50-Plus Partners Offer Part 3 Workshop to Aid Mature Workers with Job Searches

IOWA CITY –  The successful Livable Community partnership aimed at helping individuals ages 50 or more with a job search will offer another workshop, Part III, focusing on skills to facilitate a career change. The “50-plus Employment Workshop Part III” will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14.  

The free workshop will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Coralville Public Library, 1405 Fifth Street. Preregistration is encouraged, but not required. Participants can e-mail registration to johnsoncounty@livablecommunity.com or call Iowa Workforce Development at 319.351.1035.

The interactive workshop focuses on selling yourself to interviewers. Part III participants should bring an “elevator speech” to practice with other participants, personal business cards and a resume. In addition, the workshop will offer free resume critiquing by hiring managers and human resource professionals.

The 50-plus employment partnership is led by the Johnson County Livable Community for Successful Aging Initiative, Iowa Workforce Development, Elder Services, RSVP, AARP, Iowa City Area Development Group, Kirkwood Community College and a group of community volunteers.

Al Hood, chair of the Livable Community Employment Committee, said the series of workshops is designed to help individuals ages 50 and older become familiar with new and current resources to aid in a job search. “The third workshop will focus on making a good impression and hands-on networking.”

Margie Peskin, principal of Search Forward and adjunct professor at the University of Iowa, will provide tips to sell yourself to prospective employers and lead a discussion of first impressions and a networking segment. Participants are encouraged to create and bring to the workshop an “elevator speech” that explains who they are and the type of job they seek. “Workshop participants will have an opportunity to practice getting comfortable with the routine. We urge everyone to bring their own personal business cards to use in the networking segment.”

Hood said human resources professionals get a quick, first impression of job seekers just by looking at their resumes. “This free resume critiquing service is not intended to be a complete review, but it will provide participants an understanding of how the review process works.”

He encourages anyone to attend who is over 50 and seeking work, or considering returning to the workforce, or retired and looking for full- or part-time employment. In consideration of library patrons, 50-plus Employment Workshop Part III participants are asked to park in areas other than the first two rows of parking.

In 2007, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors appointed a policy board for the Johnson County Livable Community for Successful Aging Initiative to further a vision as a livable community where persons can grow up and grow old.