At Your Service

Tip Of The Day:  With so many people finding themselves out of a job, the folks at Fox 9 and I thought it’d be a good idea to share with you some of the free (or REALLY inexpensive) job services available in the Twin Cities.  Special thanks to my BFF Lou for giving us all our data.  That’s right, yet another person is doing my job for me.

Tip For Tomorrow:  And speaking of doing my job for me, Tashi has a fun/free/fabulous food tip to share.  Plus, a sale reminder!  Get it while it’s hot!  (See what I did there?  Used a food reference to link the sales info to Tashi’s tip?  I know, my own cleverness boggles even my mind.  NOT.)

Further Elucidation Of My Cheap Deal:  Many of my friends, across the country and spanning the blogosphere, are getting laid off/let go/outsourced from their jobs.  This is not a trend that makes me happy – much like how the resurgence of fingerless lace gloves displeased me.  Therefore, when Lou sent me a bunch of free job service information and asked if it would make a good Cheap Chick segment, Fox and I jumped all over it.

I could natter on and on about what services and resources each organization provides – you know how I like a good natter.  However, it would probably be in YOUR best interest if I just provide you with all the necessary links and contact information.  So you can hear it straight from the horse’s mouth as to what they provide.  Opposed to hearing it from my mouth (or rather, fingers?  Laptop?  Internet connection?  Whatever, moving on), even though I would so love to blather at you all day. 

List O’ Resources :

1.  If you thought you didn’t have enough money to hire a career coach, think again.  My BFF Lou happens to be one of the (if not THE) finest coach available for hire in the Twin Cities, as well as the most reasonably priced.  She is permanently linked on my Links Page, or you can find her here:

http://tofindyourfit.com/                       

2.  If you want to hire another inexpensive coach, or research career coaching opportunities, check out these two sites (or skip this and just call Lou):

www.mcda.net, www.minnesotacoaches.org

3.  Need research books, a computer and a printer, plus the Internet to search for jobs, update your resume, print it out, and/or send it via e-mail?  You can use your local library OR your local WorkForce Center:

http://www.mnwfc.org/

4.  Speaking of MN WorkForce, they offer all kinds of job services, as well as special FREE services for Veterans, handicapped/disabled workers, elderly workers, displaced homemakers, and people whose jobs were outsourced.

http://www.mnwfc.org/

5.  One last thing from WorkForce – they have a handy-dandy spreadsheet of available job networking and support groups offered by other organizations, including churches.  And thanks to Lou, here is that link:

http://www.mnwfc.org/hennepinsouth/jobsupportgroups.htm

6.  Speaking of churches, The Basilica of St. Mary’s in Minneapolis has an actual Employment Ministry, which offers one-on-one career counseling for FREE, as well as a slew of other workshops, seminars and support groups.  Lou volunteers her (exceedingly precious and rare) free time at the Ministry, because she made of awesome.

www.mary.org

7. And finally, a few words of advice from my buddy Mia.  She wrote a brilliant post called I Came, I Saw, I Got A Pink Slip: The QLC Guide To Layoffs.  Very witty and very wise.

http://quarterlifecritter.blogspot.com/2009/01/its-not-right-but-its-okay-im-gonna.html

Being out of a job suck major rocks, and my heart goes out to anyone struggling to find work.  Hopefully, these resource will at least show you that people care, if not help and inspire you to get an even BETTER job.