Opportunity/Oportunidad
December is a Good Month to Apply for a Job
inding a job, or switching to a F second career, can be a challenge. Most people on
INDUCTED TO THE BGC ALUMNI HALL OF FAME: The Lubbock Boys & Girls Club held its 16th Annual Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner inducting Alvin Chatman, Ted Phea Club; Mario Picon, Optimist Club; Perry Tipton, Downtown ABC Club. In addition, Chris Smith received the Vernon Jackson Award for serving as BGC staff! Congratulations from Latino Lubbock Magazine!
Get vaccinated! ¡Vacunarse!
the job market know you have to look for every little opportunity to get your foot in the door — and sometimes timing is everything. December, for example, appears to be a good month to apply for new positions for a variety of reasons. Some potential applicants are too busy: Now is your chance to outsmart the competition by just applying! We all know how hectic the holiday season can get, and many people put their job hunt on the back burner. This decreases the applicant pool and can work in your favor. Employer Budgets: Typically Dec. 31 means the end of the fiscal year for employers, so they may be rushing to fill positions that they have in their budget. Managers don’t want to risk their boss eliminating a position because
it’s been unfilled for so long. On the flip side, Jan. 1 means a new budget year for many employers, so they may be looking to hire for new positions that are funded at the start of the year. Yes, some may argue that managers aren’t hiring in December because they’re out of the office using up their vacation days — but not e v e r y manager! Recruiters have goals to meet: Just like everyday workers, recruiters have yearly performance reviews and goals. They may be taking a fresh look at applicants in an effort to get them in front of a manager before or after the first of the year. So, while family time is important during the holiday season, you might also just want to set aside time for you — to apply for jobs. After all, studies have found job satisfaction has an impact on your family life.
Gift Card Scams on the Rise
veryone loves the conveE nience of gift cards, including con artists. Scammers have
now turned to gift cards as a form of payment for their scams. According to the AARP website, 1 in 3 adults says they or someone they know had been asked to buy a gift card to pay a bill or some other fee to get a prize. AARP lists a few statistics about gift card scammers: • The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says anyone who asks for payment with a gift card is a scammer. • 45% of adults in an AARP survey did not know that gift card requests were scams. • The FTC tells US customers have lost at least $245 million to gift card scams since 2018. The AARP also gives signs to watch out for: 1. You’re directed to buy one or more gift cards — often referred
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to as “electronic vouchers” — as a quick means of making payment. 2. You’re told to share the numbers on the back of the gift cards by reading them off or sending a picture. 3. The request comes from someone you wouldn’t expect to ask for money this way: · A Social Security warning of a problem with your account · A utility company warning of an imminent shutoff · A lottery company promising a big prize — once you pay some fees upfront · A grandchild needs bail or facing another financial emergency. Stay vigilant and watch out for these signs to protect yourself. Visit the AARP website for more information or call the AARP fraud watch network helpline at (877) 908-3360 for help.
Latino Lubbock Magazine is Hispanic Owned & Operated
Professional Development FREE GED TEST P R E PA R AT I O N CLASSES. Need to study to pass the GED? Literacy Lubbock offers free, flexible, and casual prep classes at various times to fit in with your busy schedule. Call us at 806-7753636 for more information or register for Free classes at www.literacylubbock.org. FREE GED AND ESL CLASSES for Lubbock and the surrounding area offered by Adult Education Center. We accept new students on a bimonthly basis. You must be at least 17 years old and not enrolled in public school to be eligible for the classes. For more info call 806-2815750. Open Mon. thru Fri. from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. BASIC ENGLISH CLASS – Clase de Inglés – aprender Inglés básico, 3211 58th Street, (east of Indiana) Lubbock. Horas: Cada Miércoles a las 7:30-8:30 de la noche. 806-239-5352 GRATIS!! CHILD CARE AVAILABLE FOR INCOME-ELIGIBLE FAMILIES Families who are income eligible may receive fee assistance to attend one of the Early Learning Center’s five centers for child care. Parents or caretakers must be employed or in school. The program is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (806) 765-9981 for more information. CLASES DE INGLÉS COMO SEGUNDA IDIOMA La Literacia de Lubbock (Literacy Lubbock) ofrecen clases gratis de inglés como segundo idioma (English as Second Language) para la comunidad. Todos los adultos están bienvenido en estas clases. Para más información, llame a (806) 775-3636. FREE CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The Caprock Regional Public Defender Office offers free legal representation to 13 surrounding West Texas Counties. The office handles Felony, Misdemeanor and Juvenile cases for citizens that cannot afford to hire a criminal defense lawyer. Call (806) 742-4312 to see if your county qualifies for this service. IMMIGRATION SERVICES If you need help with immigration issues call 806-741-0409. SERVICIOS DE INMIGRACIÓN Si necesitan ayuda con asuntos de inmigración llame a este numero (806) 7410409. REFERRAL FOR QUALITY CHILD CARE in Lubbock by the South Plains Day Home Association helps parents with free referrals to licensed or registered day care facilities that are routinely monitored by the Texas Department and Protective Services. Call 796-0606 or 792-1847 for more information.
