Easy, accessible, helpful and free are the kind of tools you want when searching for a job or career, right?
That’s exactly the kind of online help the U.S. Department of Labor is providing with two websites: My Skills My Future and My Next Move.
The My Skills My Future website (www.myskillsmyfuture.org) was created for people who have work experience, but are looking for a new job or career. It allows users to explore work options based on their experience, strengths and interests.
Here’s how the site works. Users enter a current or former job title and are referred to a list of other occupations that might fit their skills and interests, including descriptions of the work and average salaries. They learn about skills that transfer easily from one job to the next, and what new skills they would need to move into that occupation.
To help job seekers close the skills gap, the site provides information on short-term education and training programs, as well as information on certifications, licenses and apprenticeships. By inputting a zip code or state of residence, users can search for nearby jobs from a national database that is updated daily.
Because not all job seekers are technologically savvy, the site is user-friendly. Users can’t lose their place and they can customize information and print it. There are help features on every page.
The My Next Move website (www.mynextmove.org) is aimed at providing students and younger job seekers with information about more than 900 occupations. The site gives profiles of each occupation, including the skills and level of training required, future outlook and local salary information.
A 60-question Interest Profiler helps users find occupations suitable to their interests. They can also search for careers with bright futures, “green” jobs or occupations with registered apprenticeship programs. It also lists job openings.
Check out Southwest Florida’s Hot Jobs on our Find a Job webpage updated every Tuesday afternoon.