As Connecticut continues to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state has launched a new resource, the CT Back To Work Initiative, that provides workers and businesses in Connecticut with impactful, high-quality career tools to help those of us currently looking for jobs. If you have recently graduated from UConn or are a UConn alum and want to work in Connecticut, then this initiative can be a critical tool to help you make balanced and informed career-related decisions as you continue to explore opportunities for employment. The state of Connecticut is partnering with a few employment services, such as the job search engine Indeed, the National Labor Exchange, and CTHires, to facilitate the job search process for applicants throughout the state.
The National Labor Exchange displays job openings from corporate career sites, state job banks, and the federal government. They serve as a key resource that hosts essential jobs for displaced workers by employers with immediate hiring needs. This network allows you to search by job title or keyword in your selected location. You can refine your search by date to see the most recent postings, and you can also filter your results by company if you have a preference. If you are searching state-wide, you can also see the cities where jobs are located and select one that works best for you. When you click on a specific job listing, you will find information about the location, the salary, the date the job listing was posted, the preferred experience level, the industry that this position is in, the required level of education, as well as a job description outlining the responsibilities of this position. If you find a position that you think you may qualify for, you will be taken directly to the organization’s website to fill out the job application.
CTHires (Connecticut Helping Individuals and Employers Reach Employment Success) is the Connecticut Department of Labor’s current jobs portal where users can search for jobs within the state. Job applicants can refine their search by a specific area of the state, as well as keywords from either the job title or the job description, such as “Sales” or “Administrator”. To broaden your search, you can look for jobs in an occupation group, such as “Business and Financial Operations Occupations” or the “Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations”. You can also select your preference for a minimum acceptable salary, which is listed as hourly pay, and your attained education level. You may enter any combination of these search criteria and refine your search based on your results. Each listed position contains a job description with a summary of the essential duties and responsibilities, required education, experience, skills, and competencies.
Indeed is similar to both CTHires and the National Labor Exchange, but the link to their custom portal aggregates jobs that are specifically in Connecticut, and in the fields and industries that were most impacted by the pandemic. This custom portal was created by Indeed specifically for the state of Connecticut as a result of the pandemic, which makes it an important new feature to help job applicants seek out new positions more effectively. These positions can be filtered by job type and industry, as well as the date posted and the location within the state. Each job description lists the required qualifications, as well as the hourly salary and the start date. Note that some positions do not have an immediate start date, so please be sure to check when each position will begin hiring before you apply. Another interesting feature of Indeed is that it allows you to read reviews about a company from past employees, so if you would like to learn more about the company culture and the experiences of people who have been in your shoes, then this feature may help you decide on if you would like to be employed at that company. You can also find out more about the general salaries and benefits of the various positions at a company to estimate your own employment package and see if the employer is able to meet your financial needs.
As you continue to look for jobs, these resources can support you in getting back to work quickly and safely. Keep in mind that as the state continues to reopen businesses, more jobs may be posted, so be sure to keep checking for positions and discover more opportunities that may be the right fit for you.
