Think of the CareerCenter as your office

    As the Aroostook County Veterans Representative for the Maine Dept. of Labor, I am responsible for identifying and removing, where possible, significant barriers to employment, developing job opportunities and meeting the employment and training needs of Veterans.     Let’s talk. Veterans, wouldn’t it be great to have your very own office that is fully staffed with knowledgeable professionals who could provide you with expertise involving resume and cover letter preparation, job searching techniques, ways to sharpen your interviewing skills?
    Now, if you’re gonna dream, shouldn’t this office also have every piece of equipment you can think of; copier, fax, scanner, phones, computers with internet access, as well as office supplies seemingly without end? Then, to put icing on the cake, everything would be yours at no cost to you whatsoever. Imagine having access to this office anytime eight hours a day, five days a week, Monday through Friday. Wouldn’t that just make your job search so much more effective?
   If this sounds like something you’ve been looking for then consider taking advantage of the resources afforded you through the CareerCenter. Everything you need to develop an effective job search is right here at your fingertips.
    I want you to think of the CareerCenter as your office; fully staffed, fully equipped, just waiting for you to take advantage of its services. Additionally, resume preparation software, typing tutorial software and if you’re considering changing jobs or careers you can also use an available Work Importance and Interest Profiler to help you decide on a job category to get into. It is also possible that you may qualify to receive funding for training in order to prepare you for entry into this new career field you’ve chosen.
    A little history; CareerCenters were originally mandated by the federal government as a national One-Stop or CareerCenter system to assist job seekers in their work search efforts. Basically, every State in the Union has One-Stops or CareerCenters available to their job seekers. So, regardless of where you are in the States, you will find a CareerCenter to help you with your job search efforts.
    It’s been said that if you are job searching, you need to treat your job search like a full-time job. If you stop and think about it that is exactly what it is … a full-time job. Now, that does not mean that you have to work at this job search thing 40 hours a week. It does mean that you should develop a plan, maybe structuring your time where you would devote X amount of time per week or per day to job searching, resume/cover letter development and in sharpening your interviewing skills.
    One of the things we lose when we become unemployed is ‘structure’. You no longer have a set time to start the day, no set time to be some place, no coffee breaks, no set time for lunch and no end of the day when you have to be home at a certain time. More importantly, you no longer have that daily interaction with fellow workers. So, consider incorporating a certain structure into your life. It will make your work searching so much more effective and will give you a sense of accomplishment.
    So here it is, fellow Veterans, if you could afford to staff your very own office with highly skilled and qualified personnel as well as having access to professional quality office equipment, all at no cost to you, then the CareerCenter is where you want to be. If you have any questions or concerns, call 207-760-6300 or toll free at 800-635-0357 to find out more.
    Please feel free to contact me at the Presque Isle CareerCenter Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 66 Spruce Street across from the Aroostook Centre Mall. If you’re in the Madawaska/Fort Kent area or in the Houlton area, please call me to schedule an appointment for us to meet. You can reach me 760-6322 to schedule an appointment or to just say hi.
    Steve Gagnon has over 11 years of state government experience having worked with the Unemployment Office, the Reemployment Eligibility Assessment Program as well as providing services as a CareerCenter Consultant. His military background includes four years as an aircraft hydraulics mechanic and 20 years as a personnel specialist having retired from the U..S Air Force as an E-7, Master Sergeant.