Welcome to the Workforce Center
Studies have shown that engaging individuals in work-search activities soon after a job
separation leads to an earlier return to work. The longer a person remains unemployed, the
harder it is for those individuals to find work. We believe you will benefit from additional
support throughout your job search. This Workforce Orientation focuses on connecting you
with reemployment services soon after a layoff or job separation.
In an effort to help you find employment more quickly, the Division of Unemployment
Insurance (UI) has partnered with local Workforce Centers across the state to coordinate
services that will assist you with reemployment and work-search strategies. Both agencies
will provide you with information and suggestions on how to improve your work-search so
you can be back to work as quickly as possible.
You recently received a notice to attend a mandatory workforce services orientation. During
this orientation, you will learn about the programs, services and resources available to you
while you look for work. This website will help you prepare for your orientation.
Get Started!
Mandatory Orientation & “One on One Career Counseling”
You will attend a mandatory orientation to learn
about workforce center services and helpful worksearch strategies. In addition, you will meet with a
workforce representative one-on-one to develop
your personalized reemployment plan and to
review the weekly work-search requirements that
the Division of Unemployment Insurance has
established.
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You will learn about ways to improve your job
search, resume, and interviewing skills, all while you
are requesting Unemployment Insurance benefits.
Our goal is to assist you in developing 21st Century
workforce skills, so that you can return to work as
quickly as possible.
Continue
We will Contact You by Mail
You may have received a letter in the mail that
looks like the one to the right. This letter
contains information about your orientation
time and location.
If you have listed email as your preferred
contact method, we will send you an email
notification to expect this letter.
Letter Template, clickable link to
generic form PDF that opens in a
new tab
When you receive any notice from the
Division of Unemployment Insurance or your
local Workforce Center, read it immediately,
as it may contain time-sensitive information
about your benefits.
Keep an eye out for a letter that looks like this
Continue
If You Need to Reschedule Your Orientation
Rescheduling or missing any appointment with a WFC may have an impact on your
claim and whether you are eligible to receive a payment for that specific week.
Please make every effort to keep your original orientation date and make sure you have
completed all the activities in advance of your orientation. If there is a conflict with the
scheduled orientation, your Workforce Center may be able to reschedule, but only with
advance notice. Please let the workforce center know as soon as possible if you will not
be able to attend your scheduled orientation.
The workforce centers will refer any rescheduling or conflicts with the originally
scheduled orientation to the Division of Unemployment Insurance (UI) for review. UI
must review the situation and determine if there was a good reason for the reschedule.
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Preparing for your Orientation
The Division of Unemployment Insurance requires that you complete a series of
activities before attending this mandatory orientation. These steps promote a proactive
approach toward getting you back to work. In order to be eligible for and continue to
be paid unemployment insurance benefits, you must complete these activities in
advance of the scheduled orientation.
Click each step below to complete these activities. You can also progress through the
steps without returning to this page, or learn more about what happens in Orientation.
1
2
3
Create or Update
your Connecting
Colorado Account
Review Local
Labor Market
Resources
Complete an
Online
Assessment
I want to learn more about what
happens in Orientation
4
Assemble your
completed
Weekly Work
Search Logs
I want to learn more about what
happens in Counseling
I have completed all four steps – take me to the review
Step 1: Create or Update your Connecting Colorado Account
Connecting Colorado is a job search engine
that connects Colorado job seekers to
employers. Upload your resume and regularly
update the information in your profile by
adding new experience, skills, educational
credentials, and any other information that
apply to the jobs you intend to target. You can
search the database for positions throughout
Colorado, and the system will search for
resumes that match an employer’s needs.
Make sure your information is current, as the
system will send you information on local
hiring events and jobs that match your skills.
Connecting Colorado also communicates with the Division of Unemployment Insurance (UI)
about work-search registration requirements and continued eligibility for benefits. Local
Workforce Center representatives are available to guide you and answer questions.
Return to Step List
Continue to Step 2
Step 2: Review Local Labor Market Resources
This is a starting point for you to access online labor
market and career exploration tools. These tools will
help you to identify your skills, learn about jobs that
may suit you, and give you information on wages and
in-demand employment projections.
Review the links below to access information about
job-search tools, in-demand occupations and
industries and view information on the services
available at your local Workforce Center:
• Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
• Veterans Services
• Colorado Workforce Centers
• Job Openings in Connecting Colorado
• Labor Market Information
• Career Information Resources
Return to Step List
Continue to Step 3
Step 3: Complete an Online Assessment
Self-assessment activities will help you explore your skills, interests and experience. They will
help you consider jobs that are a good match for your skills. Some assessments may also
provide you with suggested additions to your resume or portfolio based on your previous
experience, to better market yourself to employers.
Complete one of the linked assessments before the orientation. Print your results and bring
them to the orientation so that your counselor can review the information and assist you
with work-search and career goals during the one-on-one session.
• Career InfoNet and Skills Profiler
• MySkills MyFuture
• My Next Move
Choose the assessment that will
best suit your needs – your local
workforce center may have
suggested the most appropriate
assessment for you to take.
Return to Step List
Continue to Step 4
Step 4: Complete and Print your Weekly Work-Search Log
Maintaining a complete work-search log is
required to continue receiving
Unemployment Insurance benefits. The
Division of Unemployment Insurance may
request a copy of your work-search log as
part of an audit for up to two years from the
start of your unemployment claim. Your
counselor will review your work-search log
during your one-on-one session and may
make suggestions to improve your worksearch, present additional positions and job
opportunities for you to consider, and help
you overcome barriers to finding and
accepting your next job or career.
Bring in a copy of your most recent work-search logs (covering at least the four
weeks prior to your orientation) to the Workforce Center on the day of Orientation.
Return to Step List
Tips for completing your log
Tips for Completing your Weekly Job Search Log
Tips for Making Your Job Contacts
• Get the name of the person you spoke to
about a position
• Talk with those in charge of hiring
decisions when reaching out to potential
employers
• Contacts made to employers who are not
hiring should only be included on the
work-search log one time
Bring in a copy of your most recent work-search logs (covering at least the four
weeks prior to your orientation) to the Workforce Center on the day of Orientation.
Return to Step List
What Happens During
Orientation
What Happens During Orientation
The orientation is designed to acquaint you with the reemployment services available
through your local Workforce Center. Workforce Centers will help you develop your jobseeking skills and can help you find work before your unemployment benefits end.
You will learn about:
• Services available through local Workforce Centers
• Using Connecting Colorado to find work
• Online labor market and career exploration tools
• Online skills assessments
• Individualized work-search plan
• Unemployment work-search and eligibility requirements
• Items to bring to your one-on-one career counseling session
• Next steps
Return to Step List
What Happens During
Counseling
What Happens During Counseling
Your Local Workforce Center will set up a one-on-one counseling session to discuss your
reemployment strategy. All required activities must be completed prior to the orientation so
that your counselor can review them with you. Workforce Centers will notify the Division of
Unemployment Insurance of anyone who has not participated or completed all the required
activities.
Generally, the one-on-one session occurs the same day as the orientation. Be prepared by
bringing in all the required documents:
• The results of your online skills assessment, so your counselor can make additional job
recommendations to you
• Your complete job search log, so your counselor can give you tips on contacting
companies about employment opportunities
• UI Eligibility Review Checklist
• Work Search Development Plan
Return to Step List
An Important Reminder
A Reminder from the Division of Unemployment Insurance
In order to receive Unemployment Insurance Benefits, You Must Be:
1. Actively engaged and registered in Connecting Colorado
2. Physically and mentally able to do the work you are seeking
3. Available for work:
a) Available for job interviews and job offers
b) Have no barriers to your availability such as travel or child-care restrictions
4. Search for suitable work
a) Seeking work that is appropriate for your skill level
b) Seeking jobs you would accept if offered the position
5. Actively seeking work
a) Applying for your required number of job contacts each week
During the orientation, the workforce center will provide you with more information on
what these requirements mean, and can help answer any other questions you have.
Return to Step List
Are You Ready for
Orientation?
Are You Prepared for Orientation and Counseling?
Have you:
 Created or updated your Connecting Colorado account?
 Reviewed the Labor Market and Career Information Services?
 Completed an online skills assessment?
 Printed your skills assessment results to bring with you?
 Completed your weekly work-search logs for (at least) the past 4 weeks?
 Printed your work-search logs to bring with you?
The day of your appointment, you will:
 Attend Orientation.
 Discuss the online Labor Market Resources links and any questions you have about how
these resources can help you find work.
 Review the results of the online Self-Assessment and discuss what you need to reach
your reemployment goals.
 Discuss UI Eligibility requirements.
 Review the Work-Search Log results for additional job matches and receive feedback on
ways to improve your work-search log documentation to avoid delays in unemployment
insurance benefits.
 Develop an Individual Reemployment and Work-Search Plan that will help organize the
steps you should take to reach your employment goals.
I’m not ready, back to step list
I’m ready, click to finish