Got a mandatory RESEA meeting scheduled with NY unemployment tomorrow - what should I expect?

Had mine last month. It was actually only about 45 minutes. They went through my work search log, asked some questions about what kinds of jobs I was looking for, then gave me some resources for job hunting. Nothing scary. Just make sure you have your work search records ready and be honest about your job search efforts. They're mostly making sure you're actually looking.

After getting nowhere with normal phone calls, I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an actual person at unemployment within hours. They helped me understand all these RESEA requirements and fixed an issue with my account. Talking to a real agent got my payments going again after weeks of nothing. This video explains how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Just had mine 2 weeks ago. Bring ALL your work search records - they will check! Also have your resume ready to review. The lady I spoke with was actually really nice and gave me good feedback on my resume. Just be prepared to answer questions about your job search effort and what type of work you're looking for.

these resea things r bs. literally just a way for them to try and catch people and cut off benefits. make sure ur work search stuff is on point cause thats what theyre REALLY looking at not actually tryna help u lmaooo

I went through this last summer. Here's what happens: - They'll verify your identity at the beginning - They review ALL your work search activities (have documentation ready!) - They'll ask about your skills and work history - They'll look at your resume and give feedback (actually helpful) - They might refer you to job training programs if you're interested - They'll help you create a "reemployment plan" which is just a formal way of saying what kinds of jobs you'll look for The most important thing is being able to document your work search activities. Have dates, company names, positions, and how you applied. They can and will verify these. If you can't get through to them with questions before your meeting, try claimyr.com - it's a service that helps you get through to an actual unemployment agent. Saved me hours of waiting on hold. Overall, treat it like a professional meeting. Be prepared, honest about your job search, and you'll be fine.

My RESEA meeting was such a joke. Lady spent 10 minutes telling me how to use indeed like I haven't been job hunting for months. Complete waste of time but you gotta do it or they'll cut your benefits 🙄

I missed my RESEA call because the number came through as spam and my phone blocked it automatically 😭 had to reschedule and almost lost benefits. MAKE SURE YOU ANSWER when they call from that 888 number!!!

They'll probably make you sign up for the jobs website thingy (JobZone I think???) if you haven't already. Have your resume ready in a digital format so you can upload it during the meeting. Makes things go faster.

anyone else think its CRAZY they expect us to be available with almost no notice? i got my RESEA notice like 2 days before the appointment. what if i had something important scheduled already??

Hot tip: SCREENSHOT EVERYTHING related to your job search. Applications, confirmations, rejection emails, indeed activities, linkedin stuff - everything! I had screenshots ready on my computer and the lady was impressed that I was so prepared.

Does anyone know if they record these meetings? I'm weirdly nervous about being on camera lol 🙈

My RESEA meeting got me a free certification program I wouldn't have known about otherwise. So while it seems like a hassle, there can be some good that comes out of it. Just go in with an open mind.

If your NY unemployment RESEA meeting is anything like mine, it'll be 20% helpful information and 80% them reminding you they can audit your work search at any time lol. just bring all your records and u'll be fine. don't stress.

Question - do they make you sign anything after the meeting? I've heard they make you agree to certain job search requirements?

Just want to say thanks to everyone who shared their experiences! I'm feeling a lot less anxious about tomorrow now. Sounds like as long as I have my work search records organized and my resume ready, it should go smoothly. I've been keeping everything in a spreadsheet with dates, company names, and positions I applied for, so hopefully that's sufficient. Really appreciate this community for helping each other navigate this stuff! 🙏

Had my RESEA meeting about 6 weeks ago - honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! The counselor was pretty understanding and actually gave me some useful tips about tailoring my resume for different industries. The whole thing took about an hour. One thing I wish someone had told me beforehand: they might ask you to share your screen to show them your resume or job search activities, so make sure you have everything easily accessible on your computer. Also, don't be surprised if they ask about your LinkedIn profile - mine wanted to see how I was using it for networking. The "reemployment plan" they create with you is really just a formalized version of what you should already be doing, so nothing scary there. Good luck tomorrow!

I just had my RESEA meeting last week and wanted to share some tips! The counselor was actually really nice and it ended up being more helpful than I expected. Here's what I learned: 1. Have your work search log ready - I used a simple Excel sheet with dates, company names, job titles, and application method 2. Your resume should be saved as a PDF on your desktop (they asked me to email it during the call) 3. They asked about my career goals and what salary range I was targeting 4. Be ready to discuss any skills gaps or training you might need The whole thing took about 50 minutes and she actually connected me with a local workforce development program that offers free certifications. Don't stress too much - as long as you're genuinely looking for work and can show your efforts, you'll be fine! One last tip: if you need to reach unemployment before your meeting for any questions, I second what others said about trying claimyr.com - it really does work and saves hours of hold time.

Just wanted to add my experience from when I had my RESEA meeting about a month ago! I was super nervous too but it ended up being pretty straightforward. The counselor walked me through updating my NY.gov job seeker profile and showed me some job search resources I didn't know existed. One thing that helped me was having my work search activities printed out as a backup - even though it was a phone call, I felt more confident having everything in front of me on paper. They asked me to describe about 5-6 of my recent job applications in detail (what the job was, where I found it, when I applied). The counselor also asked if I was open to remote work or willing to commute to certain areas, so be ready to discuss your geographic flexibility. Overall it was way less intimidating than I built it up to be in my head. You've got this! Also echoing what others said about that claimyr service - used it myself when I had payment issues and it actually works. Worth it if you need to talk to someone at DOL quickly.

I had my RESEA meeting about 2 months ago and honestly, it wasn't nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be! The counselor was actually pretty helpful and understanding. Here's what happened in mine: - Started with basic identity verification and confirming my contact info - Went through my work search activities (I had them in a Google doc which worked fine) - She reviewed my resume and gave some good feedback about keywords to include - Asked about what types of jobs I was targeting and my salary expectations - Showed me some job search websites I hadn't heard of before - Set up access to some free online training courses The whole thing took about an hour. The most important thing is just being honest about your job search efforts and having your records organized. They're not trying to trick you - they genuinely want to help you find work (and get off unemployment). My advice: have your work search log ready, be prepared to talk about 4-5 specific job applications in detail, and don't stress too much. As long as you're actually looking for work, you'll be fine. Good luck with yours tomorrow!

Just wanted to jump in as someone who's been through the RESEA process twice now (once in NY and once when I moved to another state). The NY one was actually much smoother than I expected! A few things that really helped me prepare: - I organized all my job applications in a simple table with columns for date, company, position, where I found it, and application status - Had my resume saved in multiple formats (PDF, Word doc) just in case they needed a specific one - Made a list of questions about local job resources since they actually do have access to programs most of us don't know about The counselor I got was genuinely helpful - she pointed me toward a local networking group for my industry that I never would have found on my own. The whole "90 minutes" thing seems to be their maximum estimate, but mine was closer to 55 minutes. One thing I didn't see mentioned yet: they might ask about any barriers you're facing in your job search (transportation, childcare, skills gaps, etc.). Don't be afraid to be honest about these - they often have resources or referrals that can help. You're going to do great! The fact that you're preparing ahead of time shows you're taking it seriously, which is really all they want to see. Let us know how it goes! 😊

I had my RESEA meeting about 3 weeks ago and wanted to share my experience to help ease your nerves! The whole thing was way less stressful than I anticipated. My counselor was really professional and actually seemed genuinely interested in helping me succeed. Here's how mine went: - Started with confirming my identity and basic info (about 5 mins) - Reviewed my work search activities - I had everything in a spreadsheet which she loved - She looked at my resume and gave really good suggestions for improvement - Asked about my career goals and what salary range I was hoping for - Discussed any challenges I was facing in my job search - She actually referred me to a free resume workshop and a local job fair I didn't know about The whole call lasted about 65 minutes. The key things that seemed to matter most: having organized records of your job search, being honest about your efforts, and showing you're genuinely trying to find work. Pro tip: They have access to way more resources than you'd expect! Don't hesitate to ask about training programs, networking events, or industry-specific job boards. My counselor knew about opportunities in my field that I never would have found on my own. You've got this! Just be prepared and honest, and you might actually walk away with some genuinely helpful resources. Good luck tomorrow! 🍀

I just had my RESEA meeting yesterday and wanted to share my experience while it's still fresh! I was super nervous like you but it ended up being totally fine and actually pretty helpful. My counselor was really nice and professional. The call lasted about 55 minutes and here's what we covered: - Quick identity verification at the start - Went through my work search log (I had it in Excel which worked great) - She reviewed my resume and gave some solid feedback about tailoring it better for different job types - Asked about my career goals, salary expectations, and if I was open to remote work - Discussed any obstacles I was facing in my job search - She actually enrolled me in their job matching service and sent me info about a virtual job fair next week The most important thing is having your work search records organized - dates, company names, positions, how you applied. They'll ask you to describe several recent applications in detail so make sure you can talk about at least 5-6 specific ones. Honestly, don't stress too much about it. As long as you're genuinely looking for work and can show your efforts, they're actually there to help you succeed. Mine felt more like a career counseling session than an interrogation. You'll do great! Let us know how it goes 👍

Just wanted to add my experience from last month! I was terrified beforehand but it ended up being way more helpful than expected. My counselor actually spent time reviewing my LinkedIn profile with me and suggested some industry groups to join that I never knew existed. One thing I didn't see mentioned - they might ask about your willingness to relocate or take temporary/contract work, so think about your answers to those beforehand. Also, if you've had any interviews (even if they didn't work out), be ready to talk about them and what you learned. The biggest surprise was that she actually helped me identify some skills gaps and recommended a free online certification program that's now helping me stand out to employers. Definitely go in with an open mind - they really do want to help you succeed, not just check boxes. Your spreadsheet of job search activities sounds perfect. Just make sure you can easily talk through the details of your most recent applications. You've got this! 💪

I had my RESEA meeting about 6 weeks ago and can definitely echo what everyone else is saying - it's really not as scary as it seems! The counselor I got was actually super knowledgeable and helped me realize I was underselling myself in my applications. A couple things that helped me feel more prepared: - I printed out a summary sheet with all my job search activities from the past month (even though it was a phone call, having it in front of me made me feel more confident) - I had my computer open with my resume and a few job postings I'd applied to recently in case I needed to reference them - I wrote down a few questions about local resources beforehand so I wouldn't forget to ask The whole thing took about an hour and she actually signed me up for some job alerts that match my skills way better than what I was finding on my own. She also gave me feedback on my resume that I'm still using today. One tip: if they ask about your long-term career goals, have an answer ready! Mine spent about 10 minutes talking through different career paths in my field that I hadn't even considered. You're going to do great tomorrow! Just remember they want to see you succeed and get back to work. Good luck! 🤞