Looking for work in Maine? Most of us know what it is like to search for a job. It can be demoralizing and bewildering. Today’s complex marketplace can make the process of matching ones skills with the needs of a particular business even more daunting.
Recently, AARP launched a new interactive tool called Work Reimagined to serve as a gateway to everything one needs to get the right job. Work Reimagined is based on social networks. The new AARP Work Reimagined website leverages the popular LinkedIn platform. By using specific job information, access to original content, and best practice advice, Work Reimagined provides wonderful insights to experienced workers that can make the difference in today’s job market.
If you are not familiar with LinkedIn, this might be a good time to start exploring. There are more than 160 million people nationwide on LinkedIn and by joining the network, you can expand your contacts by leaps and bounds. If you are looking for work in Maine, this is a great place to start.
Work Reimagined has three main components: the website, the Work Reimagined LinkedIn page and the potential employers who are seeking experienced workers. One of the main goals of Work Reimagined is to turn the word “experienced” into something very positive. Being engaged in the Work Reimagined community will help you stay connected with, and able to learn from, others who are developing their own ways to return to the job market. Through Work Reimagined, employers are actually signing a pledge that promotes their commitment to the value of experienced workers and nondiscriminatory hiring policies. If you want to see the companies that are hiring, take a look at the job listings on LinkedIn and you will find them there along with all the unique and helpful content the site provides. If you are affiliated with a business and would like to sign the pledge, everything you need to do is on the site.
As always, it is a good idea to put together your resume and supporting materials, such as references and cover letters, early in the process. Remember to keep your resume current so that it highlights your experience and, more importantly, demonstrates how you can use that experience in the new job.
In a previous column, we also mentioned the power of a strong interview. No one wants to be turned down for a good job because of a poor interview. Make sure you are well prepared and know details about the company in question. Go to their website. Find ways to match your skills with their mission. If you are called for an interview, make sure you practice your answers so they are clear and concise.
Right now, though, take a look at Work Reimagined and see the many ways AARP’s new work tool can help. We hope you find, as many others already have, that Work Reimagined gives you the jumpstart to a new job that is just right for you.