Series to provide job-search help -- People with spotty work histories among those who could benefit from speakers

Sometimes people who interview for jobs have to do someexplaining.

That's the kind of help Cynthia Williams, a work forcedevelopment specialist with the city's Second Chance program, willoffer as part of the Memphis Public Library & Information CenterJobLINC Speaker Series.

The free one-hour workshops will be held each Wednesday andThursday in June, leading up to the library's JobLINC Career Fair onJune 30.

The speaker series will prepare job seekers for the more than 50area employers participating in the career fair.

Workshop topics include searching for a job on the Internet and"Job Searching When Your Past is Not Perfect." Presenters come fromthe private sector and government.

The first speaker is at 3 p.m. today at the Benjamin L. HooksCentral Library, 3030 Poplar. Lucretia Kelley with the NationalCollege of Business and Technology will speak on "How to Prepare forHigher Education."

"Looking for a job is more than going out and pounding thepavement," said senior librarian Robyn Stone, career fair organizer.

"We want to show people what it is to look for a job. Do you needmore training? Or maybe you've been on four interviews but don'tknow what you're doing wrong," Stone said.

For those with work history imperfections, Williams, the June 23speaker, will discuss how to explain a spotty record .

"A lot of individuals, just because they weren't on somebody'spayroll, that doesn't mean they weren't doing something," Williamssaid.

They may have worked in landscaping, been a handyman, worked oncars or been the neighborhood "candy lady," she said.

"Ninety-five percent of these people have some type of skill,"Williams said. "They just need someone to bring that out."

In April, the unemployment rate in Shelby County was 10.3percent, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor andWorkforce Development.

- Linda A. Moore: 529-2702

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Memphis Library JobLINC Speaker Series

June 9: How to Prepare for Higher Education

June 10: Job Searching on the Internet

June 16: How to Prepare and Present Applications

June 17: Interview Dynamics

June 23: Job Searching When Your Past is Not Perfect

June 24: Job Searching on the Internet

All sessions are from 3-4 p.m. at the Benjamin L. Hooks CentralLibrary, 3030 Poplar

JobLINC Career Fair

When: June 30

Time: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Where: Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar

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