Sometimes it helps to talk with a trusted pastor or clergy in difficult times such as these when life seems to be too much and asks a lot of storms to weather. This is a time to keep your faith strong. Sometimes it is the only way when all around us seems to be in chaos.  

The first thing you might consider is asking your local church if they know of any resources in town. Today, with so many folks in crisis, churches run job club support groups as do local public libraries. There are also bereavement groups in every state and human service/helping agencies. Call your reference librarian or Google search on the Internet.   In South Carolina, there is the Mental Health Association and locations by county here: http://www.state.sc.us/dmh/cmhc.htm. See where therapy — someone to talk to — can be given free of charge OR by sliding scale (only what you can afford—if anything).  

The local Catholic church parish outreach/social ministry can provide you with referrals as well as food and possible other assistance, including bereavement for loss of parent. You don’t have to be Catholic or a church parish member for assistance, just live in the community of that church. These services/ministries are everywhere in Catholic churches.   For advice on avoiding foreclosure, you might try a HUD (government) counselor at www.hopenow.com. This is their toll-free phone number: 1-888-995-HOPE.   All phone numbers and services for basic life needs, housing, bereavement, etc. are free. We extend deepest condolences on the loss of your mother.   Please obtain free job search services and support from your local taxpayer-funded One Stop Career Center in your area. Go to www.servicelocator.org and tap in your zip code.They can provide inhouse classes, job search assistance and more.  

If you just need to pick up the phone and talk to a caring ear please call 1-800-273-TALK. Please reach out! There are caring people everywhere and you will be surprised!  

If you would like more information, please contact The 405 Club again. We are not just for New York City.  

We wish you many blessings of health, peace of mind and prosperity.

There are opportunities out there for free computer office technology classes if you’re talking about applications such as MS Word; Excel; Powerpoint and/or QuickBooks. 

Check your local Economic Opportunity Commission or other nonprofit agencies near you. Many community centers are now offering free computer office training as are libraries for nominal fees. 

ExecuTrain, a corporate entity (www.executrain.com) offers two free courses for laid off workers. They have locations in many states, including New York. 

Do not overlook your local One Stop Career Center in conjuction with the labor dept. for totally free computer office applications training! Find yours in your residency at www.servicelocator.org or www.careeronestop.org and tap in your zip code. Free, total or partial training grants or vouchers are sometimes available w/residency required and time spent to register at the One Stop for computer office training at the contracted vocational schools. These monies vary from center to center under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) according to each individual center’s needs, as they are each independent of the other. Funding to send you to vocational training comes and goes, but some of these centers may also have free inhouse short-term classes for computer training that would do the trick. 

To supplement whatever free courses you may receive, try the free online tutorial w/teacher on its message board by The Goodwill Industries umbrella human service organization at www.gcflearnfree.org. Click on “Computer Training.” You need to participate in the virtual “class” on a computer that has MS WORD 2007. Go to your library if you don’t have it installed at home. 

YouTube also has free instruction videos in many computer applications, including graphic arts. Lynda.com also offers some free computer graphics instruction. 

In general, on another note, for those of you interested in other sources for grants and funding for college degrees, look atwww.fafsa.ed.gov to see if you qualify for the PELL grants for college degree programs or go to the financial aid office at the college of your choice or visit with the reference librarian of your local public library for direction to resources. You can also write to the college president and ask for a scholarship for you or your child. Sometimes it works! Also, if you are a veteran or spouse of military veteran,(veterans see www.va.gov) child of a deceased law enforcement officer, in a union or child of union member, these categories often offer scholarships people aren’t even aware of but it is good to know options. 

As with any grant monies, try to choose courses that are totally covered by said grant. It’s tough to pay back loans during periods of unemployment and place unnecessary financial burden upon yourself—unless you have a definite job waiting in the wings! Best of luck.

This can be a very interesting question and an easy one in which you can shine by showing your enthusiasm and expertise. Pick an example where you had to call upon all your talents, strengths, skills and reserve. It could be a time when your last company was going through a serious challenge. Or just a time where you can “recite” the who-what-where-when and how you got something accomplished.

I always think of big examples like 911 with the air controllers and 911 operators that day. How did they manage to bring all planes in the skies down safely? What of the accountants who first discovered the Madoff Ponzi schemes and other fraud that brought down the financial giants in NYC? The fireman who brings a child out safely from a burning building that already “flashed over”? Your anecdotes may not be that extreme, of course. Think of when you brought in money or customers, got awarded, if you did, saved the company time in the process to perform something, or just a day at work that was very gratifying. Your recall and story in an interview will flow because it will be on the tip of your tongue and it will, no doubt, be something you are proud of, or will never forget. It could be something so simple as some humble duty you performed that felt good or one in which a boss or customer complimented you. Remember to tell the details. Start out with what it was and go from there—who it involved—you and/or team—what the challenge or duty was—how you had to meet and resolve it—and most importantly—what became of what you did!

Interviewers want to hear initiative, critical thinking, how you problem-solve and outcomes—results! Mostly, they care about saving time and money and making money. So tailor your answer as closely as possible with that in the back of your mind. Tailor it to your field to make yourself unforgettable and a standout.