Employment Services
for Job Seekers
The New Mainers Resource Center supports foreign-trained professionals to restart their careers in the US.
Employment Services
Do you already have the experience and training you need to enter the US workforce? Find current job openings plus resources for résumé building and job interview preparation.
Step 1: Plan & Organize
Now that you are qualified to work in the US, you need to make a plan before you even begin your job search. Find resources here to get organized.
Step 2: The Job Search
Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to look for available positions in the field for which you’re qualified. Here’s where to start.
Step 3: Prepare for Your Interview
So you’ve landed a job interview! Congratulations — your hard work has paid off. Be sure you’re prepared to strongly present your best self.
Step 4: Start Your Job
You did it! Your hard work has paid off — now it’s time to embark on your new journey. Here are a few things you need to know about getting comfortable in the US workforce.
Plan & Organize
Now that you are qualified to work in the US, you need to make a plan before you even begin your job search. Find resources here to get organized.
Part 1: Plan for Employment
Part 2: Job Sectors & Careers
Part 3: Résumé
Part 4: Your Cover Letter
Part 5: Gather References
Part 1: Plan For Employment
Part 1a: Plan for Employment — Work Preferences
What are your work preferences? Ask yourself these questions to help determine the type of job that fits you best.
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Working with people
or
Working with machines
Part 1b: Plan for Employment — Work Values
What type of work environment and job attributes do you value?
ADVENTURE
A risk-taking job.
AUTHORITY
Use your position to control others.
COMPETITION
Compete with others.
CREATIVITY & SELF-EXPRESSION
Use your imagination to find new ways to do or say something.
FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE
You choose your own hours.
HELPING OTHERS
Provide direct services to persons with problems.
HIGH SALARY
A job where many workers earn a large amount of money.
INDEPENDENCE
You decide for yourself what work to do.
INFLUENCING OTHERS
You influence the decisions of others.
INTELLECTUAL STIMULATION
A job which requires thought and reasoning.
LEADERSHIP
You manage or supervise the activities of others.
OUTSIDE WORK
Working out-of-doors.
PERSUADING
You personally convince others to take certain actions.
PHYSICAL WORK
Requires substantial physical, labor-intensive activity.
PRESTIGE
A job which gives you status and respect in a community.
PUBLIC ATTENTION
You attract immediate notice because of appearance or activity.
PUBLIC CONTACT
You have daily dealings with the public.
RECOGNITION
You gain public notice.
RESEARCH WORK
You search for and discover new facts and develop ways to apply them.
ROUTINE WORK
You follow established procedures requiring little change.
SEASONAL WORK
You are employed only at certain times of the year.
TRAVEL
A job in which you travel.
VARIETY
Your duties change frequently.
WORK WITH CHILDREN
You teach or otherwise care for children.
WORK WITH HANDS
You use your hands or hand tools.
WORK WITH MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT
You use machines or equipment.
WORK WITH NUMBERS
You use mathematics or statistics.
Part 1c: Plan for Employment — Transferable Skills
There are two types of skills every person has: Hard Skills and Soft Skills.
The lists below were written by Jessica L. Mendes for ZipRecruiter.com.
Hard Skills
Hard Skills are skills that you’ve learned through training or education, including degrees and certificates that you’ve received and languages you’ve learned beyond your native language.
Below are some examples of Hard Skills:
- A degree or certificate in a particular field or industry
- Applied science
- Computer programming
- Driving a vehicle
- Editing
- Engineering
- Foreign language skills (speaking, reading, writing)
- Machine operation (computers, phone systems, forklifts, hydraulic presses, etc.)
- Math
- Medical procedures
- Research
- Software usage
- Typing (and typing speed)
- Writing
Soft Skills
Soft Skills generally include personality traits that are less measurable than hard skills — how you communicate with others, your character, time management, and other traits.
Below are some examples of Soft Skills:
- Active listening
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Conflict resolution
- Customer service
- Decision making
- Leadership
- Patience
- Perseverance
- Persuasiveness
- Problem solving
- Teamwork
- Time management
- Work ethic
Part 1d: Plan for Employment — Website Resources
Use these websites to learn more about Transferable Skills.
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills (and How to Use Them on Your Resume)
Posted on Jobscan September 30, 2020
There are two types of skills recruiters look for on resumes: hard skills and soft skills. When used correctly, they work together to form a powerhouse resume that provides the hiring manager a comprehensive understanding of the job seeker’s capabilities.
What are Transferable Skills?
Posted on SkillsYouNeed.com
Transferable skills are skills and abilities that are relevant and helpful across different areas of life: socially, professionally and at school. They are ‘portable skills’.
People usually think about their transferable skills when applying for a job or when thinking about a career change. Employers often look for people who can demonstrate a good set of transferable skills.
Part 2: Job Sectors & Careers
Visit these websites to explore the types of jobs and careers that fit your skills.
Destination Occupation
What is Destination Occupation?
Destination Occupation (D.O.) is an online community of career exploration videos showcasing local Maine companies and careers. We feature Maine employers in a company profile and individual job profiles. Most of the jobs featured are in high demand around the state. One job may be featured at a business in a town far away from you, but don’t worry! The jobs we pick can be found all around Maine and by many different employers!
O*Net OnLine
Build your future with O*NET OnLine.
O*NET OnLine has detailed descriptions of the world of work for use by job seekers, workforce development and HR professionals, students, researchers, and more!
The O*NET Program is the nation’s primary source of occupational information. Valid data are essential to understanding the rapidly changing nature of work and how it impacts the workforce and U.S. economy. From this information, applications are developed to facilitate the development and maintenance of a skilled workforce.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for nearly 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas; national occupational estimates for specific industries are also available.
Part 2: Job Search
Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to look for available positions in the field for which you’re qualified. Here’s where to start.
Employment Services
Use these websites to find programs to help you with your job search.
Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services
Helping refugees build new lives here in Maine
Maine’s only refugee resettlement program, Catholic Charities Maine Refugee and Immigration Services (RIS) is dedicated to helping those seeking a new life in America become independent, productive members of our community.
Catholic Charities Maine
80 Sherman Street
Portland, ME 04101 opens in Google Maps
Phone: 207-871-7437
SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management
Student & Emerging Professional Resources
SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together. Explore career paths within the human resources field, prepare for a successful job search, and get the latest news in this rapidly evolving field.
SHRM
Phone: 800.283.SHRM (7476)
Website: SHRM Student & Emerging Professional Resources
Greater Portland Career Center
For Job Seekers of any Age, Culture and Demographic
Maine CareerCenters are the place to start when you’re looking for your first job, your next job, a better job, or a whole new career. Connect with the Greater Portland CareerCenter and ask about any of the services they offer. Support services may also be available to assist with child care, transportation and tuition, as well as referrals to resources for housing, starting your own business, and healthcare insurance.
Greater Portland CareerCenter
In-Person Hours: Appointments available 8 AM – 4 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
151 Jetport Blvd
Portland, ME 04102 (opens in Google Maps)
Phone: 207-623-7981
Email: portland.careercenter@maine.gov
Goodwill Workforce Services
Get Support Finding Work
It takes more than skills to get and keep a great job. Goodwill’s Workforce Services recognizes each person’s unique challenges and helps them overcome each one until the participant reaches stability. Through Goodwill NNE’s Job Connection model, each participant is paired with a career advisor and a life navigator (a social worker position), who helps them work through each barrier to success. This Goodwill-designed model has seen unprecedented success in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Goodwill Workforce Services
34 Hutcherson Drive
Gorham, ME 04038 (opens in Google Maps)
Phone: 207-774-6323
Job Openings
Below are open positions posted by employers specifically looking for candidates like you.
Current Job Openings
Want to post a job?
Are you an employer looking to hire New Mainers? Contact us and we’ll get you going.
Contact Us to Post a Job on NMRC
“There is no question that the foreign-born population is key to being able to grow Maine’s economy.”
Dana F. Conners,
President of the Maine Chamber of Commerce