What is JobScout?

JobScout is a web and mobile application designed to get users back to work by providing essential job seeking tools and using social gaming to teach and reinforce the Internet skills necessary to find work online. JobScout does this by:

Engaging users in self-paced activities; Giving users the opportunity to apply the skills they learned directly on the

JobScout website; and Enabling users to network with each other on and offline.

Where is JobScout Available?

JobScout is available 24/7 online at http://www.myjobscout.org. The JobScout team is works with libraries, community based organizations, workforce development, social services and educational institutions across the United States to get feedback from users about their JobScout experience.

To help potential users find JobScout, our team has asked participating libraries, community based organizations, workforce development and educational institutions working with us to make a link to JobScout available in a prominent place on their website.

JobScout is also available as an iOS application and an Android application for Android devices. Users can download the application through the iTunes Store or Google Play Store or go to http://www.myjobscout.org to be connected to the application download directly from the JobScout site.

Who is JobScout’s Target Audience?

The target user community is anyone looking for a job. The platform was built to accommodate skill levels that may include:

Users without Internet skills; Users with limited skills; Users entering the workforce for the first time, such as high school and college

students; Users who may be overwhelmed by the diversity and amount of online job

resources that are complex to navigate and manage; and Users looking for a streamlined resource offering and management tools for their

job-hunt.

How Do I Get Started on JobScout?

Creating an Account

Getting started on JobScout is easy. The user will be asked to sign up for an account by creating a username and pass phrase. A JobScout character is always there to guide the user through this process in case they need a little extra help.

Taking the JobScout Survey

When the user is done creating their account, they will be asked to participate in a skills assessment survey. The survey will allow the platform to assess the user’s needs. The user will be guided to the appropriate place on the platform based on his or her survey answers. This brief intake process helps users get what they need out of the JobScout experience.

What Will the User Experience Be Like on JobScout?

Users will experience educational activities that are consistent with the Basic Digital Literacy Skills Framework developed and supported by the State of California, the first of its kind in the United States. The platform allows the user to assume the role of a “scout” in a game environment searching for the Internet skills and tools they need to find employment online. Imagine users on a discovery trail with the guidance of a master scout being able to navigate through activities and tools designed to help them manage their job search. The user earns a badge with every new skill they master.

What are JobScout’s Main Features?

Lessons and Activities

The user learns on JobScout through a series of lessons and activities. Each lesson covers a different Internet skill necessary for the user to master for a successful online job search. The information in each lesson is broken down into its basic parts, and is accompanied by screen shots to accommodate users with varying literacy levels.

Each lesson is followed up by activities designed to test the user’s knowledge of the skill level he or she was just introduced to in the lesson they completed. Activities include multiple-choice questions, true or false questions, fill-in questions, word jumbles and object identification puzzles.

ResumeBuilder

JobScout’s ResumeBuilder lets the user create, save and print a resume without having to leave the JobScout site. Located at the top of the MyJobScout page, the ResumeBuilder is easily accessible and even easier to use. The ResumeBuilder’s fill-in template gives the user guidance on what information needs to be included in their resume. When the user is done entering their information, they can simply click the

Save and Print button and JobScout will provide the user with a pre-formatted ready-to-use resume.

JobScout’s One Stop Job Shop

JobScout’s One Stop Job Shop breaks the job application process down into four easy steps that the user can manage directly from the JobScout platform. Icons guide users through the steps necessary to send an application to an employer. From reviewing the job posting to finding a contact email address, sending a resume with a custom preformatted cover email and scheduling an interview, users can do it all directly from JobScout.

Job Search Function Powered by Simply Hired

The top of the user’s MyJobScout page also features a job search function powered by Simply Hired. JobScout users can search Simply Hired’s website for jobs by keyword and location. The first three results matching the user’s search will appear at the top of the MyJobScout page. Users can click the Indeed link at the bottom of the list of results on the MyJobScout page to see the rest of the results that match their search.

Social Network

JobScout’s Social Network allows users to connect with each other directly on the site. On the Social Network, users can set up a profile and connect with other users about their job search. Imagine two JobScout users sitting at opposite ends of a library or classroom connecting about a common challenge they are facing with their job search on JobScout. During their interaction, these users discover that they are both in the same place and begin to connect offline trading tips and providing each other with support. This feature can be opted out of by the user.

How Do I Give Feedback or Report a Problem on JobScout?

JobScout’s partners serve as a hub for users to experience the platform. They are also a great place for the JobScout team to get feedback about the site. Our team will be working on updates for JobScout. As your organizations use the site, we want to know what you think. To send us feedback or report any bugs you may experience with the site, please use the Report a Problem button. The Report a Problem button can be found at the bottom of each page on the JobScout website.

Those questions that come up frequently will be featured on JobScout’s FAQ page. A link to JobScout’s FAQ page can be found at the bottom of every page on the JobScout website.

Is There Support Available for JobScout?

Customer Support

The team at JobScout wants to ensure that JobScout customers are supported. JobScout’s Director of Marketing and Platform Satisfaction, Josh Bradley, is available to support you as your organization uses JobScout. Josh monitors user feedback and problems through the Report a Problem function and through the social network.

In addition to addressing feedback and customer support, Josh will be getting the word out about JobScout. If you have questions about community outreach, or if you would like to organize a JobScout event in your community, you can contact the JobScout team at support@discovertrail.com.

Resources

Organizations working with JobScout will be provided with a variety of resources to help them get started on the platform and spread the word in their communities. JobScout’s COMPASS system will play host to user guides, videos, high quality image files of the JobScout logo and lots of other resources to get you and your staff started. COMPASS also houses JobScout’s data analytics system, providing you the useful information you need and metrics for your users that you can take action on.

In addition, each JobScout organization will receive a “buzz kit.” Buzz kits include posters, fliers, stickers, postcards and other fun stuff for organizations to hang, display and pass out to potential JobScout users. Buzz kit materials will are available for download within the COMPASS system.