Lincoln’s American Job Center is opening October with a series of free events aimed at helping job seekers improve their résumés, sharpen their interviewing skills and connect directly with potential employment opportunities.
The American Job Center, 1330 N St., Suite A, will host a résumé and cover letter workshop Thursday, an interviewing skills workshop Friday morning, and a hiring event with Allied OneSource Staffing Solutions later Friday.
The workshops will include a relatively new element of the job-search process: using artificial intelligence to prepare applications and practice for interviews.
Résumés, cover letters and AI
Thursday’s Job Readiness Workshop on résumés and cover letters runs from 1 to 2 p.m.
American Job Center Workforce Administrator Dylan Wren said the workshop will address both the traditional basics of résumé preparation and how technology is changing the application process.
“We’re going to show you how to use AI to also do that,” Wren told KLIN News. “A lot of times employers are using AI to scan applications and resumes.”
Wren said participants will learn how to examine a specific job posting and identify portions of their own experience that should be emphasized when applying for that position.
The goal is not simply to produce one generic résumé, he said, but to give job seekers the skills to adapt it for different openings.
“We want people to come to this workshop and to leave feeling confident that they will hopefully have at least one resume they can use,” Wren said, while also learning “how they can also customize it for different purposes.”
Interview practice Friday
The focus shifts to interviewing Friday morning. A Job Readiness Workshop on interviewing skills is scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m.
Wren said participants will learn more about what employers are looking for during an interview and will have an opportunity to practice.
“We’ll do some practice interviews,” Wren said. “We’ll show people some tools that they can use using AI to practice at home too if they want to.”
Wren said interview preparation is an area where job seekers may not always recognize that some additional practice could help.
Hiring event Friday
Job seekers can then move from preparation to potential employment opportunities during a hiring event with Allied OneSource Staffing Solutions from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.
Wren said Allied OneSource will be looking to make direct placements and has opportunities with employers throughout the Lincoln area.
“They are a staffing agency, so they’ve got various opportunities in the community that could turn into full-time employment,” Wren said.
The available jobs can include full- or part-time positions as well as temporary assignments that may eventually lead to permanent employment.
“If you’re looking for a job and you want to get started, that’s a great place to do that,” Wren said. Allied OneSource representatives can also answer questions and help applicants identify positions that could be a good fit.
More events throughout October
The American Job Center’s schedule continues throughout October.
Veterans Affairs outreach is scheduled each Tuesday from 8 a.m. to noon. Résumé and cover-letter workshops continue Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m., while interviewing-skills workshops are scheduled Fridays from 9 to 10 a.m.
Allied OneSource hiring events also continue Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The AJC will offer a series of Wednesday “Future Ready” workshops during the month, covering completing applications and building résumés, pre- and post-interview skills, financial literacy and benefits, and community connections.
Advance Services Inc. will hold an additional hiring event Wednesday, October 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Wren said the recurring workshops are available to the broader community.
“We do workshops every week and they’re open to everybody in the community,” Wren said. “It’s a great way to… sharpen up your skills.”
All October events are being held at the American Job Center at 1330 N St., Suite A. Attendees may park free in the Park & Go garage at 14th and N streets after signing in at the AJC front desk and providing their license plate number.
The American Job Center provides employment and training assistance for job seekers, including adults, displaced workers, young people, veterans and people receiving SNAP or disability benefits. Services are provided based on eligibility at no cost.
More information and the complete October schedule are available through the American Job Center events page.