PA UC RESEA program selection - what to expect at the web meeting?

I went through RESEA back in February. It's not as scary as it sounds! The web meeting is basically a one-on-one with a career counselor who reviews your job search efforts and helps you create an employment plan. Have these things ready: 1. List of at least 6 recent work search activities with details 2. Your updated resume 3. Any job rejection letters or application confirmations 4. Questions about job search resources They'll also probably suggest some CareerLink workshops you'll need to complete. It's mostly just to make sure you're actively looking for work. As long as you've been doing your required work search activities each week, you'll be fine!

had mine last month its basically just checking ur complying with everything. make sure u have ur job search records!! they will absolutely ask for those and u need all the details like contact info and who u talked to etc

I completed the RESEA program in March 2025. It's a mandatory reemployment assessment program that PA UC randomly selects people for. Here's what happens: - The meeting lasts about 45-60 minutes - They'll review your work search records (must have completed the required activities) - They'll evaluate your resume and offer suggestions - You'll discuss any barriers to employment you're facing - They'll create an individualized employment plan with you - They'll assign additional career workshops or training This is NOT an investigation of your claim. It's genuinely meant to help you find work faster. However, if you don't participate or can't show you've been doing your work searches, that could create an issue with your benefits. Just be honest and show you're making the effort.

THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO CUT PEOPLE OFF BENEFITS!!! I had my RESEA meeting and two weeks later got a letter saying I didn't complete some stupid workshop they wanted me to do and they stopped my payments!!! Had to file an appeal and everything. The whole program is designed to trap people and disqualify them. They'll find ANY reason to say you're not complying!!! System is RIGGED against us!!!

I had my RESEA meeting too! The lady was actually super nice and helpful. She even found me some job leads in my field. Just make sure you show up on time for the video call. My neighbor missed his and got his benefits stopped for like 3 weeks while he tried to reschedule.

If anyone is having trouble getting through to ask questions about RESEA or needs to reschedule, I used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a PA UC agent in about 20 minutes instead of calling for days. Saved me so much stress! You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 - I needed to reschedule my RESEA appointment due to a job interview (ironic!) and couldn't get through on the regular line. The website is claimyr.com if anyone needs it. Totally worth it to actually talk to someone.

btw they will follow up!! after my resea they gave me 2 workshops to do and i had to send proof i did them or theyd stop my benefits. dont forget to do whatever they tell u to do after!

I got selected for RESEA too but I'm actually starting a new job next week. Do I still need to do the meeting if I'm going to stop claiming?

Thank you all SO MUCH for the helpful responses! I feel much better about my meeting now. I'm going to spend the weekend organizing all my job search records and updating my resume. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!

One more thing! Make sure your camera and mic are working before the meeting starts! My internet went out right when my RESEA meeting was supposed to start and I freaked out. Had to use my phone instead. They're usually understanding about tech issues but better to test everything first!

Just wanted to add my experience from last month - the RESEA meeting was actually pretty straightforward! The counselor was really professional and focused on helping rather than trying to catch me doing something wrong. A couple things that helped me prepare: - I made a simple spreadsheet with all my job applications (company name, position, date applied, method of contact) - Brought screenshots of my online applications since most don't give you contact person names - Had my resume ready to share screen The counselor told me that online applications through job boards totally count - you don't need a specific contact person's name for every single one. They just want to see you're making genuine efforts. The whole thing took about 50 minutes and honestly I learned about some resources I didn't know existed. Don't stress too much about it!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in the same boat - just got selected for RESEA and have been panicking about it. Reading everyone's actual experiences makes me feel so much better. It sounds like as long as you've been doing your work searches and can show some documentation, they're really there to help rather than punish. I've been keeping track of my applications in a notebook but I think I'll create a spreadsheet like Kevin suggested to make it look more organized. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this community is awesome for getting real info instead of just the scary official letters they send!

Just wanted to chime in with my recent RESEA experience from last week! I was super nervous after getting that email too, but it really wasn't bad at all. The counselor was actually really nice and the whole thing felt more like career coaching than an interrogation. A few things that made it go smoothly for me: - I had my work search log ready (even though some entries were just "applied through company website" - that was totally fine) - Made sure to log in 5 minutes early to test my audio/video - Had my resume open in another tab to share if needed They asked about what types of jobs I was looking for, any challenges I was facing in my search, and then we went over some local resources I hadn't heard of before. The whole meeting was maybe 45 minutes and at the end they just assigned me one online workshop to complete within 2 weeks. Honestly, I think they genuinely want to help people get back to work rather than trip them up. Just show that you're making an effort and you'll be fine! Good luck with your meeting next week!

I just completed my RESEA meeting yesterday and wanted to share since I know how stressful the waiting can be! The meeting was actually really positive - my counselor was genuinely interested in helping me succeed in my job search. Here's what worked well for me: - I organized my work search activities by week in a simple document - Had examples ready of different types of job search activities (online applications, networking, job fairs) - Prepared a brief summary of my career goals and any barriers I was facing The counselor reviewed my search methods and suggested some new job boards specific to my field that I hadn't tried yet. We also talked about salary expectations and whether I was being too narrow in my search criteria. They assigned me two workshops to complete - one on interview skills and another on LinkedIn optimization - both seemed actually useful rather than just busy work. The deadline was 3 weeks from the meeting date. The whole experience felt collaborative rather than punitive. As long as you can show you've been making genuine efforts to find work each week, you should have nothing to worry about. The program really does seem designed to help people get back to work faster rather than to cut benefits. Hope this helps ease some anxiety for anyone else going through this process!

I went through RESEA about 6 weeks ago and honestly, this thread perfectly captures the experience! I was terrified when I got that email, but it really was more like a helpful career consultation than anything punitive. My counselor spent most of the time asking about what was working in my job search and what wasn't, then suggested some local networking events and industry-specific job boards I hadn't considered. The only "requirement" they gave me was to attend one virtual workshop on resume writing within a month. One thing I'd add that helped me - I brought a list of questions about job search strategies for my field. The counselor seemed to really appreciate that I was engaged and trying to improve my approach. They even connected me with a local employer who was hiring, though that particular role didn't work out. I think the key takeaway from everyone's experiences here is that RESEA is genuinely designed to help, not to trip you up. As long as you've been doing your required work searches and can show you're making a real effort, you'll be absolutely fine. The fact that they're investing time and resources to help people find work faster should tell you something about their actual goals. Good luck to everyone going through this - you've got this!

Wow, reading through all these experiences has been such a relief! I'm scheduled for my RESEA meeting in two weeks and have been absolutely dreading it since getting that email. Everyone's detailed breakdowns make it sound so much more manageable than the scary official language in the notification made it seem. I love all the practical tips you've shared - especially organizing work search activities by week, testing tech beforehand, and preparing thoughtful questions to ask. I've been keeping my job search records pretty loosely but I'm going to spend this weekend getting everything organized into a proper spreadsheet format. It's really encouraging to hear that multiple people found their counselors genuinely helpful and that the workshops they assign are actually useful rather than just busywork. The fact that several of you mentioned getting job leads or new resources you hadn't considered makes me think I should go into this with a more positive mindset - maybe I'll actually learn something valuable! Thanks to everyone who took time to share their real experiences. This thread should honestly be pinned or something because the official RESEA info is so vague and intimidating compared to hearing what actually happens from people who've been through it. You've all made me feel so much more prepared and confident about the process!

Just wanted to add my experience from completing RESEA two months ago! I was definitely nervous after reading that selection email, but this thread really captures how it actually goes. My counselor was incredibly supportive and the whole meeting felt like getting free career coaching rather than being scrutinized. A few things that really helped me prepare: - Created a simple table with my weekly work search activities (company, position, date, method of contact) - Had my LinkedIn profile updated beforehand since they discussed online networking strategies - Prepared a brief summary of any challenges I was facing (in my case, getting interviews in my field) The counselor spent time understanding my career background and actually suggested expanding my search to include some related roles I hadn't considered. They also recommended a local job networking group that I ended up joining - met some great contacts there! I was assigned one workshop on "Effective Job Search Strategies" which was actually pretty informative and took about 2 hours to complete online. Had 3 weeks to finish it and they sent a reminder email halfway through. The whole experience really reinforced that RESEA is about helping people get back to work efficiently rather than creating barriers. As long as you can demonstrate you're actively searching and open to guidance, you'll have a positive experience. Good luck to everyone going through this process!

Just had my RESEA meeting this morning and wanted to share while it's fresh! After reading through everyone's experiences here (which honestly saved my sanity - thank you all!), I went in feeling much more prepared and confident. The meeting lasted about 50 minutes and my counselor was really professional and helpful. We went through my work search activities week by week, and she was totally understanding that most of my applications were through online portals without specific contact names. She actually commended me for applying to a good variety of positions and using different search methods. What surprised me most was how much time she spent on career strategy rather than just checking compliance boxes. We discussed whether I should consider remote work, looked at salary ranges in my field, and she even suggested a few companies I hadn't thought to target. I was assigned two workshops - "Advanced Interview Techniques" and "Professional Networking in the Digital Age" - both through CareerLink with a 3-week deadline. They actually sound useful rather than just busy work. For anyone still waiting for their meeting: organize your job search records however works for you (spreadsheet, notebook, whatever), test your tech beforehand, and honestly just be yourself. They really do want to help you succeed. This thread was absolutely invaluable for setting realistic expectations - you all rock!

I just completed my RESEA meeting yesterday and wanted to add my voice to all these incredibly helpful experiences! Like so many others here, I was absolutely terrified when I got that selection email, but finding this thread beforehand was a game-changer. My counselor was fantastic - very patient and genuinely interested in helping me improve my job search strategy. We spent most of the time discussing what approaches were working for me and what wasn't, and she had some great suggestions for industry-specific job boards I hadn't discovered yet. One thing I'll add that I haven't seen mentioned much - she asked about any training or certifications I might be interested in pursuing while job searching. Apparently there are some programs available through CareerLink that can help make you more competitive in your field. I ended up getting enrolled in a free Excel certification course that I'm actually excited about! I was assigned one workshop on "Optimizing Your Online Job Search" with a 2-week deadline. Honestly seems like it'll be time well spent based on the description. For anyone still preparing: this thread gave me such realistic expectations and great preparation tips. The meeting really is collaborative rather than interrogational. Just show that you're making genuine efforts and be open to their suggestions - they have resources and insights that can actually help your job search succeed faster!

I just had my RESEA meeting last week and wanted to jump in with my experience since this thread has been so incredibly helpful! I was selected back in February and had been absolutely dreading it after getting that intimidating email. My meeting was scheduled for 1 hour but ended up running about 45 minutes. The counselor was really friendly and started by explaining that RESEA is purely about helping people find work faster, not about investigating claims or trying to disqualify anyone. That immediately put me at ease. We went through my work search log week by week - I had everything in a simple Word document organized by date, and that worked perfectly fine. She was totally understanding that most of my applications were through Indeed and company career pages without specific contact people. What mattered was showing consistent effort and variety in my search methods. The best part was getting personalized advice about my search strategy. She suggested I expand into some related job titles I hadn't considered and recommended a local staffing agency that specializes in my field. We also talked about whether my salary expectations might be limiting my options. I got assigned one workshop called "Networking for Introverts" (perfect for me!) with a 3-week deadline through CareerLink. It was actually really well done and gave me some practical strategies I've started using. To anyone still waiting for their meeting - this thread is absolutely right that it's collaborative, not scary. Just be honest about your efforts and open to suggestions. You might actually learn something valuable!