Area faith leaders invited to attend breakfast focusing on unemployed

A nondenominational prayer breakfast to address the issue of unemployment in the suburbs will be held 8 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 27, at All Saints Lutheran Church, 630 S. Quentin Road, Palatine.

The breakfast is organized by the nonprofit CareerPlace, the former Barrington Career Center, which helps job seekers in nearly 80 communities in the North and Northwest suburbs.

The prayer breakfast is part of a larger initiative called “Celebrate Work 2011, Honoring the Dignity of Work and Easing the Pain of Unemployment.” The breakfast will investigate ways the not for profit career center can work with the faith communities to holistically help ease the pain of unemployment.

Unemployment in our communities continue to be a critical issue, says Monica Keane, CareerPlace executive director. She said job seekers need help with the tactical aspects of a job search, but often also need emotional and spiritual support. Getting both kinds of help gives job seekers a much better chance of staying positive during often long job searches.

CareerPlace is inviting local faith community leaders to attend this inspirational event. Contact Monica Keane at (847) 304-4157 or email her at monica@mycareerplace.org.

The second event in the Celebrate Work 2011 initiative will be held Monday, Aug. 29. “Uncover Your Strengths and Prepare to Get Hired” is a half-day of workshops, presentations and exercises. The goal of this day’s activities is to help job seekers remember their successes, accomplishments and strengths. This is a key first step in the job search process and one that is often overlooked.

CareerPlace, a 17-year-old nonprofit career center prepares job seekers to get hired by teaching them the skills they need to launch and maintain a successful job search. The center coaches them as they search, for the duration of the process.

This combination gives them the skills they need, but also the hope and confidence to carry on, attributes that can be in short supply during a period of unemployment.

CareerPlace is at 600 Hart Road, Suite 275, Barrington. To reach them, call (847) 840-3758 (mobile); (847) 304-4163 fax or visit mycareerplace.org.