Work Search Ministry

In recent months many people in our community have been dealing with the loss of a job. This page of our website is meant to help by listing resources that may be of value during a job search. Our goal is to continue to add to this list as we become aware of additional resources.

The information below has been obtained from various sources that we believe to be reliable. However we have not made any attempt to verify the reliability of this information. Please let us know if you discover errors.

Local resources:

CareerMatrix.com
1514 Wealthy St SE
Suite 258
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
Phone: (616) 241-1638
Toll Free: (888) 977-5627
Fax: (616) 241-0010
http://www.careermatrix.com

Employee Assistance Center
3351 Claystone St SE #212
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Phone: (800) 227-0905
http://www.eaccares.com

Michigan Works! Service Center
622 Godfrey SW
Grand Rapids, MI
Phone: (616) 234-3398
http://www.michiganworkska.org/

Michigan Works! Service Center
1560 Leonard NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Phone: (616) 336-4460
http://www.michiganworkska.org/

United States Veterans Employment Service
3391 Plainfield Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI

Life Steward Group
Ken Soper
Suite E-114
6670 Kalamazoo Avenue SE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49508
Phone: 616-698-3125
http://www.kensoper.com

Additional Resource Information:

CareerMatrix.com www.careermatrix.com
This locally owned and operated job and resume posting service provides assistance to employers in their never ending search for quality candidates and to job seekers in their quest to find the perfect job. CareerMatrix.com is not an employment agency. CareerMatrix.com is a totally free resource for job seekers. The web site rated highly in 2003 and 2004 by Peter Weddle, Internet job hunting and recruiting guru, www.weddles.com.

National Career Development Association www.ncda.org
The National Career Development Association (NCDA) is a division of the American Counseling Association (ACA). The mission of NCDA is to promote the career development of all people over the life span. To achieve this mission, NCDA provides service to the public and professionals involved with or interested in career development, including professional development activities, publications, research, public information, professional standards, advocacy, and recognition for achievement and service.

National Board of Certified Counselors www.nbcc.org
The National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. and affiliates (NBCC®), an independent not-for-profit credentialing body for counselors, was incorporated in 1982 to establish and monitor a national certification system, to identify those counselors who have voluntarily sought and obtained certification, and to maintain a register of those counselors. Ken follows the expectation and ethics guidelines of this organization (http://www.nbcc.org/admin/clientrights.htm).

Parachute Associates http://www.parachuteassociates.com
Parachute Associates is a membership organization that provides information and resources to manage the business of providing career services. As a new organization, we seek to create a community of people who are dedicated to serving the individual job hunter and career changer. Ken is a Founding Member.

IV Ministry in Daily Life www.ivmdl.org
InterVarsity's (IV) Ministry in Daily Life exists to help the church recover the biblical truth that God calls all Christians to minister daily in the places they live and work. IVMDL's mission originated in 1986 from the need to renew and re-equip IV campus staff to prepare Christian students for ministry in their future workplaces. Since then they have served as a resource center and consulting group for anyone interested in whole-life-discipleship to Jesus Christ.

Employment and Resource Network (EaRN) of West Michigan www.earn-wm.org 616-698-3125
EaRN provides job search assistance, encouragement, and referral to other community resources for West Michigan people who are unemployed or seeking career redirection. This non-denominational Christian ministry started in 2002 aims to provide a permanent clearinghouse and ongoing services and referral to the people who live in the greater Grand Rapids, Holland, and Muskegon area. In the spirit of Christian compassion and whole-life stewardship, this ministry endeavors to assist individuals and especially congregations in more effectively assisting the unemployed and those seeking career direction within their churches and communities.

Hope Works with HopeWorks www.hopeworksmich.net
HopeWorks links the Michigan Works! resources and the faith-based organizations who provide job search assistance and career development services to individuals within their communities. A division of Hope Network, HopeWorks performs a unique service by connecting technology, grass roots organizations and persons looking for jobs or employment skills.