Goodwill Industries of Colo. Springs working to make job searches

Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs has reinvented the job- board wheel, hoping to make employment searches quicker for those transitioning from welfare to work -- even if they have limited computer skills.

"We wanted to offer our program participants a better service because we felt job boards were ineffective," said Melissa Lyby, director of public relations. "We created it for people who may not know how to navigate the Internet and who may have little or no computer skills."

The tracking of participants' time dedicated to job searches recently became a federal mandate for people receiving public assistance.

Goodwill's new system is designed to shorten the time spent searching for jobs. It includes software that helps users build a generic resume, and a search option that shows what jobs candidates are qualified for and which jobs candidates have applied for.

"I like it. It is easy to use -- easier than looking in the newspaper," said Sonya Tavares, a Colorado Springs resident. Her case manager at the Department of Human Services tracks how much time Tavares spends searching for work.

Rain Technology Inc. created the system. The company has been providing software and hardware solutions in Colorado since 2001.

Goodwill's job resource room, the Milestones Business Center, has three computers with Internet access and six with the new touch- screen job search system.

"Today's world is fast-paced and automated, job boards are not," Lyby said. "The new software allows applicants to compete for jobs on a more level playing field."

Previously, the resource room only had newspaper employment ads posted on the walls, said Bryan Walker, director of the career development center.

"We had four computers -- two had limited access to the Internet and two were used for creating resumes using software like (Microsoft) Word," Lyby said. "The new software is much easier for participants because they don't need to know how to navigate the Internet. An average applicant may have needed four hours to take a bus to a business to apply for a job. That same applicant can now apply for the job with a click of a button."

Jasper Jennings also is seeking job placement services through Goodwill Industries Career Development Center, which serves people transitioning from welfare to work.

"I grew up with punch cards," said Jennings, who recently learned how to use the new computer system. "I've always been taught that it's good to know a little bit of everything."

Jennings said the last time he used the service the room was crowded with people searching for jobs. This time he was in and out in a few minutes.

Sheri White, lead business center coordinator, said job seekers used to copy information from newspapers, Web pages and companies that faxed openings. That could get chaotic at times -- with so many people gathering around the bulletin board.

"With our new software we are able to audit the posting to make sure all positions stay current," she said. "It is much more individualized for each person to sit down and look through only the categories that they are interested in. This saves a lot of time."

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