RED LETTER DAY IN THE ERC!!

 

 

I had such a great day on Friday this week (actually Dec 12 and 13), and it all started when I forgot my computer cord on Thursday.  Usually when there are few or no new candidates coming in and/or they don't need any help, we make phone calls to those on our list that receive "center assistance" with their job search.  Those who prefer to work on their own and those who have gotten jobs are placed (by us or themselves) on "self serve" until or unless they request more help.  We call the people on our lists to find out how they are doing and how we can help.  We use our computers to record all the notes that go into our data base on each candidate.  Without a computer we are up a creek.  So on Thursday, I tried to make myself useful by making sure the resource papers were up to date and  sufficient, pencils sharpened, note paper available, etc.  Then I got the new job emails that come in every day to our manager, Sean, and duplicated , highlighted and dated them to put into our two  "current listings" books.  I had an idea, because there were so many new postings.  Actually, Sean was out of the office for important meetings--they are making so many changes in the whole program (that are really inspired).  Since he is usually there to go over and print up the listings, they kind of piled up.  There was just a large variety of job postings, and I thought about all the candidates that I had met and helped to register and use our web site.  I got my little black book where I write, or try to re-write from scratch paper, all the names, phone numbers and desired jobs and skills of these people.  I decided to just try to find some of my names to fit some of these positions, and then I called them individually--at least some of them--to let them know about these new openings.  Some of them had found jobs (I congratulated them and recorded the job placements--we depend upon having placements to justify our existence).  However, several of them were very excited and were coming to the center to find out more.  One, a really nice brother I met early in my mission, sounded very discouraged but was much encouraged by my call and said he would be come the next day and follow up on some of the leads I could give some information about on the phone.  On Friday he came in very happy and excited.  He had gotten a new very good job that would help him provide for his family!!  He hugged me and thanked me over and over, but really, I hadn't done anything--he had just felt enough encouraged to go in the apply for a job he was very much qualified for--he'd done it all himself (as I pointed out).  He said he would help us know about any other openings in the company, and I suggested that we could have all our candidates who found jobs help us that way as well.  Of course, it was suggested in the past, but now it will be part of our resources, which should help many more people.  Then, the lovely Keywanda I had helped to register the day before, came in and also wanted to know about the jobs I called her about.  She called me to thank me and her new employer (a private party) also called to thank my for bringing them together.  Keywanda was very excited because she did not have a GED or high school diploma and it is almost impossible to find anything in that situation.  I found some info on sources of free help with the GED, which also should help.  Anyway, I called a number of people and felt that I was able to encourage them to keep looking--that the jobs were out there and we could help, and I felt I had done something good for a few people, which makes it all worth all the effort.