MatchBridge News
‘Tis The Season | Seasonal Hiring at MatchBridge
This year’s Seasonal Job Fair series has been MatchBridge’s best yet. Companies such as Best Buy, Gap, Old Navy, Ross, UPS, Skechers, Macy’s, and Nordstrom Rack participated this year and hired a total of 26 young jobseekers.
The Winter holidays are the busiest retail season of the year, where retailers do a high volume of hiring for seasonal employees- an ideal time for motivated youth with an interest in customer service to break into the retail industry. Between 25% and 50% of total annual retail sales take place during the holidays and retail employers usually increase their workforce by at least 4% just for the holiday gift-buying rush.
Youth Profile | Tate I.
“The main impact Greentech Media has had on me as a young professional is the fact that my experiences there have inspired me to strive further than ever before in my International Business studies. The opportunity to work at Greentech Media has opened my eyes to the world of marketing and what it has in store for me.
The experiences I have received so far at Greentech Media have helped shape my
vision of what I hope to achieve in the future. Essentially giving me a glimpse of what the marketing world is like and what being a marketing associate entails. The most exciting thing about this internship
RE4TA 2009 | Real Estate 4 Tomorrow’s Adults
The Real Estate 4 Tomorrow’s Adults (RE4TA) program is a partnership between MatchBridge, United Way of the Bay Area, and the San Francisco Real Estate sector to provide paid internship opportunities to young men and women interested in careers in the industry.
This summer, twenty-six young San Franciscans benefited from internships provided MatchBridge’s RE4TA program. Interns were assigned to various property and real estate companies as workers. Youth also attended seminars tailored to give them all the initial skills they need to get their careers started whether or not they decide to stay in the industry long term.
The seminars targeted the general skills they would need to
Youth Profile | Amy L.
“My experience at the Public Policy Institute of California allowed me to be more aware of the world around me. Just by talking to my colleagues and reading some of the documents I helped edit, I realized that public policy workers go through a lot to gather accurate information, spread awareness of economic and social problems, and provide well thought-out solutions. I was interested in how California budget cuts will affect youth in school. I became more aware of the policies around me related
to school budget cuts, child retention, transportation, immigration, and water. I am lucky to have worked there because it helped me understand a world that I was
previously oblivious to.
I am considering a career that allows me to work alongside youth. While working at the Public Policy Institute, I got the opportunity to talk to an education policy specialist. Meeting her helped me understand
Summer Youth Mapping | The Green Sector
The Community Youth Mapping project is a partnership between MatchBridge, San Francisco Unified School District and the National Academy Foundation to learn about and identify emerging and thriving industries in San Francisco; despite the troubled economy.
This summer, eight high school students in San Francisco interned with MatchBridge as youth mappers to “map” the “Green job” sector of San Francisco. By conducting employer interviews and surveys, the “MatchBridge Mappers” identified
“green” employers, learned about the required skill sets needed to break into the industry, current job opportunities,
DCYF’s YouthFest | July 18, 2009
Youth Fest, sponsored by DCYF’s Youth Empowerment Fund Advisory Board (YEFAB) and the San Francisco Youth Commission, on July 18, 2009 from 12-6pm in Civic Center Plaza is an event to celebrate young leaders in the community, educate youth about programs and services in the city, encourage youth to fight for what they believe in, and inspire creative change.
Women’s Initiative | Employer of the Month
On May 26th, 2009, The Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment came in to MatchBridge to provide an informational session to candidates as the MatchBridge May Employer of the Month.
The Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment is a not-for-profit agency. Their mission is to build the entrepreneurial capacity of women to overcome economic and social barriers and achieve self-sufficiency. Women’s Initiative has proven that women create jobs for themselves and others, access the mainstream economy, and increase their economic self-sufficiency when they are given business planning and financing support.
Specialty’s Bakery & Café | Employer of the Month
On April 28th, 2009, Specialty’s Bakery & Café came in to MatchBridge to inform and interview candidates as the MatchBridge April Employer of the Month.
After 18-years of successful operation, Specialty’s Café & Bakery is a highly respected foodservice company with 17 bakery-cafes in the San Francisco and Seattle markets.
Each location features an exhibition bakery, where fresh bread, pastries, and cookies are mixed and baked from scratch. The aroma of fresh-baked breads and Specialty’s’ legendary chocolate chip cookies creates a unique, brand-building environment.
April: Tip of the Month
Tip of the month: Customer service is a crucial element to a successful business. When applying for customer service-related jobs, show your ability to be warm and engaging. Always remember to smile, give firm handshakes, and to greet employers in a friendly manner. This will communicate that you have the skills necessary to provide quality customer service and will ensure to your employer that you are prepared for the job you are applying for.
LINC | Employer of the Month
On March 31st, 2009, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy became the first MatchBridge Employer of the Month for 2009. The GGNPC visited MatchBridge seeking applicants for their summer LINC program.