Being on the job hunt can feel overwhelming, frustrating, and uncertain. Fortunately, the Westchester Library System has a dedicated career coaching services center to assist job seekers in the area.
Its services are helpful to those who may be finding themselves in a career transition, seeking advancement in their industry, or unemployed. Those services, both virtual and in-person, range from group seminars and workshops to guest speakers and some individual coaching.
“It’s a free service, which you don’t find many of these days, and you get to talk to individual career coaches,” says Phyllis Blake, director of Westchester Library System’s Career Coaching Services. “It’s a small department, but we make time for each person that reaches out to us and give them advice and help.”
Its seminar series is called “Managing Your Career in Changing Times” and designed to provide individuals with career strategies to build self-awareness and develop career goals. Facilitated by a professional career center coach, topics include a self-assessment, networking opportunities, promoting your personal brand, using LinkedIn, and implementing personal career goals. Offered during the fall, winter, and spring, each seminar consists of six sessions, 90 minutes each, and includes an individual orientation upfront to familiarize participants with the program.
The workshops are also interactive and range across more specific needs. The library system hosts workshops including “Unleashing Career Opportunities Through Networking,” “Fighting Ageism,” and “LinkedIn Bootcamp,” a two-day virtual workshop.
“The people that come to us don’t know where to start, especially those that may have been working for a long time or have been out of work for a long time,” Blake shares, adding that they often ask questions like “How do I start this process again?”
“That’s what makes us so helpful,” she continues. “We really help them along the process of what they want to do in their next job.”
The speaker series is focused on trending topics as they relate to the employment market. In the past, the library system has offered ones like “How to Advance in Your Career With Your Current Employer,” “Using AI for Career Search Resources,” and “How to Create a Confident Interviewing Mindset.”
Registration is required for seminars, workshops, and the speaker series. For those who are not able to attend synchronously, the Westchester Library System has a dedicated website for career resources.
Working together with local library resources, individual libraries often refer their patrons to the Westchester Library System’s career coaching services center if they do not have the resources to help them or if the patron needs more guidance.
“Once our career coaches have worked with a client to understand their needs, they can provide additional resources or recommendations to help further their knowledge and learning opportunities,” shares Blake, who has been in career development for over 20 years.
And it really makes a difference. One person described the sessions as “personalized, organized, and packed with relevant advice and guidance every time.”
“An added plus was the facilitator is a very nice person who comes across as really caring about your job search success,” the testimonial continues. “Working with her made me believe in myself and my ability to make my future work goals a reality.”
Another person described it as therapeutic to take a step back in their job search and get the help of the Westchester Library System, and another said it was inspiring to see others changing industries with the help of these resources.
Blake says that these career learning opportunities, which focus primarily on corporate pathways, can really help individuals who are adjusting to the needs of a modern workforce, including things like leveraging AI and having a presence online.
“We really listen to their needs,” Blake says. “If we can’t help them, we will refer them to another resource where they can get more focused needs. It’s really helpful, especially for those who find themselves in a place of unknown.”
Related: A Student’s Guide to Choosing the Right Career in Westchester
