Community Career Resources

SERVICES OFFERED AT NO CHARGE

Idaho Department of Labor

Website: labor.idaho.gov, Phone: (208) 332-3575

Services include career exploration and planning assistance, career assessment inventories and career information via the Idaho Career Information System, job search guidance, and assistance with applications, resumes, cover letters, and interviewing. They host a variety of job fairs, workshops, and job clubs/networking groups. They also provide access to computers for your career planning and job search activities.Their website provides job search information, job market data, and employer information. To learn about upcoming events, visit their calendar at: for particular services may depend on your situation. Contactthe Idaho Department of Labor for more information.

Boise State University’s Virtual Career Center

Website: career.boisestate.edu/virtualcareercenter

The Virtual Career Center provides a variety of online tools and resources to assist with career exploration, career planning, and the job search. You may use most of the available online resources, including virtual workshops, videos, informational handouts, and links to other web resources. Be aware that there are certain resources you will be not able to use, which include the “Ask a Career Counselor” feature, BroncoJobs, and other web tools that require a login.

Center for New Directions

Website: cwidaho.cc/current-students/center-new-directions, Phone: (208) 562-2378

Note: To be eligible for services, you must meet certain criteria. The Center for New Directions assists single parents, displaced homemakers, or individuals in transition, and provides career and educational counseling, assessment and testing, training in life skills, and pre-employment and pre-training preparation. Offered through the College of Western Idaho (CWI). Contact for more information.

SERVICES REQUIRING A CHARGE

Jennifer Ross, LPC, Life Design & Counseling

(208) 369-4939,

Lori Lodge, LCPC/LMFT, Executive and Life Coach

LoriLodgeCounseling.com, (208) 901-0433,

Stacy Harshman, SPHR, Career Coach

(208) 424-9191,

Susan C. McGraw,Great Day Enterprises, Inc. (resume assistance only)

(208) 484-7234,

Most of these services are not affiliated with Boise State University.Boise State does not recommend or endorse any services listed here. We cannot guarantee any services described or the accuracy of any information as it pertains to services or providers not affiliated with the Career Center. Please contact the organizations or individuals listed for more information.Additionally, there may be other services or providers in the community not listed here, so we encourage you to do your own research.

Tips for Navigating a Career Transition

Been laid off? Had to leave your job? Not satisfied with your current job? Want to change careers entirely? Wondering if you should go back to school or get additional training? If you’re in the midst of or contemplating a career transition, these tips may help you get organized and start moving forward.

Step 1: Assess yourself.

You can’t conduct a successful job search if you don’t have a clear idea of what you’re looking for or what you have to offer, so whether you’re changing careers or just looking for a new job, this step matters. Use this opportunity to take a step back and really evaluate your goals. Assess all the factors that play a role in determining what type of job will fit you- your interests, abilities, and values, and personality. (The term “values” refers to what is important to you in a job.) Using this information, determine your criteria for an ideal job, and write it down. Organize your criteria into at least two categories – things you MUST have in a job, and things you’re looking for but could sacrifice if necessary to get something more important. Make sure to also include practical items like the pay level you need based on your budget, or how much additional education, training, or experience you’re willing and able to do.

Step 2: Research your options.

Now that you’ve established your criteria for an ideal job, it’s time to research your options. First, identify possible career paths or job types that fit with your interests, abilities, and values, and personality. Then, evaluate how well each option fits each of the items on your list of criteria.

To do this research, use the following resources:

  • People: Conduct informational interviews, which involve talking with a person in a career field of interest and asking them for information about their job, field, and/or company. Reading about a career is important, but it won’t give you as much information about whether it’s really a fit for you as talking to people working in that career field will. Additionally, informational interviewing is one of the absolute best ways to strategically build your network and form relationships with people in the field and in the companies you want to pursue. Search “informational interview” online for more information and tips.
  • Online resources:Sites called career information databasesare a great starting point because you can learn basic information about any career field, and then use the links provided to find more information. Here are some of the major ones, published or sponsored by the Department of Labor.
  • The Occupational Outlook Handbook: bls.gov/ooh
  • Career OneStop: careeronestop.org
  • The O*Net: onetonline.org
  • Idaho Career Information System: access via the Idaho Department of Labor

Step 3: Find and apply for jobs.

Finding job opportunities may involve more work than you think. While some jobs are posted to online job boards (and you should certainly be checking those), many are not. Even when then are, employers often receive so many applications that they end up hiring based on referrals. This means to access and compete for most job opportunities, you must network! Consider the following approach:

  1. Start by identifying the companies you’d most like to work for – these are your “target companies.”
  2. Reach out to at least one person at each target company (ideally someone in the same type of job you would like to get) and request informational interviews. Focus on gaining information about the company and advice for pursuing a job there. If you make the right impression, that person can tell you about openings and potentially refer you.
  3. Join local professional organizations relevant to your desired career field. Attend all events you possibly can.
  4. Check the websites of your target companies frequently for new jobs. Also check job boards specific to your field hosted by professional organizations, as you might find jobs not posted on general job boards.
  5. Apply for jobs using targeted application materials. Use the job description, as well as company website and what you learned from your informational interviews to address how your skills and experiences align with what they’re looking for and what they need someone to do. Make sure your resume addresses everything mentioned in the job description, and your cover letter discusses how you will be able to contribute to the company in this role. Application materials that are not targeted enough are usually ignored, so this is worth the time investment.