Job Search Skills Workshops

Need help landing that next job? Let our Job Search Skills Workshops sharpen your job search skills. We offer two types of workshops:

• Universal Workshops are free, open to all, and most require no advance registration. Stop by the front desk to check in and ask for workshop room location.
• Core Workshops are available at no charge to individuals enrolled in a Workforce Investment Act (WIA)-funded program. Fees apply for other individuals. These workshops are offered on a first come, first serve basis. Enrolled clients need only to sign-in for a workshop.

Workshops are held at the CONNECT! Job Seeker Center, 420 S. Pastoria Ave., Sunnyvale, (408) 774-2365. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. See campus map. Here's the current universal workshop schedule. For the core workshop schedule, WIA-enrolled individuals should contact their case managers.

Universal Workshops

Free and open to all

• Ace the Interview: The simplest interview questions can be the most challenging. Learn how to handle questions about your salary requirements, your weaknesses, and your strengths. Discover effective, proven techniques to prepare you for tough job interviews.
• Career Exploration: Participants will learn how to gather information about various career options, develop an understanding of how to access the latest career information resources, and discover the value of career exploration in making smart and informed career decisions.
• Discover You: This is an interactive workshop to help you explore your interests, values, and to brainstorm career options. Space is limited and seating is on a first come, first served basis. Sign-up begins 1/2 hour before the start of the workshop.
• Job Application: If your job search includes filling out applications (and most jobs do at some point), learn how to not screen yourself out. Discover how to successfully address legal issues and tough questions.
• Managing Change: This interactive workshop helps you explore how job loss impacts the job search process. You will learn how to move out of the past, deal with the present, and focus on future opportunities.
• New Employee Success Tactics: This workshop explores what employers look for in a successful employee and assist attendees in developing a personal career retention and development plan.
• Planning Your Job Search: Job searching can be overwhelming. Learn how to create a personalized game plan to keep you focused and on track to your next job.
• Resume Critique: Have a career advisor review your current resume and provide you with information, ideas, and assistance in creating a better resume. Available daily, via Drop-in Career Advising, from 9 a.m. to noon, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. This is not a workshop; it is a one-on-one session with a career advisor.
• Resume Facts: Learn the answers to the most common resume questions including: what goes on the resume, do I need to customize my resume, what are the best ways to organize my information and is a cover letter necessary?
• Strategize Your Job Search: The more exposure you and your resume have during the job search the more likely you are to find a job. Come learn 10 different ways to get known by people with the power to hire you.
• Using Employon: Hands-on workshop that will review how to use the features of the Employon Job Search Database. Seating is limited. We ask that you arrive on time for this workshop and to bring your CONNECT! membership number and an email address.
• Who Am I?: This workshop introduces job seekers to career assessment tools that will help them define their skills, interests, values, and personality and then apply this information to career decisions.

Core Workshops

Free for WIA-enrolled individuals; fees apply for others

• Behavior-based Interviewing: "Tell me about a time when..." Prepare for tough questions asking how you handled specific situations in your past, including both successes and failures. Create your own job profile and practice responding to related questions. ($30 fee for general public.)
• Create Your Portfolio: Learn how to create a portfolio, which will help you to present your skills and accomplishments to an employer. Learn about the different types of portfolios, what to include, and how to present a portfolio during the interview process.
• Informational Interviewing: Build your confidence requesting and conducting informational meetings with key people to greatly shorten your job search process. Gain job search advice, information and the inside job leads. ($30 fee for general public.)
• Negotiating the Offer: Discover what, other than money, is negotiable. How should you position yourself? What do you ask for first? Can you get a sign-on bonus? Get these questions answered, and practice negotiating with a partner. ($30 fee for general public.)
• Networking: "It's not what you know, but who you know," some experts say. Learn how to talk to people and build your network for job search advice, information and leads.
• Presenting Accomplishments: Add impact to your interviews by learning how to talk about your successes, highlight your strengths and minimize your weaknesses by turning negatives into positives. ($30 fee for general public.)

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