Career Support Services
Professional development resources specifically for King County employees
King County’s goal to become the best-run government in the nation can only happen through developing our most essential asset – YOU.
Career Support Services (CSS) provides a variety of virtual career development workshops, along with online resources, to support you in achieving your career goals so you can do the great work we know you want to do.
CSS can customize our online workshops to assist departments with their unique employee career development efforts and to support their employees during times of layoffs.
Contact CSS at CareerSupportServices@kingcounty.gov.
Virtual Trainings
Ongoing, online learning experiences
CSS offers open enrollment virtual trainings on a variety of career related topics.
CSS workshops are only available to King County employees, including those facing layoff, and current participants of King County's Priority Placement Program.
Descriptions of our online trainings along with dates and registration links can be found below. Trainings are delivered using Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Please note, the link, password and training handouts will be emailed to participants one day prior to the training date.
This virtual workshop will provide you tips and strategies on how to make your application materials stand out.
View dates and register here. Learning objectives include:
- Understanding the purpose of the job application, resume, cover letter and supplemental questions and how to make each of them more effective
- Deciding what to include in your resume and the best format to showcase your qualifications
- How to write a cover letter tailored to the specific position
- Identifying and communicating your transferable skills
- Identifying and showcasing your accomplishments
This eLearning will provide you with strategies and tips to help you to do your best during the interview.
You can enroll here. Learning objectives include:
- How to prepare for a virtual or in-person job interview
- The interview structure and types of questions you will be asked
- The STAR-LA method and how to use it to provide organized and complete responses
- General tips and strategies
This 60-minute, virtual, small group workshop is designed to provide mock interview practice, feedback, and an opportunity to learn from one another in how to apply the STAR-LA method to different types of interview questions. This workshop is for participants who have attended a Career Support Services' Strategic Interviewing Tips and Techniques workshop or completed the one-hour, self-paced eLearning course. This online workshop is limited to a maximum of 10 participants.
Employee Career Resources
Listed below are documents, useful links and online tools to help you develop your career in public service.
- Application Materials - Purpose & Tips (PDF)
- Application Form – Check List & Examples (PDF)
- Resume Template & Checklist (PDF)
- Resume Components & Best Practices (PDF)
- PAR (Problem-Action-Result) Accomplishments & Examples (PDF)
- Action Verbs for Resume (PDF)
- Sample Resumes
- Cover Letter Template and Tips (PDF)
- Sample Cover Letters
When you begin a journey to grow and develop your career, creating an Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a tool you can use to help strategize and chart a path to your desired destination.
When undertaking your career development journey, don’t go it alone - ask for input and support from those who know you. Consider talking with your supervisor, manager, mentor, or some other person whose input you value, to ask for ideas, feedback, and support. Their input and support could help you to create a more robust IDP and positively affect your ability to achieve your career goals. Below are resources to help you take charge of your career growth.
IDP Resources
Below are a few websites to help you find training.
- Career One-Stop Training Locator – Search locally for training by occupation, school, or program. You can also search for certifications; apprenticeships; and free adult basic education programs to improve your reading, math and writing skills. Site also supplies information around paying for training, financial aid, fields that are in demand and more.
- My Next Move – Allows you to search for careers with key words, browse careers by industry and can even ask you questions to help point you in the right direction. As you explore different career occupations, there are links at the bottom of each occupation description to help you find related training, certifications, licenses, and apprenticeships.
- Washington State Career Bridge – The site lets you explore careers, view job trends, find education and resources to pay for school.
- Apprenticeships - Search open apprenticeship job opportunities from employers across the country and directly apply with the employer of the apprenticeship program.
- Use Transferable Skills to Pivot Your Career (PDF)
- Networking & Information Interviewing (PDF)
- King County job titles and summary descriptions – Comprehensive description of the general duties, responsibilities and required knowledge and skills for all of King County’s job classifications.
- King County Current pay rates – Link to the current pay rates for each King County job classification.
- O'NET online and My Next Move are interactive applications for exploring and searching hundreds of occupations.
- Self-Assessment Tools – Understanding your transferable skills, what interests you and what you value in a work environment helps you to find a career that is engaging and rewarding to you. Here are links to some free assessment tools.
- WorkSource Seattle-King County Offers a variety of job seeker services and resources. Career Coach, created by the Workforce Development Council and WorkSource, provides the most current local data on wages, employment, job postings, and associated education and training.
- Career One Stop – Website providing comprehensive career exploration, training and job search resources, toolkits and links to local service providers.
- Live Career – Another website providing comprehensive job-search resources, services, and up-to-date advice from job search and career experts. Site includes many resume and cover letter examples and templates.
- LinkedIn hosts more than 600 million professional profiles and provides a nearly unlimited ability to network, research companies, keep track of your contacts, receive alerts to new job opportunities, establish credibility in your field, and maintain your personal brand. Almost 90% of recruiters use the platform to locate and learn more about job candidates.
View our development opportunities to help you advance your career at King County:
- Administrative Professionals Program: Administrative professionals serve in crucial roles in every King County agency. This program is a platform for administrative professionals to collaborate, network and learn from one another, to develop skills, grow their career, and build the community everyone depends on.
- King County Affinity Groups: These groups are a great opportunity to enhance your professional growth, become part of a community, and support King County’s equity and social justice priorities.
- KC e-Learning: Over 1,000 online learning courses to help you reach your personal and professional goals. Check out the Selling You, Career Enhancement, 10 Things Not to Do in An Interview, Becoming an Asset series of courses.
- Mentorship Program: Provides employees with the opportunity to develop beneficial partnerships that encourages professional and personal development in powerful ways. Being a mentor can improve an individual’s coaching skills, build influence and contribute to the success of the County.