Job Seeker Tools
What is Minnesota Works?
Minnesota Works is a state-sponsored website that replaced the old Minnesota Job Bank. It provides two things job seekers need: 1) searchable job postings and 2) a place to post your own resume. Unfortunately, only about 20% of Dislocated Workers are currently using this job search avenue. I would like to see that grow to be much higher, so I want to encourage you to use it to search for jobs and also to post your resume there and make it visible to employers who may be looking for someone with your background, education and skills.
What employers use Minnesota Works?
Many Minnesota businesses both large and small use Minnesota Works. At last check there are 35, 314 job postings listed there for the whole state. Large corporations use it because they do a lot of hiring and they need access to as many pools of applicants as possible in multiple regions. Small companies and non-profits use it because it is free for them and they don’t have to pay a recruiter to find candidates.
Why should you put your resume on Minnesota Works?
There are already 72,726 people who have registered and put their resumes online for employers to search. You should join this pool of applicants because it is another way to market yourself and make it easy to be found. It is not the only thing you should do to actively job seek, but it certainly should be part of your strategy.
When you post your resume you are actually filling in sections that are searchable, so you want to be sure your resume has all the right keywords for your occupation and your skills.
Is it easy to use?
When looking for job postings, you get to choose the area of the state where you are looking and you can search based on location, occupation, and keywords. There are some excellent tutorials on how to use Minnesota Works on the Positively Minnesota website. Take the time to explore them at http://tinyurl.com/ydud58t
Go for it!
--Mike Powers
