Camilla Blijden during her presentation.
PHILIPSBURG--HR advisory company Progressional People Caribbean conducted four masterclasses on “Increasing your Job Market Value” and “Business Conduct” during the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA’s) St. Maarten Innovations, Initiatives and Industries Link-Up Event (SMILE) Job Fair over the past two weeks.
The masterclasses, conducted by Rachael Geerlings, Juliëtte Hassell and Camilla Blijden, were for job seekers. SHTA said in a press release that the courses were in such high demand, that organisers added a second series of courses to the project to include more candidates.
The free employment courses which began on Tuesday, July 4, were designed to empower job seekers with the skills and confidence needed to thrive in today’s competitive labour market. From resumes and motivation letter writing to job interview training, business etiquette, elevator pitch and self-presentation, personal finance and customer service, the masterclasses were intended to equip participants with the skills and knowledge necessary for success.
Central to the masterclasses were expectations of employers when they hire new candidates and what employees’ expectations of employers might be in the application process and beyond.
Speakers equipped jobseekers with the tools needed for the job-seeking process. The courses, organised by SHTA with help from Resources for Community Resilience (R4CR) and the National Employment Service Center (NESC), is meant to improve skills of job seekers to enter or re-enter the labour market.
SHTA said one core element of the workshop was a focus on values. In an interactive setting, the speakers had participants list the values they got from their home, the values they expected from future employers, and the values they would expect in return. Speakers showed that the most important values overlap all three categories.
Hassell: “Oftentimes, a challenge in a labour situation comes into play when it is unknown what the other side expects of you. By knowing what is expected by you, but also what realistically might be expected of you, a joint understanding is created. Mutual understanding provides self-confidence when you enter a job interview – and beyond.”
Challenging job interview and labour situations were also discussed and even enacted in prepared scenarios, providing hands-on exercises based on the practices of Progressional People Caribbean. The company is a St. Maarten Human Resources consulting and research firm and part of FWG Progressional People group.
The course will culminate with match-making efforts among businesses and NGOs at the SMILE on October 27 and 28.
