FAIRFIELD - The Fairfield Public Library has announced 15 new programs in its popular Jobs 2010: Back to Work series for job seekers.
"The series, now in its second year, is updated with new speakers discussing topics that reflect the state of the current job market, and expanded with the addition of a new Small Business Strategies track for current and prospective entrepreneurs, as well as job seekers who may be considering starting their own business as an alternative to the traditional workplace," organizers said in a statement.
The series starts Sept. 13 and runs through Dec. 14.
The weekly presentations, by experts from the local community, will cover topics such as: turning NetWorking into NetPlaying; interviewing skills that improve results; effective time management; tax strategies for job seekers; repositioning oneself for success; and the “over 40 and under the radar” group, the statement said.
All programs are in the rotary of the Main Library, 1080 Old Post Road, at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 pm for informal networking. The programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Details:
Monday, September 13: Time Management: Mission Critical offering advice on how to prioritize and set goals, and how to stop wasting time on passive or less relevant tasks and focus on doing the things that will lead to a new job or career. The presenter is Julie Jansen, a speaker, author, coach, resume creator and trainer who is often quoted in business publications and has appeared on the Today Show, ABC World News Now, MSNBC, NPR, and CNN Financial News.

Wednesday, September 22: Cover letters are your ticket to the interview! Join HR professional Ann Wright for a presentation entitled Cover Letters are Key on . Writing a compelling, attention-getting cover letter is a valuable skill that, when done correctly, can serve to create interest, make an application and resume stand out, and lead to an interview. The elements of effective cover letters will be reviewed and attendees who bring a job posting or job description with a draft cover letter in response will be constructively critiqued, who brings over 20 years of experience in human resources and transition coaching.

Wednesday, October 13: What Makes a Successful Candidate? in this job market and economic climate is a challenging question. Melissa Morris Petrafasa will discuss her experiences as a staffing manager at the McIntyre Group, one of the area’s top recruiting companies. Only one person gets the job, and there are steps to take that ensure that person is you. Melissa will debunk the strategies and address how to be the best candidate from initial application to getting hired. Gather proven tips in this interactive presentation

Tuesday, October 19: Turn NetWorking into NetPlaying, will be presented by a consummate Fairfield County networker, Lynne Marino. Networking does not have to be work – when done right, it can be fun, useful, and profitable give and take for both the job seeker and those you network with. Regina Madwed, owner of Capitol PhotoInteractive of Fairfield, will also be on hand from 6:30 – 9 p.m. to offer professional headshots for the very reduced price of $25 plus tax. Reservations are required for headshots, as space is limited.

Thursday, October 21: Tax Strategies for Job Seekers: Dealing with Deductions and the IRS will offer some tips on how looking for work may be tax deductible! The presenter is Susan McAteer who is an independent tax advisor and former member of the Tax Advocate Service (TAS). Did you know that job seekers have six valuable tax benefits?

Monday, November 22: In time for the holidays, Dorothy Timmerman, Executive Director of Fairfield Counseling Services, will provide insights into Managing the Stress of Unemployment on . When you are worried about your future or unemployed, this can be an especially difficult time of the year.

Two programs will focus on getting ready for the interview: Be a Phone Interview Pro on Tuesday, September 28 and There’s More to a Successful Interview Than You Think on Wednesday, November 10. Paul Bailo will address how many employers are using phone interviews as the first screening tool in the hiring process and discuss how to prepare for maximum impact to get “screened IN” for a face-to-face interview. Cathy Alfandre will tackle gaining important insights and learning specific techniques that can be used before, during, and after an interview to improve results in this interactive presentation.

Wednesday, December 8: Steven Greenberg, founder of www.jobs4point0.com and host of CBS Radio’s “Your Next Job,” will reveal how to overcome “overqualified” and make experience work for the mature job seeker on in a presentation Over 40 and Under the Radar.


To see the complete schedule, and learn more about the specifics of the six new Small Business Strategies for current and prospective entrepreneurs, visit here. You can register for all programs at the Library’s website or by calling 203-256-3160.

Editor's note: The information in this post was contributed.