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COLUMBIA (WACH)— Unemployment in South Carolina is still among the highest in the nation.  The Richland County Public Library, in an effort to help the issue locally offers the Job Center, a free service offering advice on resume building, interviewing, and other job search skills.

Job Readiness Trainer Lori Cook says that 34 percent of jobs are filled with companies that employ between 250 and 1000+ people.  These larger corporations will often utilize resume scanners to help recruiters sift through the sometimes thousands of resumes that are submitted.

The scanners are programmed to search for keywords, experience, and specific data, all in an effort to narrow the search for a qualified candidate.

According to Cook, there are a several considerations to be made when job seekers apply for positions are larger companies which may utilize the scanning technology.  “Mirror the language of the job posting,” says Cook.  By insuring that your profile and skills reflect some of the keywords that the scanners will be searching for.  Additionally, stay away from abbreviations, and elect to fully spell out words like “manager” or “university.”

Cook also suggests tailoring resumes for each individual position, not just sending the same resume to several different potential employers.  Responding promptly to any interest is also important, Cook points out.

“If you are rejected, revisit your resume,” she says, making sure that your profile, skills and achievements match the description. 

The Job Center also offers online career assessments that can help answer key questions, including if you are in the right place, where you want to me, and what needs to be done to attain those goals.  Cook says that she or the staff also have a scanner, similar to those used by recruiters, so that candidates can see exactly what their resume looks like when it is scanned.

The Job Center offers to those unemployed or under employed include free classes in computers, interview skills, and other important areas in the job search.

The RCPL Job Center is open to the public, at no charge, and a membership is not required.   Information can be found at the library website, or by calling 803.929.3401.