Addison Public Library offers special online workshops for jobseekers in February and March

After winning a grant from the Illinois State Library in 2021, the Addison Public Library will use the grant to bring back its Getting Addison Back to Work program, a series of free workshops for job seekers.

Getting Addison Back to Work originally launched in September of 2020 and was supported by a grant from Google and the Public Library Association. Participants could take virtual workshops on topics like preparing a resume and collaborating remotely to help them build necessary skills to find employment.

"Getting Addison Back to Work was the first virtual job series we had done. We were still in the early days of the pandemic, so we didn't really know how it would go," said Business Services Specialist Lesley Cyrier. "We just knew that with rising unemployment and a drastic shift in the labor market, we needed to provide resources in a way that would be accessible to as many people as possible."

In 2022, Getting Addison Back to Work returns to the Addison Public Library thanks to the Bouncing Back from the Pandemic grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, which was developed to support libraries in providing essential resources and services to job seekers. Like the first series, the 2022 series will consist of a five of online workshops designed to help job seekers get the skills they need to successfully find and start a new job.

"In the original series, we had over 30 people attend our programs live, and to date the recorded content (from the Getting Addison Back to Work events) continues to be popular on our YouTube channel," said Cyrier. "While we consistently offer job seeker programs each month, we are excited to be able to bring this special event series back for our local job seekers."

The Getting Addison Back to Work series begins with a kick-off celebration on Sunday, Feb. 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. in which attendees can get a free headshot for their LinkedIn profiles, meet community partners that offer job seeker services, and learn more about the upcoming Getting Addison Back to Work workshops.

The series will include the following workshops, which are free to attend and open to all. Registration is required.

• Job Search Like a Pro: Resumes on Tuesday, Feb. 22, from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom.

• The 5 Types of Letters Every Job Seeker Needs to Have Ready on Tuesday, March 1, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Zoom.

• Job Search Like a Pro: Interviewing on Thursday, March 10, from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom.

• Job Search Strategies during the Great Resignation on Tuesday, March 15, from 10 to 11 a.m. on Zoom.

• Job Search Like a Pro: LinkedIn on Monday, March 21, from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom.

The Addison Public Library will also use grant funding to purchase 5 laptop and wi-fi hotspot bundles, as well as ring lights, for the library's collection. Those who attend the Kick-Off Celebration on February 20 will have the first opportunity to check out the new laptops, hotspots, and ring lights before they become available to all Addison Public Library cardholders. Cyrier looks forward to having more technology to offer the community after the digital divide was made very clear by the pandemic.

"Prior to March 2020 we circulated hotspots, but in the summer of 2020 we added in bundles that included hotspots and laptops and they have been checked out almost constantly since," said Cyrier. "We're excited to have more laptop-hotspot bundles available, and with ring lights we can help our patrons make their virtual interactions a cut above the rest."

In the library's 2020 community survey, 1 in 5 respondents said they needed help starting a career, and 3 in 5 said they felt the library should provide job resources to residents. Cyrier hopes the return of the Getting Addison Back to Work series, along with the new items purchased with the grant, will help job seekers get what they need in today's job market.

"We know our community wants to see the library support Addison's economic wellness with educational opportunities like this, and so we hope that between increasing access to technology and offering workshops for job seekers, we are able to break down some of the digital divide and support our job seekers while they look for new opportunities," said Cyrier.

The Addison Public Library is located at 4 Friendship Plaza. For more information about Getting Addison Back to Work or to register for workshops, visit addisonlibrary.org/addison-works.

For more information about job seeker services at the library, visit addisonlibrary.org/services or contact Business Services Specialist Lesley Cyrier at (630) 458-3304 or cyrier@addisonlibrary.org.