the customers usage pattern, with the top five displayed for quick access. Upcoming Job FairsMonthly list of job fairs listed with the Labor Department. Recently ViewedA running list of the last five occupations selected.

Recap JobZone is a self-service tool JobZone can be supplemented with staff-assisted services A separate staff-assisted interface is in development The goal of services (staff and self) must shift from placement / job matching to teaching career management skills

Thank You! For more information contact: Christopher Myers, Ph.D. New York State Department of Labor