Million4Christmas is an Apploi initiative designed to help a million jobseekers get employed by Christmas, and to leave people armed with more information and access than they previously had. We knew it was a big goal when we came up with it, but we think big!
Million4Christmas means we’re doing a few different things. For the next couple months, we’re going to be on the road: From Omaha to Baltimore, Seattle to California, our team is excited to meet jobseekers and connect them with employers. Part of our goal is to bridge the opportunity and knowledge gap, so that jobseekers have more mentors and resources available to them.
We go into schools, colleges, libraries, &., teaching people about Apploi and how to use it. We’re also hold hiring events on the road and arranging panels and forums for people to come together and be able to apply for jobs in person.
Another element of million4christmas is extra advice content we’re producing. We hope our online articles featuring advice on interviews, how to change career paths, and what employers do and don’t want to hear you say can reach a wider audience than we could ever hope to on the ground. We also post motivational videos, like this one, with the former CEO of IKEA, who started off working on the shop floor. Million4Christmas is a huge goal, but our content helps to show it’s possible to achieve big if you think big.
Another element of million4christmas is our kiosks, which we’ve placed in cities across the United States. We try to make sure to put kiosks where we know there are jobseekers who don’t necessarily have a smartphone or computer, and therefore lack the means to apply. We recognize that the digital divide is a huge barrier to jobseekers, and hope that our kiosks are a small step in the right direction.
In fact, when we meet with employers in different cities, they’re always so excited about Apploi, because the Internet has become more and more important in the job search. It’s a tool to find out about jobs, prep for jobs, and apply for jobs. Apploi, along with EveryoneOn, is seeking to breach the digital divide so that more people have access to the same opportunities.
One piece of advice employers have when it comes to using the Internet for the job search is: Do your research. Employers appreciate when candidates come to interview knowing details about the role, and are able to ask a few intelligent questions about the company. The best way to research is via the Internet, so make sure to spend time looking at the company’s website online before applying and being interviewed. For those without home access, libraries often have public computers, so head to your local one and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
There’s a lot we’re doing, and we’re excited for the end result. By Christmas, we want to have reached a million people, one way or another. We hope that by the time Christmas comes around, we’ll have helped a million people get jobs. We’re also always available by email, and love hearing from jobseekers.
We’re hoping it’ll be a Merry Christmas for a million Apploi-ees!