TAMPA, Fla — Searching for a job can be daunting.
“People are trying to look for the higher-paying jobs, there’s a lot of panic and there’s a lot of apprehension,” said Joseph “Mike” Dorman, who came to CareerSource Tuesday to search for work.
But as folks find themselves on the other end of the pandemic, the Department of Economic Opportunity says they must start looking for work. That requirement will begin on June 1.
“I know several people that are in that position,” said Dorman.
“I’m going to apply for a job in my field within my pay scope,” said William Peacock, who is searching for a job.
That has been a common concern folks have told ABC Action News. They don’t want just any job, they want one that makes them happy.
“Dignity, a sense of self-worth, and money. If an employer gives an employee those two things they will stay,” said Peacock.
It’s why the idea of work search requirements has folks like William Peacock concerned they’ll be forced into a job they don’t really want. The DEO says you must apply or interview for at least 5 jobs a week.
"It’s not necessarily filling out five applications and going to five interviews, work search could be many different things,” said John Flanagan, the CEO of CareerSource Tampa Bay.
CareerSource has programs to help folks skip past the applications for a week and beef up their resume instead, attend a job fair or attend a job-seeking skill class or workshop.
“Like accessing labor market information to make informed career decisions through some of the workshops we have, resume preparation, interview skills,” he said.
“My resume hasn’t been updated in 10 years,” Peacock said, adding it’s a program he’ll take advantage of. But, he worries he isn’t qualified for a lot of the programs because he doesn’t have a degree.
“I don’t have a full college degree, I have some college but if you look at what they want you to have to be certified in a certain area they want you to have an associate or a bachelor,” he said. “So, someone like me, I consider myself educated, doesn’t fit into that criteria.”
But Dorman says the folks at CareerSource have been really helpful.
“You have people inside that know what they’re doing, they have different job searches that really zero in on the type of job that you’re looking for,” he said.
CareerSource even tests your skills and interests to help you find a new industry. They say networking is a big part of what they do.
“The piece of paper that you see as my application and my resume is just my foot in the door,” said Flanagan. “What’s going to get me the job is the actual interface and correspondence I have with the employer that speaking to me.”
He says they are seeing a steady increase in job seekers — about 1- 2,000 people a week at the Tampa Bay area locations.
