Training Workshops

The Career Options Project offers a variety of training workshops.

FastTrac NewVenture

If you are in transition following the loss of your job, becoming reemployed by another company isn't the only option. Now a new program, FastTrac NewVenture, is available specifically for individuals who have been laid off and are interested in become entrepreneurs. The comprehensive, free-of-charge, five-day workshop will help you explore the potential for starting your own business venture. We understand that starting a business can be intimidating, so the workshop is designed to give you an opportunity to test your idea in a safe environment with other aspiring individuals before you invest substantial amounts of time and money.

Career Options

This workshop will not be a series of traditional school lectures, but instead will features mini-lectures followed by activities, interaction and practice of the skills you are learning. At the end of the workshop, you may leave a draft of your resume with the workshop leaders; it will be word processed, and a letter quality copy returned to you.

This workshop may be presented in a one or two day format depending on the selection of the facility offering the program. A minimum number of participants will be needed in order to hold this workshop. Pre-registration is required.

Topics covered:

• Career Planning
• Writing Your Resume and Cover Letters
• Your Work Value
• Financial Management
• Your Career Interests
• Stress Management
• Your Transferable Skills
• Interviewing for Jobs
• Career Information
• Completing Job Applications
• Information Interviewing
• Job Hunting and Networking
• Myers Briggs Type Indicator

Resume Writing and Cover Letters

An in depth workshop to help individuals prepare a working resume and cover letters. This workshop includes a worksheet to be filled out and sent to the University of Missouri to be formatted into a letter quality resume. All resumes are kept on file and can be changed or updated anytime by calling 1-800-392-2949.

Interviewing

This workshop will cover how to research a company, the resume – the first point of contact, how to dress, body language, how to answer those tough interview questions, and the importance of sending a “Thank You” note and the follow-up phone call.

Take Control of Your Finances

This workshop helps you evaluate your finances.

• When to contact creditors
• Making a list of expenses
• Calculating income
• How to cut expenses
• Setting a budget
• Service providers that can help

Work Values/Career Interests

This workshop helps identify if you are in the right career. It will help evaluate if your interests and determine what occupations are best for you.

Dealing with Stress

This workshop helps identify feelings about being laid off and how to deal with them, dealing with stress, and asking for help.

• How to change the way you see yourself and the five steps to help you see yourself in a new light.
• Understanding the emotional landscape you find yourself in.
• Making your feelings work for you.
• How to recognize signs of stress exhaustion, and how to reduce stress.
• Talking to your family.
• When and how to ask for help.

Finding Career Information

This workshop will help identify resources available on different careers you may be interested in and details on those careers such as educational requirements, professional license requirements and additional resources available to help with your job search.

Career Change

This workshop helps identify the career planning process.

• Understanding yourself, your interests, values, and your skills.
• Understanding the world of work, networking, information interviewing, employment and educational resources.
• What steps to take next.
• Goal setting.
• Resumes.
• Making the transition.

Completing Job Applications

This workshop covers issues on completing the job application.

• Why companies require an application.
• Acquiring the application form.
• Do's and Don'ts of completing the application.
• Collecting your information for the application.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

The MBTI provides a picture of a person's personality type. This workshop is designed to help you understand yourself and your interactions with others. Understanding characteristics unique to various personality types will provide insight on how they influence the way you communicate and interact with others.

Job Hunting and Networking

This workshop discusses how to successfully job hunt and network.

• Who is in my network?
• Prepare your references to answer questions about you.
• Record keeping.
• What impression do you make when you meet someone for the first time?
• Networking tips.
• Job hunting techniques.
• Job hunting errors.
• Using the telephone

For additional information on workshops, call the Missouri Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-392-2949.