Career center can help job-seekers get focus.

Byline: The Lane Workforce Partnership For The Register-Guard

Rarely has it been easy to search for a job. But these days in Lane County, the process can be exceptionally tough.

The national economy is sluggish, Oregon's jobless rate is among the nation's highest, and in Lane County, some 1,000 people have been laid off in recent months at companies as diverse as Sony Disc Manufacturing, Monaco Coach Corp. and Seneca Sawmill Co.

This is the first in a series of articles by the Lane Workforce Partnership that will run Sundays in The Register-Guard Business section in coming weeks. The columns will deal with everything from resume writing and interviewing to networking and changing careers.

The columns will also highlight services available through The Workforce Network, an initiative of the Lane Workforce Partnership.

In this rocky market, it will take extra effort to launch your job search. The first step is to organize and update your search materials - starting with your resume.

You can search for resume information on the Internet at a Web site such as Monster.com.

Locally, you can take your resume to The Workforce Network's career centers at 2510 Oakmont Way, Eugene, or at the Lane Community College campus, Building 19. The staff will review your resume and offer suggestions. Tutorials on resume writing, typing and office skills are available. The centers have computers with Internet access, plus fax machines to send resumes and job applications.

This may be a good time to explore alternative careers. Many people have skills that are transferable. At The Workforce Network centers, you can explore career options. Advisors can recommend companies that are seeking candidates, the types of work involved and local training available. The network helps everyone from entry-level workers to executives.

Identifying your skills and being aware of career trends will help you. Even if you are relatively secure in your career, when you look at your skills list, what patterns emerge? Which of your skills do you feel most confident in? What skills are likely to be in demand in the future? Are there opportunities in your current job to develop skills through training, volunteer work, or taking on extra duties?

The Workforce Network centers offer workshops on these topics and more.

Visit The Workforce Network at www.laneworkforcenetwork.org or contact Darrell Hames at the Lane Workforce Partnership, 300 Country Club Road, Suite 120 Eugene OR 97401; at 682-7224 or [e-mail].