Programs and Services - Professional Outplacement Assistance Center (POAC)

JumpStart
Since POAC's inception, the JumpStart program has become the basic starting point for well over 75,000 professional, technical and managerial people who have turned to POAC for career management assistance.

The single point of entry in using our services is our information packed JumpStart. In 1993 when POAC opened its doors, the region's labor market was reeling from large corporate downsizings and massive restructuring. While these trends continue, the labor market has become more sophisticated and competitive. Job seekers are not merely searching for jobs, they must compete for those jobs using both traditional methods and assorted internet-based application systems.

Professionals must stay ahead of their occupation's power curve, while earning a livable income. Job search today requires new skills and strategies and an entrepreneurial approach to career management. The job market today is radically different from past years, with an increasing number of employers using a contingency (temporary) workforce, augmented by contractual and part-time workers. All indicators point to these trends continuing to shape the labor force. At POAC, we want our services to reflect where the marketplace is going; not where it has been.

Our staff has made a significant effort to help its customers gain a major advantage in this extremely competitive environment. The JumpStart program is a one-day state-of-the-art-training program designed to address current job acquisition strategies. The JumpStart program is delivered in a participatory style that provides the customer with a "hands-on" understanding of the ideas and techniques embraced by POAC. Subsequent skill building workshops and seminars are also presented each month.

Computer Resource Lab
Computers are available to registered POAC customers where they can work on their resumes, cover letters, maintain their proficiency in basic computer software skills, enhance their proficiency in the various software packages or through software specific training, and add new skills to their employment related repertoire.

Value Added Sessions
Seminars, workshops and simulations are regularly conducted covering a wide variety of topics focused on job search, employer research, resumes and cover letters, communication skills, interviewing, compensation negotiation, networking and social media. These seminars, workshops and simulations are only available to registered POAC customers and are led by our staff and visiting professionals.