ALL TOGETHER NOW !! Green Up Day is (always) the first Saturday in May – May 6th 2017. This years theme “All Together now!” captures the experience of how the Sharon community comes together and accomplishes great things every year on Green Up Day. Come join your neighbors as we clean the town road sides and riversides. We are distributing both the […]
It’s a fact of life. People will, from time to time, disagree. Clashes occur and egos bruised. BUT it doesn’t have to be the end of a good work relationship. Consider some of these suggestions for tackling conflict on the job. It’s simply not worth working in a negative workspace, and there is a cure for it. US News & […]
We’re back and ready for a great 2017! This time of year is always interesting because we get to look back on the year and see what we’ve accomplished and then plan ahead for the year to come. Sometimes the “looking back” part isn’t always so much fun (I won’t say any more on this point) but I think we […]
Are you in your “comfort zone” at work? Maybe that isn’t the ideal place to be. Learn more about how to know when it’s time to move on. 5 Ways to Know If It’s Time to Quit Your Job
Last week was a tough one for a tech-savvy-wanna-be like me. We had some website woes that could not be easily fixed by yours truly. The complications were just beyond my grasp and I had to call in the pros. The great news is that we’re up and running again and I’ve got a better handle on the management of the […]
This is a busy time of year – preparing for the holidays, pulling together year-end reports for work, planning for the year ahead – there’s a lot to do. The top of the Job Bank list this holiday season is to get a jump on our spring cleaning. What? Wait, spring cleaning? Yes! We’re digging into our list of job-seekers […]
Have you ever wondered how someone got to where they are in life? How did they come to live in Vermont? What sparked their interest in a particular field of work? I am constantly wondering how and why people chose the paths that they do. Perhaps it’s a nod to my father’s engineering mind that keeps me deconstructing other people’s lives. […]
There’s a group of valuable workers out there who are being overlooked in today’s workforce. It’s the Baby Boomers, our “senior” friends out there who are now in their late 50’s or early 60’s. According to the Census Bureau there are about 76.4 million of them in the U.S. If you are a Boomer you probably don’t need us to […]
Few things get me down more in my work than when I hear from a worker who didn’t get paid for their work. This last week I heard from one hard-working young man who had been hired by a local family to do some garden cleanup. He was on the job for two weekends and was paid for the first […]
I’m not sure if you read the paper this past week, but there was an interesting story in the Vermont Standard about a new, controversial dress code at the Woodstock High School. Apparently some of the new rules now apply only to the girls a the school and this has created quite a backlash. Now I’m not going to add fuel to the […]
Poverty is part of all of our lives, whether we know it or not. Rich or poor we are all touched by it. On the job, in school, at the market, on the street. It is everywhere and its presence impacts how we behave and interact with others. Last year I attended a workshop called “Bridges Out of Poverty” and it […]
Greetings Job Bankers! Mark you calendars, everyone, next Wednesday is Administrative Professionals’ Day. (I’ve recently learned that it is actually part of Administrative Professionals’ WEEK, which is good to know.) I have an interesting relationship with commemorative days like this. Not to discount the value of AP day, but I have always felt that people should be recognized for their hard work and […]
Submitted March 15, 2016 Dear Editor, The Woodstock Area Job Bank (WAJB) board of directors is grateful to the community for supporting our important job referral service in its 42nd year. At recent town meetings, the voters of Woodstock, Hartland, Reading, Bridgewater, Pomfret, and Barnard again approved our requested town appropriations, thereby securing 22.5% of our annual budget. Free to its users, the […]
Greetings Job Bankers! I may have mentioned in my last newsletter that I love Town Meeting Day. Well, that sentiment remains true this week as well. Over the weekend comedian John Oliver called government “sports for nerds” and I suppose I fall comfortably into that category. Bear with me as I reflect on the magic that was March 1st… I will start by sending out a hearty THANK […]
Greetings Job Bankers! If you haven’t heard the news yet, then I’ll be glad to to tell you – it is time for town meeting again! Why is this big news, you ask? Because it is your time to jump in and participate in an age old Vermont tradition. It is your chance to ask the questions you want asked and […]
National Public Radio recently ran a story about a common scam that you may encounter. This is worth a listen as it might happen to you! (Or maybe already did?) Beware! Here’s the link to the full story Anatomy of a Scam – NPR story
Job interviews have changed and evolved over the years. Check out this article posted on Ploymint.com that provides interview tips for a new generation of workers. 10 Interview Preparation Tips For Millennials, By Millennials
Looking for ways to improve your business. Large or small, every business can benefit from this series. Check out the list of free webinars sponsored but Spectrum Consulting. My personal favorite? “Icky Sticky People Problems version 3.0” the name pretty much says it all! http://spectrum.consulting/webinars/
I hear a fascinating story on NPR on my way to work this morning. It was about training America’s workforce to with the skills needed to work in today’s factory and manufacturing setting. Today’s require higher-skilled workers who need more training to jump into the workforce. Introducing an old concept that still works – Apprenticeships! You’ve heard about it in the […]
THE RIGHT TRAINING FOR THE RIGHT JOB by Tanja Hinterstoisser (Champlain College) and Daniel Connolly (University of Denver) In today’s work world, three generations are working together, each of whom have vastly different experiences with technology. At our Vermont Connected Summit, Dr. Hinterstoisser and Dr. Connolly described what the most important skills are to thrive in the workplace today. Learn […]
Are you looking for work? Are you registered with the Job Bank? If you are looking for work and haven’t registered yet – you really should. Here’s why… This morning I was on the phone with a job seeker who was calling to inquire about a job he saw posted on our website. After we discussed the position I asked […]
If I Can… A friend just shared this amazing video with me. I won’t try to add my two cents – the video really speaks for itself. Click on the title above “Possibilities are Endless” to see the full post and watch the video. If I Can…
Think your job is tough? Try this one on for size. Click this link and watch the video – it just might change the way you look at things…The Toughest Job in the World
I was recently in a conversation with a community group in Woodstock who were inquiring about the work of the Job Bank. They wanted to know what kinds of jobs could be found, who was available for work, what our internal policies were etc. They also asked the age old question – “How many job-seekers do you have on your […]
As some of you may have heard, the Job Bank office was closed yesterday. While I was a beautiful day outside, that wasn’t the reason for my absence – Scarlet Fever had hit our home! My son had been sick all weekend and the doctor ordered a quarantine period for him before he could head back to school. What’s a […]
