Civic Coffee Recap: Job Market Resources

Persistence is better than perfection. That was a theme in the March Civic Coffee event on employment support services in Seattle for non-native English speakers hosted by Age Friendly Seattle and The Seattle Public Library. The panel featured insights from Joseph Ntumba, project manager at Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County, Getu Hude, project coordinator at Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS), and Emily Billow, Older Adults Program manager at Seattle Public Library.

Returning to the workforce as an older adult can be intimidating. Here’s how to get started:

1. Make a goal. You have developed skills and interests throughout your life. Name these and consider what you want moving forward.
2. Connect with one person who knows more about your goal. They can guide you and introduce you to others who can help you keep moving forward.

Through this process, you will accumulate a lot of knowledge and connections. The key here is patience.

You can reach the jobs you want. But depending on the job market and the employer’s biases (e.g., ageism), you may initially only have access to jobs that don’t fully match your skills or goals. It is important not to be demoralized by the process; you can reach your goal with time and persistence.

Click on the image above to watch a video recording of the Civic Coffee on job market research (YouTube, 55:39).

Find support through local job resources

You can meet connections at local job-finding hubs. Libraries are a great first resource because they are free and easy to access. They run many programs and can connect you with other free and low-cost resources. For example, Seattle Public Library offers free adult tutoring programs, opportunities to learn English, and resources to establish your own business or nonprofit.

Ready to Work is a great resource for low-income immigrants and refugees living in Seattle. They offer individualized support through English classes, language-specific case management, career exploration, digital resources, and more. You can also get help evaluating and translating your credentials from other countries for use in the United States. Translating your credentials may be less fruitful for disciplines with country-based qualifications, such as medicine, but can help prevent you from having to restart your career entirely.

Beyond professional connections, these organizations help you address barriers to jobs, from writing compelling resumes to understanding transportation options. Don’t hesitate to ask for resources when you need them.

Trust yourself

If you are overwhelmed, remember that you have the skills, abilities, and intelligence to serve others and work towards any goal that you would like. Go one step at a time and trust in the strengths you bring to each position. 

Age Friendly Seattle thanks Joseph Ntumba, Getu Hude, and Emily Billow for sharing their insights and the Chinese Information and Service Center for partnering to host this Civic Coffee event. Watch the recording here and find out about the upcoming Civic Coffee here. Take the first steps this week by (1) setting a goal and (2) reaching out to someone.

Contributor Sonali Agarwal is an intern with Age Friendly Seattle. She is studying Law, Societies, & Justice and Environmental Studies at the University of Washington. To read more about Civic Coffee and other programs, visit Age Friendly Seattle.