As jobless numbers look bleak and economic reports point to a deeper recession, we’ve been working hard here at GovLoop to help thousands of members to launch and advance in government careers. In fact, just as the U.S. Census reported that local and state government shed more than 200,000 jobs in 2010 and the overall unemployment rate remains steady at 9.1%, we’re excited to announce that we’ve hit several key milestones with our career-building tools:
- Over 2,000 participants have attended our free online training regarding government careers
- 600 members have joined the “Rock Your Resume” group with 100 members receiving free resume reviews
- 300 members volunteered to participate in a pilot Mentors Program that made more than 50 matches over an 8-week period
We’ve also been spurring career advancement in government through our “Rock Your Resume” resume review service, government-wide mentoring program, and online job training series – all at no cost to GovLoop members.
- “Rock Your Resume” free resume review service – Rock Your Resume is a joint project of GovLoop and Young Government Leaders, the leading professional organization for government employees who are “young” in their service and/or “fresh” in their perspective. Job seekers submit their resume for a free professional review by Camille Roberts, Career Expert at CC Career Services, and Paul Binkley, Director of Career Services for The George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. To date, over 100 candidates have received resume reviews.
- Government-wide mentoring program – According to the Office of Personnel Management, six out of every 10 federal employees—including 90 percent of senior executives—will be eligible to retire over the next 10 years. In response to this impending government “brain drain”, GovLoop launched the first government-wide mentoring program earlier this summer in partnership with The Training Connection. The program is free and is currently accepting new applicants to participate beginning in January 2012.
- Online training courses – GovLoop regularly hosts free online trainings and produces guides and infographs with career experts on topics ranging from networking tips, writing federal resumes and advice for new hires. On September 20, GovLoop will host its fifth training of the year featuring the Washington Post‘s “Federal Coach” Tom Fox, who will speak on “The Three Secrets to Becoming an Amazing Manager.” Participants can register online.
And we want to do more! If you have ideas for us, please let us know below or respond to this forum.