1. Online Account and Application Record . An Excel spreadsheet to record online account information and to write progress notes
2. Cover letter sample . A PDF that shows what an ideal cover letter looks like
3. Resume sample . A PDF that shows what an ideal resume looks like
4. Resume template . A Word document that you can fill in to create a resume
5. Resume key words . A PDF that provides key words to use on resumes and in cover letters for different jobs
6. Resume worksheet . A Word document that can be printed and given to a customer before you start to create a resume

Unemployment Resources

• NYS Dept of Labor account sign in, job information, job listings
• Unemployment Insurance (NYS Labor Dept) claim or certify benefits
• ID.me Unemployment verification

Local Employers

• Wegmans
• Rochester City School District
• Rochester Regional Health
• University of Rochester

• MCC Career Services
• Rochester Works Job Board/Job Fairs

Career Boards

• Careerbuilder
• Craigslist
• Indeed.com
• Monster.com
• New York State Job Bank
• RochesterWNYJobs.com
• ShiftDiff
• ZipRecruiter

• NYS Dept of Motor Vehicles permit or license, car registration, driving regulations
• RGE gas and electric company.
• Spectrum Television, phone, and internet service provider.
• Rochester Housing Authority public housing application
• Internal Revenue Service tax information, account sign in, file federal returns
• NYS Dept of Taxation & Finance tax information, file state returns

Resume Tips

1. Where possible, show up to 10 years of continuous employment. It is the customer’s preference whether to show more
2. Include volunteer positions under Professional Experience when there are employment gaps
3. Parsers (algorithms) use a hierarchy that is based on employer preferences. That’s why it’s imperative to use key words and list career highlights and qualifications/skills at the top of the resume
4. Write a resume around the job description
5. Write different resumes for different jobs/industries
6. Show on-going education and learning (this makes the resume stronger)
7. Eliminate all spelling and factual errors

Cover Letter Tips

1. Write different cover letters for different kinds of jobs
2. Tell a story to show more than what the resume can tell alone
3. Describe what you can offer a prospective employer
4. Describe how the customer can help the employer to succeed
5. Use the customer’s own words

Email Security

Email is an old technology and it is inherently flawed. Consider following these guidelines to make yourself and your personal information more secure.

1. General recommendations
   

   • Passwords: there are two ways to create an email password: 1) use a combination of lower and uppercase characters, special characters (&^%) and numbers; or 2) create a long passphrase (grandmawasbornin1901)
   • Two email accounts: consider using one email account for family/friends, and another account for all business transactions. Why? Some companies will sell your data, and having a second account limits your exposure
   • Security Do’s: 1) if you suspect that your account with a business has been compromised, change your email password immediately; 2) change your password from time to time; 3) apply all software updates to your device
   • Security Don’ts: 1) don’t send sensitive information by email; 2) don’t store sensitive information in cloud services like Evernote and Dropbox; 3) don’t ever give out personal information in response to an email. Call the sender to verify the email.
   • Consider: using Gmail for your email account(s). It is less susceptible to spam and phishing than yahoo, Hotmail, Frontier, and AOL.

2. Spam
   

   • Definition: spam is simply unsolicited email. For example, you book a hotel through hotels.com and suddenly you’re receiving email promotions from hotels.com
   • Remedy: 1) unsubscribe to company emails (at the bottom of the email you’ll find the unsubscribe function in small print); 2) when you create accounts online, look for settings that allow you to regulate the emails you receive; 3) report the email as spam (you’re email provider will have an easy way to do this); 4) delete emails in your spam/junk folder. Remember first to review all emails in the folder, since some legitimate emails will end up there. When in doubt, report and delete.

3. Phishing
   

   • Definition: phishing emails will try to sell you something or gain access to your personal information. Sometimes, the phishing email appears to be from someone you know or from a company you’re doing business with.
   • Remedy: 1) always check the email address of the sender. If it is unfamiliar, then it is likely spam or phishing; 2) never click on a link or attachment in a suspicious email; 3) use your email provider to report phishing; 4) text or call the individual or company listed as sender to verify the email is legitimate. Do not forward the email before verifying that it is legitimate

NorthStar Digital Literacy offers curriculum, testing, and skills certifications for Digital Literacy volunteers and customers.

The NorthStar curriculum is aligned with the Minnesota Adult Basic Education Content Standards. Lesson plans are learner-centered and interactive. The lessons give learners multiple opportunities to build digital literacy skills through practice tasks and application of skills.

Lessons are independent of each other and are not required to be taughtsequence. They can be taught in order, or teachers may choose lessons for their class based on desired instruction for specific skills or standards.

Upon completion of each lesson, learners can take a NorthStar Digital Literacy Skills Assessment, on online, interactive test that emulates the actual software or website they are likely to use. Passing these proctored assessments provides students with a certification, which can be included on resumes and job applications to supplement their learned skills.

Take a sample assessment with NorthStar Digital Literacy online