Marco Vigliotti
Editor’s note: This is the second in a three-part series on the Goodwill Career Centre
Job seekers turning to the Goodwill Career Centre for assistance in finding employment represent a diverse cross-section of Sarnia-Lambton, ranging from new graduates to older workers, supervisors say.
“For some people, it’s their very first job. For others, they’re fresh out of school,” Tammy Ouellet, an employment services coordinator, said of those using the services of the centre at 1249 London Rd.
“Others could be long-term people. For example when Zellers closed, we had people there 15 to 20 years. They have to start all over.”
The centre offers computers, photocopiers, fax machines, personal coaching and other resources to employment seekers. It also hosts workshops that teach interview skills, resume and cover letter preparation, and other skills.
The centre occasionally hosts featured speakers “to help build self-esteem,” Ouellet said.
Job seekers can also meet one-on-one with an employment consultant to development a plan on how to achieve their own career goals.
“They will work with that employment consultant from beginning to end, until the time they find employment,” Ouellet said.
The Centre also reaches out to local businesses to understand what employers are looking for in candidates.
Rob Janoska, an employment consultant at the Sarnia office, says most employers he has spoken to are above all seeking reliable and hardworking candidates.
“They’re looking for reliability, people that are going to show up to work. Punctual (employees) that work hard and have some loyalty,” he said. “They’re looking for candidates that bring some skillset but again, the other functionalities - those soft skills - are usually what they’re looking for.”
Based on the diversity of candidates that come through the door, Janoska says there is no one catchall fix employed by the centre to match job seekers with a suitable position.
As a result, the centre provides a number of tools to aid all candidates, from those seeking a new career path to individuals with outdated skills who need training, he added.