Mandatory RESEA appointment with EDD - what happens if I already have job prospects?

RESEA (Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment) appointments are randomly selected - it's not that they specifically think you need help. It's mandatory though, and yes, missing it could jeopardize your benefits. The appointment typically lasts about an hour. They'll verify your eligibility, review your work search activities, help develop an employment plan, and refer you to reemployment services. Since you're already actively interviewing, just bring documentation of your job search efforts. Let them know about your upcoming interviews - they'll be happy to hear it. You absolutely need to attend even if you have job prospects. Consider it just another box to check in the unemployment process.

I had one of these RESEA things back in January. Such a waste of 45 minutes honestly. The EDD person just went through a checklist and asked about my job search. They wanted to see that I was applying to jobs and following up. Bring notes about where you've applied, when, and any follow-ups. Take screenshots of confirmation emails from applications if you have them. They'll probably ask about your resume too, so have that ready to share on Zoom. The most annoying part was they made me register with CalJOBS even though I was already using LinkedIn and Indeed. Just go with it and do what they ask - not worth losing benefits over.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIDICULOUS!! I got selected for RESEA after only 2 weeks on unemployment!!! Had THREE interviews scheduled already but they still made me waste my time with their pointless meeting. The woman kept trying to tell me about resume formatting when I WORKED IN HR FOR 6 YEARS!!! These EDD people just check boxes and don't care about your actual situation. Just another way they make it difficult to get the benefits WE PAID INTO!!!

I went through a RESEA appointment about two months ago. Here's what to expect: 1. They'll verify your identity at the start of the Zoom 2. Review your work search efforts (have dates/companies ready) 3. They'll ask about any barriers to employment you might have 4. They'll likely assign you to register with CalJOBS if you haven't already 5. You might get information on workshops or training opportunities The whole thing took about 50 minutes for me. Be prepared to answer questions about what kind of jobs you're looking for, salary expectations, and your availability. They might ask if you've turned down any work too. Just be honest about your interviews and prospects. They're actually happy when people are actively job searching - makes their job easier!

Has anyone tried calling EDD to reschedule these RESEA appointments? I got a notice too but the time conflicts with an actual job interview I already had scheduled!

i fogrot to add - make sure ur in a quiet place for the zoom call with good internet!!! my connection kept dropping during my RESEA and the lady got annoyed and made me reschedule the whole thing which delayed my payments!! also wear something decent even tho its just zoom, they notice that stuff

Just to add some clarification on the RESEA program: it's federally mandated and states are required to conduct these assessments for a percentage of UI claimants. The selection is partly random and partly based on various factors that might indicate a claimant could benefit from early intervention services. If you're selected, attendance is mandatory to maintain your eligibility for benefits. The purpose is two-fold: to ensure you're meeting eligibility requirements and to provide reemployment assistance. For your upcoming appointment, I recommend having these ready: 1. Your resume (digital version you can share) 2. List of jobs you've applied for (dates, company names, positions) 3. Documentation of interviews or follow-ups 4. Any questions you have about job search resources Since you already have interviews lined up, this will likely be a straightforward appointment. They'll probably be pleased to see you're actively pursuing employment opportunities.

i had 2 go to one of these last year & it wasn't that bad tbh. lady was actually nice & just wanted 2 make sure i was looking 4 work. showed her my indeed account with all my applications & she was happy. whole thing took like 30 mins. don't stress 2 much!

I just went through a RESEA appointment last week and wanted to share some tips that helped me prepare! Since you already have interviews lined up, you're in a great position. Here's what I did to make it go smoothly: - Created a simple spreadsheet with job applications (company, position, date applied, status) - Had my resume saved as a PDF ready to share - Prepared a brief summary of my job search strategy - Made sure I had a quiet space with reliable internet The representative was actually impressed that I was so organized and that I had active interviews. She said it made her job easier when claimants are already actively searching. The whole appointment took about 40 minutes and felt more like a check-in than an interrogation. One thing I wasn't expecting - they asked about my salary expectations and if I was open to jobs slightly outside my field. Since you're interviewing for 3 positions, you'll probably breeze through these questions. Don't worry too much about it! Sounds like you're doing everything right with your job search already.

I had my RESEA appointment about 6 weeks ago and was in a similar situation - had been unemployed for just 3 weeks and already had several interviews lined up. I was worried it would be a waste of time, but it actually went pretty smoothly! The representative was really encouraging when I told her about my active interviews. She said they love seeing people who are already proactive about their job search. We spent most of the time going over my application tracking (I kept a simple list in a notebook) and she gave me a few additional resources I hadn't heard of. One unexpected benefit - she helped me think through some interview questions I might get asked, which actually came in handy for my next interview! The whole thing took about 45 minutes and wasn't nearly as intimidating as I'd built it up to be in my head. Just bring documentation of your job search efforts and be honest about your interviews. They're rooting for you to find work quickly! Good luck with those second interviews - sounds like you're doing great already.

I had my RESEA appointment about 3 months ago and was in a similar boat - already had several interviews lined up but still had to go through with it. The good news is that when you're already actively job searching like you are, these appointments are pretty straightforward! A few things that helped me: - I made a simple document listing all my applications with dates, company names, and current status - Had my resume ready to share if needed - Prepared a brief overview of my job search strategy and target companies The representative was actually really positive when I explained my active interviews. She said it's refreshing when people are already being proactive. We spent most of the time reviewing my search activities and she provided some additional job board resources I hadn't tried yet. One tip: they might ask about your availability and whether you'd be open to temporary work while waiting to hear back from your interviews. Just be honest about your situation and timeline. The whole thing took about 50 minutes and wasn't nearly as bureaucratic as I expected. Since you're already interviewing with 3 companies, you'll probably have one of the easier appointments. Good luck with your interviews!

I just had my RESEA appointment last month and was in almost the exact same situation as you! I'd only been unemployed for about 5 weeks and already had multiple interviews scheduled when I got the notice. The appointment ended up being much more straightforward than I worried about. Since you're already actively interviewing, here's what worked for me: - Keep a simple log of where you've applied (company, position, date, any follow-up) - Have your resume ready as a PDF you can easily share - Be prepared to talk about your interview timeline and what types of roles you're targeting The representative was actually really pleased to hear about my active interviews and said it made the process much smoother. We spent most of the time just verifying my job search activities and she provided a few additional resources. One thing I wasn't expecting - they asked if I was open to part-time or contract work while waiting to hear back from interviews. Just something to think about beforehand. The whole thing took about 40 minutes and honestly felt more like a supportive check-in than an interrogation. Since you're already doing everything right with your job search, I think you'll find it pretty painless. Best of luck with those interviews - sounds like you'll be back to work soon anyway!

I had my RESEA appointment about 2 months ago when I was in a very similar situation - unemployed for only about 6 weeks but already had several promising interviews lined up. I was honestly dreading it and thought it would be a complete waste of time, but it turned out to be much more manageable than I expected! The key things that helped me prepare: - I created a simple spreadsheet tracking all my job applications (company name, position, date applied, current status) - Had my updated resume ready as a PDF to share if needed - Made notes about my job search strategy and target industries - Prepared to discuss my interview timeline and prospects The representative was actually really encouraging when I explained my active interviews. She said it's always great to see claimants who are already being proactive about their job search. We spent about 45 minutes going through my application tracking, discussing my search strategy, and she provided some additional resources I hadn't considered. One thing I found helpful - she actually gave me some tips for following up after interviews, which came in handy for my next round. It felt more like a supportive consultation than an interrogation. Since you already have 3 interviews going and especially a second interview scheduled, I think you'll breeze through this. The fact that you're actively interviewing shows you're doing exactly what they want to see. Just be honest about your progress and bring documentation of your efforts. Good luck with those interviews! END POST Comment FORMAT

I just had my RESEA appointment two weeks ago and was in almost the exact same position as you - only unemployed for about a month with several active interviews! I was really nervous about it beforehand, but honestly it ended up being pretty straightforward. Here's what helped me get through it smoothly: - I put together a simple list of all my job applications with company names, positions, dates, and status - Had my resume saved and ready to share on screen if they asked - Prepared a quick summary of my job search approach and target roles The representative was actually really positive when I told her about my ongoing interviews. She said it's always encouraging to see people who are already taking initiative with their job search. We spent about 50 minutes going through my application history and she gave me a few additional job search resources I hadn't heard of. One unexpected thing - she asked if I was open to temporary or contract positions while waiting to hear back from my interviews. Just something to think about ahead of time. The whole experience was way less intimidating than I built it up to be in my head. Since you already have 3 interviews going including a second round, I think yours will go really smoothly. They want to see that you're actively looking for work, and you clearly are! Just bring your documentation and be honest about your progress. Good luck with those interviews - sounds like you'll probably be employed again soon anyway!

I had my RESEA appointment about 6 months ago and was in a very similar situation - only been unemployed for 3 weeks and already had multiple interviews scheduled when I got the notice. I was really anxious about it, but it turned out to be much less stressful than I expected! Here's what I wish I had known going in: - The appointment is really just a checkbox they need to check - they're not trying to trip you up - Having documentation of your job search efforts makes everything go faster - They actually seemed pleased when I told them about my active interviews I kept a simple notebook with company names, dates I applied, and any follow-ups. The representative spent most of the time just verifying I was actually looking for work (which you clearly are!) and gave me some additional resources. One thing that surprised me - she asked about my salary expectations and if I'd consider jobs slightly outside my usual field while waiting for my top choices. Just be prepared for that question. The whole thing took about 45 minutes and honestly felt more like a supportive check-in than an interrogation. Since you already have a second interview lined up, you're in great shape! They want to see people succeed and get back to work quickly. Don't stress about it too much - sounds like you're doing everything right and will probably land one of those jobs soon anyway. Good luck with your interviews!

I went through a RESEA appointment about 3 months ago when I was in a really similar situation - only been unemployed for about 5 weeks but already had several promising interviews lined up. I was honestly dreading it and thought it would be a huge waste of time, but it actually went much better than expected! The representative was really encouraging when I explained my active interview process. She said it's always great to see claimants who are already being proactive with their job search. The whole appointment took about 45 minutes and felt more like a supportive consultation than an interrogation. Here's what helped me prepare: - Made a simple document listing all my applications (company, position, date applied, current status) - Had my resume ready as a PDF to share if needed - Prepared a brief overview of my job search strategy One thing that surprised me - they asked about my willingness to consider temporary work while waiting to hear back from interviews. Just something to think about ahead of time. Since you already have 3 active interviews including a second round, I think you'll have one of the smoother appointments. They want to see that you're actively looking for work, and you clearly are! Just bring documentation of your efforts and be honest about your progress. Good luck with those interviews - sounds like you'll be back to work soon anyway!

I just had my RESEA appointment last week and was in almost exactly your situation! I'd only been unemployed for about 3 weeks when I got selected, and I already had 4 interviews scheduled including one final round. I was so frustrated at first thinking "why do they think I need help when I'm clearly already finding opportunities?" But honestly, the appointment was way less painful than I expected. The representative was actually really impressed that I was being so proactive with my job search. We spent about 40 minutes going through my application tracking, and she even gave me some good tips for salary negotiation that I ended up using in my final interview! Here's what I'd recommend having ready: - A list of everywhere you've applied with dates and current status - Your resume saved as a PDF - Be prepared to talk about your target salary range and ideal role The fact that you have a second interview already scheduled will definitely work in your favor. They love seeing people who are already making progress. Just think of it as another box to check off rather than them questioning your job search abilities. One heads up - they might ask if you'd be open to temp work while waiting to hear back from your top choices. I just explained my timeline with the current interviews and she was totally understanding. You've got this! Sounds like you'll probably have a job offer before long anyway. Good luck with that second interview!

I just went through my RESEA appointment yesterday and wanted to share my experience since I was in a very similar situation! I'd been unemployed for only 2 weeks when I got selected, and I already had interviews lined up with two companies plus a networking meeting scheduled. I was honestly pretty annoyed at first - like why are they making me do this when I'm clearly already on top of my job search? But the appointment ended up being totally fine and way less bureaucratic than I expected. The representative was actually really positive when I explained my active interviews. She said "This is exactly what we like to see - you're already doing everything right!" We spent about 35 minutes going through my job search activities, and she gave me a couple additional resources I hadn't heard of. Here's what I brought that made it go smoothly: - Simple spreadsheet with company names, positions, dates applied, and status - My updated resume ready to share - Notes about my target roles and search strategy One thing I wasn't prepared for - she asked about my openness to relocating and whether I'd consider contract positions. Just something to think about beforehand. Since you already have that second interview lined up, you're in an even better position than I was! The whole thing really is just a formality when you're already actively interviewing. Don't stress about it - you'll probably be employed again before you know it anyway!

I had my RESEA appointment about 4 weeks ago and was in almost exactly your situation - only unemployed for 3 weeks with multiple interviews already scheduled! I was really stressed about it beforehand, thinking it would be a waste of time when I was already making good progress on my own. The appointment actually went really smoothly though. The representative was genuinely pleased when I told her about my active interviews and said it made her job much easier when people are already being proactive. We spent about 45 minutes going through my job search documentation and she even provided some helpful resources I hadn't found yet. Here's what I'd recommend having ready: - A organized list of your applications with company names, positions, dates, and current status - Your resume as a PDF ready to share if needed - Be prepared to discuss your salary expectations and target timeline Since you already have 3 interviews going including a second round, you're in great shape! They really just want to verify you're actively looking for work, which you clearly are. The whole thing felt more like a supportive check-in than an interrogation. Don't stress too much about it - sounds like you'll probably land one of those positions soon anyway. Just think of it as another unemployment requirement to check off while you're waiting to hear back from your interviews!

I had my RESEA appointment about 2 months ago and was in a very similar situation - only been unemployed for about 6 weeks but already had several interviews in progress. I was really nervous about it at first, thinking it would be a complete waste of time when I was already actively job searching. The appointment ended up being much more straightforward than I expected! The representative was actually really encouraging when I explained my interview pipeline. She said it's always great to see claimants who are taking initiative with their job search before being prompted. Here's what helped me prepare: - Created a simple document listing all my applications (company, position, date applied, current status) - Had my resume ready as a PDF to share if requested - Prepared talking points about my job search strategy and target roles The whole thing took about 50 minutes and felt more like a progress check-in than an interrogation. Since you already have 3 active interviews including a second round, you're in an excellent position! They really just want to verify you're meeting the work search requirements, which you clearly are. One thing I wasn't expecting - she asked about my flexibility regarding work schedule and whether I'd consider remote vs. in-person roles while waiting to hear back from my top choices. Just something to think about beforehand. Don't stress about it too much - with your current interview activity, this should be pretty painless. Good luck with that second interview!

I just had my RESEA appointment two weeks ago and was in almost the exact same situation as you! I'd only been unemployed for about 5 weeks when I got selected, and I already had multiple interviews scheduled including one final round interview. I was really frustrated at first thinking "why are they making me do this when I'm clearly already being proactive?" But honestly, the appointment was way less stressful than I built it up to be in my head. Here's what helped me get through it smoothly: - I organized all my job applications into a simple spreadsheet (company name, position, date applied, current status) - Had my resume ready as a PDF to share on Zoom if they asked - Prepared a brief summary of my job search approach and timeline The representative was actually really positive when I explained my active interviews. She said it's refreshing to see people who are already taking initiative rather than waiting to be told what to do. We spent about 40 minutes going through my application tracking and she gave me some additional job board resources I hadn't tried yet. One thing I wasn't prepared for - they asked about my salary expectations and whether I'd be open to temporary positions while waiting to hear back from my top choice interviews. Just something to think about ahead of time. Since you already have 3 interviews going including that second round, you're in a really strong position! The fact that you're actively interviewing will definitely work in your favor. Just bring your documentation and be honest about your progress - they genuinely want to see you succeed and get back to work quickly. Don't stress too much about it. With your current interview activity, this will probably be one of the easier appointments they have to conduct!